“ I don’ t know why I even care but I noticed you didn’ t eat. Figured you could use this.”
To be honest I wasn’ t shocked that he’ d found his way to my office. As a matter of fact, I was expecting him. What puzzled me though was the same thing he obviously was puzzled about, why he even cared enough to come. I turned my back to the window and saw him standing in the shadows with a plate full of finger sandwiches, a variety of meats and a piece of every cut fruit that was on the bar.
“ Why are you in here?” I asked with a high level of irritation.“ You should go before your boo starts looking for you.” the receptionist’ s area and immediately locked eyes with a familiar face but it wasn’ t my assistant’ s. It was her date, the guy from the diner on New Year’ s night. My mouth dropped open and for some reason he looked smug.
“ I mean didn’ t he ask me out that night?” I wondered to myself.
I had been pretty out of it at the time of our conversation. My mind had been so messed up from the foolishness the bartender had said. Even if he had asked me out we didn’ t make any solid plans like setting a date nor time or anything. From the looks of it I should be glad I didn’ t make any plans with him, ole“ wanna be a player” ass!! I guess the joke was on me and that was the reason for his smug look. In the mirror we both could see my look of shock quickly turn into one of disgust.
I walked over and began organizing random papers that were already strategically placed on my desk. I’ d placed them in order of importance for when I came in the next day and I knew exactly which stack was which so it didn’ t matter that I was doing it in the dark.
“ My boo just so happens to be my sister,” he chuckled.
He walked over and placed the plate on my desk. I’ d stopped in mid shuffle at him confessing that my assistant was his sister. I immediately felt like an ass and didn’ t know what to say.
“ Oh,” was all I mustered and began to organize again.
He took his hands and placed them on top of mine so I would stop moving papers around. I dared not look up. I knew he was staring at me and I didn’ t want to look back but I was tired, irritated and ready to go anywhere that was far away from here.
“ What?” I asked, finally looking up into his eyes.
“ Boss Lady!!” I heard through my thoughts.“ I want you to meet my boo!!”
“ Damn!” I said to myself.
I pretended to not hear her and hurried off to see someone on the other side of the office before they could reach me. I squeezed through the crowd and her voice faded behind me. I watched my back while I drummed up aimless conversation with a bunch of people that were already slurring their words. I had no idea where in the room they were but I was trying to stay out of dodge as much as possible.
The food was plentiful and the champagne was steadily flowing. That alone was enough to keep the party going and the guests fully occupied. As soon as I had a chance I used the opportunity to hightail it to my office. I stood with my back up against the door for a while then walked over to the wall behind my desk that was one big huge window. I placed my head up against the cool glass. I felt so out of place. Some days I would forget what I did it all for until reality would come rushing back in. I was truly in need of a vacation.
“ Nothing,” he answered and took his hands off mine.
He stood up and I sat down in my chair and slowly picked over the food he’ d brought. My stomach happily did flip flops. Obviously I’ d been starving but too busy to even notice.
“ Thanks for the food,” I told him dryly.
He look pleased enough with that.“ You’ re welcome.” His tone matched mine.
He turned to go back out of my office but then abruptly changed his mind and turned around.
“ I just want to know what happened. I ask you out and you accepted but then nothing.”
He waited for my reply but I didn’ t have one. I was normally a quick thinker but this had me completely thrown off.
“ Hell I even asked you out despite the fact that you’ d never given me your name. And you still haven’ t. I had to get it from Shelby, Ms. Regina Washington.”
14 THRIVE MAGAZINE