Managed by Chance

by Amy DeMeritt

  “What time do you need to go?”

  Katie looked over at the alarm clock on the left side table before pulling a tee shirt on over her head. It was just after noon. “I’m not in a huge rush. I have a couple of errands I need to run, but they can wait. I should get home by four so I can make it to the stores before they close.”

  “I can take you home whenever you need, or even sooner if Blake drives you crazy. Or we could just sneak out right now and I can take you out for lunch.”

  Katie planted her hands on the bed on either side of Mel’s hips and bent down to kiss her. “You can take me to lunch on our second or third date.”

  “Deal.”

  Chapter Nine

  For at least the tenth time, Mel walked into the bathroom to check her appearance in the full-length mirror on the wall between the vanity and shower. She ran her hands over the lapels of the medium-gray blazer she was wearing over a maroon button-up collar shirt.

  Layla wrapped her arms around her from behind, and softly said, “You look great, Mel.” She kissed her cheek, and added, “I’ll keep my phone in my lap in case you need to text me.”

  “Thanks, but I’ll try not to do that. I don’t want to get you in trouble.” She turned in Layla’s arms and wrapped her arms around her waist. “I better go. I need to stop and pick up breakfast and coffee for the team. The new boss,” she rolled her eyes, “will be arriving at nine. I have to get the conference room set up for the meet and greet.”

  “I still can’t believe you’re going so far out of your way to make this woman feel welcome.”

  “It’s not her fault that I didn’t get the job. Besides, I need upper management to see me as a good team player if I expect to get that promotion in the future.” She gave Layla a kiss on the forehead. “Thanks for an awesome weekend. It really helped to keep me from doing something stupid like quitting my job.”

  “It was a fantastic weekend. You finally got laid. I got laid.” Layla sighed with a look of bliss. “I know she drove you crazy, but Blake is awesome in bed. And she’s actually really sweet and interesting. I like her.”

  “She better treat you right. I know I can’t kick her ass if she hurts you, but I can hire someone to.”

  Layla laughed. “Yeah, okay, don’t get all Godfather on me. But yeah, you wouldn’t stand a chance.” Layla giggled as Mel narrowed her eyes at her. “She has abs like a freaking bronze Greek statue. And her biceps are like rocks.”

  She released a grunt of arousal and Mel pushed her off her with her nose scrunched up. “Alright, don’t drool on my suit. When are you seeing her again?”

  “Tuesday night. She asked about tonight, but I told her we have plans.”

  “We do?”

  “Yes!” Layla lightly slapped her shoulder. “Don’t you remember? I came up with a great idea to help you relax after your new boss starts.”

  “Shit. I have to go.” Mel gave her a kiss on the cheek then shimmied past her to get to the door. “Have a good day at work. Looking forward to your plans.”

  Mel was out the door and practically running down the hall, so Layla yelled, “Good luck,” to catch her before she rushed out of the apartment.

  Mel had zero plans to buy breakfast or hold a meet and greet to welcome the new manager. The department’s director told her he would give the new manager a quick tour, then bring her to Mel’s office. The rest was up to Mel. She originally planned to just do a quick stand-up meeting on the floor to introduce her to the team before she started training her. But since she woke up in such a great mood from such an amazing weekend, she decided that after introducing her on the floor, she would lead them into one of the many conference rooms for a buffet of bagels, muffins, fruit, mini-quiches, juice, and coffee.

  It was a quarter to nine when Mel finished setting up the side table. She stepped back to admire her work, and despite how hard her heart was pulsating in her chest and how much her palms were sweating (even with as chilly as the room was), she was very satisfied with how it looked. She covered the table with one of the company’s bright white table cloths, poured the juices into clear glass jugs, and arranged all of the food on nice silver-toned serving trays. It looked like a feast fit for a professional gathering. Or even a gathering of members of high-society.

