TWO- THE BOSS

CHAPTER TWO (2 and a half years before)

I was beginning to think my life was terribly unfortunate, I was a double orphan and had no one to rely on. Even my job was only contractual and could end on any day, the only person in my life that I could consider a friend was my roommate and even she did not seem too keen on having me as a friend. My only interactions with my roommate were silent greetings and simple and short questions. As for my workmates, they avoided me and only called on me when there was something to be done.

Perhaps my last foster parents had been right and I should not have pursued a career in hotel management, I only ended up on the second floor of a huge company with a small desk in the corner of the room and my seniors forcing me to do their workload, not that I could reject. I was just a mere and unimportant employee while the hotel management knew them.

I stretched my legs as far as I could under my cramped desk with files under it. This day had gone on longer than I had thought, if Mr Samuels had not piled his load on top of the already overwhelming workload maybe I would have procrastinated and pushed everything to the next door but the due dates for most of the reports forced me to prolong the day.

I closed my eyes for a second and caught myself dozing for over a second. Opting for a cup of coffee, I stood from my desk and walked to the staff kitchen on our floor and brewed a cup of coffee. I could feel the exhaustion eating up at my body rapidly, and my last meal had been the night before. Hopefully, the cup of coffee would surge my energy levels. I yawned and stretched my arms upwards and to the back but a groan stopped my actions and I immediately turned around to see the damage I had done.

“Oh god!” I cursed in panic when I registered the familiar face of Ashton Stetson, one of the infamous Stetson brothers. His dark brown eyes stared down at me with harsh scrutiny, and the height difference only made his intimidation stance stronger.

“What are you doing here so late?” He asked, his voice smooth but gruff as well from exhaustion. His question kind of seemed hypocritical with dark circles under his eyes and a lazed posture, I did not know how but he looked like exhaustion itself materialized.

“I’m so sorry,” I immediately opted to apologize for having my outstretched arms in his face but he rolled his eyes.

“I asked you a question,” He countered and the fact that he was my boss and could fire me at that instant sunk in and I stammered over my words trying to formulate a response.

“I-I…um…I have a few reports t-to finish up.” I responded with much struggle.

My stammering only seemed to make matters worse and his glare deepened, his eyes wandered to the coffee maker and he sighed. “No one is supposed to be up here so late at night, only employees with allowed access.”

I looked down and nodded at his words. “I was granted access by Mr Samuels,” I gave him my rehearsed response, one I had used almost every other day when a higher-up found me working late at night.

Ashton Stetson muttered a few words that I could not make out and ran a hand through his black locks before looking back at me. He looked every detail handsome as the employees and public eye emphasized. I had only ever seen him on paper, behind a screen and from afar, seeing him up close intensified his beauty. He looked over my shoulder and raised his hand to point at something behind me.

“Is there any sugar here?” He asked and for a second, I was so stuck in my moment of appreciation that I did not register his question.

“Huh?” He gave me an incredulous look like I was some lost and confused pupil. “Oh sugar?... Yes, there’s sugar.” I scrambled to one of the cabinets, retrieved the bowl with sugar strips and handed it to him.

“Thanks,” He said. “Your coffee is ready,” He pointed to the coffee maker and once again I made a fool of myself by hurriedly rushing towards the coffee maker and almost causing an even bigger blunder. Thankfully, I only bumped into the rack of spoons and they dropped to the floor.

“Are you okay?” Ashton Stetson asked in a concerned tone, something in his tone said that he was asking beyond mere well-being, he was asking whether I was okay mentally or not. I wanted to dig my own grave and lie in it.

He bent down to help me pick the spoons. “No. No. No, it’s okay, I can do it.” I protested but he helped me and stretched upwards once we were done and handed the spoons to me. “Be careful and watch your surroundings.”

He turned around to leave but looked back, “What’s your name?” He asked and I felt my panic even grow more.

