Sun Spots (short story collection)

Mistake

(Author's Note: this story was written for The_Weekend_Write-In 's Flash fiction challenge with the prompt "mistake."
Story is 500 words exactly, not including this note )

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"You forgot what? Tell me this is your idea of a bad joke!"

I watched uneasily as Randolph Jones, my boss, turned the colour of a ripe plum. Both hands came down flat on the desk with a loud slap, and for a moment I wondered if he was about to launch himself across the top to attack me.

I took an instinctive step backward and swallowed. "I'm very sorry, sir."

"Sorry? What good is sorry? How could you forget the birthday of our most important client? Every 5th of July for nine years we've sent French cognac and a box of the best cigars to Julian Price and this year, this tenth year, you forget?"

"I'm sorry, sir... I-I had it in my diary for tomorrow," I stuttered.

Mr Jones continued to glare at me.

"There's nothing else for it, you'll have to deliver them personally, and apologise. Our custom is for the gifts to arrive early, so that Mr Price can open them with his other presents over breakfast, but we've missed that." He glanced down at his expensive wrist watch. "If you leave now, at least the delivery will be on the right day."

I swallowed again. Julian Price lived outside the city at a secluded location on the coast, a two hour drive, at least, from the office. Then add in another two hours for the return journey and it would be dark before I returned home. There went my plans for the evening.

"Well? What are you waiting for?"

I scuttled out of the office, still finding it hard to believe I could have made such a disastrous mistake.

Two and a half hours later, I stood outside a luxurious three-story building, holding a basket containing the gifts, and pressed the buzzer. To my surprise, the door was opened by Julian Price himself. He looked smaller than he did on the screen.

"Yes?"

"Good afternoon, Mr Price, I'm Alex Costa from the Agency, I have your birthday present, I'm very sorry it wasn't delivered on time this morning." The words rushed out in one continuous stream. I thrust the basket forward.

A quizzical look crossed his face, but he didn't take the basket.

"I'm not-"

"I'm so sorry-"

We spoke over the top of each other, but I was desperate. I recovered first.

"Please take the basket, sir. Mr Jones will kill me if I don't deliver it." Immediately I blushed scarlet. What on earth had made me say that? A world-famous movie star was hardly likely to give a damn about me.

"But-"

"Rémy Martin, your favourite brand, sir!"

He raised an eyebrow. "The Louis XIII?"

I gulped. That one retailed at over $4000.

"Er-"

To my surprise, the star broke into a smile.

"I'm kidding! And if you'd let me finish a sentence, I was about to tell you I'm not Julian. I'm Joe Baker, Julian's stunt double."

"Huh."

"You're cute," he continued, smiling. "Would you like to come in for a coffee?"