7 years later

“BZZZZZ! BZZZZZZ!” Stupid Alarm! I glance reluctantly at the alarm clock to see the time, 5:00 am. Just another day. I quickly force my body out of the bed. I glance over at my sleep mate, his shiny grey hair glowing with the streetlights creeping in the window. Still snoring and flinching with his puppy dreams. I was so grateful for this sweet gruffly Pitbull, Rosco, of mine. He kept me from being lonely and had become the favorite of the small apartment building I lived in. Since he was still snoring away. I decided to let him sleep and quickly took the small trip quietly to my small bathroom, showering first and then starting thinking about the day. I poured myself out of my tank top and shorts I was wearing to sleep and stepped into the steamy hot water. Thanking the water for the feeling of relaxation I so needed before this day. I let the water pour over my fair pale skin and past every small freckle grateful I was not a complete redhead just the hint of freckles was all I needed. I hear my phone start dinging from the bathroom counter. So, it begins I tell myself. I quickly throw soap into my long curly strawberry blonde hair and begin washing, “ding” “ding”. Wow, the phone is really in overdrive this morning. 

               Maybe everyone is worried about the big presentation today I thought. It was one of the biggest companies our small advertisement company had ever represented. By winning this company, we were finally moving into the big leagues, and I was finally starting to see all my hard work pay off. I’d been with the Johnson agency for the last five years slowly making a name for myself and I was so close to convincing Mr. Johnson to make me a partner since I’d landed the last 4 major projects and this last one with the new coffee chain popping up all over Chicago should be the push I need to get Mr. Johnson to see what I brought to the table and let me take the agency to the next level. I just needed to get through this presentation and my dreams could move up the next level and maybe finally in the next year I could move Rosco and me somewhere with a yard rather than utilizing our apartment’s community garden for all of his exercise needs. “Ding” “Ding” Okay that is it I need to see what is going on. I quickly finished washing my hair, and water off and grabbed my towel. I wrapped it around me and quickly grabbed my phone. 

               “Kate, big meeting today now with Blake Sutton.” “Why are we meeting with Blake Sutton on the day of our biggest presentation?” “Kate, what do I wear for this day?”

“What’s happening” All my coworkers seemed nervous, and I could feel the rush of heat rise from inside me when I read the words “Blake Sutton” I cannot imagine seeing him again. I’d been so careful to avoid his large company throughout all my time at Johnson Agency just to avoid this completely awkward situation. My mind started racing….” Ding” Mr. Johnson himself just text me. I looked at the time, good grief it was not even 5:30 AM. I quickly opened his message. “Kate, I need to try and talk to you before the meeting with Blake Sutton. The meeting is at 9:00 AM, can you please be in my office at 8:00 AM?” I send a quick reply. My mind racing quickly, I need to pick a knockout outfit today especially if I must see Blake Sutton and drop off Rosco at Mrs. Flora is our gracious local neighbor who takes Rosco around the apartment complex all day while I’m at work, and race to get to the Subway before the 7:00 AM train leaves. This would be a bit of a rush as I normally didn’t leave till the 7:30 train. 

               I quickly race in and wake up my not-so-friendly sleep mate who is used to sleeping in and looks up at me like I might be an alien. “Sorry boy, you can’t sleep in today. Rosco, outside lets, go.” I open the window to the fire escape “Rosco, now” Rosco slowly crawls his way out of bed and jumps up the bench right by the fire escape pushing me to get out the window. Did he do that on purpose, I thought to myself. “Sorry Rosco, our day is starting a bit crazy today, head down to the garden and use the restroom.” I was so grateful for our small apartment building and really, we were lucky to have these people in our lives. Our small old brick apartment building had only 8 apartments and with community support able to add in the middle between our apartment and Mr. Hoo’s small convenience store next door to build a quant gated community garden. I was even luckier that everyone in our building fell in love with my rescue dog the minute I brought Rosco home. The whole apartment building was one big family which allowed me to feel comfortable having stairs down to the ground level allowed Rosco some freedom and me some flexibility to use the restroom without a lot of effort on my part besides cleaning up any incidents. He just had to adjust to crawling out the window. 

               With Rosco outside, I quickly ran to my closet and started searching for just the right clothes. I glanced over and saw it, my beautiful slick black skirted suit with the pink underneath still in its plastic staring at me, begging me to put it on. I’d saved for a special day since last year’s sale. Is today the day? I didn’t have time to ponder with this being the biggest presentation I had ever given and the fact I have to see my one-night stand, Blake Shelton, the decision is made. I grab the suit still wrapped in its plastic and throw it on my bed. I do not know why maybe it was the idea of seeing that man again, but I grabbed my nicest white lingerie to put on underneath. As I started putting my clothes on my mind started racing, first thinking of the big presentation and how we were going to help take the coffee house with 7 locations already to the next level with TV Commercials and the upcoming location moving out of Chicago and to the suburbs. The second imagining those dark muscular hands running up my body, I felt the shivers all over like it was happening at that moment. Good god stop it, it was only one night! 

               Thankfully Rosco pouncing in through the window brought me to life. I finish getting dressed and walked the 3 feet to my small kitchen. Gosh, I could not wait to get out of my 400-foot studio apartment! I grab a bowl and pour Rosco some dog food as I throw two slices of bread in the toaster for myself. Rosco looks disappointed I don’t keep making my breakfast as I give him a pat on his head which he acknowledges with a lick of my hand. “Sorry buddy, no time to relax today, big day for mama, you’re the only man I need.” Rosco looks up at me from scarfing his food with a small head tilt like he didn’t believe me either when I said it. 

