His insistence possesses a different kind of emotion that can’t be pinpointed. However, it’s in relation to his father’s company, which always releases a different sort of cold from Julian, and I have no intention of poking that sensitivity.
“Of course.”
“Where are my notes for the Stevens meeting in twenty?”
“On the drive that is linked to your calendar appointment, which I have only told you a gazillion times since last week, that is where notes are kept.”
“Fine. My dry cleaning?”
Yeah, I wasn’t so impressed with that demanded task he added to my list, and he is probably expecting me to make a snide remark about it. Instead… I smile. “Of course, at lunchtime. I hung it on the hook behind the door. I also adjusted the temperature in your office to ensure your suit remained in pristine condition, free of wrinkles. The man at the laundromat found a paper with a number in the pocket and saved it for you. I thanked him and said he could throw it in the garbage, unless…” I bring my finger to my chin and pretend to contemplate. “You really needed Stephanie’s number, who left lipstick stains on the paper.” His jaw clenches while I bring my hand to my mouth for theatrics. “Oops, my bad.”
He snickers. “Cute.”
To be honest, other than the second that I chose to forgetto be jealous of a woman with Julian, I assumed it was another number of some doll who slipped him a piece of paper that he forgot he had… I hope. Wait, no, I don’t.
“Anyhow, your meetings have been shuffled around for tomorrow. I’ve ensured that none are too early.”
“Good.”
“And I told the tech team to take another look at their meeting points for Monday because it would have been a waste of your time otherwise.”
“Fine.”
Why are his eyes locked onto me as though it’s the start of an entrapment?
I don’t let him unnerve me. “Anything else?”
“Did you do the report for Tuesday’s 11:30 meeting?”
Wait, what? “No.”
He doesn’t seem impressed. “And why not? You should be on top of it.”
I stand and set my hands on my desk, with fury bubbling inside me. “Well, if you had actually said that you wanted me to come up with some report for a measly meeting about the company’s spring party, even though the events team are making a proposal, by all means, I would have ensured you received yourWar and Peace-length report by 4:59 PM. Alas…” I splay my hands out. “My boss did not communicate such a thing, probably because he himself didn’t even think of it until now, purely because he despises me.”
Julian attempts to hide his sly smirk, and I know because his cheek twitches. “Could be. Who knows. You can add it to your list. You can finish your day, then run along,” he tells me and walks away.
“Oh golly, how lucky I am,” I call out at the same time he shuts the door behind him.
“Things not going swell?” I hear Charles. I had no clue he’d arrived on the floor or how long he was watching us.
I grumble, but at least my body becomes less tense. “He is…”
Charles smiles, and when he arrives at my desk, he’s a normal human and actually takes a pack of fruit snacks from my jar.“If anyone can keep him in line, it’s you,” he reminds me.
“Sure. Doesn’t mean it’s a joy to do.”
He shrugs and glances at the closed door. “He’ll lighten up. Give it time. There is something worthy of understanding underneath his exterior.” It piques my interest what he meant by that. Julian does have a mysterious aura. “So far, you have lasted longer than most.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and remind myself of that fact while I shake the negative energy away and change the topic. “How are you? Already adding more golf outings to your schedule, I hear.”
“Yeah. I’m not going to miss coming to the office every day, but so far, the two days a week that I do go to the office, I’m thankful. Being home more means my wife got the idea that my new career is running all of her errands for her.” He beams a smile when he says that, and it makes me smile too. Charles affects people that way.
“Good to hear. Now, what brings you here? Something I can do, or are you here to talk with Julian?”
“My part-time assistant is doing great since you left her a detailed handover. Which means that I’m here for the latter. I was hoping to discuss a client contract.”
I glance quickly at my screensaver to see the time. “If you’re quick, he has one last meeting for the day.”
