by Claire Angel
I didn’t learn much. Seth was born and raised in Washington and close with his family. He had a place that overlooked the water and spent most of his time in this office, still seeing it as a view. We talked about his experience in IT and how far he’d gotten in a short time.
Seth encouraged me to work towards my dreams, as well. He told me that I was an excellent and organized assistant and that job paid well. I could stay in the position or get into the side of things where I worked closely with clients. According to him, I did a great job last night.
I wanted to move up. I knew that. It was the reason I went to school in the first place.
I headed out with everyone else, watching Jack and Shelby ahead of me. I wasn’t feeling particularly jealous but did have a sense of curiosity about him. She laughed at something he said, and I wondered if he was waiting for me to become available. If that was the case, would he drop everything for me and move on when he was done?
I didn’t have plans to date Jack or anyone else. Seth was confusing enough as just my boss, and that wasn’t even a relationship.
I walked into the house, seeing that Mom was sitting at the table while Dad cooked dinner. “Hey, how are you guys?” I asked, giving them each a hug once I put my things down. I looked closely at her, seeing that her eyes were bright, and she was smiling.
“It was good. Your dad stayed in with me today and caught me up on his crazy work life.” Mom looked at Dad with a loving smile, and I walked over to the fridge to get a glass of wine. “How was work last night?”
“That was great. I got involved in some tech work for a change and liked it. It’s a nice glimpse into my future,” I told her, pouring a glass. “Want some, Mom?”
“I’m good but thank you. Did you eat while you worked?” Mom asked, and I paused before putting the wine back in the fridge.
“We always order something in, but I wouldn’t call it dinner. It’s too rushed for that.” I’d never tell her or Dad what I actually ate last night. “Ordering in is common in offices. You get stuck at your desk more often than not.”
“I know that feeling,” Dad said with a sigh. He worked for a large hotel firm planning new properties, hence traveling.
“You eat in nice places, Dad. I just eat in Seattle.” I looked at the stove, seeing that he had pasta boiling with some sauce in another pan. “Shrimp scampi?”
“That’s what Mom wanted,” he said, and I gave her a wide smile. He drained the pasta, and I made a quick salad before Dad finished, setting the table as he brought the pasta to the table. We chatted over dinner, and Mom seemed to be open to the idea of a part-time aid. I thought three days a week might be an excellent start but didn’t expect to need someone any more than that. I only worked in the city and could be home every night. Dad planned to start interviewing this week, and I joked that he needed my approval.
I took a bath and went to bed early, lying in bed as I thought about my boss. My gorgeous, confusing boss. I shouldn’t wonder about him as much as I did, but he was inside my head. He was under my skin, and he kept showing me softer sides of himself before ripping that rug out from under me.
Jack was at the coffee stand when I walked into the lobby in the morning, and he glanced over at me. “Brenna!” I glanced at him, and he pointed to the stand as though he was asking me if I wanted one. I help up my travel cup, shaking my head as he told me to come over. “What’s up?” I asked as he took in my wide pants and white blouse.
“I know you heard about the other night. This building talks so much shit.” I wanted to roll my eyes and shrug.
“I don’t pay a lot of attention, to be honest. I’m here to work. What are you referring to?” I asked, following him as he walked to the elevator.
“I went to dinner with Shelby. It wasn’t to replace you. She ended up back in town, and I was hungry, Brenna. I do want to catch up with you. I miss you.” I stared at him, confused by what he was getting at.
“We will. It’s no big thing that you’re dating Shelby. You two look good together,” I told him as he flushed.
“I’d rather be dating you,” he told me in a soft voice, and I felt my mouth drop open. “You have so much going on, and Attila keeps you so fucking busy. Shelby just happened, and she’s still around.”
“No. This isn’t happening.” I saw a door slide open and walked inside. I turned to see Jack standing still, staring at me. I rode up, sipping my coffee as I tried to calm my racing heart. Of course, Jack wanted to date me. I knew that when I met him but went on being friends with him.
I had feelings for Seth, which was all wrong. If I did have feelings for Jack, this might be a whole lot easier.
I walked to my desk, looking to make sure Jack wasn’t following me. I didn’t want to get into this at work, especially near Seth. He seemed to hold something against Jack, and I wasn’t sure what. We weren’t dating, and he acted like he could control me, and Jack wanted to date me and was sleeping with someone else.
“Good morning, Brenna. Can you come in here when you’re settled?” Seth asked as I fought the urge to groan. What else could happen today?
I turned on my computer and stood to go into his office. I sipped my coffee, choosing to leave it at my desk as I walked through the door. “Good morning,” I said, taking a seat across from him.
“Are you okay?” Seth asked as I blinked at him.
“It’s been a morning. I’m not sure yet. What did you want to talk about?” I asked as he smirked at me.
“I have the chance to travel to Maryland for a special client that needs more help than he could get with me so far away. It’s for a week, and I’d like you to go with me.” I stared at him. “You could learn a lot and be there to organize things for me.”
“You want me to travel with you?” I asked as he nodded. “I didn’t think that was part of the job, Mr. Mason. I don’t remember anything about that.”
