Chapter 14: WORST IS WORTH IT.
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A week later I was still not settled in my own home.
My sleepy self struggled to understand the simple workings of my kitchen. The fridge was the only thing working, but since I didn't go grocery shopping it was completely empty save for some milk, cheese and random fruit juice that I had no recollection of buying.
My coffee machine was plugged in, but I didn't have any coffee left......I looked everywhere (maybe not everywhere, but my patience was running low). After wasting a solid half hour I was so done.... I just quickly took a shower and changed into some workplace appropriate clothes in my caffeine deficient condition, while cursing at every damn thing.
When my doorbell rang I was about to go crazy for no apparent reason on some very innocent person, until I pulled the door open and it revealed a smiling Sam.
OK, so maybe he's not that innocent.
"Put that smile away...." I glared. "I hate morning people!" grumbling, I turned away, leaving the door ajar for him to enter and follow me inside. He chuckled as he walked in.
"Yes madam" He said sarcastically, pretending to comply with my unreasonable request, as he closed the door behind him. A barely there smile still stayed on his lips.
"What brings you here?" I asked, while I walked all over the place looking for my shoes and keys and phone and any other essentials.
"I thought your kitchen might not be set up..... So I got you breakfast." He said, lifting the paper bags he's been carrying. His words froze me in my spot and I gawked at him.
"You kidding?" I all but ran to him, and grabbed the bags from his hands.
He laughed. "Easy there tiger... "
"I'm famished" I placed the bags on the counter and looked inside. There was coffee, donuts and sandwiches inside. "Oh my god you're the best!" I exclaimed, as I quickly kissed his cheek and then dashed back to my breakfast and paid undivided attention to my heavenly coffee.
Sam chuckled and reached for his own coffee as he pulled a chair for himself and got seated around the counter. I picked up a donut and shoved it inside my mouth in the most unladylike manner.
"Damn, you weren't kidding." He joked as he looked at me with laughter in his wide blue eyes.
"Missed dinner last night, I was just gonna rush to that cafe across the street." I said, as I sipped more coffee pretty much uncaring about the fact that I might burn my tongue.
He frowned, but didn't comment. "Can I have some water?" He asked.
"Look in the fridge." I said without dividing my attention from my breakfast.
He walked over to my fridge for a bottle of water but stared dumbfounded at my empty fridge. "Did you get robbed?"
I rolled my eyes, "yeah and the thief was super hungry." I replied sarcastically.
He chuckled, "You are going to starve yourself at this rate, no wonder your parents worry about you so much."
"That's why, I have you..." I said in a sing-song tone, making him laugh. "Besides, we both know that's not why mom and dad are worried about me..." I said shrugging. Ever since the accident that landed me in a hospital two years ago, my relationship with my parents have not been the same.
Sam grew quiet, maybe thinking he shouldn't have bought it up. He looked around at my apartment "When are you planning to set this all up?" He asked, gesturing at the cardboard boxes that took up random spots.
"Don't really know.... Soon hopefully." I answered with a shrug.
"If you need a hand I can help you out." He offered, a tiny smile lifted his lips.
"Kate offered too, maybe you both can do all the work and I'll take a nap." I joked.
He laughed, "Kate would probably make it into a competition and I'll most definitely lose."
"Yeah. But hey, at least she'll have fun at your misery." I told him.
"Maybe too much, do you think I stand a chance with some heavy lifting, earn some brownie points?" He asked humorously and then lifted his hand to flex a bicep, making me roll my eyes.
"No chance. Have you met Kate? She'll be offended with your old-fashioned thinking." I answered and he chuckled. "Although I might need your help regardless of what Kate might say. "
He shrugged, "anything for you." He grinned wider, making a dimple appear on his cheek.
"You met Kyle last week right, how is he? Is he badly hurt, he spoke like he scratched his shoulder, I swear if I found out that his shoulder was dislocated or something it's his funeral!"
"Geez tone down the death threats will you... " Sam grinned.
"You know how he is Sam, either downplaying everything or suffering with a severe case of melodrama." I complained.
"Yeah, there's no in between." He agreed laughingly.
"Last year at the new year party he told our uncle that he was 'mildly interested in theater'... can you believe that?!" He's a superstar for crying out loud!
"I know..." Sam chuckled. "I went to meet him and he's absolutely fine..." He assured me.
"I couldn't go, I had work and that dumbass told me not to come" I grumbled.
"Good thing you didn't go, it would have been a waste of time..." He nodded, "that moron was only making googly eyes at his phone...."
"Even now?" I was surprised it lasted this long.
"Yes. And he still wouldn't tell me who he's dating." He complained.
"Celebrities I tell you..."
After a pleasant breakfast with Sam, he left for his studio, apparently there were some auditions scheduled and he needed to be there.
I drove to my office with loud upbeat music blaring in my car. Meeting Sam has put me in a great mood.
Rest of the day seemed tedious in comparison, it went fast and at the same time dragged on slower, if that even makes any sense.
Today we had somehow managed to complete all the important deals in the 'big' Joint venture hotels project and instead of a lethargic environment, the accomplishment added energy to the usually boring routine work. The architectural work was scheduled to commence soon and it was a huge achievement.
Josh casually sauntered inside my office "Long time no see.... Alex" he greeted me with a smirk.
