11. Yasmeena
Chapter 11
Yasmeena
T his morning, I don’t feel as bad as I did yesterday. The headache isn’t really there and neither is my appetite. I tried eating but I wasn’t that hungry. Grabbing my robe, I wear it over my black two-piece bathing suit that looks a bit more like lingerie but it isn’t. I debate on whether I should leave my jewelry on or take it off but it completes the look.
The micro clustered diamond tennis chains around my neck give something to the black color and my rings shine when they hit the sun. It works. I apply more mousse to my wet hair look and clip it up while leaving a couple tendrils down. I complete the look with my black cat eye shades.
I make a face when I see those ugly flats that Enrique negotiated for me to put on and I want to kick them out somewhere but I won’t. I pull out the only flat shoes that I have for the spa and those are my slippers for the Spa. Placing everything I need in my robe pockets, I leave the room.
Drew is there to meet me at the door with a mini water bottle; ice cold.
“Good morning, Yasmi.” He calls me the nickname that I told him about.
I smirk and shake my head. “Good morning, Drew. I trust you slept well.”
“Oh yeah. The bedding in the room is exquisite. I am, however, guilty of ordering room service in the middle of the night. The food last night was not enough.”
“No? What do you think needs to be at events like this? Tell me from a first timer.”
“Popped my cherry, eh?” He teases and it makes me chuckle a little.
I don’t really have much emotions to work with but with the little I have and the therapy, I’ve learned to find amusement in the right things lately. Drew being one of them. He reminds me of this little boy I grew up around. He was nice and funny, just like Drew.
We continue the conversation as we get on the elevator all the way to the main floor lobby.
“What do you like for breakfast, Drew?”
“Hmm, everything.”
“Everything, that’s something,”
Drew starts explaining to me about what he eats for breakfast and where he started doing that from. We get outside, to the pool area where breakfast is being served. Matthew and his wife, Bailey, are here along with Jeeves, Enrique and his fiancée, Emily.
“Good morning, everyone.” I greet them all as I go to the empty lounge chairs near Enrique and Emily which puts Matthew and Bailey further down.
Drew comes up behind me after greeting everyone and I open my robe for him to take since everyone else is already in their collective poolside wear. I hear a cough but I don’t know who it’s from since I’m facing away from everyone to make it easier on Drew. He removes it and whistles.
“Yasmi…”
“What?”
“I approve.” He teases then he neatly places my robe, hanging it up while bringing my cell back to me.
This is why I like the way he does things and why he got hired on the spot. He is attentive.
“You look familiar…” I hear Emily say and I lower my shades a bit, looking at her.
“Yeah, he worked at Halo. He was there when you had your proposal. Drew, meet everyone, everyone meet Drew.”
“Hey.” Drew says then turns his attention back to me. He places his hands on his knees as he bends a little. “You want your coffee now, Yasmi?”
“Yasmi?” Enrique and Matthew repeat at the same time.
“You have a nickname now?” Enrique asks and my eyes go to him.
“I’ve always had it. What I have now are those ugly ass flats.”
“Functional, safe flats. Less chances of…tripping.”
“Watch out, everyone. Here comes the Stiletto police. Once again, handing out UGLY. ASS. FLATS.” I enunciate my words.
“Here they go again.” Bailey mumbles but I hear her as she masks it with her laugh.
Enrique pulls his shades down his nose to glare at me with those damn light green eyes. “Maybe if you weren’t so clumsy lately, I wouldn’t have to.”
“Where are my shoes?”
Enrique takes a sip of his drink like I didn’t ask him a question just to give me a vague response. “Not. A- val -ible to you .”
“Interesting.” I say to him as Drew brings me my coffee. Taking a sip of it, I relax. “I have 300 more pairs.”
“Yeah and my approval percentage is getting lower.”
I smirk. “Well played, Mr Souza, well played.” I leave the conversation for another time and focus on Drew again, “what breakfast did you get this time?”
As Drew tells me about his breakfast plate, I hear Emily ask Enrique, “what’s that about?”
After the pool breakfast, some of us girls saw each other in the treatment room. First up, is facials then mani, pedis.
