Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
Miller
I got to work early this morning, despite having a late night. I feel like I’m on cloud nine after hanging out with Denise. We watched a horror movie and did more talking during the movie than watching. Then we had a few scoops of ice cream and talked some more. I didn’t get home until after midnight, and I was at the office at the crack of dawn.
I don’t need a lot of sleep. I run on caffeine and code. But right now, my thoughts are on the woman who has captivated my attention in the last few days. She gave me her number and part of me wanted to send her a text asking her out to breakfast.
But I have important meetings today. And a lot of following up on different projects that we have going on at the same time.
After eight in the morning, I step into the sleek office of my lead developer, Beverly Chan. Beverly is completely absorbed in her work, typing furiously as lines of code race across the screen. When I reach the chair in front of her desk, she averts her gaze.
“Hey, Bev. Do you have a quick moment to chat?”
Her expressions brighten. “Of course. What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to touch base on the progress of our latest project. How are things coming along with the new algorithm?”
Nodding eagerly, she smiles. “It’s going well. Really well, actually. We’ve made some significant breakthroughs in optimizing the algorithm for natural language processing. I think we’re on track to surpass our initial performance targets.”
“Fantastic. Our efficiency gains are already becoming apparent, based on my review of the latest metrics. Our clients are going to be thrilled with the improvements. Good work.”
As I leave her office, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride in the team that I’ve assembled. With Beverly’s leadership and dedication to our developers, I know that InterMind Technologies is poised to continue making waves in the world of artificial intelligence.
I am followed into my office by Monty, close on my heels.
“You ditched us after the diner yesterday.” He takes a seat in the recliner chair in the middle of the office, crossing his feet at the ankle.
“I had things to do. We didn’t have any plans after we ate, right?”
“No, but it’s not like you to not go back to the office and work until ten at night. So, what kind of trouble did you get into?”
“I just hung out.”
“Hung out? You don’t hang out, you do things purposefully, and most of the time, you’re working.”
“I know how to have fun.” I defend myself.
“You go to three different places. You’re mainly here, at the office. That fancy secretive club that you are a part of in the middle of the woods. And your place. And honestly, you’re not at your place too much.”
“What’s your point, Monty?”
“Just curious about this change in you.”
“There’s no change. I do have a life outside of this tower.”
“Does this have anything to do with that waitress?”
“What do you know about this waitress?” I question.
“Nothing. You just looked like you wanted to get to know her, if you know what I mean.”
“Whatever, dude.”
“Yeah, whatever dude. Listen, can we postpone the financial meeting for the new software that we’ve got this afternoon?”
“Why?”
“I haven’t received all the data. We have a few things that I need to account for, but I can get it done by the end of day. Can you do tomorrow morning?”
“Check with Tab. I’m not sure what my calendar looks like, to be honest.”
Rich mahogany paneling lines the walls, casting a deep, lustrous glow under the lustrous glow under the soft light of antique chandeliers. From floor to ceiling, the other wall is adorned with bottles of amber-colored liquid, with a bar conveniently situated in front.
The interior of the bar area exudes an air of refined elegance and old-world charm. When members enter the heavy oak doors, a cozy and elegant ambiance filled with tradition and refinement welcomes them.
Plush leather armchairs and high-backed bar stools beckon its members to sink into their embrace, offering a sense of comfort and exclusivity. Intricately carved tables, adorned with brass accents and crystal decanters, provide the perfect setting for relaxed camaraderie, and the secrets of many of its members.
In one corner of the bar area, a crackling fireplace casts a flickering light across the room, infusing the space with a cozy warmth. Above the large mantle, a collection of antique hunting trophies and mounted heads serves as a reminder of the club’s storied past and the connection to the surrounding wilderness that the club hides away from prying eyes.
A sense of rustic charm pervades the space, blending seamlessly with the club’s atmosphere of refined luxury.
Members of this club hail from all luxuries of life, from medicine to athletes to musicians. Men often speak in hushed tones and in some ways, many secrets are divulged. The elite of the elite belong to this club, and most people don’t know it exists as it’s nestled deep into the woods just outside of a small town an hour away from Empire Bay.
I am here twice a week, at the most. A group of us, ten of us, have been having drinks and sharing secrets with one another for the past few years. We started as three, and then we grew.
I sit across from the fireplace with a drink in my hand, staring into the flames. My mind raced through different projects happening at work and the woman who I couldn’t get out of my head.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Asher Knight sits beside me, asking.
I look at him and hold my cup up.
“Is it women’s problems or is it work?” he asks.
“Full honesty? For the first time, I’m not thinking about work.”
“That’s a first. Normally, you’ve got a million things going through your mind. Sometimes, it’s a little distracting. Especially when you talk about computer code and microchips. So, what’s up with you? You sick?”
“I met someone. And I’m distracted.”