“I would normally ask one of the techs to go, but I’ve been working with these people closely for years. I want to fix this myself, and I think you should go. Is there anything keeping you here? A boyfriend?” Seth asked as I laughed.
“No, nothing like that. I’m just surprised.” I replied, leaning back. “When would this trip take place?”
“Next week. We’d fly out on Monday,” he said, and I shook my head. “That won’t work for you?”
“It’s fine, I suppose. What time?” I asked, thinking about my mom.
“Eight in the morning. Don’t come here. I can send a car to come and get you at six.”
“Okay. I guess that sounds good,” I said as he typed something into his computer. I needed to tell Dad to hire someone quickly or take the week off work. I’d be gone for five days alone with Seth except when we were working.
“The company will cover the hotel and expenses?”
“They do that a lot. It all evens out in taxes,” he said, narrowing his eyes at something. “We’re booked in first-class for Monday. We’ll just check-in at the airport.”
“First class?” I asked as he nodded. “Why not coach or even business?”
“They’ll approve it, and first-class is a treat. You’ll see,” Seth said as I closed my eyes.
“I need to get to work. Send me the itinerary if there is one.” I stood and walked back to my desk, taking a long drink of coffee. I muddled through emails and calls, thinking all the while about this new development. Jack messaged me, and since I had much more to worry about now, I told him that we were friends, which worked for me.
At lunch, I went outside to call my mom and tell her what was happening. She assured me that it would be fine, and she’d talk to Dad about things, but I should focus on work. I didn’t mind doing that, but traveling with Seth? I ended the call, finished my soup, and headed back into work.
Seth emailed me the information, and I was shocked to see that it was a direct first-class flight. Weren’t those hard to get? I hurried through the rest of the afternoon, sending Seth questions about appropriate cl
othing and what I needed to bring. He told me that everything I wore to the office was suitable since we’d be working online most of the time and to bring a couple of things for dinner. There was a good chance that the client might take us to dinner or drinks, and it was smart to be prepared. If that didn’t happen, we’d go out to unwind.
That didn’t sound like a good idea, and I wondered if I could just eat alone somewhere. We’d be down near the Inner Harbor, so there had to be a lot to do there. Our hotel was the Hilton, and we had adjoining rooms, making me sweat a little bit. This sounded too nice for a work trip.
I went home, eating before setting aside some clean clothes and sorting what I needed to wash. I had enough for the trip, and I pulled underwear and bras on my dresser. I knew I’d pack some makeup and hair stuff since I wanted to look professional for the client. The flight was all about comfort, and I planned to wear my favorite leggings and sweatshirt since they were expecting it to get cold.
I left work Friday with a reminder about the car, smiling as I hurried to the elevator. Jack was leaving with friends, and I smiled as I stepped into a car, wanting to go home and triple check everything that I needed. Dad found someone they both liked, and she’d be starting Monday while he was home to get a feel for things.
Check. That was taken care of.
I tried to go to sleep early, exhausted from all of my thoughts. Instead,
I tossed and turned. I wondered what we’d say to each other on the flight, the hotel, and on the way to jobs. We didn’t know each other that well. I didn’t want to open up to him about everything in my life the way that I did with Jack. I trusted too much sometimes when I should keep things more private.
I ended up sleeping in on Saturday, getting my clothes washed throughout the day as I hung out with Mom. “How is that Jack doing?” she asked as we ate sandwiches and sipped soda at lunch.
“He’s fine. I haven’t seen too much of him,” I replied, and she frowned.
“We work in separate parts of the building.”
“He’s so charming that one. What is your boss like?” Mom asked, and I tilted my head thoughtfully.
“Seth can be overbearing and rude a lot of the time. He has softer moments, but they seem like ones he’d rather hide. I don’t know a lot about him.” I shrugged as I reached for my drink. “He isn’t well-liked in the office.”
“Maybe that’s a good thing. Some people are better at being the boss than they are mixing it with friendship, which comes off poorly. It’s actually smart if you think about it.” Mom looked at me, and I played back her words.
“I suppose. I work more closely with him than most, so maybe I see something different. Most of the others gossip too much, and I’m not friends with a lot of them.” I shrugged and leaned back. Mom had worked in a real estate office years ago. “You know how offices are.”
“I do. Just watch out. I think it’s the right fit for you, Brenna.” I smiled at Mom as she covered her hand with mine, loving her so much at the moment.
Chapter 9
Seth
Monday came, and I checked my condo rooms as I made my way to the living room. Abby was with her mother, though we’d talk throughout the week. I always insisted on that. My luggage was a bit cumbersome with the suits I needed to pack, but that was what the driver was for.
Bruce came to my door, and together we brought the items down to the town car. He secured them in the back, and I leaned back against the seat with coffee to go and to pick up Brenna.
We pulled up to a gated home, and Bruce dialed the number that I read to him. “I’m on my way!” A breathless female voice answered, and the gate slid open. We pulled in, and I looked at the spacious modern home, wondering what Brenna’s parents did for a living.
