Ophelia's POV
"That's so heaven! Gosh! I miss this so much!" I exclaimed in happiness while savoring the delicious taste of my favorite pizza in the city.
"What do you think about Keira?" my dad asked while staring at me with a smirk and taking a sip of his hot coffee.
"Seriously, dad?" I asked flatly and seemed not interested before taking another slice of pizza to eat.
"I thought you're happy to see her again, aren't you?" Dad teased with an amusing smile while leaning his back against his seat.
I had enough of his silly game and I took the last bite of my pizza and folded my arms on the table and stared at him boringly, "You knew better than me, dad. I'm quite upset why you never tell me that she is working for you."
My dad chuckled as I whined, "Dad, it's not funny."
"You still like her, don't you?" dad's laughter eventually disappear and he smiled softly at me.
"Duh, very much, dad," I emphasized and pressed, "Dad, I need to know. Why did you keep her for 7 years without telling me."
My dad was driving me nuts and my patience was running thin whenever he fooled me around. He could be a meanie and it was hard to behave whenever dealt with this man.
My dad shook his head at me before taking a napkin to wipe the corner of my lips and teased, "I hope Keira wouldn't mind if she sees you like that. Do you think she will always wipe for you?"
"Dad, I need your answer, please," I ignored his joke, but he couldn't blame me. I had been looking forward to seeing this girl but he hide her from me. That was an unfair game.
"Gotcha!" dad chuckled and he exhaled softly after laughing. He carefully put the napkin aside and explained, "Well, if I told you I assume you'll quit your college and jump into her."
"I'm not stupid, dad," I interjected with a scoff.
"I did invite you to join me on a trip here during your summer break, but you rejected. That's too bad," dad said and mocked a sad face at me.
"Well shit, I was a dumbass," I admitted.
"Language, sweetheart," dad slightly frown as he continued, "I was surprised when I read the resume she had sent here. I can't even remember her face, but I could tell this candidate was her since you had told me her full name plenty of times. So, I had to confirm it. I interviewed her, and ask her about the charity basketball match. The answer was told after she told me she was one of the team players. In the end, I hired her because she had taken two courses. She had a degree and master's holder in Hotel Management and a Degree holder of economics and finance course."
My mouth hung ajar as dad chuckled, "She just get an MBA last year."
"That's incredible! She's so fucking perfect!" I was awestruck by her intelligence and talent as my dad shook his head and gently used his hands to support my chin and joked, "I'm not done yet, sweetheart. Are you ready for me to continue?"
I nodded my head eagerly and babbled, "Please go on. I don't mind you'll gonna spent a long day talking about her, dad."
"I never tell you about her because I wanted to observe her performance in my hotel. I'm glad she never disappointed me. She started her career after she get an Economic and Finance degree and her first job was at a 3-star hotel. After that, she began to take a Hotel management course as her part-time because she was interested. When she interviewed in my place she had a master's degree holder already, and last she took MBA while working in my hotel. She did a great job when tourism and hospitality met the crisis of the economy. Most of the hotels had to shut down, and we were lucky our hotel still survive. Keira had shared the plan and suggestion with me. There would be the only decision for us to do, but this also causes the employees unhappy and to quit their job. Everyone's salary in this hotel had to be cut in half, but Keira worked here day and night every day without complaint."
Dad sighed softly, "She insisted on work even though she was sick. I was grateful we get through it and I promoted her to GM. I knew she deserve to get this post but everyone was jealous of her to get promoted at a young age. Well, Keira would never care about them. Her intelligence, effort, and attitude impressed me." Dad smiled at me softly, "She passed everything. I'm more than ready to be her father-in-law."
I could feel the hair on my skin erupted after my dad showered many compliments on my favorite girl. I felt like watching a wonderful documentary about Keira Harrison's success. "Dad, she doesn't even know who I am," I chuckled and I was still in awe about Keira, and that made sense dad trusted in her and let her be a mentor.
I frowned a little and asked my dad curiously, "Why don't you appoint her to be a director? She is great at everything and you can just hand over the business to her since you already trust her ability to do it."
"Do you think I never ask that silly girl?" dad chuckled and mimicked, "I'm sorry I would decline this offer from you, Mr. Kendrick. I'm happy with my position. I think your daughter would be the best candidate to take over your business, and I will gladly help whenever she needs."
