by Haven, Rose
Suddenly she swallowed, realizing what was coming. “Uh, yes?”
“And you’re asking me to give you another week for that paperwork that is due today?” her employer enquired, further asking her questions that bemused her.
“But you don’t understand,” Olivia reasoned, trying desperately for her boss to understand her perspective. “I was sick last week and the previous days before that. I couldn’t do anything but remain in bed all day long with a hot mug of tea in my hands.”
“Well, I suggest you do just that Miss. Madill. I need not hire lazy employees who asks for extension when they were given a week notice that you are unable to do that. Not in my company anyway.”
“But that wasn’t my fault—”
“Goodbye, Miss. Madill. Please don’t leave a trace of garbage on your desk. I’ve already hired another employee who will be taking your place tomorrow morning. Therefore, I suggest you pack up and leave as quietly as you can. I’m sure there is no need to call the security, don’t you think?”
Defenceless and felt weak at the knees, Olivia could only watched as her now former boss walked away. Her massive and shapeless hips sashayed towards her unorganized office, blinking furiously in an attempt to flirt with the other men. If things would have turned out differently, if she hadn’t been late this morning and woke up late and finished the supposedly paperwork—she probably would have still had her job.
Shoulder blades drooped and defeated, she went back to where her desk was located and began to clear her things away. The soles of her feet ached and cramped from the small compartment of her shoes, her toes pleaded for them to be freed. Though, tempted to toss her heels away and wriggle her foot in relaxation, Olivia ignored the insistent and grabbed an immense box. Seizing everything on her desk and throwing them into a huge pile within the container.
“I cannot believe that woman had the guts to fire you when you did a really good job last week in spite of your sick issues,” her co-office worker Nicole Adams said. Her voice appearing out of nowhere that it startled Olivia.
“Are you like a ghost or something?” she asked, slightly irritated at her friend’s unnoticed showing up.
Instead of being insulted or annoyed at her light outburst of impatience, Nicole spoke, “Well, no. Not a ghost but a real, living woman.”
“That’s nice to know,” she responded, a tinge of sarcasm lacing into her voice.
“Is something wrong? No wait, don’t tell me. I already know,” Nicole said as she went around Olivia’s desk to help out. “But what are you going to do now?”
Casting a glance at her friend, Olivia noted the red, fiery hair that almost matched up to Nicole’s attitude. At five foot two, her friend was on the smaller side and never had to worry about exceeding fat and the calories that she ate every time. Studying the other woman’s features, she took notice of her diminutive form and tried not to giggle at the scrunching of her nose.
“What is this?” Nicole alleged, bringing up a greenly-looking sandwich that must have gotten stuck in the pit of her drawers.
“An expired sandwich maybe?” she offered and finished up packing and closed the lid.
“So, is there anything that I can do for you?” Nicole obtained, lifting up a hand to put on her arm in a soothing manner.
“No, not really. I just have to figure out things by myself but I will keep in touch. I’ll give you a text this week and see how it will go. I’m sure there’s another job posting available somewhere around here.”
“Why don’t you call your brother?”
Just as immediately, Olivia felt a rush of panic. Before she realized that she had risen her voice, she screeched a loud, “No!” but quickly bit down on her lower lip and swiftly followed it up with an apology. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell. But he can’t know, Nicole. Not yet or ever.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell. You know that I could barely talk to him when he’s around. You know, I get tongue-tied.” She supplied and sent Olivia a weak smile.
Ever since her friend met her brother George, Nicole had developed an unrequited crush that soon turned into an unexpected love. Although, she was all for them being together and all, it seemed as if her older brother couldn’t see the potential in the other’s woman’s eyes.
Soon enough, they said their goodbyes and Olivia was forced to leave. With a reluctant and heavy heart, she left the building and carried over her things outside. The leather strap of her handbag was draped around her shoulder as she walked out the lobby, the cold rush of air wafting in as she stepped foot outside the workplace she had been in for almost four years.
The sight of the long skyscraper she had worked on was going to be just another memory. Running her eyes on the building, she took in its glassed scales as the surface glinted against the bright sunlight. The fine crystalline exterior highlighted and sparkled against the ball of heat that continued to blind her despite of the hand she had propped over her forehead.
A sturdy gust of wind floated by and formed into a form of hands. Its invisible fingers waving into her thick tresses of strawberry blonde hair. It was in the middle of November and the cold was starting to creep into her bones. Only wearing a thin cardigan in the worry of getting even more lately this morning, Olivia had grabbed the quickest route in her house and never realizing that her clothing wasn’t warm enough against the frost. Cursing herself under her breath, she lifted her head up and glared at the familiar structure. Beyond caring whether she looked like a sad, lonely woman who stared pitifully a building.
“I guess this is it,” she muttered to herself before casting her gaze down and walking along the carpeted floor that had been her stepping stone for the last couple of years. After shooting a last glance at her former workplace, she strolled over to the busy parking lot and hauled her belongings just as buckets of pouring rain cascaded down on her.
