Undoubtedly Yours

Chapter 10

Hope

I wake up with a smile on my face after a long time. I had a hard time sleeping thinking about what happened and how I am going to tell him everything. I went to bed really late and was glad it was a day off work. I check my phone and am pleasantly surprised to see Dean's text at five in the morning. Good morning beautiful! Happy Saturday! I click on reply and type my message, Good morning Mr. Hoffman! Happy Saturday indeed! Although I don't understand how it can be happy when you are up at the a*s c***k of dawn.

I get up and freshen up and go for my coffee and breakfast. As I am making my coffee I get a text back. Well, I had a tough time sleeping, so I thought I will go for a run. What are you up to? It was a little weird chatting with him like we were back in college, but it was nice to connect like this again. Nothing much. I just woke up, preparing breakfast now. What about you? Done with your workout? I reply and make my breakfast. I sit down to eat when, instead of getting a text, I get a call from him. I don't know if I should answer, but my hand presses answer before I can decide.

"Hello Dean!" I say answering the phone. "Hey beautiful! I thought it would be better to call you than keep texting, so here I am. But now that I think about it, you must be having breakfast and I should have waited", Dean says. I chuckle and say, "Well yes. I actually just sat down to eat, but it's okay. I am used to business dinners, so talking and eating is very, very normal. So, Mr. Hoffman, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" There is silence on the other side and I think the phone is disconnected, then I hear him say, "f**k Williams! This is the second time you have called me Mr. Hoffman today, and it makes me think of things I shouldn't think about."

I almost choke on the coffee I was drinking and start coughing. "f**k, I am sorry. Are you okay Hope?" Dean asks worried. "Yeah! I am fine but if you could try not to kill me, that would be great.", I tell him as I compose myself. I hear him laughing, and then he says, "Since when did saying the truth start killing people?' I have no idea how to respond, so I just hum and continue eating. "Well, since you have decided to continue eating, I will go ahead and ask, what are your plans for today? Anything fun planned for Saturday?"

"Yeah, actually, my colleagues have arranged a get-together at one of the pubs downtown, so I will be going there this evening. They wanted me to have a party with them before I go out to play with the big guns.", I tell him. I hear him walking, and then he says, "That's great. Your colleagues are basically giving you farewell. As far as the big guns go, I think I have done a decent job with the company, so thank you, I guess. You have researched the company. What do you think?" He sounds almost nervous, asking me, which is kind of strange, since he has turned the company into an even bigger success than it was when his father was running it.

I gather my thoughts before I answer him, "I think the progress you have made with the company is tremendous. You have basically ripped apart the old company and started something totally new with unconventional ideas and have reached the top so soon again. That is something that you cannot just inherit. I read that you used to work sixteen-hour days when you were revamping everything, and it is all the hard work that was put into the company that made it come out on the top once again within such a short span of time. You should be immensely proud of what you have achieved, Dean. And not worry about what people think about you or your ways. It's like you used to tell me all the time, you just need to figure out what works for you and just keep working on it and everything else will work out. You did that, and now you are here, you know companies are competing to work with you."

He takes a deep breath before he speaks, "Thanks Hope! You have no idea what this means to me. I guess I was nervous to ask you because I want you to be proud of me. You know, I always thought we would be together when I achieved my dreams. It has to be some cosmic conspiracy that you are now here, and we will be working towards the next step together. I would say I am very lucky to have people like Dani, Mike and now, you in my corner. As long as my people believe in me, I will do whatever it takes to go to the next level every step of the way. Just stay true to me and tell me if I swerve,"

"You betcha!", I say smiling. He chuckles and says, "Well Williams, I will get out of your hair now, so you can get into your hair. Get it?" I roll my eyes, and he continues, "Enjoy your night, do not drive if you are drinking and if at any time you need me, not that you are going to but call me, alright?" I can't help the smile that comes when I say, "Yes dear! You enjoy your weekend and try to get some sleep. Bye Dean!" After hanging up with Dean, I clean up and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Then I head to my closet to decide what I would wear for the party tonight. After going over the dresses that I have unpacked, I decide on a black spaghetti dress because it's a classic.

I start getting ready and right at four I get a call from Katie, and she tells me we will be going together and I agree. I get ready and meet Katie at my apartment building entrance and as I get in the car she whistles and says, "Damn girl! I did not know you could look like that. Where have you been hiding all this, huh?" I roll my eyes, smiling and feeling good. I tell her, "Well, you ain't seen nothing yet." We both start laughing and head towards the pub downtown.

Honestly, I have not been to a party like this in a long time. With everything that happened, partying became the last thing on my mind and I have been working religiously for a long time. Now that I am here and have met Dean, and he is actually mad at me still, I feel good for a long time. We get out of the car and enter the pub and Katie guides me towards where everyone is seated, and I am reintroduced to a few people and introduced to a few more. I am surprised to see such a turnout, but I guess everyone was looking for an excuse to party after the shift from the Vancouver office, and I am happy to be the reason. We order our drinks and Katie starts shouting for shots and everyone joins and everyone is passed a shot.

We all cheers to me starting at Hoffman on Monday and everyone drinks. Each of us gets our drinks, and we start talking to each other. This feels nice and slowly people start drifting to the dance floor. One of my colleagues offers me to dance with him and I oblige. Might as well enjoy the evening. While dancing, my dance partner, goes to get us a drink, and I am standing at the side waiting when a man I don't know approaches and says in a slurred voice, "Pretty thing like you should not be with that guy. Come dance with me and I will show you what a real man feels like." Not one to engage with people as such, I don't say anything and try to move away when he grabs my elbow and pulls me to him. The stench of alcohol on this man is unbearable, and I am about to turn around to give him a piece of my mind when I see a hand prying his hand off of me.

"You should not touch women who are not interested in talking to you, let alone dancing with you.", the man holding the drunk guy says. "Well, what does she expect when she is dressed like that. She was asking for it, I was just giving what she was asking.", the drunk says. I look over to my savior, and he just pushes the guy away, who just walks away muttering something about women and short dresses. I cannot believe people like these exist, but there is no use in trying to talk sense to someone so slammed. I turn to my savior and ask, "What are you doing here Dean?"