               I go back into the bathroom and put some mascara on as the one thing that bugs me most about my face is my blonde eyelashes. I cannot help staring in the mirror for a minute and start to feel again those hands brushy softly across my face and my face gets hot. “Ah!” I must stop. Rosco runs over after already finishing his breakfast and nudges for another rub. I give him a quick pat, not anymore right now, Rosco we got to go see Mrs. Flora in just a few. Shoot I send her a quick text to let her know we must come over early and realize I need to do something with my ridiculously curly long strawberry blonde hair. I decide to put it up with my curls up sticking out of my messy bun and slick the sides down, so it looks more professional than messy. Put on a silver bracelet and small silver earrings, one deep breath and I am ready. I quickly grab my laptop and notes stuff them in my briefcase and begin walking to the door. Rosco being the best dog just follows by my side. “Off we go, Rosco.” I lock up and head down one flight of stairs till we hit the first floor and Mrs. Flora. 

               Before I can even knock Mrs. Flora’s door flies open. “Where’s my boy?” Mrs. Flora was a widower and retired with a small income our apartment building was just the place for her. She looked as sweet as she sounded with her always fluffy almost black hair and although plump happy little body with a beautiful smile on her kind tan face. She was a godsend as soon as I meant her. She encouraged me to get out and meet the people in my apartment building and just slowly encouraged me to spread my wings with a soft hand and smile to keep pushing me. She was the mother in my life that I so longed for. Rosco shoved by me and ran over to her already bending down the body to greet her with kisses and a wagging tail. “Oh, I missed you so much. It’s been too long!”

               “Mrs. Flora we had lunch with you yesterday,” I said with a chuckle. 

               “Well, that’s just too long without my sweet boy.” She says as she gives him more and more love. “What are we going to do today, my sweet boy?” Rosco wags his tail in delight. “Should we work in the garden? I hope we have more flowers blooming today!”  

               “Mrs. Flora today is a big day and I….”

               She interrupts “you do not know when you will be home dear. It is a big day. Today is the day you get to be the partner I can just feel it”, she squeals.

               “I do not know if it will be today but I’m hoping. Mr. Johnson added another meeting with a very prominent businessman.” I try to say comfortably.

               “Oh? Is this businessman, single? By the way, you are already blushing you must know who he is?” She questions more than states. 

               “Oh um, well I sort of known him from college. We were in a marketing class together and well study group that well, um, just sort of, it’s complicated” I stutter out as I try to brush away my redness with his face. How does she always know everything with me barely saying a thing, I think? 

               “Well Miss Kate, you listen to Mrs. Flora I don’t know who this man is, but he must have influenced you at one time. He does not have to this time and remember this is your day, Kate. You work so hard. Mrs. Flora and your sweet boy see it every day and you must not let him change your day for you. You just do you Miss Kate, and we will see if this prominent businessman deserves your time afterward,” she says with the biggest smile and arms out for her daily hug. 

               I cannot help but fall into her arms and support. With my parents, both gone this apartment building is my family, and Mrs. Flora is so kind and intuitive just like my mom was. “Thank you, Mrs. Flora, you are the best.” 

               “Oh dear, you know you and my sweet boy Rosco are my family. I look forward to every day at least getting to say hello to you. You go get your dreams; she says with a pat on my back. I feel so bad for Mrs. Flora with both her sons moving to different states and not having a lot of income to come to visit her often. 

               “Thank you and I will come to get Rosco as soon as I get back.” Bending down. Rosco approaches and I give him a quick pat. “You be a god boy.” He wags his tail happily in response. 

               I quickly race out the door with a briefcase in tow and head the 10 blocks to the subway. It’s a quick walk to me at this point as I’ve been doing it for 5 years since starting at Johnson Agency and not being able to afford anything closer to the downtown agency. I check the time and realize it is 6:45 am. Just enough time I think to myself although I find myself picking up the pace as I go. My mind still racing with what Mr. Johnson wants to talk about and what can our small agency possibly be meeting with Blake Sutton about.

               My mind starts to trail off as I walk the same route. I cannot help thinking of Blake who besides that one marketing class I’d never had an opportunity to know during college until the study group. Well, that was not completely true, I felt like the whole college knew who Blake Sutton was. He came from one of the most well-known families in Chicago, the state, and well maybe even America all knew who they were. His family was well known for their long history of well, being rich and with his father being a world-renowned surgeon they could hold their heads up high. His mother was also well known in her own right for being a successful lawyer, but she had retired early to raise her 2 girls and boy and was now a well-liked philanthropist running several of the largest charities in the state. Their daughters took after their parents with one being a surgeon and the other running a separate charity. The entire family all looked a bit more like me in the looks arena all with blonde hair and palter skin than Blake which I had thought was curious but never had heard an explanation. Blake on the other hand studied business and seemed to always do things a bit differently although still successful. 

               The whole family was beautiful, and all could be models. Of course! Blake’s hair was almost a cold black with beautiful waves, dark tan skin, and a naturally muscular body he did not even have to try to maintain. In college, it almost seemed every girl he smiled at at one point, or another was on his arm. He did not have to struggle which made him seem unreachable until that one night.