Shocked and disbelief mingling together, she quickly scrambled to her feet and used the box as her own umbrella, her feet hurriedly sauntered towards her car that seemed to get soaked from the heavy rain that continued to decant down on her. Warring whether she should place her things down on the wetted concrete ground or hold it up on the roof of her automobile, Olivia bit down on her bottom lip and gave up. Putting her things on the filthy gravel, she hastily fished out her keys and inserted the right one into the vehicle’s keyhole.
Nearly weeping in relief, she hastily grabbed her things and hopped into the car. Her numbed fingers shaking against the November cold that the key she held shook and rattled in attempt to insert it in the ignition.
“Come on, come on.” She mumbled under her breath when the car wouldn’t start. After a long moment of trying, the motor died down and in spite of many tries and efforts, her car would not start as she banged her frustrated fists down the steering wheel. Seeing as there was no point but to call for a taxi, Olivia scanned the abrupt vacated area and saw nothing but a trace of leaf that continued to drift along the deserted place.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said, incredibly stunned at the sudden turned of events.
Considering that there was a no way out but to jump out of her own car, Olivia took her phone out and quickly dialled a tow-away company and rushed out the cold, wet rain that continued to pour down over her bare head. In less than half an hour, she managed to steal a cab and then she was speeding home.
The vehicle lulled beneath her small weight, her light-brown spheres focused on the households that continued to pass before her eyes. Time had passed by and it was now half past three in the afternoon, the rain had come to a halt and a nice hue of rainbow colours vibrantly shined against the blue sky. The clouds that were darkening grey earlier now turned into a soft shade of white.
Squinting her eyes, Olivia brought her cranium closer to the window surface and propped a curled fist under her chin. Enjoying the gentle, soothing reassurance of the automobile as she studied the different houses that continued to happen by. She was seated at the backse
at and required no attention to the rode whatsoever. So, taking up the chance to scrutinise her surroundings, Olivia smiled in contentment and serenity as she stared out the cab window, noting the walls that held the marker of a rebellious hand. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed a particular wall that was surrounded by crude remarks and certain swear words that were directly focused for the cops.
Abruptly, the yellow automobile stopped and she looked up from the driver’s dark hair. Taking in the light traffic as the vehicle continued to drive through the lane. Different sizes and types strolled by next to the one she was on and watched fascinatedly as some man yelled angrily at another. His face swollen with anger and muttered furious words that she could just envision that would not suit for children’s ears.
The acceleration of the car slowed down a bit and a familiar view of her apartment came to her eyesight. A tall but old building came for her observation and bared no signs of graffiti nor rude states that marred the walls. Her apartment building was as close to being decent and quiet as opposed to the ones she had seen on the drive home. Grabbing her handbag from the backseat, Olivia sauntered over to the back and helped the older man carry her belongings by the front porch. Dropping the box as she pulled out her wallet and paid.
After thanking the taxi driver, she picked up her massive box in spite of the heavy load and walked up the small stairs. Panting and breathless from the bulk she carried after she reached her destination. Stepping into her apartment, Olivia immediately dumped her stuff on the ground and flopped down on the sofa. Feeling light-headed at the heft and noticed a stack of unopened piles of envelopes.
With a line staining her temples, she reached out and placed them on her lap. Tearing the lids open as her eyes read through the words, and felt her heart sank from the realization she met. Olivia was just in the process of wrapping her head around the idea of being in so many debts that she hadn’t grasped the lurid knocking at her door.
Dazed and confused, she dropped the bills back to the coffee table and walked up to her front door. Flinging it open to see a familiar face that she had not seen for almost two years.
“Hi there, shortcake.” A male voice—dripped with sensual, sexy and sensory penetrated through her turmoil mind.
“C-Corbin,” Olivia stammered.
Chapter Two
The sight of her brother’s best friend made her stammer in bewilderment. Nothing could have ever prepared her from seeing Corbin Haynes after two long years of not seeing him again. During those times she hadn’t seen him, Olivia had a vague idea coming from her brother George that he had joined the army as a military and wouldn’t be back for a couple years or so.
And now that he stood before her; dressed in an expensive black suit that probably would cost her more than a month salary, Olivia’s heart pounded continuously against her chest. As if threatening to leap out of its socket that she nearly stumbled backwards. Only to be stopped shortly as a strong hand reached out, thick and bronzed-coloured as his fingers came out to grip her creamy, white wrist to keep her from falling.
“You haven’t changed, shortcake.” Corbin drawled. His voice deep and vibrated through his wall of well-defined torso that caused her skin to tingle with his close awareness.
“I—” words became hard to speak when her hazel eyes met strong piercing, green eyes that seemed to penetrate through her soul. Her mouth opened and closed in silent speech. Finding it really hard to speak.
She was in the process of trying again when he stepped closer. His nearness starting to awaken a stirring emotion inside her. The type of emotion that she couldn’t quiet put her finger on. Eyes wide and innocent, she stared up at him and noted the amused expression in his gaze. The strong gust of his scent made its invisible way into her nostrils, his intoxicating smell nearly made her moan in pleasure. With him this close, Olivia had trouble getting her brain to function. His proximity did something to her mind that caused havoc within, making it unbelievably hard to concentrate.
