Only By Chance

Chapter 2 - Innocently Guilty

"How dare you," the gentleman yelled.

Eliza eyed the mysterious dark haired-man, his lips were encased within a trim balbo beard. His charcoal suit cost more than her rent. Most noticeable than anything, he was delicious to look at.

The mature man towered over Adelaide. His muscular frame intimidated Eliza, but Adelaide stood there calmly as his red-cheeked face screamed at her.

"I see you received my package," Adelaide said slyly. She rose from her desk and stepped closer to him.

He was fuming. If he was a chimney, thick black smoke would be pouring into the sky. He slammed a fist onto the table, causing stacks of papers to slide from her desk. Whatever happened between them, it was clear something was terribly wrong.

"You should relax, a drink maybe?" She said with a smirk.

Eliza caught herself staring at him, but she couldn't pull away. He was so well put together. His dark suit fit him like a glove, every inch of him. From his broad shoulders down to his toned calves. His dress shoes were larger than the average man. Her eyes traveled up his leg, she knew better than to look, but she had to know. He stepped behind the desk, just out of range.

Dammit, she thought.

"Don't you tell me to calm down, how could you do this to me," he yelled. His volume pierced through the glass walls. His body trembled with fury.

Adelaide placed her hands on John's shoulders. She gently rubbed him in an attempt to control his temper, she knew how he could get. John angled his chin downward to meet Adelaide's gaze.

"So I'm just gonna go-" Eliza whispered, both of them shot eyes at her.

Eliza never knew how to maneuver intense social settings or any settings for that matter. On her second day at the job, when she met her trainer Shawna who refuses to speak to her now, her first impression could've used some work. Instead of nicely introducing herself when she walked up to Shawna, Eliza insisted on seeming relatable to her fellow African American female co-workers.

"Looks like I'm stuck with you today," she said, then accompanied it with an awkward laugh. Shawna literally looked her up and down then rolled her eyes at her. Eliza continued on with that dopey smile. Her attempt to be humorous, failed.

"Leave us," Adelaide commanded without breaking eye contact with John.

Eliza rushed to her feet, dropping files out of her hands in the process. Her clumsiness attracted unwanted attention.

Eliza stretched her arms to gather her documents as quickly as she could. After recklessly rearranging the files, she stood. Unintentionally, she locked eyes with John only for a moment then quickly left the premises.

His eyes were the most striking shade of honey she had ever seen. And by the way he looked at her she felt something. She would never forget that look.

Eliza trekked back to her dingy cubicle. Her co-workers eagerly awaited her return. The sound of strokes on a keyboard filled their shared workspace.

"What did Satan herself what this time?" Jocelyn quipped.

Eliza sat in her spinning chair silently, she could not find the strength to tell them, if she told them what good what it do? but if she didn't what kind of person was she?

"Oh, it was about this morning," she uttered.

That's technically the truth in a way, so it counts, she thought.