"You're so bad. Why does she always call you Mr. Kendrick?" I asked with laughter.
"My apologies, Mr. Kendrick. You're my boss and I don't think that would be nice to call you Harry instead of Mr. Kendrick," My dad mimicked again as I burst out laughing and I quickly covered my mouth to stop when I realize many eyes from the other table were watching us.
"Behave, sweetheart!" my dad scolded playfully as I tried pressing my mouth with my hands to suppress my laughter. After I calm down, I peeked around and smiled apologetically at the people who were staring at me like I was a ghost.
"I'm sorry, have fun people," I said out loud as everyone eventually looked away from us and continued their meals. Dad and I shared a look and snickered together.
******
Keira's personal assistant was the best job ever. I meant it. I wouldn't mind if she was a director someday and I could be her full-time personal assistant. Maybe I could have appointed Jenny to be GM, so I could take over her job.
I was grateful Jenny was helpful to share a lot of Keira's information with me whenever I asked. So, I can well prepared to assist Keira when I started working. Somehow, I knew I wasn't just working as a personal assistant and I couldn't waste her effort to guide me. I should have to be serious to start this journey with her and my dad.
Well, she could be effortlessly distracted me, especially since she was eating her cheese bagel with a tantalizing moan. How could I think straight when my crush was doing something sexy? I knew she didn't mean it, I could tell she needed her breakfast since she never ate before she came to work.
I was grateful she decided to slip it off after I blurted out something ridiculous.
Keira was looking charming in her white button-down shirt, matching black power suit and pants, and a pair of black stilettos. So gay. She let her silky straight dark hair cascade down past her shoulder revealing her lovely oval face and fair skin.
Let's hope her sexuality was not as straight as her hair.
The gorgeous lady was full of concentration with her attractive gray eyes glued on her laptop, and her slender fingers with trimmed nails running smoothly on the keyboard. I smiled when I realize there had a tiny cream lingering on the corner of her cute lips. She was such a workaholic.
I took a tissue as I walked toward her desk and I leaned down to her level as she startled a little. "Am I scary, Miss Harrison?" I teased as she drew a little away from me and she chuckled with a hand resting on her chest, "No, you startled me because you're quiet, mind you. I was too focused whenever I work."
I only smiled at her in return as her gray eyes tried to avert away from me but remained still. Before I could open my mouth she broke the silence and asked nicely, "Can I help you?"
I hummed as my eyes trailed from her eyes to the corner of her lips with the cream and said, "I need to clean you up."
When I gazed at her beautiful face again, I saw her clean neck blob visibly as she asked confusedly, "Clean me up?"
I gently held the tissue and gingerly wipe off the cream and smiled, "Done."
It took a few seconds for her mind to load like a computer ready to start up as she eventually blinked her eyes and the natural cheek shade darkened and hushed sharply, "Oh god, that is so embarrassing." She quickly covered her face in embarrassment and mumbled, "Thanks, anyway."
I wanted to pry her hands away from her but I took it back since I never wanted to make her feel awkward again. I walked away returned to my desk and said out loud for her to hear, "It's my pleasure."
Such a cutie.
"The theme for the upcoming party is Gatsby, not Avengers," Keira corrected firmly in the meeting and most of the managers around the table seemed intimidated by the gorgeous dark-haired lady, except a blond man in his mids 30 looks calm and always had the fakest smile plastered on his face.
"Let me handle this, Keira. I can talk to the event planner about it," that faker said confidently.
"I'll leave it to you, thanks Morgan," Keira said with a nod at that blond man.
"You're welcome," he smiled but I never like it since I saw him just now. I would always trust my first impression of anyone. If I disliked him already, I would never like him. Sue me.
I only worked until half-day, and I was impressed by Jenny. How could she survive to keep her hands on the phone while noting down the important agenda?
"Okay, I'll inform Miss Harrison after this, thank you," I ended the call as I sighed lazily after my 20th call of the day. "Keira," I called out with my dry throat and yikes. I quickly took the tumble to drink a large amount of water and I felt my throat was reviving.
"Yes?" I could hear Keira's soothing voice as I put the tumbler aside and informed, "Morgan told me that he already talked with the event planner and everything was solved. He'll email the plan to you shortly."
Keira's hands still running on the keyboard as she turned to me and gave me a smile that sent a jolt to my heart, "Thank you."
