Chapter 5:
Allison's POV
"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Phillips." I replied while shaking his hand and giving him a smile.
"Please call me, Ryan and the pleasure is all mine." My cheeks darkened with a reddish hue at his gentleman like words and charming good-looks.
"Ryan is apart of our marketing team here." I heard Sally point out, appearing behind me with a smile.
I looked up at Ryan who nodded his head. "Yes I am. I am working for Samuel Costa and I was just heading to the copy room to copy some papers. Where were you ladies going?"
"Actually, we were headed there too. Allison needed to copy some files and I was giving Allison a tour but I have to go meet with..um..." Sally paused, stepping slowly away from us." Mr. Costa, himself!"
"Well since Sally needs to go meet with Mr. Costa, why don't I show you to the copy room instead?" Ryan asked me politely.
I tucked a loose strand of my strawberry blonde hair behind my ear before answering. "Yes, I would love that." I felt my cheeks grow warm and I mentally cursed myself. 'Why was I blushing so much, today?!'
"Then let's begin." I followed after Ryan not missing the pleased look on Sally's face. 'Did she try to set us up?' I playfully glared at Sally before turning back around.
"So have you been enjoying De Luca Worldwide so far?" Ryan asked as he held open the glass door for me of a small glass room.
"Well I only started today but so far it's been nice." I replied.
"Oh no wonder why I hadn't seen you around before because I definitely would have remembered a beautiful face like yours."
I chuckled nervously. "Why don't we start to copy our papers and play twenty questions while doing it?"
Ryan smiled. "I think that's a wonderful idea. How about you start with the first question?"
I nodded and thought for a moment while placing my hand on my chin. "What's your favorite color?" I asked, taking out the first sheet of paper from the black folder.
"Green. And yours?"
"Blue. Your turn."
"Favorite movie of all time? Why so?" He asked.
"The Notebook." I answered with a smile. "I didn't really like romance movies until my best friend convinced me one night and I fell in love with it."
Ryan nodded and handed me my stack of papers from the end of the copy machine. "Who's your best friend?"
"Camilla Martinez." I placed another two sheets on the copier and pressed the green button. "That name sounds very familiar. Does she happen to work at Luna's cafe by any chance?" Ryan asked with his hand on his perfectly chiseled chin.
"Yes she does!" I exclaimed, laughing along with Ryan. "Small world."
"Very." He added as our eyes met. I grinned and looked down at my heels, attempting to hide my blush.
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We talked for another five minutes about our lives and our families. I had learned that Ryan lived a few minutes away from my apartment and loved the outdoors. Ryan told me about how his parents divorced two years ago and that he had two siblings.
His younger sister, Bethany, is a sixteen year old junior in high school. While his older brother, John, is a twenty-nine year old lawyer, married to a woman named Savannah.
I finished making my copies and sat them aside next to Ryan's pile to make sure that I wouldn't forget them. I was so focused on stapling ten papers in one packet that I didn't hear my name being called. "Allison."
I jumped up and gasped in surprise, accidentally knocking over both stacks of papers. "Oh My God! I am so sorry! I'm such a klutz." I exclaimed, immediately dropping down on to the floor to retrieve and separate our papers.
Ryan chuckled. "Allison, it's fine. Plus, I think your clumsiness is cute. It makes you who you are and it's also every entertaining."
"Well some people think it is embarrassing but I'm glad my clumsiness is amusing to you." I said sourly. I grabbed a folder and stood up, refusing to look at Ryan.
I hated when people talked or teased me about my clumsiness because it was a touchy subject for me. My brother used to tease me about it until I had cried once. I forgave Danny after a day and we never spoke about it again.
"Come on, Allison. Don't leave," Ryan begged as I stepped in the direction of the door," I'm sorry and what if I make it up to you?"
"How?" I asked intrigued.
"I'll buy you lunch tomorrow and bring it to your desk."