Bailey smiles at me as I walk into the room.
“Nice to see you twice in one day. That’s more than I do in a year.”
I know it’s a joke so I offer her a smile for it.
“Yeah, breaking new records.”
I’ve known Bailey for however long Matthew has been working with me.
“Is this year’s gala going to be better than the one last year?” Bailey asks.
Before I can answer, Emily speaks up.
“You had one last year?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, Enrique didn’t say anything outside of him going to a work function.”
Because my facial’s started, I can’t look at them as we all are looking up.
“Yeah, there’s a no girlfriend/boyfriend policy with these events.” Bailey answers her.
“What do you mean?”
“You have to be engaged or married to your significant other for you to come. Matthew says it’s the policy.”
“What kind of policy is that?” Emily asks.
“The kind that keeps the company running and less scandals.” I answer her.
“Oh.” There’s a tone to her voice but I’m not sure what it means.
If I was looking at her, maybe I could gauge her tone but it doesn’t matter either way. The policy has helped my company.
THE SILENCE followed us to the manis and pedis.
“What color are you getting?” I hear Bailey ask Emily.
“Don’t know, maybe fire-engine red. Is it in season?”
“Not too sure, what about you, Yasmeena?”
“I don’t get color. Just a white tip. Color is unbecoming of me.”
Emily isn’t as well versed in facial expression hiding as her fiancée so she rolls her eyes. It doesn’t matter why she’s done it but I shrug giving the nail tech my attention.
“So,” Bailey speaks up again. “Did you end up closing that big deal you talked up from last year, Yasmeena?”
“I did, you’re attending it.”
Bailey whistles. “Oh wow. I’m even more excited for the gala tonight then.”
“Yeah, our event planners have put on quite a great relaunching event. Glad no one has to get fired.”
“I have a question for you, Yasmeena and I’m not trying to be rude or anything but I was thinking about your policy again,” Emily says.
“Yeah, what about it?”
“If everyone has to be engaged or married to bring someone to a company event, where’s your fiancé or husband?”
“Emily…” Bailey whispers but I still hear her.
“It’s a good question. I started the company because my father didn’t want me to take over my family business. He chose my brother so I did something for myself with what I enjoy; Spa treatments, makeup, hotels, and events. I didn’t think I needed to be married or engaged to run my own company but it’s a good question.”
“That’s your reason for the policy?”
“No. The simple answer to that is because I said so. Whatever is yours, you make the rules for it. If they don’t want to abide by them, they don’t need to be in what is yours.”
“I see. That’s understandable. You said your father didn’t want you to take over the company? Do you two have bad blood? Is that why you didn’t make it to the hospital?”
I smirk. Emily and I both know she reported that on the 5 o’clock news. She’s not bad at her job and I respect anyone doing what they want to but this isn’t an interview, is it?
“I saw the news, it was good. You were good, I didn’t know they let the weather girl give exclusive news now but congratulations on the promotion. I did make it to the hospital but I don’t do things for the media but I get it. It is your job but this…is not an interview. Anything else, you can ask but for an exclusive, we’d have to have everyone checking the details before it begins. Shall I call my CFO to see if this benefits us or should I keep it as Enrique’s fiancée is simply asking me questions?”
Emily’s facial expression mirrors my employees when they feel like there’s that frigid air coming from me again. She gives me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.
“I’m an investigative journalist.”
“Oh sure. I apologize, Enrique hasn’t told me much about you besides the fact that you’re a weather girl. I respect it.” I dismiss her as my eyes move to a very quiet Bailey. “Bailey, how’s the restaurant treating you, Chef?”
Before she can even answer me, Drew walks in.
“Your snack, Yasmi. I noticed you didn’t really eat breakfast. Do you want a latte or a tea?”
“Thank you, Drew. Get the tea from the room please.”
“Got it.”
He sets the plate of fruits and veggies with crackers down.
“He’s cute. fiancée?” Emily asks.
“No. Attentive employee.”
“They all seem very attentive.”
“Shouldn’t they be?”
Emily doesn’t say anything and Bailey continues on about her Chef experiences in the new restaurant she works in.