"Do you think we have to stop this?" I asked with a chuckle.
She glances at me and a small smile twitched on her lips as she continue typing and said, "I'll always appreciate anyone who does me a favor."
"Okay, I'll start counting how many times you have thanked me every day," I joked as she chuckled. I checked the time on my phone, it passed 12.30 pm as I beamed, "It's lunchtime, let's go!"
Keira eventually left her hands from her laptop as she stretched her hands over her head causing her shirt to lift and the hems of her shirt reached right above her nice navel and revealing her abs. Sweet Jesus!
I quickly darted my eyes back to her pretty face and she was smiling at me with shook her head, "I don't think I can join you," she indicated the files around her table and said, "I have to finish them."
I walked toward her while she was taking her phone and started to press something with her thumbs and said without tearing her eyes away from her phone, "I'll call for a delivery."
I gently took her hand and ignore the tingle on my skin and said, "Nah, work will take forever to finish. That's no hurt to take an hour's rest."
"Okay, I have to listen to my boss. I'll take you to somewhere nice for you," she smiled and gradually stood up on her feet as I remained to hold her hand and grinned, "Really?"
She seemed didn't mind I hold her hand as she nodded her head at me and let me lead the way, "Yes, I assured you will like it."
"Great! I know I will love it," I beamed and we left the room hand in hand.
"So, where are we going?" I asked excitedly while looking at the dark-haired beauty. She was focusing on the road and her question almost get me choked. "Do you like tacos?"
What a gay question!
I coughed with my hands covering my mouth as Keira's hand reached my back and gently caressed, "Are you alright? Do you need water?"
I quickly shook my head as I said breathlessly, "I'm fine. No thanks. I just get choked because I'm too excited to get the tacos."
Keira laughed and said, "My bad. I shouldn't have to get you excited since you love food a lot, aren't you?"
"You're right. I'll always get excited about food. Especially tacos," I half hearty joked.
"I'm glad I take you to the right place. The tacos in there are heaven!" Keira beamed.
"I wish we will get there sooner, I can't wait anymore!" I cried out. Yes, I sound desperate but I really love food.
"You're so rebellious!" Keira laughed heartily after I shared a part of my college time. I couldn't help but laugh along with her. I laughed not about my joke but the contagious laughter from the gorgeous who was sitting right across from me.
I still couldn't believe this was real. The girl I had been waiting for so long was sharing a lunch with me. I admitted the tacos in this Mexican diner were heaven as she said, but eating with the right person was the matter.
Keira was gently wiping the joy of tears from the corner of her eyes after laughing too much. She heaved and try to breathe and pointed out, "I don't think I can imagine how bad your dad's reaction was when he found out." She shook her head and said, "He might freak out and call for his safeword."
I snapped my eyes wide and asked, "Do you know what that exactly means, Keira?"
Keira tilted her head aside and asked curiously, "What is it?"
I tried to lower my voice and said, "Safeword."
"Oh, a safeword is something we call for SOS, right? That was what my friend explained to me. I thought this word is fun and useful," Keira explained confidently.
Oh well, she gets pranked by her friend. I tried to stifle my laughter and explain, "You know what, that is a code word for something kink, Keira."
In the meantime, the natural cheek shade on Keira's face turn into crimson as she gasped sharply, "God dammit! I don't even know that's a hidden meaning. Vince is such an ass!"
"I hope I can meet this friend. He sounds cool," I laughed as she covered her face with her hands and groaned.
After a while, she eventually took her hands away from her beautiful face as she took a glass to drink the water. When her phone had a message notification she took the phone to read the message and she choked.
She quickly put her glass and phone aside as she took a napkin to wipe her lips and she keep coughing. I quickly reached over her side and gently caressed her back as she did to me just now.
I keep my hand on her back to soothe her as she eventually stop coughing and took a sip of water as she turned to me and said, "I have received an email from your dad that you and I would have a business trip in Switzerland."
"That sounds awesome! When is it?" I asked excitedly and I wouldn't care subtle it.
"It will be on 20th December," she replied as she was silent for a while and said with a small smile, "I never had a business trip before since I work here. To be honest, that's quite a surprise for me."
"That's a good surprise, isn't it?" I beamed as she smiled at me in return, "I have never been to Switzerland before. I'm getting excited about this coming business trip."
"Me either," I said truthfully and grinned at her in enthusiasm.