She sits her laptop on her desk and turns it on. Moments later she is looking through the pictures that she took of the Astara camp. The first few are of the market square. They show different vendors and their wares. Next comes a photograph of a small Astara girl with orange hair holding up a doll of some kind that her mom had just bought for her. Jamie smiles at the memory. The little girl had been fascinated with her camera and wanted to know what it did. When Jamie showed her how it worked and that you could look at the pictures it took, the little girl had begged for her to take her picture. The little girl was so overjoyed with having her picture taken that Jamie had used her portable printer to print out the picture. When she gave it to the little girl she had been beside herself with joy.
Jamie scrolls down on the computer screen. The next picture makes her stop and stare for a full five minutes. It is a picture of Bol standing outside of his home. As she looks over his smiling face and his golden eyes a tear runs down her cheek. Reaching out a hand, she gently strokes his face on the computer screen.
“I shouldn’t have left you.” She whispers. “Why did I leave you?”
In her head she hears his voice telling her to not forget him, but even louder she hears a voice telling her to go back to him. The louder voice is her own, and for the first time in a long time she decides to take its advice. In a few moments she is dressed and ready to go. She gathers up what things are hers and scrawls a hasty note on a piece of paper. Laying the note, her findings, and the equipment that was Larry’s on the table, she takes a final look around the room.
The lobby of the hotel is quiet as she slips out the door and heads up the street. The camp is a couple miles outside of town, but in her mind she can already see the walls.
“I’m coming Bol,” she tells the night as she hitches her bag to a more comfortable position in her hand.
*****
Larry tries to call Jamie a few times the next morning, but he can’t wake her. He decides that she is probably sleeping in with the phone off the hook, so he goes up to her room and knocks on the door. The door swings open with his first knock. He steps inside and looks around the room, but Jamie is nowhere to be found.
“Jamie? Are you here?” He asks, but then he spots the equipment and stack of papers on the desk. Walking over to the desk he looks at the papers and notices the note on top. A smile breaks across his face as he reads it.
Dear Larry,
You’ve been a great boss and for that I want to thank you so much. I left your equipment on the table. The papers you will find under this note are all of my detailed findings. If you would give them to Professor Charles L. Langston of Boston, Mass. Tell him who they are from and he’ll understand. I hate to leave this way, but during my stay in the Astara camp I met a man. I believe I told you about him. Bol is his name. I fell in love with him Larry. I tried to deny it, but I know in my heart that there is no other for me and I can’t begin to think about living the rest of my life without him. I’m going to live with him, so please don’t try and stop me. Who knows, maybe if Charles writes a few good papers we might see each other again someday.
Jamie Gettner
“I’ll be damned.” Larry puts the note down and rifles through the papers. The words and notations mean little to him, but he is sure that the professor Jamie mentioned in her note will know what how to decipher them. Walking to the window that looks out toward the camp, he smiles. “I hope you’re happy Jamie. I really do.”
*****
The guard doesn’t protest when Jamie tells him that she is back for more research. The hundred and eighty dollars, all the money that she has in her wallet, doesn’t hurt in his decision. As the gate closes behind her she breathes a sigh of relief. She looks around the square for anyone, but this late at night everyone is either at home or at one of the few drinking establishments.
As she starts across the square in the direction a Bol’s home a deep voice speaks to her from the shadows. She stops in her tracks and a smile spreads across her face. She would know the sound of that voice anywhere.
“Is it really you?”
“It’s really me.”
Bol steps out of the darkness and wraps her in a hug with his powerful arms. Tears stream from her eyes as she hugs him back as tightly as she can.
“I’m not leaving again.” She whispers into his shoulder. “I shouldn’t have ever left.”
“That doesn’t matter now,” he says. “All that matters is that you are here in my arms. Where you belong.”
THE END
Bonus Story 5 of 25
The Light
Interviews suck. I thought having a doctorate degree in marketing would get you hired automatically, I guess not. Maybe it didn’t help that I only applied for the most prestigious enterprise on the east coast, but, you know me…
“Are you not ready yet?” Laney yelled from the kitchen. Laney has been my best friend since college, when we were roommates our freshman year. She is still in school studying to get her doctorate in music theory but we live together in an apartment in the city.
“Almost!” I yelled back. I settled for a dark purple pencil skirt and fitted white blouse with a matching purple blazer. I only wore light make up, I was afraid it would stain my clothes. I did wear a conservative colored lipstick, a darker purple than my skirt. I chose plain black heels. I tied my hair back and looked at myself in the mirror, my bronzed skin and brown eyes stared back at me. I think I looked pretty professional.
“Good you’re here, I made you breakfast.” She smiled happily. She’s a chirpy little thing, literally. She is no more than five feet tall, her hair is closer to the ground than she is. She has very small features, like a pixie. Jet black hair, blue eyes, small face. Sometimes I just want to put her in my pocket.
“Thanks but I don’t think I can eat, I am way too nervous.” I said, as I poured a cup of coffee. It was all I could manage.
