Chapter 19
Nick
Humming softly, I got off the elevator and headed to my cubicle.
The fast, upbeat music playing in my earphones matched my mood.
Everything about our date night had been perfect.
I’d had my doubts when Trevor and I planned out the date, but it seemed to hit all the feels with Henry.
Him inviting me over made it even better.
I’d wanted him to fuck me, but what we’d done felt too good to try for more. Even his hardon pressed against my ass all night didn’t tempt me. I slept so soundly next to him. Stupid as it sounded, Henry made me feel safe. I also felt wanted and that more than anything made me happy and content.
Seeing the travel mug I borrowed from Henry with coffee he made me just added to my good mood. This was the domestic bliss I’d always dreamed of finding. I took a sip as my computer booted. It was all in my head, but somehow, his coffee tasted better than any I could remember drinking.
I breezed through my morning work, surprised at how focused I remained despite the distracting memories.
It wasn’t until I made my morning numbers that I looked up, realizing I hadn’t seen Brenda all morning.
The office felt strangely quiet without her boisterous presence.
Not that I wanted her to grill me about my date night, but I’d make an exception given the circumstances.
Ever a glutton for humiliation, I got up, stretched and went to find her.
The manager’s hallway was silent and empty.
Too quiet for a workday. Every office was dark, including Brenda’s.
I cleared the offices and made it to the bank of cubes on the other side where the support staff sat.
Managers didn’t have an assigned assistant, but I knew which one Brenda spoke to most often.
“Hey Alma,” I said to an older woman who appeared to be online shopping.
The annoyed glare faded when she recognized me. “Hi, Nick. How are you today?”
“Pretty good,” I replied.
“Really? You look tired.” She ran her eyes up and down me. “Out late last night?”
I laughed and shook my head. “Do you torture your grandchildren like this?”
“Worse, sugar. They’re family.” Her wide grin made me feel at home. “They know better than to try to sneak something past me.”
“I’m not trying to slip anything by you, I am pretty good.”
“Oh, one of those nights, eh?” She raised an eyebrow. “What’s he do for a living.”
My cheeks got warmer and I tried to laugh it off. “That’s what you want to know?”
“The other things I could’ve asked will really make you blush.”
She didn’t need to tell me what those “other things” were, and I turned even redder at the thought of her asking. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. “I’m going down for coffee. Did you want something?”
“No sugar, you don’t have the money to treat me.”
As if she had enough herself. Three kids and two grandchildren lived with her and her husband. “I do today. Brenda’s not around to ask for an extra-expensive, double large super sweet something or other.”
“You’re sweet, Nick, but I’m good.” She picked up the cup of water on her desk. I doubted she ever drank it because it was always full. “Save it, she’ll be back at two and if we know her, she’s going to need her coffee fix.”
There was no arguing that. “Where did they go?” And why hadn’t Brenda mentioned it?
“They didn’t say.” She shrugged. “Someone got a call that the senior vice president was in town and wanted to speak to her managers. They all primped and fussed and swarmed out like a gaggle of silly geese.”
I snickered at the description. In my mind I saw the six of them straightening their ties, smoothing out their jackets and making sure they had the right reports. Even Brenda turned on the professional attitude when the big bosses were around. “I wonder what they want?”
“Don’t know and I’m not going to worry. You shouldn’t either.” Alma rubbed my hand. “You do good work. No one’s going to tell you to go.”
I hadn’t meant to appear concerned, but it was unusual. Especially everyone being summoned. The last time the senior VP showed up, she came down to the conference room to meet with ‘her team’ before strolling the aisles to inspect her minions.
“Okay then.” I patted her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Are you sure you don’t want anything?”
“Nope. And let’s be honest, you don’t want coffee either.” She winked at me. “Have a nice chat with your new man. Tell him he better treat you right or Ms. Alma is going to bring her switch.”
The image of her chasing Henry around the office, trying to hit him on the ass made me laugh. “I’ll do that, but you can relax. He’s been quite the gentleman.”
“Mhm. Says the man who blushed when I asked what he did last night.” She shooed me out of her cubicle.
Either she could read minds or she understood me better than anyone else. “Thanks.” I took the hint and left before she made me any redder.
The stairs were quicker than the elevator and being only five stories up, I usually took them to go down. I pulled out my phone, but before I could dial, I saw a text message from Henry.
[In a meeting all morning, but wanted to say thanks for last night (and this morning) :P ]
I stared at the message all the way to the ground floor.
With my true reason for going on a coffee run squashed, I made my way to the hot dog vendor and bought a Coke.
Cracking it open I wondered if I should go back up or wait long enough to make it seem like we’d talked.
Since I still had to talk to Brenda, I decided to get back to work as that conversation was likely going to be longer than usual.
After lunch, Brenda finally appeared at my desk, looking a bit frazzled. The harried look in her eyes was surprising. It must have been worse than usual.
“There you are,” I said, taking in her appearance with concern. “Everything okay? You look like you’ve been through the wringer.”
She nodded, perching on the edge of my desk with a heavy sigh. “Yeah, just a crazy morning. The CEO, Ralph Mancini, is visiting tomorrow.”
