I look around and I don’t spot his SUV, and I have to wonder if he’s even going to show up today. I grab my purse and follow the signs for the elevator, pressing the up button and then waiting. “He’s probably avoiding coming into the office because he hates you,” I mumble to myself, the thought making me feel like I’m going to throw up.
I don’t have a chance to turn and head back to my SUV before the elevator opens up and I step in. My hand shakes as I press the number to the floor. I step in the back as it stops on the first floor and people get in the elevator. I have to squeeze my way out when it’s my floor. I step out, looking right and then left before I see the name on the door. I walk over and take a huge inhale before I turn the handle. “You’ve got this.”
As soon as I push the door open and step in, I feel a sense of calmness. The waiting area on the side has a long green couch with two different shades of pink pillows and two single green chairs facing the sofa. In the middle of the wall on top of the couch are three words.
Make The Choice. The Make and The is in gold and the Choice is in a green. Above the words are what look like green leaves with pink flowers covering the top half of the wall, like you stepped into a garden.
I hear movement from the side and look over and blink once, twice, three times and the back of my neck starts to heat up. It can’t be. Would he really? “Hi,” the woman says, “I’m Kylie. I don’t know if you remember me.” Her green eyes stare at me. “We met.”
I swallow down and put on my fake smile. “Yes,” I confirm, moving to the side, “you were Kirby’s date.” I stop talking when the door opens and the man of my dreams and who’s now on my shit list steps in.
He’s wearing dark-black jeans with a white T-shirt and a caramel button-down shirt open and with the sleeves pushed up. The hat on his head hides the silky hair I spent most of two days with my hand buried in. “Hey,” he says, looking at me and all I can think of is he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever met. “I wanted to get here before you,” he mentions to me and then holds up the tray of three coffee cups and a see-through bag with a pink box in it. “I guess I’m late.” His eyes find mine and all I can do is stand here transfixed on him.
“She just got here.” I hear Kylie and turn back to look at her as she steps to him and grabs the coffee. “She gets coffee and sweet treats on her first day. I got a phone call.”
My eyes go from her to him and then back to her. “Ignore her,” Kirby states, walking in and putting the box on the brown desk on the side. “She’s been giving me shit her whole life.” He takes off his hat, tossing it onto the desk. “Lexi, meet my younger sister,” he says, smiling at her, “Kylie.”
“Sister?” I repeat the word. “I thought you two dated.”
“Ew,” Kylie says, making me laugh. “I bid on another guy at the event.”
“I know, I just thought you were trying to make him jealous.”
“The only thing it did was make me poorer,” Kirby deadpans. “Shall we get started?”
“I haven’t even given her a tour,” Kylie says, taking one of the cups of coffee out and then looking at the label. “How do you take your coffee?”
“I’ll take whatever is left,” I tell her and she smiles.
“I love working with her already,” she remarks, making me laugh.
“Yeah, Lexi is amazing.” He exhales and looks at me for a second, the second enough for my stomach to flutter, before turning his head. “Do the tour and I’ll wait here.” He walks over to the single couch, sitting while he takes out his phone.
“Okay, so we have two offices,” Kylie says, “and if it’s okay with you…” She looks over at me. “I kinda love that one.” She points to the office on the right.
“I don’t think I need an office,” I tell her and turn to look back at Kirby, who gets up to grab one of the coffee cups, not even listening to our conversation. “I just need a desk.”
“And you will have one in this office.” She ushers me to the office in the corner. “Anything you don’t like, Ariella says she will change, but she sort of said you would love this.” I step in and see there is an L-shaped desk pushed into the corner and facing the outside. A white fabric chair is pushed in, facing a desktop computer. “We also got a laptop for you to use if you don’t want to come into the office.” She steps to the side where the cozy part of the office is. Two big plush ivory-colored couches face a dark green wall. In the middle of the wall are six frames.
The first one reads: “Everything you’ve ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.”
The second reads: “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”
The third reads: “I have not failed…”
“I love it,” I say, turning to her, “and those quotes.” I point to the wall. “I might steal that for my house.”
“I took a couple for mine also,” she admits. “Just a little affirmation makes you remember what the big picture is, I guess.” She looks over at Kirby. “We should have the weekly meeting so he can get to work.” She takes a sip of her coffee. “There are only two offices, and he refused to take one, so we have to have the meeting in the waiting area.” She calls him over her shoulder, “Okay, brother?” Kylie walks out to the waiting room. I follow her, seeing him sitting in the chair, his ankle on his knee, and now I can’t look at him without knowing he’s even more perfect naked.
“Welcome to the first weekly meeting.” He sits up and puts down his coffee. My eyes go to his hand and his fingers, wanting to sit next to him and hold his hand, but opting to sit in front of him with a coffee table in between us. His eyes go to my legs when I cross them, and I see his jaw get tight. “I have no idea what to say except welcome, Lexi.” He smirks at me. “Thank you for taking the job.” I smile at him. “If you have any questions, feel free to ask me or Kylie.” He chuckles. “I don’t even know what else to say or discuss.” He looks at me, then at Kylie. “Maybe we can go over what you plan to do this week.” Kylie snickers at him as she goes over what she plans on doing this week. It lasts maybe thirty minutes before it’s an awkward silence for a couple of seconds before he looks back over at Kylie. “I guess that ends our first meeting. Kylie, be nice.” He gets up and Kylie also gets up, shaking her head.
“I’m nice to everyone but you.” She walks away from him to her office, leaving us by ourselves.
“She is nice to everyone but me,” Kirby admits, bending and grabbing his cup of coffee. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me,” he says. All I can do is nod because in this moment with him right here, I’d give anything to kiss him one more time. To feel his hand on my face, to put my hand on his. He takes a step toward me. “I guess I’ll see you next week,” he states and my heart sinks. “I’m really glad you took the job,” he says when he is right beside me. Then I look up at him and wait for him to say something else. I can almost bet he wants to say something else, but he just gives me a smile before he walks to the door. “Bye, Kylie!” he shouts toward her office, then looks at me. “I got you one of those cinnamon rolls.” He motions toward the box and then he’s gone, the sound of the door clicking behind him. I close my eyes and I’m about to go after him when Kylie comes out of her office.
“Now that the big mean boss is gone,” she starts, holding a notebook in one hand and the coffee in the other, “how about we have our own meeting and get to know each other a little?”
I smile at her, pushing all thoughts of her brother out of my mind, at least for a little bit anyway. “I would really like that.”
