"Was that a private call?" he asks sternly.
I clear my throat. "Er... no, sir!"
"Are you sure?" he asks me.
I shuffle nervously in my seat and clear my throat again. "Ahem... I'm... I'm positive." Arthur Clark just watches me. I need to hold up my stare... It's fight or flight. He can't yet see that I'm lying. If I break gaze, he will know...
I am silently counting the minutes it takes until he breaks eye contact.
One. Two. Three. Four.
"Why would our clients call you on your private phone?" he asks. Everything relies on this moment... Do not break eye contact, Nicky and improvise...
"I gave Miss James my private number in case my office line was unavailable!" I say with as much conviction as I can muster. I continue counting silently until he breaks eye contact.
Six. Seven. Eight...
"You said Mrs. Patel while you were on your call, Nicole..." he corrects me. Damn! Abort mission! Abort mission!
"Yeah, I know that I said 'Mrs. Patel'... that's because... that's because Miss James is her stand in assistant! I gave my private number to Miss James, so she must have given it to her boss as a first resort..."
God, I really hope he buys it... Twelve. Thirteen. I'm beginning to sweat. I really don't want a repeat of what happened this morning in that cafe.
Finally, he breaks eye contact. "Good idea, Nicole..." he says. "That is why I hired you in the first place... Do you mind accompanying me to a meeting with the board of directors and investors? It's in an hour."
I'm confused... he just complimented me and asked me to go to a meeting with him with the rest of the higher-ups... I'm ready to gasp. Could this be that promotion that I have been waiting on for years?
My mind instantly goes to me in a luxurious office, bringing in so much money that I barely know what to do... As rich as my parents and I didn't even need their help!
But then that cynical side of me has to ask. "Why me, sir?"
You can imagine my excitement when he replies with: "This could be the career opportunity of a lifetime. It would be in your best interest to accompany me."
I can barely contain the giggle of excitement that sneaks out of my mouth without consent. I restrain myself enough to say: "Yes sir... I'll go with you!"
I wait for him to leave my office and as he disappears, I bolt from my seat and close the door behind him, breaking into a crazy happy dance... But only briefly.
But, like I said at the beginning of this chapter, this is a sad chapter and I am only halfway through. So let me get back to my story...
Once I am sure that I will not get caught, I get Adam back on the phone and tell him everything that has just transpired in my office. As I do, I get to work at the same time. Imputing data into the system and going over the file that is still sitting at my desk.
"A promotion?" Adam replies after I have talked his ear off.
"Yeah, I was surprised too. But just imagine... an awesome office with a name plaque and a leather chair that spins, pot plants and a balcony."
"You really have it all thought out, don't you?" Adam asks. Hello, has he met me? I've had it all planned out since the day we met! Yet, sometimes he needs a little reminder.
"Of course, I do, Adam! Think about it... Hawaii holidays? Checking out boys in the Bahamas together... That could be our lifestyle!"
I hear him imagining that as I speak. But then my eyes go to the bottom right-hand side of my computer screen. "Shit! The meeting is in ten! I'll fill you in later, okay? Love you, bye!"
Chapter Three: When it Rains, it Pours!
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