Chapter 6

• It was amazing to see how all the meetings I had scheduled for today had a second date in case they were canceled, and everyone was so accommodating, not a single complaint or anything. Perhaps it was because we were dealing with a powerful individual who could move and undo the world at his will. Besides, almost everyone had the second date already penciled in the empty slots of their agenda, so there was no need to rearrange the entire month's schedule.
• "I'm going down for a coffee, do you want one?" Cassie asks near my desk.
• "Sure, thank you."
• She smiles friendly and disappears down the hallway. I lean back in my chair, letting out a sigh just as the phone starts ringing and the light flashes insistently. I look at Cassie's empty seat and then at the phone. I pick up the receiver and press the light button, but before I could speak, Bornout's voice is already on the line.
• "I need you to pick up some papers from the 23rd floor, have Mike give them to you."
• He hangs up the call, and I stay for a few seconds with the phone in hand until I hang up. I look at Cassie's empty desk and without hesitation, I take a sheet of paper from the notebook, write down to go to the 23rd floor, leave it on her desk, and walk towards the elevator. As soon as I enter, I press the button and start descending. When the doors open and I approach the small reception, I see a metal plaque on the wall indicating that this floor was about wedding planning. Since when did Bornout specialize in things like this?
• "Hello, Mr. Bornout sent me for some papers with Mike."
• The receptionist nods and dials on the phone. After a few short words, the glass door next to me opens, revealing a dark"skinned guy with black wavy hair and a bright smile carrying a navy blue folder."
• "You must be Bornout's new secretary, right?" he asks as a greeting, extending the folder towards me.
• "That's right," I reply, taking it and extending my hand. "Eryn Pryest."
• "Mike Rodriguez," he takes my hand and shakes it.
• I smile at him one last time and walk back to the elevator to return to my floor. As soon as I arrive, I notice Cassie's absence, so I take the note I wrote for her and throw it in the trash. I walk to the door and knock. As soon as I hear her voice, I enter with my head down, noticing that she was in the middle of a call. I approach the desk and leave the folder, then quietly leave. On my desk, I find a cardboard cup with a black lid.
• "Since when does someone with Bornout's financial magnitude decide to dedicate themselves to planning weddings for mortals?" I ask incredulously as I take a sip of my coffee.
• "Well, I've been here for two years and that section was already in the building," she shrugs from her desk. "And strangely, he knows about every wedding planned on that floor."
• After a while, Cassie explained to me the functions of the first secretary and that in case neither of the first two was available, there was a third one who was a petite girl with big honey"colored eyes. She was currently in the mailroom area as an intern, but she was always ready to take Bornout's messages by simply calling the light with the number three."
• I was replying to a message from Allie about how my day was going and where I had left the box of pop"tarts when the door opened, revealing a stern"looking Bornout buttoning up the first button of his black jacket.
• "Larch is waiting for you downstairs with the car ready, sir," Cassie speaks, getting up from her seat as I do the same.
• "Thank you. You can go now, ladies," he says, nodding, and for a moment, he focuses his attention on me. "I hope your first day here went well. If you need anything, you can consult with me at any time."
• His gray gaze catches me for several seconds as I awkwardly nod, he gives me a dazzling smile before walking towards the elevator, so as soon as the doors close behind him, I let out the held breath, gather my things to put them in the briefcase, and shut down the computer after sending the agenda file to my email. I walk to the elevator followed by Cass as she tells me how fun it is to no longer be alone in that huge office.
• "See you tomorrow," I say goodbye as I walk towards the reviewers.
• I swipe my card through one of them and exit, finding several people leaving work. When I crossed the doors, the Californian heat hits me in the face as I see two black trucks moving down the street. I assumed it was Mr. Bornout, I watch him drive away until the honking of a horn distracts me. Allie was already in her car waiting for me, I walk towards her and open the door to sit in the passenger seat.
• "How was your first day?"
• "I found out that I have to travel to New York in two weeks," I say slowly as she merges into traffic.
• "Do you think it's right for you to go?"
• "I don't know."
• Allie purses her lips but says nothing as she drives towards my house. I knew she was against anything that reminded me of my past, including the city where I grew up, and I knew she was right. Going alone would only bring back the memories that I had worked so hard to bury, but if it was for work, what was I supposed to do?
• As soon as we arrive home, she parks next to my truck in the parking lot and we both ride the elevator in silence, so when we reach the door of my house, I hear the one across open quickly.
• "Eryn! I'm glad I found you," Guillian says, coming out of his apartment while buttoning up his blue jacket. "I know it's a bit rushed, but could you help me take care of Kenji? Just a couple of hours, please."
• I look at his flushed face and disheveled hair due to the rush, while Kenji comes out behind him with a slight trot and looks at his owner almost the same way the blonde next to me was looking at him. I knew that look, Allie was almost falling in love with the curly"haired, hurried boy in front of me."
• "Of course, I'll take care of the furry one," I reply casually, opening the door.
• Guillian smiles in relief as he goes back to his home with a small bag of food and Kenji's bowls, he hands them to me and also puts the keys on top.
• "Anything you need for him is in the living room, just open the door and he'll go for whatever he wants," he explains quickly, closing the door and running towards the stairs.
• Kenji looks where his owner went, but he doesn't follow him. I hand the things to Allie, making her react before the food falls. I pick up the puppy and the three of us enter the apartment. My eyes instantly land on the empty pop"tarts box next to the piles of crumbs on the kitchen island."
• "I hope you didn't eat them all," I threaten, placing the dog on the floor, who starts sniffing around.
• "Why didn't you tell me there was an extremely handsome guy across the hall?"
• "I didn't think he was handsome enough to meet your standards."
• And it was true, Allie was very meticulous when it came to a guy for a relationship, unless she just wanted to have some fun. But that was her, and no one could make her change unless the extremely handsome guy named Guillian, whose dog was now on my couch, could make an attempt with the blonde. I would be eternally grateful since Allie had never managed to last more than a year in a serious relationship, and I hoped this time would be different.