  Mel released a small laugh at the idea of wealthy women sitting around the conference room in tea dresses with her – a butch lesbian – at the head of the table. High-society was definitely not a place she thought she’d ever be welcome. But when she walked back into her department to give her team a quick briefing on her plans, they made her feel like the head of the table. Each of them threw her support, made brief comments that implied or frankly stated that they wish it was her celebration instead.

  With her mood boosted and her heart beating a bit less like the fluttering wings of a hummingbird and more like the steady ticking of a clock, Mel returned to her office to wait. Frank Ortega, the department’s director, will walk the new manager around the building to give her a sampling of the landscape, introduce her to various department heads, then bring her to Mel’s office. That was the game plan.

  She looked at her wooden and dark gray tungsten steel watch on her left wrist and exhaled long and hard, clearing as much oxygen out of her lungs before inhaling deeply through her nose. Any minute now.

  When she heard Frank’s voice near her office door, she feigned being busy by clicking and typing nonsense into a blank email. A moment later, Frank briefly knocked on the open door and walked in with a plastered-on smile, and bellowed, “Good morning, Mel! I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of the team.”

  The woman walked in and Mel nearly fell out of her chair. Her heart felt like it stopped for a moment before going into overdrive, causing her entire body to shake and making her feel like she was going to have a heart attack.

  “Mel, meet Katherine Sutton, or Katie, as she prefers to be called. Katie, this is Mel Galveston.”

  Both women were clearly shaken, but it was completely lost on Frank as he smiled robotically while looking between them. Katie cleared her throat as she stepped forward and offered a hand to Mel.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mel.”

  Katie raised her eyebrows meaningfully, snapping Mel into action. She quickly stood up and accepted Katie’s hand. And despite her shock and confusion, the newly familiar hand sent a wave of electricity racing up her arm to settle warmly in her chest and cheeks.

  Frank suddenly reinserted himself into the moment, causing them to drop each other’s hands and break eye contact. He continued with his introduction, telling Katie how long Mel has been with the company and gave her some glowing accolades that would have made Mel feel proud at any other moment. But all she could focus on was the gorgeous gray-blue eyes staring back at her.

  As soon as Frank left the office, leaving Katie in Mel’s “capable hands,” Mel fell back into her chair with a long, hard exhale and rubbed a hand over her face. Katie quickly closed the office door and made a beeline for Mel. She pulled her chair out from her desk and placed a hand on her cheek.

  “Mel, are you okay? You got terrifyingly pale when I walked in and…”

  Mel pushed her away and stood up with the blood returning to her face in a rage, and she quietly snapped, “What the hell, Katie? What are you…? I mean… How? Did you know who I am at the club? Is that why you sat next to me?”

  “No, of course not! How would I know that? And if I did, do you really think I would have gone home with you? Fucking my subordinate is not exactly how I’d like to start my new…”

  “What did you just call me?”

  Katie’s face blanched and she tried to take Mel’s hand, but she jerked away, snapping, “Don’t.” She turned her back to Katie, taking a deep breath with her hands clenched in fists. “This is fucking unbelievable. Of all fucking people. Really?”

  “Mel, I swear, I had no idea. No one ever told me your name. I didn’t know your name till I walked into your office. Did
you know mine?”

  “No. Frank never mentioned it and I didn’t ask when I was told you would be starting in two weeks.” She turned to face Katie, who looked very hurt and upset. “Why didn’t you tell me you were starting a new job today?”

  “You didn’t want to talk about work – it was probably the second thing out of your mouth when we met. I didn’t want to upset you, so I just kept it to myself.”

  “So, this is my fault?”

  “Why is it anyone’s fault? If we had known, we probably wouldn’t have danced together. You probably wouldn’t have brought me home.” Mel released a sharp breath as Katie closed the distance between them so their bodies were just barely touching. “We probably wouldn’t have had such an incredible time together and…”

  As Katie’s warm, minty tongue slipped into her mouth, a surge of energy rushed through Mel’s body, drawing her hands to Katie’s hips as if they were being controlled by puppet strings. Every flick and twist of Katie’s tongue and suckle of her warm, soft lips jerked at Mel’s electrified nerves. Her fingertips dug into Katie’s ass, and her chest and shoulders contracted to tug Katie’s groin in hard against her own, eliciting a quiet sound from both of them.

