Chapter 2: Introducing Leya
1791 Words
Leya Tremayne sipped from her glass of chilled Chardonnay and listened to her impeccably dressed boss over their shared appetizers.
She sighed and nodded her head in all the appropriate places, but her mind was a million miles away. I can't believe this is happening.
When her big, handsome boss asked her to accompany him to dinner, she'd had a minor heart attack. All her daydreams over the past few months were finally about to come to fruition! Or not.
She'd been certain her luck had changed, but after nibbling on a stuffed mushroom, not her favorite appetizer by the way, and watching him order a fruity cocktail that made her shudder, he started confessing his real reason for asking her out. This cannot be happening to me again!
"You don't have any plans tonight, right?" he'd asked while perching on her desk earlier that evening.
Like the desperate jerk she was, she nodded her head and agreed with him. Even though it was Friday night and damned presumptuous of him to ask her to go with him on such short notice.
Oh well, she thought, that's what you get for being obvious. Still, at least I'll get a nice dinner. Those had been her thoughts when he first brought up the subject of his super sexy, super skinny, and somewhat bitchy girlfriend.
Several blue cocktails later, he was still rambling on about his relationship with the tall, model-thin, Tris Beverly, and they hadn't even ordered their food yet.
Leya sighed miserably as she tried to appear sympathetic. Hmm. More like just pathetic, she rolled her eyes. Was she doomed to be a shoulder for guys to cry on forever?
"She said I was insensitive!" he said and took another swig from his Blue Hawaiian.
What kind of a man drank a Blue Hawaiian at an Italian restaurant for Pete's sake?
"I'm sure she didn't mean it, Gary. You're the least insensitive man I know," Leya said with an appropriate amount of concern in her voice.
She really wanted to end this nightmare of a dinner, but she didn't want to offend him. The man was her boss.
Unfortunately, he seemed to think she was also his therapist. She sighed and looked longingly at the next table. Ooh, shrimp scampi over linguini! Totally drool-worthy.
Gary asked another question, and she nodded hoping it was the correct response. Her stomach grumbled.
He continued on and on, so, yes must have been the right answer. Good guess, she thought and sipped some wine.
Her stomach continued to grumble. Reminding her the half a mushroom appetizer was all she'd eaten since lunch.
Typically, it did absolutely nothing to quell her appetite. To put it bluntly, Leya liked food. She looked down at her ample figure. Well, duh.
"It's just that Tris is so hot! A guy would be crazy not to want her, right? But-"
"Uh huh, but Gary-"
"See, I knew you'd get it, but she..."
While he droned on, Leya gazed longingly at the happy couples enjoying dinner. Why am I here? She'd worked for Gary for two years, and though they'd been friendly, he never asked her out.
Clearly, he was head over heels for Tris, and she was a fill-in. She paused as his perfectly manicured fingers captured hers.
Startled, Leya stopped at the sudden feel of his absurdly soft hand. No fireworks, but maybe...
"If only I could have fallen for a shy and vulnerable girl like you, huh?" He winked and took another swig of his bright blue drink, oblivious to the way his words sliced through her heart.
Leya knew her limitations. She was nothing like the thin, beautiful Tris. Nope.
Leya had an ongoing love affair with sweet rolls and mocha lattes that showed. Okay, she was over-weight, and she knew it.
She exercised regularly and tried to eat sensibly, but sometimes it was difficult. She worked long hours and often ate on-the-go.
Working as an administrative assistant in the big city was non-stop. The job had quickly lost its luster, but she stayed because, well, she'd been afraid to leave.
She had crushed on her boss since meeting him. Forever it seemed, but finally, tonight, she realized he'd never notice her as a woman. He saw her as a secretary and a buddy. A shoulder to cry on.
She withdrew her hand from his. Maybe they could have salvaged the meal, but Gary didn't even signal the waitress.
She didn't get a chance to order as he sent the woman for drink after drink! He just kept guzzling his Blue Hawaiian and moaning about his girlfriend.
Well, at least one good thing would come of this. She sighed and ran a hand over her pulled back hair.
Leya had to move on. She sighed as she paid the bill, Gary having forgotten his wallet at work. He stood to say goodnight and nearly toppled the table over. Just great. She'd have to see the jerk all the way home. Ugh.
"I can drive perfectly, I'll be fine. Always drive myself," he grumbled.
"No, really," she insisted.
After about ten minutes of refusing, Gary agreed. As if that wasn't bad enough, the man had suddenly caught a case of the hands.