I rolled my eyes and smiled "It's been a long time indeed, considering the fact that we met like, hmm let me think.... yesterday. Thanks for stopping by, else I would have forgotten your face."
He didn't appreciate my sarcasm "Can't you just go along with it for once, or would it kill you to say you missed me too?" He whined like a four year old as he made himself comfortable on the leather couch while I returned my eyes to my computer.
"Don't know... maybe, don't wanna take any chances." I replied and he mock-glared at me but I didn't bother meeting his eyes.
Josh and I had grown quite close these past days, it's probably because of our dashing personalities and the fact that we frequent a common diner definitely helps.
"Why are you still working... shouldn't you be, I don't know, resting? Taking a break?" He suggested.
"I probably should, now that the project is sorted, but we still have other things to worry about....you know, like not letting this guy run into obstacles," I said with a wicked smile as I continued to play the video game that previously had my full attention.
Josh rounded the table, came to stand behind me, looked at my computer screen and laughed "And here I thought you were seriously working."
"You don't know me at all" I faked disappointment.
Someone opening my office door made us drag our eyes to the doorway where Nick stood, giving us his usual stern but confused look "Aren't you two ... supposed to be in that meeting which starts in like..." he referred to his wrist watch "2 minutes?"
My gaze quickly flickered to my blinking digital clock which read '16:58'
Shoot! Where did all the time go?
"Nooo!!" I groaned, as my game avatar rammed straight into an obstacle.
Josh and I quickly jumped into action and hastened to get to the second conference hall where the meeting was scheduled.
Nobody took notice when we both scurried in, this meeting seemed unusually informal, there were no chairs and so everyone was standing huddled together in groups and loudly chatting amongst themselves and of course our 'beloved' CEO was nowhere in sight.
"What is going on?" I frantically mouthed to Carrie and to emphasize my silent speech I gestured some bizarre hand movements, I probably looked like a puppet but that was the least of my concerns.
She stared at me from across the room and then shrugged exaggeratedly. The loud chatter suddenly died down to whispers and then diminished altogether when an all too familiar figure walked inside. Jensen Black... obviously.
"Good evening everyone" he greeted with a smile.
Wait...a smile?
Oh boy, what did I miss?
"I know you all are just waiting to call it a day and get back home but I requested this last minute meeting to share with you the progress of our project," He gestured towards Josh and a few heads turned to look at him.
"We all know about the successful deal with Collins Constructions. And, it's going to be the biggest project of 2018 and so far it is the highest estimated profit in the record of Signature Heights. I know the odds were against us and I want to congratulate all of you for this hard earned accomplishment."
There was an atmosphere of trust and appreciation, instead of fear and intimidation. He was indeed a leader.
I stared at Jensen in shock....well, this is a side of him that I've never seen before. Suddenly the room was filled with the sound of applause and a friendly murmur began to float across the room as everyone cheered and congratulated each other. Josh and I shared a high five, while Kate pulled me for a hug right after squealing in my ear.
"This calls for a celebration!" Josh hollered and I was not far behind to yell "Let's listen to Josh for once!" a wave of chuckles rippled through the room.
We owed it to ourselves. I mean....why not? It's only fair after burning the midnight oil and almost drowning in a sea of paperwork for so long.
Everyone grew quieter as if awaiting a certain someone's approval. "There's no need to ask me for what you do after working hours" Jensen said airily sensing what it was about.
"That's what I thought!" suddenly all heads turned towards me, and I waved my hand in dismissal and mumbled "ugh, don't mind me. "
It didn't take long for everybody to reach an agreement and suddenly the room was enthusiastic about the idea, we all decided to meet in the lobby after ten minutes. Everyone started pouring out of the conference room. I waited for Josh to start walking but he never did and so I stayed with him...soon there were only Josh, Jensen and I left in the room.
Jensen dismissed us "You guys should go on...have fun, I've got some work to do."
"Bipolar much?" And suddenly I received a death glare from the devil himself. Great! I said it out loud again, didn't I? "Ahem" I cleared my throat "um... I mean-" there was nothing for me to say so I pushed Josh in front and took cover behind him from the lasers shooting out of Jensen's eyes.
"She means, you should come. Trust me it'll be fun" Josh tried to do some damage control.
"I've had a lifetime of experience to know that I should never trust you" Jensen said nonchalantly.
Josh didn't take offense to that and instead tried to persuade him "Come'on...you can't miss this party....be reasonable."
Jensen rolled his eyes and asked "Do I look like the partying type?"
"Definitely not" I shook my head vigorously and spoke under my breath. Two pairs of angry eyes turned to glare at me. Why am I so loud? I mentally slapped myself.
"Shut up will you? I'm trying to get him to agree." Josh whispered at me which was clearly audible to anybody in a five meter radius but he seemed genuinely oblivious to that fact.
"What? He was the one who asked...and it's okay if he doesn't wanna come, he's really not the partying type" I told him.
"You don't know Jensen like I do, he's actually fun" Josh tried to make me understand his view but I wasn't having any of it.
"I strongly doubt that" I voiced my opinion. Soon Josh and I were loudly whispering back and forth right in front of the man in question.
Jensen grew irritated, clearly listening to our conversation without even trying as he finally yelled "Will you both shut up and leave!"
And so we did.
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Sorry, this chapter wasn't very happening but I hope you liked it anyway...
You can look forward to the next chapter, I'll try to make it interesting.
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