Denise
We couldn’t be more different from each other. I’m employed as a waitress, while he holds a prestigious position in a downtown skyscraper.
But when we were hanging out together, I felt like his equal. He didn’t talk down to me; he didn’t make me feel like a smaller person, and he talked to me like I was just as smart as him.
Which, of course, I am. Just in different ways. While he may be smarter in one area, he may be a total tool in another. And the same goes for me.
Last night, I took a chance and hang out with an unbelievably gorgeous man. It’s been months since I broke up with Thom. I wasn’t actively seeking a relationship, but I won’t let a good opportunity pass me by.
We watched one of the Escape Room movies, and I need to rewatch it again since we did more talking, joking, and laughing - rather than watching.
He comes from the life of silver spoons up your ass, but he acts like any other guy that I’ve met. He must be pretty high on the ladder at his work since he was at a charity function where table costs are in the thousands. He is down to Earth, but you can tell that he has money. His intriguing nature makes me eager to learn more about him. But then there is the insecure part of me that wants to hide away in my small one bedroom apartment and knows that whatever I do will not measure up to whatever it is that he does.
Today is a whirlwind of activity. My day started early, despite having a late night. When I should have been working on my notes from this week’s reading in my lit class, I hung out with Miller instead. I’m dragging ass this morning rushing from one side of the campus to the other to make it in time for my next lecture, not like all the other students here at EBU, especially since I’m probably the oldest student in any of my classes. I check my watch as I open the large door to the hall and rush half-way down the stairs to the center and scoot through the aisle to a seat with a center view. I pull out my laptop and get ready for class to begin.
In that moment, my thoughts begin to wander.
The clatter of dishes, the hum of conversations, and the steady flow of hungry customers create a vibrant atmosphere that demands my full attention. With my hair pulled back into a tight ponytail and my apron securely fastened around my waist, I move with purpose between tables, delivering orders and ensuring that every guest along my path receives my attention. Tonight is just like any other night as I weave my way through the crowded dining room, balancing trays of food with practiced ease. I’m completely focused on the tasks that need to be done. From taking orders to refilling drinks, my key priority is meeting the demands of the job.
Lost in the rhythm of my work, I hardly notice the door swinging open, admitting a tall figure dressed in a fitted suit. It’s Miller. Even though he has a commanding presence, I don’t have the time to spare him a second glance as I go about my work, enveloped in the hustle and bustle of the diner.
“I just seated this hot guy, but he’s asking for you,” Monica tells me.
“Okay.” I take a deep breath and turn around from the counter.
Pausing to catch my breath, I glance around the room and find Miller sitting at a table near the back, his gaze filled with desire and curiosity fixed on me. I feel a pang of embarrassment wash over me as I realize how frazzled I look, and how I didn’t greet him when he walked in, allowing Monica to direct him to a table.
Walking over to his table, I offer him a sheepish smile.
“Good evening to you. Mr. Davenport,” I say, my voice tinged with apology, “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you come in. I didn’t know you were going to stop by.”
“I wanted to see you. But you mentioned last night that you had a busy day and I figured that meant you had work. So, here I am. But no need to apologize. I can tell this place gets busy.”
I can’t help but feel a flutter of excitement in my chest. There’s something about his presence that intrigues me. What is he doing? Is he slumming it with a girl like me?
“Know what you want?”
“What time are you off tonight?”
“Oh man, last night was late. I don’t think that I can stay up late two nights in a row.”
“I’m not asking for an all-nighter. Can I take you out for some, I don’t know, ice cream?”
“Okay. How old are you?” I place my hands on my hips with a tilt of my head.
“I’m thirty-six, but you can be any age and like ice cream.” He shrugs.
“You have a point there. I’m off at seven.”
“Have you eaten?” he looks at the diner clock and sees that I’ve only got thirty minutes of my shift left.
“No, sir. I was planning to grab a quick bite on the way home. But I can always have ice cream for dinner.”
“Not at all. Let’s go to eat and then for dessert?”
“You’re already here. Might as well eat before I get off. Honestly, sometimes I feel like eating dessert before dinner could be just as fun.”
“Like breakfast for dinner. Since more people are coming in here, I don’t want to take up an extra spot they could easily have, since you’re off soon. I’m parked in the parking lot in the back. Want to meet me out there?”
“Sure,” I reply nervously.
He slides out of the booth and moves toward the front door of the diner. He looks back and smiles before he exits.
“Who in God’s green Earth was that, and how do I get myself one?” Monica gushes.
“That is Miller Davenport. I met him the other night.”
“Girl, he is the hottest thing that I’ve ever seen come in here. And he’s dressed really nice. Does he smell good too?”
I laugh, shake my head, then move around her, grab the order up in the window, and walk it over to one of my tables.
Wait. Dinner and dessert? Does that count as a date?