PALOMA.
I put on the black pant suit with black loafers, picking the curling iron and creating loose and neat retro waves on my bob hair. These past weeks I've been experimenting with different fabrics and mixing patterns that I'm comfortable with in my outfits. It's really fun to try out a variety of designs.
My parents got the contract to supply pastries to the company and they were beyond delighted, it's a big step for them and so many employees always look forward to eating the bagels, croissants, muffins and donuts that they supply. More customers have also been coming to the bakery.
Mr. Jay has been a really good boss to me all through the three weeks that I've been working for him. It's easy to communicate with him because he is always ready to listen.
He respects all his employees and sees them as his equal, regardless of his high rank. This has earned him the respect and loyalty of everyone in the company. Whenever he is on a business trip and doesn't come to the office, his absence is felt and he is missed.
It's good that he never stays long on the business trips, only takes a day or two and never exceeds that. I think he has a special person in his life that he never wants to be away from.
For the three weeks Mr. Jay and I have been working alongside each other, we have grown to be more open and free. We can joke around, make stupid jokes, laugh and talk about random things. We enjoy each other's company.
Too bad that only one week is remaining and the new personal assistant will be here. I'll have to be the secretary, it's the job and position that I was hired for. It's ok though because I got to work alongside someone who inspires me alot in business matters and I learnt so much from him.
I'm really thankful that he gave me that opportunity.
Eden has also been coming to the bakery more not just to buy cinnamon rolls but to visit me too. We play around sometimes and he keeps me company when I arrange more pastries in the display cases. His bodyguard is always by his side, watching us. All he has even said to me is a greeting.
Eden always talks about his papa and how much he loves him. Every time he buys cinnamon rolls, I make sure to put enough for him, his papa and uncle Milano who is the bodyguard.
From everything Eden has told me about his papa, I'm sure he is a really good man and loving father. I hope to meet him someday when he accompanies Eden to the bakery.
Passing by the bakery like I always do before going to work, I find my parents busy serving some customers. I hug them and decide to carry a few cinnamon rolls for Mr. Jay today this time to eat while drinking his coffee.
So many people are fond of my cinnamon rolls and maybe he will like them too.
I take a taxi to work, going to the break room as soon as arrive to make coffee. With the mug of black coffee and a serving plate of cinnamon rolls in hand, I carry them to the office finding Mr. Jay busy signing some contracts.
"Good morning Paloma." He says before I can greet him myself, looking away from the contract to me.
"Good morning sir."
He gets up and walks to the cabinets picking the public relations file. With a crisp white shirt, light grey pants and black loafers, he looks so smart and masculine as always.
His hair also looks great, he asked me yesterday to make a booking for him at the barbershop he usually goes to and the barber really did a good job with the haircut. It's classy and flattering.
"Your hair looks great." Mr. Jay says to me as he sits down putting the files on the table. "I like the retro waves on them."
I smile touching my hair. "Thank you. Your hair looks great too."
He chuckles putting the file aside. "Actually a little angel styled it more for me this morning and insisted that I come to work with it like this. He's my hair stylist."
Little angel.
I don't ask about the little angel because it's none of my business. I don't want to be intrusive, that's his personal affair.
Mr. Jay's eyes settle on the cinnamon rolls as he picks the mug of coffee. "For me?"
"Yes." I push the plate closer to him and he picks one, taking a bite. Then he stops chewing, looking at the cinnamon rolls in his hand in amazement and surprise.
"It tastes familiar, really familiar." He whispers to himself, his eyes still on the cinnamon rolls.
He gets out of the trance and I stay next to the desk still pondering his odd reaction over the cinnamon rolls.
Mr. Jay finishes all the cinnamon rolls within a few minutes and leans back on the leather chair, fully satisfied. Our eyes meet and we both laugh, it's like he has never eaten them before and this is his first time. He really loved them.
"Sir can I make a suggestion?" I ask and he nods sitting up.
"I've been thinking of using a french press to make your coffee instead of the coffee maker. It's what we use at home and it makes good coffee that tastes really great." I say to him as he listens keenly. "Since you love coffee so much, I want to upgrade the taste by using a french press."
So many employees here love coffee and I know the french press with elevate the taste and they will like it.
"Ok let me make a call so the french press can be brought. Twenty are enough for everyone in the company." Mr. Jay picks the desk phone making a call.
Hanging up I check his schedule for today. "You have a meeting at 9.00am with the manager of Vix Construction company."
He wipes his lips with a napkin as I search for the needed file in the aligned cabinets, they are so many. "It's on the top shelf. Pick it so we can go to the meeting room. The manager has arrived earlier than scheduled." Mr. Jay says behind me after receiving a call.
I get on the small stool reaching out my hand but still can't reach the file.
I feel Mr. Jay behind me as he picks the file for me. "You are so short." He says and i poke his tummy for making fun of my height.
He bumps on me and I lose my balance, falling of the stool. Screaming at the top of my lungs because of the pain I'm about to feel when my body hits the hard floor, I fall on something soft and warm instead.
Opening my eyes, I meet Mr. Jay's hooded ones as we look deep into each other's eyes, our hearts thumping against our chests with me on top of him.
He runs his gaze over me, tucking the loose hair behind my ear delicately. Then he smiles, a smile so familiar to me now.
I examine his face, from his cheekbones, emerald eyes, coffee laced pink lips to his ears. The more I look at him, the more my cheeks burn flaming red as I inch closer to him, melting towards him.
Mr. Jay rubs his thumb on my cheekbone and the warm feeling renders me motionless and stunned, still on top of him. He also doesn't make any move, just gazes intensely at me.
