One Night

Fate Sucks

"I'll have them done, sir," I said. 

He handed them to me and I avoided physical contact with him. His fingers were centimeters away from mine. God knows what would happen if I had touched him. I was already having trouble keeping my heart rate, breathing and eyes where and how they should be. I took them quickly and left with a small bow of my head. I nearly ran back to the elevator.

I began that morning. From skimming them, they all seemed very good, but I'd find out later whether they were publishable material. I didn't leave the office until 9. I went home, took a shower, ate, and went to bed. I repeated the same routine the next three days. I was right. The submissions that were put under the magnifying glass seemed to crumble in my fingers. Most of the ones I read had gotten a bad review from me.

I got dressed Friday morning and went to work, knowing that I wasn't going to be home until late again. Sam was complaining to me as I was getting ready that she hadn't seen me all week. She tried to make me late, by taking her time to make my coffee, but I just left and hit a Starbucks on my way to work. I didn't have time for that. I still had two whole manuscripts to go through. 

I worked relentlessly throughout the day. I even skipped lunch to work. By the time 8 o'clock rolled around, I was only half way done with the second one. I tried to go faster, praying that I would be done in an hour or so. I ended up being done at 9.

I had a sinking feeling in my stomach as I walked through the empty cubicle space. I headed to the elevator, the stack of manuscripts balanced on my arm and my heart racing faster that a jack rabbits. I hit the floor button and tapped my foot impatiently waiting to get there. 

Maybe he won't be in his office. Maybe he left at 5 like everyone else did. I tried to cheer myself up with all of the possibilities that would somehow get me in the clear if Mr. James was there. I hopped from foot to foot, waiting to get there, hoping Lady Luck would pity me and hand me some. I took a deep breath and I crossed my fingers on both hands as the doors opened. I turned to the right to go into his office. Shit, his light still was on. I poked my head through the door. He wasn't there. Sighing with relief, I hurried over and set the stack of manuscripts on the desk. There, I did it. I could leave and not see Mr. James again. 

I was a little smug as I turned around. I did it. That is, until I saw Mr. James/Hottie/British, standing next to the door with his arms crossed and a serious look on his face. I felt my stomach drop to the floor and my heart rate speed up again, but not from the sight of him, from being caught. I swallowed and laughed nervously, a pathetic smile on my lips. 

"I thought I said 8, not 9, Miss Blackwell," he said, spitting out my name like it was a curse. I nodded, my face heating up. "You're an hour late on your first assignment. That doesn't reflect very well on you."

"I know, I'm sorry Mr. Hottie," I said before I froze. SHITTTTT!!!! Did I just really say that to my boss?! "I'm sorry, sir, about both things," I said, trying to recover my dignity. "I did the best I could and I got them here on the day of the deadline. It won't happen again, I swear it." 

He didn't say anything as he walked over to me. I froze, my heart was pounding so hard that it just become a loud, deep drone in my ears. I couldn't move as he stepped up to me, looking down to see me. I swallowed, millions of possible situations popping into my mind at the moment.

"Get out," he said, smelling like aftershave and a splash of Polo Cologne. I wanted to stay this close, to continue smelling him, to continue looking at this handsome, panty dropper man, but I looked away and hurried out of the room.

I headed to the elevator and pressed the button. It dinged open and I stepped in. I pressed the ground floor and waited for it to close, looking at the ceiling and wondering why the hell "Mr. Hottie" slipped out of my damn mouth. I wanted to disappear. I started chewing on my lip. Thankfully the doors started to close. I sighed and leaned against the wall.