I raised an eyebrow, feeling a twinge of annoyance on behalf of my colleagues. “On a Friday? That’s pretty shitty, isn’t it? Everyone’s looking forward to the weekend.”
Brenda rolled her eyes, her frustration evident. “Tell me about it. You should see the other managers rushing around like he’s some kind of god or something. It’s ridiculous.” She paused, then added, a hint of excitement creeping into her voice, “Oh, and get this—he wants to meet with you.”
My stomach dropped, an icy wavef anxiety washing over me. “Me? Why me? Did I do something wrong?”
“What? No!” Brenda exclaimed, looking at me like I’d grown a second head. “He picked you because your work is excellent, dummy. It’s a good thing, I promise. Ralph likes to meet the people who are excelling, not the ones who are screwing up.”
Her words didn’t help. My anxiety had already kicked in and my chest tightened. The lights above us flickered slightly, and I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down.
“Whoa, easy there,” Brenda said, her voice softening as she grabbed my hands. “It’s really not a big deal, Nick. Ralph’s a super nice guy. He just wants to chat, not grill you or anything. Think of it as a chance to show off a bit.”
I nodded, trying to believe her words, but my hands were shaking. Brenda held them tightly, then suddenly snatched them back as if she’d been burned.
“You okay?” I asked, my concern for her momentarily overriding my own anxiety. “Did I shock you or something?”
She shook her head, looking a bit embarrassed. “Yeah, I’m fine. I was afraid I overstepped by touching you. You know, the whole no fraternizing between supervisors and supervisees.”
I laughed, the absurdity of her statement cutting through my nervousness. “Since when has that ever stopped you? Are you sure you’re not one of those ridiculous managers stressing about Ralph’s visit?”
Brenda stuck her tongue out at me, but I could see the tension leaving her shoulders. “Oh, shut up. I’m trying to be considerate here.”
“Well, stop,” I said, grinning at her. “It’s weirding me out. I prefer my Brenda brash and boundary-pushing.”
As we fell back into our usual banter, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen and a smile spread across my face. It was Henry.
“Hey,” I answered, aware of Brenda, a smirk on her face, watching me with interest.
“Hi, Nick,” Henry’s warm voice came through, instantly soothing some of my lingering anxiety. “How’s your day going? I couldn’t stop thinking about last night.”
Heat crept up my neck, and I was very aware of Brenda’s presence. “It’s, uh, it’s been interesting,” I said, trying to keep my voice neutral.
“What’s wrong?” Henry immediately picked up on my tone. “Did something happen?”
I hesitated, then decided to just tell him. “The CEO is visiting tomorrow, and apparently he wants to meet with me one-on-one.”
“Nick, that’s fantastic!” he exclaimed. surprising me with his enthusiasm. “This could be a good opportunity for you. Why don’t you sound more excited?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Because what if I mess it up? What if I say something stupid and he decides I’m an idiot and fires me on the spot?”
“Nick,” Henry said, his voice gentle but firm. “That’s not going to happen. You’re brilliant at your job, remember? And CEOs don’t typically fire people during casual meet-and-greets.”
His confidence in me was touching, but my anxiety still gnawed at me. “But what if—”
“No what ifs,” Henry said. “I’ve met dozens of CEOs. I can help you prepare. Why don’t you come after work and plan to spend the night. We can practice in peace, and I can give you some tips. Plus, I wouldn’t mind waking up with a super hot guy in my arms two mornings in a row.”
I tried to get Brenda to leave by flicking my fingers at her, but she settled in for the count. “That’s the cutest way anyone’s ever asked me to spend the night.”
“Did it work?” I could hear the smile in Henry’s voice.
“Yes,” I said, my anxiety easing back. “Thanks, Henry. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’d be fine,” he said softly. “But I’m glad you don’t have to find out. I’ll see you tonight, okay? Try not to stress too much until then.”
As I hung up, I caught Brenda’s knowing smirk. For once, I didn’t mind. I was too busy looking forward to another night with Henry, even if it did involve interview prep.
“So,” Brenda drawled, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. “Another sleepover, huh? Things are moving fast with you two.”
Her question froze me for a moment. Was it moving too fast? It didn’t feel like it to me. “He’s helping me prepare for the meeting with Ralph. That’s all.”
“Uh-huh,” Brenda said, clearly not buying it. “And I’m sure that’s all you’ll be doing.”
My face heated up again, but I couldn’t bring myself to be truly embarrassed. For the first time in a long time, I felt genuinely happy and supported. Maybe this CEO visit wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“You know what, Brenda?” I said, surprising myself with my newfound confidence. “You’re right. We probably won’t be preparing for the meeting all night, but I’m not sharing those details.”
Brenda’s jaw dropped in mock shock, then she burst out laughing. “Who are you and what’ve you done with my Nicky?”
She might be joking, but her eyes were shining with genuine happiness for me. “He met someone who likes him back for a change.”
“Good,” she said. “You deserve it. And tomorrow is going to be just fine. I wouldn’t lie to you about this. Promise.”
When she left, I went back to work, but I couldn’t stop smiling. Life was good, and for once, I allowed myself to enjoy it without worrying it wouldn’t last.