Chapter Three.

"Shit. Shit. Shit" I muttered to myself when I just reached my car and searched my pocket for my car keys which unfortunately weren't there as I had hoped.

I barely stopped myself from screaming out loud in frustration when I recalled leaving it right there on my little bed side table.

Hissing loudly, I turned back on my heels with my fist holding tightly to my overly sized handbag that was filled with a lot of........ Basically rubbish things that shouldn't be in a handbag but, who cares anyways?

With hasty steps, I charged back up the front porch and right into the house like a wild animal because I was already freaking out!

Today of all days is the very worst day to forget my keys.

I am almost ten minutes late and it's the day of my very important Presentation!

My boss is so going to kill me.

I dashed into my room and just as I had expected, my car keys were right there where I thought I had left them and without wasting any more of my time, i snatched it up in my hand and much to my dismay, my cellphone started to ring again and I just couldn't ignore it this time so I dug into the my hand bag in search of the phone which I surprisingly found with so much ease given the crowded state of my handbag.

"Jay!!!" Brittany, My colleague and best friend's voice sounded through the phone I held to my ear with one shoulder up because my hand was busy trying in vain to properly buckle my wristwatch that was almost about to fall off my wrist.

"Hey Bee! How You doing?" I replied in a rather high pitched voice as I yanked my door open with raging urgency knowing fully well the early Monday morning lecture I was about to receive from Brittany.

"Where the hell are you? Oh my God Jay! Get your ass here right now! You're gonna ruin all we've worked for girl, what is wrong with you? And just where the hell has your phone been all morning? " She screamed back in response and I had to pull my phone away from my ear for a second.

I'll complain about her deafening voice later. Right now, I've really got to go.

"I know, I know, I'm late but I'm on my way I promise, I'm already in my car driving down to the office" I replied and quickened my pace towards the door so I could slip out once again.

"You sick liar, I can literally hear your heels hitting the floor." She replied dryly and I giggled in response.

"Just get here on time okay?" She added and I could tell she was really serious this time.

"I will, I promise" came my response and I nodded my head firmly as though she could actually see me do that.

"Oh, and to buy you time, I kinda- told the boss- you. had. a. minor- accident." She whispered and my eyes widened.

"What?" I questioned in amusement.

"Hey... The pressure was too much I didn't know what else to say. You should be thankful, I saved your ass you ungrateful weasel" she replied lightly.

"So, what am I supposed to do now, appear to work like I was actually involved in an accident?" I questioned

"Yes. Duhh" came her response and if my hand wasn't holding my phone to my ear and the other clutching the hand of my bag, I would have slapped it right across my face.

"Yeah sure, I will make it a point of duty to show up with a bandaged arm. Way to go Best friend." I cheered dryly.

"Oh come on, Don't be so extreme. Just say you fell and twisted your ankle or something. Easy peasy" she advised and I made a really crazy suspicious face wondering just how many lies she might have told me whenever she shows up late for our planned events.

"Okay.... Bye now!" I called out and ended the call quickly on whatever it is she was trying to say before I hung up when I heard Mum in the kitchen.

"Morning Mum" I greeted and hastily rushed towards her for a quick hug.

"Late for work again I see" she pointed out while tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Yes.... That's why I've got to leave now" I replied and hurried away towards the door.

"At least let me pack you lunch" she called out from behind me.

"I'll settle for something at the office or perhaps go grab lunch with Brittany. Bye Mom" came my immediate response as I rushed out the house for the second time that morning.

Unfortunately for me, I spent the next twenty minutes stuck in traffic very much to my dismay and I was almost in tears of frustration when I eventually arrived at the office.

"Miss Jordan Blair, get in my office right now!" My Boss, Mr. Anderson ordered sternly from where he stood by the door to his office the very moment he spotted me walk in.

The eyes of everyone within earshot came my direction and some of them held sorry looks for me because they all very well know what it means getting in the bad books of the boss and I might have just gotten myself in it.

