Quentin
"I was so nervous Oak. You wouldn't even believe."
I'd been spending my Saturday morning telling my roommate all about my evening with Nadia. As he straightened up the kitchen from his night with his lady, I ate breakfast at the table.
"Shes that intimidating?" He said, putting some plates into the dishwasher.
"No, she's that hot."
"Seriously, Quentin?" He laughed. "I mean don't get me wrong, shes stunning. But since when do girls make YOU nervous? Usually it's the other way around."
"It's different. She's different. I need to get over that little nervous feeling though, cause I think she has a lot of faith in me as an employee. I mean, last night there was offer after offer..."
"Did she offer you any sex perhaps?"
"Uh, no?"
"Then right now I'm doing better than you."
"Enough about me I guess. You're really liking this Jamie girl, huh?"
"I've never met a girl like this before..I mean, I think this is fate. I love sci-fi, so does she. I love supernatural, so does she!"
"Damn Oak, it's only been a few weeks." I chuckled.
"If you can fall for Rivers after one dinner, I can be sprung over Jamie."
-
Nadia
As awful as my birthday started off, it ended perfectly. The evening with Quentin went even better than expected. I never thought I could have such a nice time just talking about...work. I haven't really had a nice time in a while.
He even paid for dinner.
I thought that was ridiculous, since I invited him out, and I'm his boss..but he insisted. As a "birthday gift."
Although I had an incredible time with Quentin...when I'd gotten back home, I made a promise to myself that it wouldn't happen again.
What kind of business woman would I be if I developed a little school crush on an employee? Not a good one. No more silly games Nadia..you had a nice birthday, now it's back to professionalism.
With it now being Saturday morning, I had a lot to do before the work week began.
I figured I should start by calling Harley. I still have to break the news that I prematurely selected Quentin for the store opening, but I knew she wouldn't be happy about it.
"Siri, FaceTime Harley." I said, placing my iPad on my kitchen counter.
"You're up early." Harley said, the moment she answered.
"I've got a million things to do. Just wanted to touch bases with you about a few things."
"We touched bases yesterday evening, did something new happen from then to now?" She chuckled.
"Yes, actually. I don't know how you're gonna feel about this...but I went out with Quentin-"
"YOU WHAT?"
"It was a business dinner, nothing serious."
"Business dinner? Usually I schedule your business dinners. This was a date! A spontaneous date!"
"It wasn't a date Harley..we talked about work for most of the night. So much so, I decided I'm bringing him to the store opening."
"You decided...like decided decided?"
"I did."
"Nadia..." she groaned. "What about the other candidates? I was even considering another one of those art directors. Do you know Grayson-"
"I don't trust any of those art directors." I sighed, trying not to think of the card left on my desk yesterday.
"Clearly you trust one of them. Cause you likeeeee him."
"Do not. He's just great at his job, you'll meet him soon. I invited him to a board meeting."
"If I didn't know any better I'd think you're trying to replace me with this guy."
"I couldn't." I laughed. "I just wanna see what he can do."
"Mhmmm. Well Darius and I are going out to breakfast, so is there something you'd like me to do before tomorrow?"
"Could you contact Daley for me? I want her doing some interviews for the art director position."
"Interviews? You know we have a full team right now. Quentin was our last hire."
"She should probably do some interviews."
Quentin «
"I hate shopping in LA. This stuff is so ugly."
"You know Oak, if you hate LA so much I'm sure there's plenty of room for you back in Lagos."
"You clearly haven't seen Lagos." He laughed.
We'd gone out shopping at The Grove for the afternoon— I needed clothes for my job, this trip, and just about everything else, and of course Oak was looking for something to impress that girl of his.
"What you think of this? It's Jamie's favorite color." He said, holding up a mustard colored tee. "Is it too feminine?"
"It's fine." I laughed.
"I don't wanna send off the wrong vibes, you know?"
"Oak it's just a tee shirt-"
"Quentin?" I heard a familiar voice from a few feet away.
Both Oak and I looked up, confused.
"Hey, it's weird to see you doing something other than work."
I immediately recognized Grayson, from the art directors. It was hard not to, considering he was one of the only co-workers I'd ever really had a conversation with.
"Just doing some shopping..then it's back to work for me."
"You never quit, do you?" He laughed. "Who's your friend?"
"Oh- this is my roommate Oak, also my close friend."
"Nice to meet you." Oak said rather quietly.
"Very nice to meet you too...hopefully it won't be the last time." Grayson replied, with a modest smile. "Quentin I had no idea you were friends with models." He said, before heading out of the store.
Without saying anything, Oak placed the tee shirt back on the rack.
"I doubt that was because of the shirt-"
"Quentin I am the last person to take issue with someone's sexuality, but I do not want to flirt with your work friends. Especially...you know, the guy ones?"
"To be fair, I had no idea he was, you know...." I shrugged.
I don't really know much of anything about Grayson.
"He works at a fashion company, measure the odds."
"Very funny."
-
After doing some shopping— I'd gotten what I'd needed, and Oak got just about nothing. However on the way home, he seemed to be in better spirits.
"Ha, Jamie wants to see me again tonight." He said, staring down at his phone.
"Where you two headed?"
"Some Korean BBQ place— she said she wants you and your lady to come."
"Uhh what lady?"
"Well when I was with her last night I told her you were on a date too, I mean technically I didn't lie-"
"You certainly did. Oak I can't bring my boss to Korean BBQ for a double date...that's weird."
"She asked you on one, how weird could it be?"
"No, no, absolutely not."
"Well you gotta bring someone Quentin, we can't disappoint my bbg."
"I don't wanna disappoint your bbg, but I don't have anyone to bring."