"It's a deal," I answered him," But I really have to get back and turn in these papers or James will have my head."
"I understand and I'll see you at 12:30 tomorrow." I nodded and made my way out the door. My mind kept going back to Ryan. He was very sweet and gentleman like. He even opened the door for me and offered to bring me lunch.
I would normally start crushing on the guy and tell Camilla all about him. But something inside of me told me not to and that I needed to wait for something or someone.
I cleaned my sweaty palms on my gray pencil skirt as I stood in front of the office door of James De Luca. 'Confidence is key.' Camilla's phrase echoed in my head. I nodded to myself and knocked on the door, entering once after.
"Mr. De Luca, I am finished with the papers you had me copy." I announced, anxiously switching my balance from my right to left hip.
"Great job. Place them on my desk and retreat to your desk. There you will find three post it notes with appointments on them. I haven't scheduled a time so I need you to do that and insert it into my agenda. Make sure I have Friday afternoon off because I have a date with my girlfriend." James commanded me without taking a glance my way.
My breath caught up in my throat and I became frozen. I didn't understand why my stomach felt as though it had been tied in knots and pangs of shuddering wracked my body. A pressure built in my chest and my heart felt as though it would burst with emotion.
Maybe it was the shock of finding out that James De Luca had a girlfriend? But at the same time, how could he not have a girlfriend? He was incredibly gorgeous and very successful.
My thoughts wandered for a few more seconds when I was interrupted,"Miss Green! Are you listening to me? I need the papers."
"Oh! Yes!" I answered frantically,"Yes sir." I composed myself quickly and handed him the documents.
"You may leave now."
I nodded my head gently and walked off to my desk to make the appointments. But before I could even take a seat in my chair I heard someone yell," Miss Green!"
All noise in the hallway stopped and everyone froze including me. I looked around and noticed that all the employees seemed nervous except one. Sally. She was looking at me with a worried expression on her slightly tanned face as if something were to happen to me.
"Miss Green!" My eyes went away from Sally and connected with a familiar pair of stormy blue eyes. There stood James De Luca in the doorway of his office, holding up the blue folder that I had given him.
That was when I knew what I had done. I had given James the wrong folder. Instead of giving him the black folder with the presentation copies, I had given him Ryan's marketing papers. I mentally groaned and cussed at myself. How could I be so stupid?!
"Miss Green, instead of standing there like an imbecile why don't you step into my office?" James growled out and walked back into his office.
I released the breath I had been holding in from the minute our eyes connected and wiped my sweaty palms onto my skirt for the second time today. It was a nervous habit I had developed over the years that I couldn't get rid of.
I made my way to his office with my head down, feeling more worried and scared than ashamed of my dumb mistake.
"Miss Green, I told you to copy and bring back everything that was in the black folder. Is that correct?" James asked calmly. But I could still see the tension and anger in his posture.
"Yes, sir. I'm--"
I was cut off by the slamming of the blue folder onto his desk with rage filling his eyes. "Then why do I have this blue folder filled with my marketing team reports? Huh!"
"I'm so sorry. I was speaking with Ryan while copying the papers. Then I accidentally knocked over our two folders and must of picked up the wrong one. It will never happen again sir." I exclaimed, attempting to keep calm. But my heart was practically beating out of my chest and my stomach felt as if it had been twisted repeatedly.
"So I don't have my papers for MY presentation because you were too incompetent and careless. Or was it because you were whoring around with some guy from marketing in the copy room?!"
"Excuse me! I was not whoring around with anybody! Ryan and I were simply talking!" I yelled back, angry from his false accusations. I had never whored around with anyone before in my life and heck, I was still a virgin!
"Oh so the guy from marketing is to blame for your stupid mistake?! What's his name again? Dylan?"
"Don't act as if he doesn't work for you. His name is Ryan and he is not to blame for this. This mistake is all mine." I replied. A humorless chuckle followed my answer along with a very monstrous glare directed at me.