I began trying so hard to come up with a good enough excuse before I get any further closer to him but nothing I came up with made any sense at all. I although felt greatly more at ease when I got into his office and found Brittany already seated in his office.

"You chose today of all days to come to work late??" He questioned in annoyance and I swallowed hard at how frightening he was at the moment.

He was really tough on all of us but right now, he seemed really pissed and I really couldn't say anything in my defense.

Until.........

"I'm sorry sir, I fell and twisted my ankle." I blurted out what Brittany adviced and the immediate silence was suffocating only to be broken by Brittany's forcefully stiffened laugh.

He glared at her then back at me and then to my feet that was in perfect shape and well balanced on my high stilleto heels which shouldn't have been an option for someone who actually twisted her ankle.

It's a good thing he decided to ignore me all though he clearly knew I was lying and he instead chose to head over to his seat then had Brittany and I go over our presentations for the little time we had left before our VIP clients arrived a little bit earlier than expected.

Brittany and I both delivered our presentation in the board room just as we've gone over it and they all seemed pleased enough with our ideas and promised to get back to us the following week.

"This morning was so tensed that I didn't get to ask you, How did Dinner go last night?" Brittany questioned as we both stepped out to get lunch after hours of standing and explaining slides after slides to our well esteemed clients.

"Well.... It kinda wasn't so Bad. I eventually had a chat with Fred and he didn't seem so bad after all." I confessed with a shrug.

"Told ya. You only just have to give him a chance like your Mom has" came her response but I wasn't really paying full attention anymore because my thoughts just got clouded by something else.

Something I had completely forgotten about until this topic of dinner came up.

"You wouldn't believe he has a son I only met last night and the Maniac kissed me up in my room!" I poured out to her in annoyance and instead of looking shocked like I had expected, she bursted out laughing.

"What's so funny?" I questioned grudgingly with a frown and a raised brow.

"Can't you see? You're living the typical Step Brother episode. I should write about you both in my next book" she cheered and I rolled my eyes at her.

"You can't ever be serious can you?" I replied dryly and waved at the waitress who rushed over to our table shortly after we stepped into the restaurant.

"So, tell me. This step brother guy, is he cute?" She teased and batted her eyelashes at me.

Yes, he is kinda cute but I'll be damned if I ever admit that.

"You'll be at my Mom's wedding yeah? You will definitely get to see him for yourself and then you could come up with your own opinion." I replied, quickly dismissing the topic.

"Chicken and chips please" I announced sweetly to the waitress just So I could get Brittany's questioning eyes off me and thankfully enough, it actually worked because instead of throwing more questions my way, she pondered on what to order instead and I very well knew how long that was gonna take.

She never knows what she wants.

I wanted to save the poor waitress the pain of having to wait till Brittany eventually chooses to have whatever I'm having like she always does but my phone buzzed on the table and the text I could read on the screen consumed all of my attention.

With a raised brow, I tapped on the message that was sent by an unknown number and waited till the words on the text changed but the more I looked at it, the more I got convinced I was seeing the same thing Everytime.

The message simply said ............ "Hey Stranger, you're not bailing on me are you?"

And that was just it.

I wasn't exactly in the mood for games so I snatched up my phone and texted back "who the hell are you?!" without even giving it a single thought.

Almost immediately, my phone buzzed again with a response that read "Still fiesty even on texts I see. Maybe if you ask nicely, I just might tell you."

What tha.......

I could literally just tell whoever this is to go to hell but I really was curious to know.

So I replied "Shower me with the honour of knowing who you are your royal sweetness."

The reply was even quicker and it said "here's a little hint, we are to drive around town tomorrow evening remember?? *Wink*"

This time, I didn't need anyone to tell me,

I knew just exactly who it is!

I was about to hit him back with the "how did you get my number" line but thought against it.

I very well know who could have possibly given him my number.

Mummmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!