HOP INS
1135 Words
Lori's eyes were squinted as she scrutinized the text she just received.
"hey sweetie?"
she queried herself, taking her focus to the number to see if she could recognize it, she couldn't. She didn't have anyone in her life who was justified to call her by that name, so she ruled it as a wrong number. To prevent being sent another message, she blocked the sender.
******
As she prepared for work the following day, she dropped a message for Caitlyn, the woman who had offered her a job. She didn't relent to let off the stance of importance Johnny told her about and told Caitlyn the exact amount, she wanted to be paid.
******
"s**t,"
Ethan stressed as the constant ringing of his cell, forced him to unsteadily sit up from where he'd been laying since the previous day.
His concern grew when he saw his Pierce name bolding appear on his phone.
"hey, bro,"
Pierce tone was harsh from the beginning, "Ethan__
Ethan jogged up to his feet and began scrambling around, trying to salvage what he could and make out with. The sudden impact of the headache he now felt, made him close his eyes and held his forehead lightly. "I know, I know, I'm running late. I'll be there in a few minutes. " Even he didn't think he could.
"where are you?"
"uh... on my way, on my way. " He dashed out of his cave and flew towards his car.
"The investors have been sitting here for about thirty minutes, waiting for you. " Pierce was standing in front of the conference room, backing the individuals inside. Still he managed to control his rising temper.
That was when Ethan remembered the urgent meeting at hand.
"The only reason I let you handle this was because you begged me to, Ethan. "
Ethan started the car and drove off, way past the speed limit.
"I even consulted Johnny and he stated that he already emailed you the documents."
"he did...he did," Ethan made a sharp curve
"the VIP group are extremely busy with orders, OTHERWISE, " Pierce breathed heavily, "I would have let Johnny handle it."
"I'm almost there bro, just give me a couple of minutes. "
Pierce looked back inside the conference room, there he watched the four investors who were present. The formation of anger, impatience and tiredness, laid on all four of the investors. Even Larry, his assistant caught the mood.
Pierce angrily ended the call and walked back into the room.
(PIERCE'S POV)
His private investigator had sent him all he needed to know about his new worker, Lori Hart. Pierce went through the papers
carefully and was very intrigued.
He got to know of her long-term relationship with Johnny and Beth, her study in France and eventually the Clay issue.
Her mother's bakery was also documented, with very precise information. A brush down of her relationship history was also mentioned, but it wasn't much.
After Clay Dunbar, there was only one guy she went out on a date with and never saw again. An Indian guy with the name of Aarav Darsh.
Pierce found it interesting that Lori wasn't currently in a relationship and hadn't had much experience. He also was concerned about the working relationship between Lori and Beth, since the underlying issue.
As he gazed more and more into her pictures captured at some France cooking events, he couldn't help but feel a subtle jump inside his chest.
She possessed a fragile look that made him want to stare for longer. The details of that night at the masquerade party starting reenacting and he didn't stop it.
He wasn't worried about the fact that she worked in his company, his area of concern was the fact that she didn't remember him.
She was extremely drunk yes, but wasn't there any feature that he possessed that would cause her to recall something? His yearn was foolish, he knew that. If she remembered, that would incur troubles that he wanted to very well avoid.
Just then, Ethan busted into the office without knocking. The wave of Pierce's unpreparedness caused him to toss the papers the opposite way.
Ethan breathed heavily as he walked further into the room. He caught the name D.D, imprinted on the brown file on Pierce's table.
*****
"Jesus Christ, knock next time. " Pierce heaved.
Ethan eyes were fixated on the papers Pierce firmly held.
"The... the meeting, have they eaten from the menu? is the meeting over? "
"it was postponed till Monday. They can't eat from the menu, when they haven't gotten a brush down on project cape. " Pierce, now harshly welcomed with a strong odour, puzzled his face.
Ethan rolled his tougue, he had forgotten the project name.
"I'm sorry bro, I was uh... had to be somewhere. "
"Partying somewhere maybe? you reek of alcohol and..." Pierce sniffed, "Cigarettes. "
"No I wasn't, " Ethan paused,"Yeah I was partying. "
Pierce breathed deeply, "Thank Goodness, I was able to convince them to continue with the affairs." Pierce laced a stiff stern at his brother, "you better not make any more excuses on Monday."
Ethan threw another glance at the white paper, Pierce clutched tightly. And later to the brown envelope.
Pierce retrieved the brown envelope, "get outta here, go get a bath. "
(LORI'S POV)
It was closing hours, the day's rush, was one most chefs would not want. They had no space to use the restroom, or even eat. The section was packed with customers and worse, impatient kids.
Lori stood outside the building waiting for her Uber which she ordered, when a 2020 Toyota Camry pulled next to her.
Lori lowered her head to get a see of who was inside, she spotted her boss, the owner of Heart's Culinary, Pierce Boseman.
*********
Lori fidgeted, she didn't yet know why he stared at her so keenly.
"are you waiting for someone?"
"Uber," she managed to say.
Pierce looked around and summoned courage to speak to a woman for the first time, "It's late, the Uber might not be here for long, hop in. "
Lori found it weird, she glanced around the environment and saw Aguero watching them from the side of his car. His eyes were so precise, that she felt it sting her.
"thank you," she almost whispered and got into the car.
*********
The highest level of comfort hit her as she got inside.
Pierce felt a sudden calm journey from his lungs down to his chest.
"seatbelts. " He reminded.
Lori placed her cellphone on her lap and turned to wear her seatbelt.
Just then, a message dropped on her phone.
Pierce brows raised sharply with concern and filled with intent as he saw the message reading.
"Hey sweetie,"
- Writer