The front door opened, and I saw her curls in the light from the porch. Brenna took hold of one suitcase while Bruce rushed to help her with the other one, making her smile. They brought everything down, and I took in the two large suitcases for a moment before gazing at her outfit.
Brenna wore her hair down around her shoulders with vibrant floral leggings and a purple sweatshirt. She slipped into the car once her luggage was secure, filling it with the scent of apples. I breathed her in as she set her purse down, looking around the back seat. “This is nice. I almost expected a limo being that we’re flying first class.”
“That would be for a longer drive,” I said, and she frowned at me. She was beautiful with little makeup and glasses on her face, reminding me of how young she was. Bruce pulled out of the driveway, and Brenna stared up at the house for a moment, almost as if she’d miss it. “Your mother is there?” I asked, and she nodded.
“Yes. I’ll miss them.” Brenna straightened and checked her watch. “We’ll get there early for the flight? I’d like to get some coffee.”
“You’ll have time,” I assured her as she crossed her legs and looked out of the window at the rising sun. I should have made her some, though I had no idea how she liked it.
We drove to the airport in silence since she seemed to be waking up. I wasn’t an early morning guy myself, so that suited me fine. When we got there, we loaded the bags and took them inside to check into our flight. I did all of the talking, and Brenna seemed overwhelmed by it all as she took it in. From there, we went through security, and she loaded a small backpack on the belt before walking through.
There was something about her style that made me smile. She reminded me of Andie in that she dressed like a hippie or at least bohemian. I thought about how the two of them might get along for a second before pushing the thought away.
They could never meet.
We got her some coffee, taking it to the chairs to wait to board the flight. I told her not to order anything to eat since they’d have food on the flight. Even I ate some of the stuff they offered, and I watched what I was eating. “What will they have?” Brenna asked as I smiled.
“Cookies. They’re so good. I always start the flight with coffee and a cookie. Most flights are business, so I tend to sleep. This will be a long one for us,” I replied, and she nodded with a serious look on her face.
“I brought stuff to do. I can read or whatever,” she said, shrugging one shoulder. One side of her sweatshirt slipped down over her shoulder, and I saw pale skin with a thin black strap. She sipped her coffee, catching me looking at her bare skin for a long moment. I blinked and looked down, checking my watch so I’d stop staring at her.
I heard the announcement to board the flight, and Brenna downed her coffee before throwing it away. She stood, slipping her backpack on, and hiding her skin, to my chagrin.
We got our seats, and I offered her the window seat, getting a smile in return. We settled in, and she shifted around, realizing how much room we had. “This is nice,” Brenna said as I smiled.
Once the plane was as full as it would get, we both ordered coffee and cookies. Brenna stared out of the window as we lifted into the sky as if she’d never seen it before. “Is this your first time flying?” I asked, and she shook her head.
“No to flying and yes to first class. I always marvel at the fact we can go so high in the air and get somewhere within a few hours.” Brenna leaned over to check something out on the ground. “We went on a lot of vacations as a family for a while.”
“You’re close?” I asked as she nodded. I got the necessary info from her when we worked late last, but this trip was the chance to get more.
“Very close. I’m going to miss them while I’m gone,” she admitted with a giggle. “I guess that’s life, though. I’m going to drift away from them through work or whatever it might be that life throws at me.”
“I’m still close to my mom and sister, and I work long hours. You just make it work,” I told her as she gazed at me. “You remind me of Andrea, my sister.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Brenna asked as I chuckled.
“It’s good, though she does make me crazy at times. We’re just a few years apart.” I sipped my
coffee, enjoying the intense flavor.
“You’re not close to your father?” Brenna asked as I thought about the man that abandoned us.
“No. He left us on our own. Mom worked her ass off to keep us going. One of the first things I did was buy her a cottage when I had money so she could finally relax. My sister lives there too.” I watched as she took a drink of her coffee, eyes lighting up at the flavor. “Good?” I asked, and she nodded.
“And you live by yourself, right? House? Apartment?” she asked as I nodded, thinking about Abby.
“It’s a large condo near the office,” I explained, and she nodded.
“I see.” The flight attendant brought two cookies, and we thanked her before breaking them apart. “Oh, my God. These are so good.”
“I know. I don’t eat a lot of stuff like these, but I’ll break the rules for these cookies.”
The plane evened out, and I leaned back, sipping my coffee as I closed my eyes. I didn’t sleep well last night, even though I planned this entire trip.
I knew that Jack was trying to get on her good side, and that needed to stop. He was just breaking her down while leading Shelby on. I’d never let him break Brenna’s heart, and I did need to travel sometimes, just not today. I opted to fly out instead of a team of techs to get away from the office.
I thought about how to handle this the entire night. We’d be alone the entire trip apart from working, sharing meals, and practically a room. They were connected, though I hardly expected her to keep the door open so we could walk back and forth between them. Brenna struck me as being more private than that, and I knew that I was.
I dozed during the flight, still smelling apples beside me. The few times that I opened my eyes, Brenna was reading or sleeping. When she slept, she looked beautiful and so peaceful.