"Miss Green, you have made two mistakes already today. One because you were late and the other because you are incredibly stupid. Now if you hit one more strike I will put you out on the street faster than you can say De Luca. I will not let you jeopardize my family's company for some low life marketing employee, who happened to take an in trust in you because no one else seemed to."
The sensitive memory came back and the words that once hurt me replayed in my head. I felt all the emotions I had felt during that painful moment.
Tears built up in my eyes and I blinked, trying to keep them away but James continued," You are the type of people that I try to avoid in the business world. The ones that are too Incompetent and amateurish to accomplish anything in life. But since I am so generous, you have one more chance. Get back to work immediately!"
I turned around only to be stopped by James. "Oh and Miss Green, I expect my black folder to be returned on my desk by the end of the day."
I wiped a single tear from my cheek as I stood outside his office. I wouldn't let James see that his words had hurt me or made me cry because than I would look weak. James is a cruel man and had hurt people in the past. But I refused be one of his victims!
I went back to work after a few seconds and didn't look away from my desk. I remained quiet and kept my head down for the remainder of the day. After my conversation with James I had felt sick to my stomach and had developed a headache.
I couldn't help but feel utter relief when I saw it was 3:00 o'clock. I could finally leave and forget about this whole situation until tomorrow. I shut off my computer screen and sighed. "Allison! Allison!" A familiar voice called.
Ryan smiled as stood in front me after jogging over to my desk, "Thank God I caught you. Here is your black folder. I barely saw your email as I was leaving my office."
I took the folder from his hands and smiled. "Thank you so much! I'm so sorry for taking it and don't worry James yelled at me for it."
"He shouldn't have yelled at you. It was an honest mistake that could happen to anyone." Ryan said to me worriedly.
"He didn't seem to think so but it's fine. I just want to go home and forget about this whole thing." I picked up my purse and adjusted it onto my shoulder while grabbing the black folder.
"How about I give you a ride home? You know to make you feel better. Unless someone's picking you up." Ryan asked me, rubbing his neck with his hand and looking down at his feet.
"Ryan I'm flattered but I just met you this morning and I don't think it's right that I should be getting car rides from someone I just met." I said.
"Well think of it as one friend helping another friend. Besides, we talked in the copy room about ourselves and we leave a few blocks away from each other," Ryan persuaded.
I guess it would be nice to ride in a car instead of the smelly bus. But I didn't know Ryan that well. I thought for a few seconds and decided on what I was going to do. "You know what? I think I'll take you up on that ride home. Let me just give this to James and we can be on our way."
Ryan nodded with a smile on his. I walked away from him to go to James' office. "Mr. De Luca, here is the black folder. Is there anything else you need? I'm leaving." I told him as I placed the folder on his desk.
"No that will be all Miss Green. I'll see you tomorrow at 8:00 A.M. sharp," James stated and took a sip of his scotch on the rocks.
I left his office and found Ryan waiting outside, car keys in hand. "Shall we go my lady?" He asked, bowing with hand held out to me.
I laughed and nodded my head. "We shall." I responded while taking his hand and walking down the hall.
James De Luca's POV
I drank from my glass of Scotch on the rocks, savoring the burning taste of the rich dark liquid as it traveled down my throat. I had always preferred the rich taste and the relaxed feeling the dark liquid gave me after. I stood in front of my large glass window, watching as she got into his car.
Anger built up within me and I felt as if I was growing hot. My hands curled into fists and all I could think of was hitting that man with my fist.
I didn't know why I felt like this but I knew it needed to stop. She was just an assistant that I treated very poorly. Allison was a nobody. I took one last sip of my scotch and watched in anger as their car drove away.
Sorry for the late update. I have just been really busy and I hope you can forgive me. Thanks for reading and tell me what you think!
Editor: bilautaaxoxo
Dedicated to: one of my best friends, whynotread24 , for always supporting me!