Chapter seventeen
SIERRA
For the next two weeks, I'm mostly trying to get the hang of how things are going at my job. Leo was right. Viviann Hart, my boss, is an absolute joy to work with. She doesn't truly act like a boss. With her around, it feels like she's a part of the team and she leads us with perfection.
With her as my mentor, I can honestly say that I couldn't be happier. She's warm, fair, sharp and stylish, and it's been a delight to assist her with concept boards and sitting with her on client meetings.
It's a dream job, and it's been a great distraction from everything else because I've learned so much already, even though I haven't even been here a whole month.
Right now, our entire team is sitting in the room that Leo first took me to when he gave me the tour of this place. I'm seated on a bright green chair, right next to Viviann who's standing and placing a few papers into a folder.
"Ray, you're the landscape arhitect for this project," she says, looking at the man to my left. He's a few years older than me, very kind, and has the kind of pearly whites that make anyone stare.
Next to him is Patricia with her long violet hair, being the project manager, but my eyes shift to the man beside her. Theo keeps his expression stoic, adding a few comments here and there as we all discuss the project, each getting flooded with our own tasks to handle.
My eyes linger on his face for a moment before I look away. We haven't spoken since that night at the rooftop bar, and he's also been away for work, so I haven't seen him around here for some time.
But considering that he hasn't looked my way once speaks volumes. Either he doesn't care about what we did, or he's simply unbothered by the fact that anything happened between us. The third option could be us staying awkward around each other from now on, which seems like the worst of all.
"Sierra, you're with me for the interior design. We're going to take a look at the place today." Viviann snaps me out of my thoughts, and I nod my head. She hinted about this to me earlier in the day already, and I'm more than glad that I can be of use with such a big an important project.
Shortly, we wrap this all up, and I walk out of the room with an iPad staying tucked under my arm. Footsteps catch up behind me, and Theo pulls me aside by my elbow.
"Sierra, do you have a few minutes?" he asks, and I look up at his eyes. He looks unreadable, but I agree anyway.
I follow him to the cafeteria. It's empty right now, and it looks like the place where we'd have most peace at the moment.
"I've been meaning to talk to you about the other night," he says, sending a glance towards the door where another employee walks in and takes some lunch food from the fridge before leaving again. Theo doesn't seem bothered by that, which automatically makes me more at ease, too.
"Okay," I say back, and we stick by the coffee machine. Theo leans on the counter and I stay standing before him.
"I just wanted to apologize," he says, surprising me.
"About that kiss, I mean. I wasn't thinking, if I can put it that way. It just sort of happened, and I don't want to lead you on with anything. I mean, it was good, like really good," he chuckles a bit, making me crack a smile too.
"But I don't want to complicate this. I usually don't get involved with anybody at work."
"I get it." I nod, sparing him from telling me the details of his explanation. I understand where he's coming from. "It was just in the heat of the moment."
"Yeah. Exactly."
"It's okay, Theo," I say. "You didn't have to apologize."
"Oh, well..." He shrugs a little. "I just didn't want things to get tense between us. I still consider you a good co-worker. A good woman."
This makes me smile, and I like that the air between us is cleared now. "Leo was right. You have a heart deep down."
This makes him show a smile too. He looks a lot more sheepish now than the first time we met, but I find it pristinely real.
I realize that it wouldn't be too appropriate to start anything, even though it wouldn't be a huge problem if we did anyway, but leaving it in the past sounds like the right option.
Our mutual agreement that we'll forget about that kiss ends with some coffee and a brief discussion about this new project before we part ways once more.
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Later that day, I get into the elevator with Viviann by my side. The soft hum fills the quiet as it glides down, and I stand beside her, clutching my iPad. There's a calm between us, and excitement lingers inside me with the thought that she's taking me along to the place we'll be designing.
"I didn't ask you yet, how are you liking it here so far?"
I look at her and smile a little. "I'm loving it. Honestly. It's interesting, and our team is great too."
Viviann nods, lips tugging into a small, approving smile. "Good. That's what I like to hear," she says. "This next project is a big one. I want you to be involved every step of the way. Not just assisting, but contributing too. This way you'll learn the most."
"I'm excited for it," I say then, and we exit the elevator, walking across the lobby. Leo gives me a playful wave from his reception desk while keeping the corded phone to his ear.
I smile back, then follow Viviann out the building. "How far do we have to drive?" I ask, wanting to make some mental notes about when exactly I'll be clocking out today.
"It's a ten minute drive. Close by," she says, and we get into her car that's parked in the company's parking lot.
Minutes pass quickly, and she pulls into a clean, curved driveway in a calm neighborhood.
The luxury real estate before us is a modern colonial, and it looks very grand and neat on the outside.
It's symmetrical, with white pillars and black shutters.
It looks like a well-preserved, modern family home.
Nerves are already spinning inside me as we get out the car. I keep my iPad with me, ready to put in ideas from the clients.
Viviann presses the doorbell, and a soft chime echoes inside. My heart is fluttering with nerves and excitement as I stand next to her. But once the door finally opens, and a familiar pair of brown eyes enter my line of vision, I freeze.
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