The entire taxi ride, he'd tried to cop a feel, which wasn't all that easy to avoid in such a confined space. His too-soft hands groped her over her clothing no matter how many times she shoved them down onto his own lap.
"That's enough, Gary. Okay, we are here. Thank you," Leya said to the driver as she paid the fare.
"No problem, lady, you sure you don't need any help with him?"
"Um, no thanks, it's okay," she smiled at the man's kindness and exited the cab to find Gary sitting on the curb, attempting to take off his shoes.
"No, don't do that here, Gary!"
"Why not? I'm tired, and my feet hurt!" His whine hurt her ears, and she wondered how she ever imagined herself in love with this baby-man! Another fantasy bites the dust, she thought and rolled her eyes before hefting him off the curb.
"You're almost home now. Come on, upsy-daisy," she struggled under his weight as she helped him into the elevator.
Leya used the wall to try and keep him upright, but she lost hold of him when one of his hands suddenly dropped onto her blouse.
"Leya, Leya, Leya, you know, you have got one giant pair of boobs on you-"
"Mr. Trainer! Stop that!" She pushed his hand off, mortified by his behavior.
He started to slide down the wall, all the way to the floor. She had half a mind to leave him there, but being the responsible i***t that she was, she forced herself to help him up again.
She gritted her teeth and grabbed his hand to stop its wandering only to have him push his face way too close to hers.
The smell of sickeningly sweet alcohol made her want to vomit. She turned her face to avoid his slobbering kiss.
"Come on, Leya, Leeyyaa, maybe I should lay ya? Lay ya, Leya, ha, ha!" He snickered loudly.
She was tempted to drop him where he stood. The rat! But she made it this far and she'd see the asshat inside. Ugh.
"Mr. Trainer, please remember you're my boss, and this is unprofessional!"
"Puhleease! Everyone knows how you feel about me, you know, Tris was even jealous, and I couldn't believe it! I mean look at her and look at you! I told her, Leya is a good secretary, but I am not into chubby virgins!"
Heat burned her cheeks at his drunken admission. Did he really see her as nothing but a fat secretary who'd be so desperate to take what he was offering? OMG! And what did he mean everyone knew?
Mortification was making it difficult for her to breathe. He continued as if unaware of her sudden stiffness and pallor.
"You're fat, but not bad looking," his hand roamed again, and she was almost too stunned to move, "yeah, I mean, why not, I could take one for the team. So Leya, want me to lay ya?"
"What?!" she screeched.
"Come on, maybe I can show you what you're missing, I can knock that halo off your head, a pity-f**k now and then is good for the soul, they say," he giggled like a schoolgirl and dropped his hands to grab her ass. That's it! Before she could react, the door opened to reveal a pissed off Tris.
"What the hell?"
"I think this jackass is yours!" Leya said.
"Oh, baby, there you are, I was just, uh-"
"Gary your hands were on her ass!"
"Come on, Tris, you know she doesn't do it for me. She's a fatty nobody, but you're the one I want," as he fumbled with his apologies, Leya, narrowed her eyes and unceremoniously pushed him.
Gary stumbled forward, caught off guard. He surged forward and knocked over Tris. They both stared at her from their positions on the floor of his apartment with their mouths hanging open.
"Leya?"
"You little tramp-"
"Nuh uh, you don't get to call me names. That's it, I have had it. Mr. Trainor, I quit!"
With those words ringing in her ears, Leya Tremayne took the stairs two at a time. She stood outside trembling in the chilly night air as she hailed another cab. The noise and lights of the big city were nothing more than a blur through her unshed tears and the noise in her head.
She went home to her apartment and the first thing she did was turn on her laptop. After sending two short but sweet emails, one to HR and one to Gary.
She informed them both of her decision to quit without notice and thanking Gary for his generous agreement to giving her two-weeks' pay up front. Take that you jerk. She also gave them instructions on where to send the few personal items she left in the office.
Afterwards, Leya looked around her rental. It was a decent size, but it was sparse. As if she'd just moved in. She sighed and closed her eyes as she realized she hadn't made a single real friend in the two years since she'd left her parents' home and travelled to the big city to work for that jerk!
She was tired of being unappreciated and pitied! Leya sucked in a breath, willing herself to calm down. What she needed was a fresh start! But first, a little rest and relaxation.
Minutes later with an airline ticket and hotel room booked, Leya let out a long sigh.
Paradise, here I come!
- Writer