“You will do fine, of course they are going to hire you.” She assured me.
“Thanks, I’ll see you later.”
“Okay, we’ll go out and celebrate!” She spoke surely. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my bag to leave.
I climbed into my new Mazda, a gift from my parents after I got my doctorate. They lived far from the college, I only got to see them on holidays. Hopefully if I got this job, I could travel more. A starting salary of six figures isn’t bad for a mere thirty-three year old.
The commute to the building wasn’t bad. I found a spot in the parking garage and walked less than a block to the entrance. The building looked like a fortress, an empire. Meeting with the CEO himself had me all kinds of nervous, but I was sure he was no more than a sweet, old man. I read everything about this company, the CEO had been described as a kind leader. It was one of the reasons I wanted to work for this particular company.
“Hi, I have an interview with Mr. Bryson.” I told the receptionist in the lobby.
“I see. We will escort you to his office.” One of the other women behind the counter took me to the elevator where she pressed the button to take us right to the forty-fifth floor… that’s a lot of floors. The elevator was completely glass, I thought I would fall through but we finally reached our destination.
“Just wait here one moment. Would you like some water?”
“No, thank you.” She smiled nicely and knocked on a large, double mahogany door.
“You can go in now.” She smiled and went back to the elevator. I took a deep breath and calmed myself before I grabbed my briefcase and went inside.
“Ah, Ms. Martell, please come in.” His chair was facing the panoramic glass. I took a seat across from his desk.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bryson.” I said. My voice was regaining its normalcy now that I wasn’t so nervous. He is just a sweet old man, right?
“Please, call me Cade. Can I call you Salena?” He turned in his chair to face me and I couldn’t hide my gasp of surprise.
“Are you alright?” He asked again. I
recognized his voice now, it was deep and warm and… distracting.
“Um, yes. I mean, yes you can call me Salena.” He smiled warmly and I could feel my face heat up. There was a pull between us…some kind of tether that wouldn’t break, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.
“Is it hot in here? You look flushed. I can turn the air up.” He moved to get up but I stopped him.
“No, it’s okay.” I smiled back shyly. I lost myself in his deep green eyes, I don’t think I had ever met a more beautiful man. I should have looked in the photos section when I googled the company. He stared right back at me, like he was looking into my soul.
“Your resume is the most impressive one I’ve seen since I started this company,” he said, as he looked through the copy he had. I thought he was just saying that but, then again, I do have a doctorate.
“Thank you,” I said quietly. I couldn’t stop studying his face. The way his brow creased as he concentrated, his thick, masculine hands, his smooth skin and sharp jaw line.
“Salena?”
“Yes?” I shook my head as I returned to paying attention.
“I asked you when you could start.” He chuckled.
“Oh, as soon as possible,” I replied. He smiled at me again.
“I hope you don’t do that in board meetings, you seem distracted.” Well you are very distracting.
“Board meetings?” I asked aloud.
“Yes, the position for chief marketing officer has been open for quite a while now. I would like you to fill it.” My breath caught in my threat. I knew a doctorate would come in handy.
“You…really?” I asked, breathlessly. I struggled to compose myself, but this was not what I expected. I expected a ton of questions, but all my work experience is listed in the resume and cover letter, there would be no need, but this was far from expected.
“Yes, you are a very bright young woman.” He looked into my eyes and I stared back. No man had ever affected me like this. It was unnerving.
“I’m flattered.”
“Is that a yes?” He asked me.
“Oh! Yes, of course. Thank you, Mr. Bryson.” I stood up and shook his hand. He stood up and came around his large desk.
“Thank you, and please, call me Cade.” He smiled again. Our hands were still touching and I pulled away quickly.
“Thank you, Cade.” I shivered, as his name rolled off my tongue.
“I have a contract here. If you could look over it and sign it. It breaks down your benefits, holidays, salary. Everything you need to know.” He picked up a file off his desk and handed it to me. I slid the file into my briefcase and couldn’t help but notice his eyes on me.
“I suppose I will be seeing you soon then?” He said to me.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“If you have no objections, you can start Monday. I will be sending you an email and add you to the board’s mailing list so you can get all of the emails.”
“Okay, thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled warmly at me. I turned to leave. I couldn’t be around him one more minute without taking his face in my hands and kissing him like he’s never been kissed before.
I couldn’t even concentrate as I drove home. I received plenty of horns tooted at my distraction. Finally, I reached the apartment and couldn’t wait to dish to Laney. Not only about my job, but my new found crush? Whatever adults are supposed to call it.
*****
I hid in my room as soon as I got out of my tight clothes. I brewed a cup of tea and looked over the files. First, were the company rules and regulations which said nothing about relationships between employees, by the way. Then I went over my holidays and benefits; they were as expected dental, health care, and all the normal holidays. Once I got to the section about my salary, I thought for sure I should forget about a town home and buy a plot of land next year.
