Not Your Ordinary Millionaire Love Story (completed)

Meeting One Another

I went to the meeting then excused everyone for lunch. I had two cafeterias built in the building so that those on the highest floor didn't have to commute so far and so that visitors didn't have to take the elevator up to a middle floored cafeteria. All in all, if my employees wanted to go to a restaurant, that was fine, too. I caught my blondie on the floor I had my meeting and purposefully went up to her.

"Josie," I said, only a few feet away from her. She had a cart full of mail bins and she was matching names on the packages and envelopes to the people's name tag on their cubicles.

"Harry," she said back with nonchalance. Her smile made me happy—who am I kidding, I've been happy since I saw her this morning.

I noticed the glances around us when she called me by my first name as if we were good friends. Everyone in the office was instructed to formally call me their boss or Mr. Robinson. The only people in my life who called me by my first name was my mother, father, and a few friends from college. Who I haven't actually seen for five years. So yeah, just my parents. And I guess now Josie.

"Were you in a meeting?" I nodded.

"Are you heading off to lunch?" She nodded this time. "Oh," I dumbly noted.

"Let me guess, you eat lunch in your office?" I chuckled.

"No, I don't eat it at all."

"Hah, that explains a lot."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I unconsciously began walking with her down the cubicles and as I tried to listen to Josie, I picked up the whispers of my employees as well.

"Is that Mr. Robinson?"

"Who is that girl?"

"She's from the mailroom."

"I don't think I've ever met the guy."

"Why would he be talking to such a low employee like that?"

"Does he talk like that to those on the 34th?"

"Is he up for grabs? I thought he was married."

"I just mean that you've lost a lot of weight since the last time we saw each other."

"Yeah, when I'm stressed I don't eat."

"Are you stressed a lot?"

"Of course, a company like this doesn't build itself in one night."

"Something tells me that it did." She smiled and I blushed. What is this feeling I'm having? My palms are sweaty and I can't help but smile! Once Josie was done with the floor she turned and asked, "Do you want to have lunch together?"

"Uh—su—sure! Yeah,"

"Sweet. Let's go!" I walked with her to the elevator then waited with her.

"Do you have to return the cart?" I asked.

"Oh, no, I can leave it on this floor if I want." I nodded with acknowledgment feeling stupid for not knowing something so simple in my own building. The double doors slid open and I smiled to myself when no one else was in it. We climbed in and I racked up subjects to talk about.

"What made you leave New York?"

"I caught my boyfriend cheating on me and was just done with life there. So, I packed up and drove until I ran out of money for gas."

"Wow, I don't think I've ever done something like that. Especially without a plan."

"You're a schedule keeper?" She teased. I blushed again!

"Well, it keeps me organized. Like I said earlier, this company didn't build itself over night." She kept her cute smile plastered on her smooth face. "Soooo, you don't have a boyfriend I'm assuming?" She shook her head and didn't add anything to it. "Sorry he cheated on you. I could never do that to a girl. If I knew I didn't like a girl anymore, I would tell her, not try to satisfy myself with another."

She smiled kindly at me and nodded her head. "Thanks, I'm over it though. I have another person in my life that I'm trying to look after. I don't want any distractions anyway. But I will be honest, if the opportunity arises for me to get a man, then I'll take it."

Another person? But she just said she doesn't have a boyfriend! What other person could she be referring to? A sick relative? A pet? A parent? A friend?

I just simply nodded and waited for the doors to open to the seventeenth floor. We walked together to the food court and I received more stares. I began sweating from anxiety. Hard to believe when you're the top dog at the office. But I'm actually really shy. The only people that I have ever been able to not get nervous in front of, not including my parents, is Liza and now Josie. I guess sometimes I skip out on dinner parties and galleries because I don't want to speak to people unless I absolutely have to.

"What are you going to order?" Josie asked. I shrugged. "On the first floor, they have a really good BLT sandwich."

"I don't know much about these places. I'll order whatever you do."

"You have any food allergies?" I shook my head. "Sweet!" We ordered BLTs and I offered to pay for both of them. Then we sat down at a secluded table. "I don't know how people can skip lunch. It is such an essential meal of the day." She said with her mouth full.

I chuckled. "I thought breakfast was the most important meal of the day." She waved me off and took a sip of her soda. I bit into my sandwich and my eyes closed for a few seconds, savoring the taste of food. When was the last time I had something more than just beer, coffee, or an apple?

"It's good right?" I opened my eyes and quickly swallowed out of embarrassment for most likely making a fool out of myself.

"I was just thinking about the last time I actually ate food." Josie narrowed her eyes.

"Come on, Harry, you can't keep dieting after becoming as skinny as you are now. We need to fatten you up. Do you skip breakfast and dinner too? Of course you do. I'll at least be making sure you get your lunch from now on until the scale tips for you." I smiled and looked down at my plate.

"Yes, ma'am." She smiled and bit into her food.

After lunch we walked back to the elevator, and it was crowded now that everyone was making their way back to their cubicles, and Josie suddenly asked, inside the elevator, "You're the CEO of the company right?" Everyone looked at her with surprise in their eyes. I bet they were all expecting me to yell at her and chastise her for not being more respectful to the boss man. I nodded instead. "Then why is their no Christmas decorations?" Everyone shifted awkwardly around us and Josie felt it too.

"I don't like the holiday." I simply answered.

"Oh come on! Everyone loves Christmas!"

"Not after their parents tell you they're divorcing." Again, another awkward shift. I have nothing to hide from my employees. And this knowledge of some unsettled childhood memories can hardly be used against me. Can you blame a man for avoiding something that only brings sadness and anxiety back into his memory?

"Oh," Josie took in our surroundings. "Sorry for asking."

"It's fine." We made it to the floor she was originally going and I waved goodbye and got a wave in return. Then it was to the top floor for me.