17 SIGNS

Chapter Three

When I woke up I immediately felt like s**t. I shouldn’t have drunk that much wine. At least I had all day to recover from it. And think about the damn project and contract, my mind chose the right moment to remind me about it. f**k, the emails. I wanted to slap myself for being so impulsive and irrational when I got angry.

Getting up as if the devil was just in my bed, I ran to the living room where I left my laptop the previous night. Turning it on swiftly, I prayed I said nothing stupid that could offend him bad enough so he would just fire me. So when I finally saw the image on the desktop I searched for the email software, opened it, and waited until it finally updated, seeing I had gotten a new response by him. 

To: Sophia Godfrey

From: Ryan Nelson

Subject: Some inquiries

Sophia,

If you so want desperately to know, why don’t you meet me tomorrow at nine in the morning for a coffee and we’ll discuss this?

Hoping for a positive answer,

Ryan Nelson

CEO and founder of Nelson’s Associates 

I definitely wasn’t expecting that at all. I checked the time, and it was half-past twelve. Not a splendid time for a coffee, plus he said nine in the morning. I actually was embarrassed to answer now since I was sure he thought I ignored him. 

Biting my nails, I didn’t know what to do. Would it be a good idea to tell him I just woke up? Or… could I make up an excuse? Like I had... a meeting? A... date? A date that early? Nope. Not on my watch and not for me. There just had to be something I could say… maybe an appointment? That would be a brilliant idea if it was on weekdays, not a goddamn Sunday.

Giving up, I got up and decided I better had something for breakfast before it was too late for that, too. I saw the file of the project resting on the kitchen counter while I looked up for something to eat in the pantry and sighed. I would have to check it again and face the situation rather sooner than later. 

I couldn’t help but wonder how it would be like to be Ryan’s assistant? But I didn’t want it to get uncomfortable or awkward between us. I knew how men there looked at me, they all turned their heads to look at me since I was one of the three women working there, and the other two were above fifty. 

I felt like a prey whenever I went into a meeting with the staff since I was always asked about my opinion and if they didn’t ask, I would give it anyway. They all looked at me whenever I spoke and I was always the last one to get inside the office and the first one to leave said room. I know most of them were attracted to me; I saw and recognized the way they looked at me, half scared and half-lusted looks.

And, of course, I took advantage of all that, their reaction to me, for that all month I have been working in Nelson’s Associates. More than once did I ask any of them for help with the urgent duties I had back then every week. A bit of flirtation, fixed stares, smiles, playing with my hair, being extra nice, maybe even bringing a coffee to them, and they were on their knees for me. It’s not like I didn’t know what to do or how, I was fantastic at, and am, at my job, but who can say no to a little help? 

At home, I was a mess at everything. But at work I owned it, I influenced the energy of the room. It was the only place where I felt like I had control over everything and everyone. I knew who to flirt with, the ones who were just divorced and the single ones. And I wasn’t doing anything against my concluded contract as a junior here, I haven’t slept with any co-worker nor that I intended to.

My mind was racing with these thoughts, but I still didn’t answer to Ryan’s email and it was nearly 1 PM. Would it be worth it, anyway? Would it change anything? Exactly, so why even bother myself?

I got my cereals and started eating, my mind racing with thoughts and possible answers I could have given him if I didn’t wake up that late. I wondered if he was angry at me, though he wouldn't have a solid reason to be, in the first place. It wasn’t appropriate.

I spend the rest of the day just checking the internet, social media, and zapping on tv. There wasn’t anything I wanted to do because I couldn't stop thinking about the damn project.

Sighing, I got up and went in search of the files. Last time they were on the kitchen counter. And right they were. I took them, carrying them with me to the living room. I opened the first page and started reading it all more consciously than I did yesterday when Mr. Nelson handed them to me.

What a long Sunday…

Monday came faster than Vin Diesel with his car on Fast and Furious. I woke up and realized I fell asleep on my sofa, the project in my hands on the last page since, apparently, I have been reading it the whole day until late in the night. 

I got up and stretched, my back being sore for all the weird positions and the uncomfortable sofa. Ugh, I hated myself for this.

Since the alarm didn’t go off, I supposed it was early yet. And damn right if it was. When I checked the time on the screen of the laptop, it said 4:39 AM. What the hell did I do to wake up this early? Again, it must be the weird and uncomfortable positions while sleeping.

I took my phone, realizing I forgot to recharge it the previous night before I fell asleep, and decided I had time enough to put it to charge before work. I wasn’t going to be able to sleep much more, so I would start getting ready and be early at work, also I would start with my daily dose of caffeine. I really needed it, the day will be long, and that's the only way I could handle it.

I went to the small bathroom, taking off my clothes and choosing a quick shower instead of a bath, letting the water run until it was as hot as I liked it to be. Getting it, I allowed myself to stay for a few minutes before I washed my hair and my body, enjoying the scalding water while rinsing. 

I stepped out of the shower, taking a pair of towels, one for my hair and the other for my body, enjoying the soft touch of cotton on my skin.

Once I was fully clothed, did my hair as well as I could since I wasn’t a professional, I waited until I had to go to put on my high heels. My fluffy flips flops were too comfortable to give up on them just yet.

Sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee, I took the project once again and stared at it, my thoughts on Ryan and the way he treated me. I wasn’t so sure if he was affected the same way by me, like the other men working for him. I didn’t know if he had someone in his life but, as far as I’m concerned, he wasn’t a family man. Every now and then the tabloids would talk about him and how he was a playboy. 

Time passed by and it was my moment to leave my sweet home. I went to my room, searching for my high heels and put them on. I took my phone, which was fully charged by now, and my purse along with the project. 

I followed the routine: calling a taxi, give them directions, running through the crowded streets, and get inside the building just in time to go and grab myself another hot boiling coffee to handle the day. 

What I wasn’t expecting, when I was nearly arriving at my small office, was a cup of coffee waiting for me on my desk. I knew it was just made because the smell was strong in the room, and the smoke was also a signal. Surprised, I got close, and I was startled when I heard my boss’s voice behind me, raspy and serious.

“Had an enjoyable weekend, Ms. Godfrey?” 

Biting my lip, I thought about giving him one of my sassy answers I always kept for him. I turned around to face him and smiled, playing mysterious somehow while I let my weight sit on the table. 

“Well, a pleasant one, indeed. I spent the Saturday night flirting with my boss through email. Wasn’t I, Mr. Nelson?” 

He chuckled, not even taking away his eyes from me. “Wish I could say the same, but someone left me waiting for an answer that never arrived.”

I froze, I was somehow expecting he would never bring that issue up. But he did.