Boss in the Sheets

Chapter 10: A Bolt From The Blue

The awaited morning is here finally, I tried to wake up an hour earlier than usual, I need to be there as early as possible, making a good impression on my coworkers is my aim for the time being. I need to be on my best behavior and show my full potential.

On my way to the office, my face was kissed by the sunrise rays touched by the morning mist, I hardly could open my eyes the coffee hadn't kicked in yet.

On the mention of coffee, I packed some beans with me, because the ones in the office are terrible, they taste like a dreadful dark beverage that you'd brew from burnt hopes and aspirations, there was also instant coffee, and I hate it, not just the empty unsavory taste but even the idea of making the art of brewing a good coffee become as shallow as dissolving instant coffee packets rather than the delicacy of extracting a flavor from the depth of every bean, that's how we pay respect to the beans who are serving their holy purpose of existing.

Therefore, I had to take some beans from my house so that I could make some later for the staff, to let them taste real coffee and of course, for me, I'll need barrels of it to survive this long day with only four hours of sleep.

The office was calm, and silence was ruling the place for a sweet moment. I was alone enjoying the peacefulness of the morning, but I realized that I wasn't. Mike got here before I did.

The meeting is happening in half an hour, and from what I gathered it's about a project they've been working on for, a few months now, Mike asked me if I could make them some coffee, and I'm glad he asked, I made the coffee, took a tray full of coffee mugs, and walked to the conference room.

It was a very large room, with a huge black table surrounded by a couple dozen chairs, and a big window, on each side of it was a large thick dark gray curtain that matched the light gray walls; when I entered, I noticed few people already there. I gave everyone a mug and put the tray with all the extra mugs and a pot for refilling on a side table near the door.

The room was suddenly full, I sat at the back trying to get a seat with a good view and also not to be too forward, Mike had finally joined the chairman. Their entrance made the noise lessen, everyone in their seat opened their tablet or laptops, and so did I.

Mike grabbed two mugs, and handed one to the Chairman, on whom I finally could get my eye, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I guess I'm delusional, hallucinating from all the caffeine I have administered into my body.

It's Sam, flesh and bone, taking the head seat, with confidence emerging from him and making others a bit uncomfortable.

I on the other hand was anything but confident, I was very nervous about this meeting and now I saw Sam here, the guy I hoped I'd never see again, now few feet away from me, his presence was overwhelming, blurring my thoughts, and I feel my heartbeat sending odd waves to the rest of my body, manifesting as goosebumps and shivers. My body still responds to the idea of him as if it is a necessary element for me to be whole. I know it's not true, but I'd like to believe so.

All of this overwhelming feeling I was having and this confusion that shut down my brain was again amplified when his eyes landed on mine, he was commenting on someone's idea, when our eyes met I could feel electricity passing between our gazes, and he stopped talking for a split second the continued as his eyes looked elsewhere.

He must be as surprised as I am, the startle in his eyes was obvious to me at least, maybe the rest of the team didn't notice the change in his demeanor since he hid it well.

In addition to the 'surprise,' he may be disappointed as well, seeing someone you didn't expect or don't want to see at all, I may get fired at this rate, and I hardly was able to land this job.