I paused once reaching the contact info. It listed the members of the board and the activation email, which I did immediately. I received one back, saying I was added to the mailing list, then there was one from Mr. Bryson himself. It wasn’t personal, it was headed ‘dear newest employee,’ so it was nothing special…I lingered over the reply button, should I say thank you? I wanted to say something, it was tempting but I had to stay professional, for my own sanity.
“You have been quiet since you got back. How did it go?” Laney pressed, as soon as I left my room.
“A lot happened.” I paused and smiled at her. I wasn’t even sure if I should say it. It would make it all so real.
“Like?” She shook me.
“I got the job. Well, I actually got a different job.”
“What different job?”
“He made me CMO.” I said quietly.
“That’s amazing! Why are you acting so weird?”
“I just… if you had met him you would understand. He’s young. Like our age young, and good looking. He’s distracting.”
“Ooh, how distracting?”
“Emerald green eyes, and dirty blonde hair distracting.” I laughed.
“I am jealous. You’re lucky he’s your boss.”
“I don’t think so.” I stood up and went to the kitchen to get water. “I think it makes it worse that he is my boss. I can’t approach him it would make me look like I am sleeping my way to the top.”
“True.”
“Well, we have to go celebrate. Pick your poison.” I rolled my eyes but I knew she wouldn’t give up.
“Fine.” I agreed. “I’ll go get ready.”
“I already picked clothes out for you, it’s on the bed!” She exclaimed. Of course she did.
I washed my face and did my make up before I even went to look at what she had picked out for me. It was as expected; a crimson red bandage dress and tall, black strappy heels. I dressed without complaint and met her in the living room.
“You look hot!” She exclaimed.
“Me? Look at you!” She looked stunning in her deep purple, extremely short dress and matching heels. Her jet black hair was pulled up in a pony-tail with a black leather band.
“We both look amazing, now let’s go.”
She blasted the music in her little Fiat all the way downtown. We decided on the new club, but I didn’t think we could get in.
“I thought only A-list celebrities could get in here.”
“Well, you are in luck because I am one.” She smirked at me by the entrance.
“What do you mean?” I asked her.
“We aren’t just celebrating you today. I got a deal with the record label that makes short films, I’m doing film scores.” She gushed, with a big smile.
“That’s amazing! Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t want to step on your news.” She shrugged. I hugged her tightly.
“I’m so happy for you.”
“Me too.”
“So, what does that have to do with getting in?” I was still unsure.
“The owner is one of the actors.” I nodded.
We got in easily, like she said. It was loud, it was red and black. It was as expected for a night club. She bought our first round of drinks and we hit the dance floor for a while before we got some appetizers to eat.
“So, about your boss.” She said, with a mouth full of calamari.
“I don’t want to talk about him.”
“Oh come on, we have to.” She pouted.
“There is nothing to say. He is my boss. I work for him. I am very attracted to him and I am afraid of what it will to do to me.
“Come on, you are one hot African princess, who wouldn’t be attracted to you?”
“Thanks, but I don’t think so. Not every guy can handle their opposites.” I had enough encounters with them in college. For some reason I attracted more people like them than my own race. My first boyfriend had been white. I dated him for three years before he left me for his ex-girlfriend. Sometimes I wonder if they are still together.
&
nbsp; “True. So how much are they paying you for this position on the board? That town home is sounding a lot more possible.” She winked.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” I giggled. She held her hands out, testing me.
“Starting salary is six figures, before bonuses.” I sighed. Her eyes widened in surprise, just like mine did when I first saw it.
“Wow! So we can start looking then?” She asked. We both laughed.
“I’m actually not opposed to it.” I smiled. Our little apartment was part of our past. We have both moved on to new things, bright futures. It’s time our home reflected that.
“Did you tell your parents about the job?” She asked me.
“Yeah, I told them. They were pretty excited.”
“Are they going to come down?”
“No, I won’t see them until Christmas.” My parents were quiet people. My dad owned his own real estate business and my mother ran her own event planning company. We began living better and better as the years went by and they became more successful. They lived in a country home up north, with three acres of land. Too bad I never got to live there permanently. I guess that’s just how it goes.
“That’s too bad.”
“Are you coming with me this year?” I asked her. She usually spent Christmas with us, since we met in college. She had grown up in foster homes. Getting a scholarship was the only reason she could go to school. She had been in the system since she was a baby. Left their by her parents. She had never been interested in finding them either.
“Of course I am.” I was thinking too far ahead, but it was only about five weeks away. Thanksgiving just passed and I didn’t even shop on black Friday, that’s why this job is so important to me. Letting my boss’s good looks get to me was not an option.
“Let’s burn these calories.” She pulled me up and we made our way back to the dance floor. We ignored the looks we were getting from all the men. Neither of us had time for a man in our lives.
“Are you ready to go?” I nodded. I felt like we had been here for hours.
“Let’s stop at that old diner, I’m starving.” I nodded in agreement. I was too.
Alpha Vampire Romance: Vampire’s Mate (Paranormal Shapeshifter Alpha Demon Vampire Romance) (Coming of Age Werewolf BBW Shifter Women’s Fiction Short Stories) Page 17