  The sound was enough to break the mindlessness, and Mel pulled away from the kiss breathing hard and blurry eyed.

  “Stop. We can’t do this here.” She took a step away, bumping into the side piece of her desk. “What does this mean for us? What do we do now?”

  “I still want to date you, Mel.” Katie stepped forward a few inches and lightly ran her fingers along the right lapel of Mel’s blazer. “You look really nice in this suit. Very sexy and…”

  “Katie, please.” She rubbed a hand over her face, and as she looked up, she finally saw all of Katie. She was wearing a black skirt suit with a powder blue blouse tucked in at the waist and shiny black closed-toe heels. Her tan legs were bare and somewhat shiny from her moisturizer. “Shit, you look amazing.”

  Katie smiled as she tentatively reached out and hooked a finger around Mel’s. Little by little, Mel turned her hand, slightly lifted it, and allowed Katie to entwine their fingers. As their palms pressed together, Katie took a step closer, and Mel drew a quick breath through her nose as desire melted her knees. She looked at Katie’s lips, then into her beautiful bright blue-gray eyes. After only a few moments, Mel’s reserve was crushed between the sharp fissures of her irises. She leaned in and their lips crashed together in a fervent kiss. Katie leaned in completely, pressing her body against Mel’s, causing Mel to release a quiet sound of arousal as she grabbed Katie’s ass and pulled her in harder. They stumbled into Mel’s desk, causing Mel’s phone receiver to loudly fall from the base onto the desktop.

  Slightly panting for air, Mel broke from the kiss, quietly said, “We can’t do this here,” then gently pushed Katie back a few inches so she could correct the toppled phone. The simple act of hanging the phone receiver in its bracket was enough to dispel the beautiful organic passion and desire that was burning up her insides only moments before. It was enough to cause her mind to swirl with confusion and her heart to sink with sadness.

  As Mel met her eyes again, Katie could see the drastic shift in her mood and it was painful. She tried to take Mel’s hand again, but Mel shook her head and pocketed her hands.

  “We can’t.”

  “We can’t now or ever?”

  Feeling very overwhelmed and uncertain, Mel ran a hand over her face and sat on the edge of her desk.

  “Mel, why are you so upset about this? It wasn’t planned. It’s just a crazy coincidence and…”

  “You’re my boss.”

  “And? Are you worried about things being weird at work if things end between us?”

  “I didn’t even get that far in my thoughts, actually. You don’t understand.” Mel looked at her watch and shook her head. “We don’t have time for this.”

  She checked her face in a small mirror she kept in her desk to make sure Katie’s subtle red lipstick hadn’t transferred to her own lips.

  “Come on, I have to introduce you to the team. I set up a conference room with breakfast so you can get to know your new subordinates.”

  The last word stung Katie right in the center of her chest and made the pit of her stomach bubble with nausea.

  “Mel, wait, please.” Mel paused at the corner of her desk, but she kept her back to Katie. “I’m sorry that word slipped out. I didn’t mean any disrespect.”

  “It doesn’t matter. The facts are facts. You’re my boss, so I’m your subordinate. Come on.”

  Mel briskly walked to the door and opened it before Katie could attempt to respond.

  The coldness in Mel’s tone and in her eyes were enough to get Katie’s legs to carry her the uncomfortable distance between them and out of the office. With each disenchanting step they took, Katie’s angst hardened into determination. She was not going to allow this little blip to ruin her first day at a job she had been very excited about starting. And she was not going to let it ruin her chance to be with Mel.

  Little blip, though? Who did she think she was kidding? This was major. This was epically cataclysmic. No, it would only be disastrous if they allowed it to be. She elongated her spine and allowed her determination to tug the corners of her mouth into a winning smile as they rounded the edge of a row of cubicles with all heads turning to watch their advancement.

