Haven't Had Enough → Chenry

↝ Chapter Six

     Cast addition
Cooper Barnes as Daniel Boehman
-
It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that I had put myself in hot water with Becca by skipping work.

     When I went into the office the next day, she made no effort to hide the look of disdain painted on her face. As I walked through the room, I could feel the heat of everyone's gazes trained on me.

     Becca feigned a look of surprise when I reached her desk, to which I rolled my eyes. That didn't impede her, though.

     "Oh, Charlotte!" She exclaimed, in a tone of exaggerated shock. "You decided to show up today!"

"Something came up yesterday," I explained with a forced smile. "It won't happen again, I promise." Unless your pseudo-boyfriend asks me to hang out again, I added in my head.

Becca gave me a final once-over before shrugging her shoulders. "I would hope not. Luckily for you, I'm letting you off the hook this time."

I narrowed my eyes at her without saying a word, cautiously examining her. Given our brief but tumultuous history, it seemed impossible that she was being genuinely kind to me. Then, as if on cue, her face shifted into a smirk.

"However, my boss informed me this morning that he wants to see you right away." Becca simpered triumphantly and extended a slip of paper to me. "Isn't it so much scarier to be in trouble with your boss's boss?"

     Of course. I swallowed nervously, clutching the piece of paper in my fist and trying to maintain my calm. "Where's your boss's office?" I inquired, inwardly hoping that my voice wouldn't shake and reveal how petrified I was.

     Becca pointed directly across the room to a semi-translucent door. On the door was an ornate plaque that read Daniel Boehman, as in, the Boehman of Boehman's Publishers.

"Oh, man." The interjection tumbled out from my lips before I could stop it. My mind immediately assumed the worst, and all I could think about was how I couldn't afford to lose the internship.

     "You have fun," Becca taunted me, before immersing herself back into her work.

     I took a deep breath and slowly made myself cross the room and approach the door. When I reached it, I raised my fist with uncertainty to knock. The entire room, which had been abuzz earlier, was silent. Everyone was waiting to see what would happen.

     Then the door opened. Behind it stood a tall, well-groomed man who wore a blank and unreadable expression. He seemed to be quite a bit older than me, and rightfully so, but with his dark hair and light eyes, he was undoubtedly handsome. Without a word, he beckoned me inside his office and gestured for me to sit down.

"The infamous Charlotte Bolton."

     He made the statement ominously as he pulled a grand chair out from behind his desk and sat down. Once he was situated, he folded his hands on top of the desk and looked me directly in the eye. "I've heard a number of things about you."

     I laughed nervously and shrugged my shoulders. In an attempt to lighten the mood with a joke, I replied, "People do say my reputation precedes me."

     "I would have to disagree with that," Mr. Boehman countered with a clear of his throat. At that moment, I braced myself for the words I was dreading: 'you're fired' or 'you're a disgrace', or something.

Instead of spewing hateful speech at me, though, Mr. Boehman smiled warmly.  "Otherwise, I should've already known what a talent you are."

     "What?" I was so taken aback by his praise that I had to refrain from gasping. I exhaled deeply, finally able to relax. "You think I'm a talent?"