Love after Loss

Chapter 22 - Gate

Hiba

"I don't know, I quite like the small painting." My heart stopped, and I looked straight ahead, then up, and then back down. That voice wasn't mine.

"Oh- I- er-" I stumbled my words as I packed away my materials and tried covering the drawing. Which clearly only worked to a certain extent.

"That's some good toning there... mind if I see the rest of it?" I realised the slightly aching position I was in right now. It was as if I had laid asleep, with my arms crossed over, hoping the black of my clothing would help, but then my back was arched forwards and my arms were locked tight which pulled the sleeves to uncover a little. I looked up to Arsalan.

"Oh, erm... yes of course sir... damn it!" I mumbled to him, inaudibly whispering the last part, and I relaxed my body and gave him the drawings. 'Ohhhh Hiba, stepped in it now!' I thought.

'How could I be so stupid??? I need to learn to keep my trap shut!'

I had kept my head down again, but I was still listening to him. He flicked through the pages, and I heard a range of noises from, "hmm..." to "ohhh, that's a good idea" all the way to "damn why didn't we think of that!", and when I heard that last part, I looked up to him.

His eyes... I don't know what it was, but they locked mine away from the pages straight away. "Beautiful..." I heard him say, before he corrected it with "I meant the drawings!" and covered my view of his face.

Why did I feel disappointed he was talking about the drawings and not... how am I jealous at my own drawings??? And why???? But the thing that shook those questions for me was seeing the redness of cheeks peeking out from them. Dimples. Hm. I never knew they could look so... or make me feel so... or make me blush...

'God, Hiba, calm down! We get it! But he's your boss!' I heard my inner thoughts say.

"Hiba?" He called me, moving the papers from view and revealing his smile with those eyes looking down at the floor. "Yes?" I replied.
"These are... I mean you've literally spotted things that I didn't get! It's always so good to have a fresh set of eyes! They look amazing!"

"Th-they do?" I asked, stunned. By his comments I mean. I never finished my degree back at Michigan... nor did I ever pursue it again... it was all just a pipe dream for me...
"Yes of course! I'll tell you what - with your permission, I want to submit these- no, I want you to start working as our new interior design consultant! The office will be a little starting project, you don't have to decide now of course, but Hiba! This is hidden talent! How have you not had a degree or anything and still managed to do so well?! Masha Allah, they are beautiful! You've been blessed with such a talent Hiba!"

I couldn't believe the words I just heard.

He wants me... to be their new consultant??? "Sir, I couldn't possibly... but I'm only a PA... seriously? Is this some kind of joke?" I looked at him, still shocked and confused. He simply laughed back to me.

"Yes, seriously, and no it's not a joke. Like I said, you can take time and think. I will speak with our interiors department, besides they've been... struggling, to say the least. Business for them should've picked up but it hasn't yet. Doing our office as a project can be a nice side thing for you and you will be paid a bonus for it. You are just what they need!" I chuckled shyly at his words, still in shock. I haven't gone back into the interior design world publicly since... since him.