  “Morning, team.” All fifteen associates wheeled out from their desks in unison at Mel’s greeting, impressing Katie. “I’d like you all to meet Katherine Sutton, our new manager.”

  The use of her full first name felt like a dagger to her heart, or less dramatically like a slap across the face. And before she could stop herself, she said, “Thank you, Melrose. But please, call me Katie. It’s a pleasure to be joining the team. Melrose said she set up a conference room so we can get to know each other a bit better, so if you could all save what you’re doing and lock your computers, that would be great.”

  Mel’s eyes briefly narrowed to sharp slits and her jaw tensed. She nodded once at her team with a forced smile, then turned to lead Katie out of the department.

  When they reached the conference room, some of Katie’s excitement to be starting this job returned as she admired the beautiful buffet set up in her honor.

  “The company really goes all out. This is very…”

  “Mel did that. She’s the best. She’s always treating us to breakfast or lunch, or even dinner and drinks when we get projects done early. It’s always on her own dime.”

  Mel smiled at Dan, one of her team members and one of her biggest cheerleaders. “Help yourself, Dan.”

  “Thanks, boss.”

  Katie gave her a sideways glance, then looked at each of the faces of the men and women as they passed them to get in line at the buffet. She could see their distrust towards her and their comradery towards Mel. She could tell she had her work cut out for her to get them to see her as a member of the team and their leader. She didn’t know what their old manager was like, but they clearly adored Mel.

  And she couldn’t blame them. Every moment she spent with Mel over the weekend was pure bliss. Mel was the first genuine person she had met in a long time and the first in even longer that she connected with so easily. Mel was approachable, honest, and vulnerable in a way that made her feel safe. Those are wonderful qualities in not just a lover but a leader as well.

  After everyone was seated with a plate of food and at least one beverage, Katie filled a white ceramic mug with coffee from a carafe and smeared cream cheese on a blueberry bagel. Without waiting for Mel, she took the seat at the head of the table, but Mel soon sat to her right with just a cup of coffee.

  Even with as cold and disenchanted as Mel was behaving towards her, Katie’s interest in her continued to grow. The way her team supported her was quite unique, especially for a woman in IT. And even more especially for a gay woman in any form of management. She loved the way Mel dressed for work. And she was impresse
d with the extra care she put into the buffet – setting it up with real dishes and food from a real café and not just a run of the mill donut shop.

  “While you enjoy the breakfast generously arranged by Mel, I’d like to give you a little backstory on myself, then we’ll go around the table and each of you can introduce yourselves.”

  Katie glanced at Mel to see just the right corner of her mouth quirked up and her eyes had softened. But she still looked stressed and uncertain.

  “My first IT related job out of college was at a small tech repair shop. Anyone else here ever work at a tech repair shop?” A few people briefly raised their hands, then Katie continued with a bit of a laugh. “So, I’m sure you’ve been scarred by the occasional roach, scorpion, or dead mouse falling out of a PC when you took it apart.”

  The three who raised their hands laughed and nodded, and one man offered up, “No lie, I had a nest of hornets one time. It was like the apocalypse when they broke out. We just nearly escaped the back room before they could attack.”

  Another added, after swallowing a gulp of juice, “I was always cursed with the machines frozen with porn on the screen. And not good porn.”

  Katie confirmed, “I’ve had that as well. And believe it or not, I’ve had a few positions in corporate settings such as this that I’ve found massive files of it on associates’ devices.”

  “Been there.” A man laughed and pointed to another guy across from him, and asked, “Remember when we found that file on the server? A dude in sales accidently backed up his personal drive to a shared drive on the server. We found an entire terabyte of porn in there.”

  The team continued to relax and engage while Katie shared more of her backstory. Even Mel couldn’t help but relax. Katie was a natural at easing tension, she was charming, and based off of her work experience, it was evident she had worked hard to get to where she was, which Mel had a great deal of respect for. Katie steadily climbed the ladder with each new company she worked for. She had a great resume with exposure to several different industries, all of which were valuable in understanding the nature of the online retail giant Zops.com.