I was conscious of my blouse that was barely hanging on my shoulders and the pencil skirt that had become wrinkled because of the long day. My hair was not a different story, when I had come in the morning, I had it tied up but now it was hanging loosely down my face. He had all the reason to ask human resources for my details and have me fired. My hands balled up at my sides in anxiety.

“I promise, I’m not usually this clumsy. As for my appearance, I look great-no better in the morning but the stress throughout the day does this to me. Not that the working environment is stressful, I’m not saying that. I love working here.” I could hear myself rambling on but I could not stop. “Please don’t fire me, sir.”

Ashton continued looking at me like I was a piece of work but I could see a hint of amusement on his face. “I won’t fire you.” He responded. “So then, what is your name?”

“Janelle Rawlins,” I replied and he nodded before leaving.

A huge sigh escaped my lips once he left and I dragged a stool and sat down. I gave myself 10 minutes to think of what had happened and think of what a mess I had portrayed myself to be towards my boss. Any prospects to be given a permanent position looked bleak, not that I had any hope before. I poured my cup of coffee and thought of how to recover from my embarrassment and continue with the reports I had to hand in tomorrow morning.

Despite going back to my desk and resuming my work, what happened earlier haunted my mind and I continued to cringe and groan at my stupidity when I thought of it intensely. My mind was surely never going to let me outlive my embarrassing moments. After I was done cringing for the night and had yawned countless times, I checked my wrist watch and my eyes bulged out. It was already 1 in the morning, good luck to me and finding a way home at this time. A lot of taxi ranks had stopped taking late night, or in the case early morning rides because of how unsafe the city was.

I closed my computer and grabbed my bag and jacket. The day had just begun but it was not looking like it would be a great day. I walked to the elevator and pressed the button and it opened after a few seconds. I was caught between whether to gasp in shock or cringe in embarrassment when Ashton Stetson’s dark brown eyes met mine and he legitimately looked more amused than last time.

“Get in or do you wish to go back and do more of Samuels’ work?” I could hear friendly mockery in his tone but I dismissed it. He could not have possibly thought of making any friendly conversation or jokes with me.

I got into the elevator and pressed the button for the first floor, the only right thing I had done in his presence. I looked at the walls of the elevator as though they were the most interesting thing I had set my eyes on in my 22 years on Earth. I tried to ignore his presence as hard as could, but even the mere smell of him had my thoughts going crazy. Everything about him was attractive including his scent.

The elevator sound went off and I immediately gathered myself and walked but his voice stopped me. “Janelle,” He called out. I turned to meet his stare. “How are you going to get home?” He asked and once again I found myself stumbling over words.

“Um…I-I’ll get a taxi…” Ashton rolled his eyes and motioned for me to follow him. “It’s okay sir, I’ve done this before. I can get home on my own.”

He turned to face me with a frown. “How often does Samuels make you do his work?”

I shook my head. “No, this is my workload.”

Ashton scoffed. “You’re a mere contract worker, your workload should not keep you up or working past 5 pm. That bastard has the habit of overworking junior employees.” He cursed and I almost doubled over at how attractive he sounded saying more than one sentence.

I remained silent as he led the way to the ground floor and towards a car. “I would have told my driver to take you home but I told him to get off work a long time ago. Take this ride as a small part of my apology for the cruel treatment you’ve received from my employee.”

I wondered what the apology would measure up to if he found out that not only Samuels but my entire department had taken a liking to bully me into doing their work. I silently got into the passenger seat and profusely thanked him and gave him my address. I could not even focus on how mesmerising the car I was in was because I was in a car with Ashton Stetson, that itself was beyond mesmerizing.

The ride was silent and I dozed off, I woke up to Ashton tapping my shoulder and the view of my low-end neighbourhood and apartment. I looked back at him. “Thank you very much.” I thanked him and he only nodded.

I got out of the car and looked back. “Have a good night, sir,” I told him and he grimaced.

“Goodnight, Janelle.” He replied and the car drove off. I stood there for a couple of seconds, unable to comprehend how the night had turned out. I dragged my body to the third floor of my apartment and straight to my room. Perhaps I was hallucinating and needed sleep.