A loud knock on the door takes us out of the deep trance and I place my hands on his hard chest, getting up and off him. I look away so he doesn't see the blush on my face as I straighten my blazer.
Mr. Jay also gets up avoiding my eyes too as he walks to the door, Mrs. Smith stepping in. "The manager of Vix construction company has been waiting for you for quite a while Sir."
"Let's not keep him waiting." He says finally looking my way. I pick the file following him out hurriedly and leaving Mrs. Smith in the office looking confused.
We find the manager who gets up greeting Mr. Jay and I. "My apologies for keeping you waiting."
"It's ok, I didn't wait for long." The manager says as they sit down and I give each of them the documents. "Let's get straight to business."
♧♧♧♧♧♧
Eating Cajun Salmon and shrimp alfredo I'm having for lunch, I pick my glass of water as Mr. Jay talks to Mr. Bavino, the Chief operations officer and Mr. Luke, the Chief financial officer on the conference call. They are discussing the huge multi million dollar deal they've been trying to close but the potential partners seem to be a little hesitant, delaying the signing of the contract.
"I think we have to be more patient, give them more time to think it through. If they changed their mind about working with us, they would have already informed us by now. So let's just be patient and optimistic." Mr. Bavino says to his colleagues.
"Mr. Bavino, this has nothing to do with patience and optimism." Mr. Jay says. "If you want something, you work for it and get it. What we have to do is be more strategic with our next move, not be optimistic."
"You are a realist." Mr. Bavino replies and the three of them laugh. "I get that but what have we not done to prove to them that we are worthy of the contract and partnership. They are already aware of our superior services and the high quality of our products."
The three them remain silent, Mr. Jay pacing infront of the desk trying to come up with the next move to make.
He looks my way, his keen eyes settling on me. "I know that look, you have an idea. Feel free to contribute to the discussion if you want to." He says to me.
After some hesitation I get up moving closer to the phone so Mr. Bavino and Mr. Luke can hear me clearly. "It all comes down to our products. So we should fully prove to them just how high quality our products are. Then we show them that they can trust us with their brand as well. When it comes down to business, nobody ever wants to take chances."
The four of us go silent again, Mr. Jay's eyes back on me. Not of surprise but of pride.
"Where have you been all our lives?" Mr. Luke asks me and the four of us laugh. "Miss Paloma I didn't know that you are also a business advisor, a really good one I might add. You've helped us a huge deal, trust me."
"It's nothing." I shrug smiling to myself.
"The company's associates want to meet us urgently tomorrow in Milan to further discuss the partnership. Jay I think you should go and represent us there, with Miss. Paloma by your side." Mr. Luke says.
"Italy is only five hours from here by flight. With the private jet, there will be no delays. You can leave today, get a good night rest on your arrival and wake up fresh and ready for the meeting in the morning. After that, you can get on the jet back home. We all know you never want to be away from little angel for long." He adds.
Who is little angel?
The conference call ends and Mr. Jay sits on the grey couch, undoing the top two buttons of his white shirt. "I'm sorry if this is an inconvenience to you, going to Milan with me in such a short notice. It's only for a day so you have nothing to worry about." He says to me.
"Sir my job is to be by your side assisting you in business matters. I'm your personal assistant and travelling with you if need be is part of my job. You have nothing to apologize for." I assure him.
He gets up picking his leather briefcase and walking to the door. "I'm going back home to be with someone before leaving the country in the evening. You are also free to leave the office, go back home and pack your bag. My driver will pick you up, you don't have to take a taxi."
I leave the office right after him, taking a taxi to the boutique to check up on things and keep Viola company for a while. I find her busy on her laptop doing her online work.
I hug her before sitting next to her looking around the store. "You've come back really early today. Is everything ok in the office?"
"Yes everything is fine. My boss and I are leaving for Milan in the evening. He has an urgent meeting to attend tomorrow morning." I tell Viola and she looks my way, mischief all over her eyes. Why does she have to be so crazy all the time?
"You are going to Italy!" She shouts in excitement. "That's so exciting, you've always wanted to visit Italy."
"Well I'm not going for a tour, it's a business trip."
"Whatever it is, you are still going to Italy." Viola smiles only to sigh, resting her head on my shoulder. "I'm going to miss you."
I pat her hair leaning on her too. "I'll be gone for less than a day."
"I'm still going to miss annoying you. Bring back a good souvenir for me."
"I will do that and it will be something really good. I promise you."
We stay in the boutique, closing up together when evening comes. Viola drops by the bakery for an apple pie before driving to her apartment.
I pack everything I'm going to need for the trip in my purple travel bag before taking a shower and putting on a white cropped tank top, blue faded baggy jeans and white sneakers. I'm keeping it casual.
Not wanting to leave for the airport hungry, I stroll down the street with my bag in hand to a food truck not far away, ordering for two beef burritos and a bottle of water, sitting down on the bench to eat.
After what happened between Mr. Jay and I back at the office earlier today and when I fell on top of him, there has been some awkwardness between us. We haven't talked about it and I don't see us doing so.
A black Lexus LX600 stops by the food truck, the driver stepping out. He opens the door for Mr. Jay who sees me and walks over, snatching my chicken and steak burrito from me, taking a bite.
"You've never had a burrito before." I state after seeing how he is looking at it, curiosity all over his eyes.
"This is my first time eating a burrito and it tastes really good." He says taking one more bite.
I let him eat it and drink my water already satisfied after eating the first one. I love burritos so much, especially chicken and steak burritos.
I buy another bottle of water for Mr. Jay so he can quench his thirst after eating.
Back in the car we drive to the airport, carrying our bags and getting in the private jet once we arrive. Even though it's only a business trip, I'm still thrilled about it because I've always wanted to visit Italy.