"Come onnn, I know you've been focused on work and all, but maybe you could do a little socializing? With a woman perhaps?"
Oak was usually the last person who would push me to 'socialize' so I knew he had a point. I have been dedicating almost all of my time to this new job..I guess I could have a little fun.
"Fine."
Nadia
I'd made the most of my Saturday. I'd caught up on everything for work, cleaned my apartment from top to bottom, and ended my night like I ended most— on my couch watching housewives.
Suddenly, I got a call from Harley.
What could it be now?
"Hello?"
"Heyy Nadia, you busy by chance?"
"Why?" I said, using the remote to pause my show.
"Well Darius' dad is sick so he cancelled on our dinner, but I have reservations somewhere...you wanna come out?"
Over the last few months, my relationship with my assistant was turning into a friendship. Sometime ago I would've detested this; hanging out with a co-worker outside of my job seemed like crazy talk. Not so much now.
"I don't know..."
"It could be fun! You could meet a cute guyyyy..."
"I'm giving guys a break." I told her, thinking about my date from hell just last week.
"Then..consider it a girl's night out. Have some fun Nadia, all you do is work and put me to work."
"If you're so insistent..could you at least come over to help me get ready-"
"YES! Ahh I can't wait!"
This should be fun.
-
Harley must've sped to my home, because she was able to be there in less than a half hour.
"I'm so excited..we never just..do things, you know? Just for the fun of it." Harley said as she came through my front door. "What are you gonna wear?"
"I guess it depends on where exactly we're going? You still haven't told me."
"Well I was thinking we'd eat, and then maybe..possibly..go to a little club downtown?"
"Harley you know I don't do clubs..especially in this city."
I found that the clubs around here are overpriced and underwhelming. I was often too shy to dance, and spent the night being approached by lackluster men.
"I'll show you a good time. We'll drink and have fun, good vibes..that's all."
I sighed.
"I guess..."
"So! We have to get you dressed, out of these sweatpants and in something sexy. Red looks good on you." She said, pulling me by the arm to my bedroom. "Where's your closet?"
"That door right there." I told her, taking a seat at the foot of my bed.
I decided I'd let her take the lead in this, she seemed excited to do so. It been such a long time since I'd had a close friendship like this...I almost felt like I forgot how to be one.
"Woah this is huge." She said stepping into my closet. "Let's see....I like this one, this one, anddddd this one."
She grabbed three dresses, each a slightly different shade of red.
"You like showing cleavage?" She asked, lifting one of the dresses.
"I don't mind it."
"Good, show em off tonight." She said tossing me the dress. "Now for hair."
Quentin
I sat in my car outside this girls house. I hadn't spoke to Summer in over a month, going out with her now gave me a weird feeling in my stomach.
I'd met her months ago, back when the both of us worked in some upscale clothing store. I remember us cracking jokes about the pretentious and entitled people who came in there to shop, she was one of the only things that kept me sane.
Just before I got my job at Blackscale, she'd gotten hired as a curator at Nike. We'd talked a few times after parting ways...even tried flirting a bit. It went...nowhere.
Until tonight. Oak wanted me to try my luck with a girl, so I'm trying it. I'd mustered up the courage to call Summer, and ask her out to the dinner. Although she excitedly agreed, I just still felt uneasy.
You're fine, Quentin. You know this girl.
Soon, I saw her coming out of her house, and approaching my car. Tonight she wore her usually tied up locs, down her back, a green flowy dress, and a pair of heels I silently hoped wouldn't make her taller than me.
It then occurred to me that I'd never really seen her outside of our work uniform before.
"Hi Quentin." She smiled, as she climbed into the passenger seat.
"Hey Summer...you look beautiful."
I didn't know what exactly would come from all of this. I'd only really thought to invite her out because Oak insisted, but maybe if things go well....I don't know.
"Well thank you. You clean up nice yourself."
"How..have you been? It's been a while." I asked, pulling out of her driveway.
"I've been good. My job treats me well— I would've never saw myself doing work with athletic wear, but it's fun." She laughed. "How's your fancy new job?"
"It's..new. I guess I'm trying to get used to it. The people are interesting, the work isn't too hard, I guess I'm just trying to find my place, you know?"
"I assumed a guy like you would fit in just about anywhere. I'm kind of dealing with the same thing at my job..I'm one of the only women in my position. I feel ostracized sometimes. I miss when work was just simple you know? Me and you..upselling fancy watches to rich white couples."
"I don't know, those white couples would give us hell sometimes." I laughed.
"I guess I mainly miss the... me and you part."
-
My phone was being blown up by Oak as Summer and I approached the restaurant we were supposed to meet at. I was a tiny bit late since Summer lived so far out, but I'd felt like I'd make decent time.
A host escorted Summer and I to the table Oak and Jamie had already been seated at, and although he seemed relieved that we'd made it, he didn't hesitate to roll his eyes at my tardiness.
"Glad you two could finally make it. I can introduce you. Quentin, this is Jamie, Jamie, this is my friend Quentin."
"Great to finally meet you, Oak has mentioned you a lot." The woman smiled.
For some reason, she looked slightly familiar to me.
"Nice to meet you— oh, I should probably introduce you two to Summer. She's a friend of mine as well."
"Is this the lovely lady you went out with last night?" Jamie asked with a grin.
Summer glared at me.
"Oh that was a work thing he had to do last night, I thought he had a date..but I was..mistaken." Oak said in an attempted save.
Sorry he mouthed to me.
"Yeah..I had to discuss some new things pertaining to my job. I even got invited to a store opening by.....my.........boss.." I could barely finish my sentence, when I locked eyes with her two tables away.
She's here?