Drowning in his amazing aroma, she could place a whiff of a faint but familiar reek of manly cologne that blew from his expensive clothing. An odd tattoo of a crown was etched at the base of his neck, giving him that bad-boy feeling as his stud earring glinted.
“Are you just going to stand there?” he asked. The corner of his lips tilted. “Or are you going to let me in?”
“I—uh, come in. Come in,” she repeated as if she couldn’t contemplate around him. Well, she couldn’t really. Think, she mean.
“Thank you,” he tipped his head in mock salute and let himself him. His tall frame overcrowded her smaller apartment, making it feel and look littler with him being there. His broad shoulders filled in her hallway like a water tank would in its compartment. With his back turned to her, she was able to study the way his muscles reflex and bunch through the thin layer of his inside shirt. His forearms thick and appeared to be immensely solid judging by the denseness of it.
“How have you been?” he asked, turning back around to look at her.
Olivia had the decency to look from her survey as her eyes clashed against his. Corbin’s emerald eyes showed amusement and laughter as he caught her staring, a leer pasted on his lips and he regarded her with an inclination to his head.
“I’ve been good,’ she swallowed, making the words seemed off and muffled as she cleared her throat and repeated the words once again.
“How’s George? Have you talked to him lately, and what about your parents?” the familiarity of his questions sent a rush of relief as she smiled sheepishly. Pushing back from the doorway, she walked over to the kettle and started the machine.
“Coffee?” she offered, taking her time in answering him.
“Sure. So, how’s everybody?” Corbin persisted, leaning back on her wall as he crossed his arms across his wide chest.
“George’s been great. He’s still working as a therapist but in a different location. He changed recently, like a couple of months I think. Mom and dad has been great. They’re busy with their gardening plans and planting a lot of vegetables and fruits on their backyard.”
“And how have you been?”
The question threw her off because he asked for the second time. His concern was making her unbelievably cautious and slightly uncomfortable as she grabbed two mugs from the cupboard. Her fingers quaked lightly as she placed them down on the countertop, gathering the other ingredients and stirring them all in.
“Milk?” Olivia asked, feigning so much interest in what she was doing that she hadn’t realized her brother’s best friend walk up to her. His body heat radiated off him that caused her hand tremble when she took the hot kettle and poured steaming water into their cups.
“Milk would be great,” Corbin replied, sounding incredibly close. “You didn’t answer my question, Olivia.”
The way he said her name sent a spiralling current down her spinal column. Startling her that she nearly burned herself with the hot coffee.
Trying her best not to appear shaken nor dazed, she put up a bright smile and passed a scorching mug onto his hand.
“You asked that twice now. I’m fine.”
“Then what are those envelope bills on your coffee table, Liv?”
The reminder of her unpaid bills shot her head forward towards it. An acquainted feeling of heat rose up to her cheekbones, spreading over the surface as she bit down on her lower lip.
“Those are nothing,” she muttered quietly before she brought her drink down and walked over to her coffee table, assembling all her things together and dumping them up in her drawer—away from the scrutinising eyeful Corbin seemed to be giving her.
“Those aren’t nothing, Olivia.” He said gently and took them out once again, anteing up the embarrassment she was feeling at that moment.
She watched him silently as he tore through the envelope and scanned the pages. His gorgeous green eyes darkening in silent fury. An indescribable feeling gripped her as she observed him; his shoulders shook faintly with mild
annoyance and ferocity.
“Is this nothing to you Olivia?” he asked quietly. Placing back the letter into its place and lifting his head to look straight into her eyes. “Because this letter bill sure doesn’t look nothing to me.”
“It’s nothing important and none of your concern, Corbin.” She said fervently and snatched the damn thing away from him. Their fingers touched for the briefest moment and she nearly gasped in shock from the electricity that seemed to ignite between them.
“The hell it isn’t,” he roared, strolling towards her window and stared outside. Like he’d rather glare out and see different people walk by than gaze at her. She couldn’t blame him though. How could she when she was ashamed of herself? How could this day get even worse? First, she gets fired and loses her only job, only to find out that she was behind with her bills and didn’t have enough money to pay for it. And lastly, she comes home shortly after her brother’s best friend comes knocking at her door and demands she tell him her personal business.
“Does George know about this?” Corbin asked suddenly. His question cutting through her reverie that she looked at him.
An undefined expression flickered in his emerald orbs. Something that Olivia couldn’t place her finger on as she continued to stare at him with blankness on her face.
“What?”
“I said does George know about this? Your unpaid bills,” he repeated with minor tolerance for her inquiries.
Olivia reached out and raked her fingers through her strawberry blonde mane. Nearly tempted on pulling at the strands to keep herself from going mad.
“You can’t tell my brother this, Corbin. It’s none of your businesses and he doesn’t need to know. I’m a full grown woman and I know how to look after myself.” She insisted, flopping down on the couch and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. Drawing out his attention without knowing in spite of the seriousness of the situation.
