Chapter 3
1157 Words
I was in the process of reviewing a document when I received a call.
“Sir”, Joviana's voice came through, “you are needed in the conference room”.
I frowned. ”Handle it”
“I am doing just that but you might have to come down here”.
As soon as I walked into the room, I saw the problem. The guy who was the lead of the presentation, Charles. His laptop was frozen on the screen and he was visibly panicking. The clients looked pissed.
Joviana stood at the corner of the room, watching all this unfold while watching this disaster unfold.
The moment our eyes made contact. She nodded. Whispered something into Charles's ear, connected her laptop, and within seconds her presentation was projected on the screen. Looking ten times better than whatever Charles was stammering about.
She handled the meeting smoothly, answering questions without hesitation. I could see the clients nodding in approval to what she was saying.
“Bold move”. I said, my voice cool.
“Not bold… effective,” she said, placing Charles's useless printout on my table.
“You fixed a problem that isn't part of your job requirements”
“ I work for you now. If you have a problem in your company, it is my problem”.
“Are you aware that people tread carefully around me here?”
“Looks like treading carefully is not my style”.
She moved towards the door.
“Ms. Hart”.
She glanced back.
“Next time, at least let me pretend I was the one who fixed it”.
A smile appeared across her face. “Of course Mr. Blackwood”. The door shut behind her.
Before I could go back to my emails, my phone buzzed. Anita.
I answered in the first ring.
“You are supposed to be finding me a wife not calling me in the middle of the day”.
“Good afternoon to you too”. Her voice was dripping with pretend offense. “ For your information, I have another date for you tonight”.
I pinched the bridge of my nose “The last one looked like a walking road sign”.
“This one is different, she's smart and interested”.
“You said the last one graduated from Stanford”. I muttered, sinking into my seat.
“Just show up James. You have a year, remember?”
“Fine. Tonight”.
“See that wasn't hard”. Anita said.
When the call ended, I tossed the phone on the table and turned back to my laptop. I had work to do, a company to run, and thanks to my father, a deadline to meet.
And yet, against my judgment, my mind wandered to a secretary who doesn't know how to tread lightly. I didn't like that she'd left an impression. I liked even less that I wanted to see what she had up her sleeves.
I spent the rest of my afternoon, going through emails that just keep coming, multiplying every minute. I looked at the clock and was reminded that it was time for the blind date my sister had lined up for me.
The restaurant was one of the best in town. Anita’s choice, not mine.
She arrived late. Not late enough for me to lose hope on this date.
“James Blackwood”. She said, sitting across from me. “You look exactly like your pictures”.
“I don't have pictures”. I said, taking a sip of my water.
“The ones in the paper… You look too serious”.
“Maybe because I'm serious”, I replied.
She laughed like I just said something funny, then started talking about her school abroad. I nodded, feigning interest in whatever she was talking about.
“So what exactly do you study?”
She smiled like I'd asked her if she just won the lottery. “Luxury brand management, cool right?”.
“Why luxury brand management?” I asked genuinely curious.
“ Because I always love expensive things and I have expensive tastes. It matches my lifestyle”. She said twirling her fork in the pasta she had ordered earlier.
“Hmm”. I said signaling for the check.
“You have a ride back home?”. I asked, hoping she did, because I didn't want to have to drive her back home.
“Oh yeah”, she replied, already scrolling through her phone. “Thanks for dinner”.
She left without looking back.
I didn't mind.
If this is Anita’s idea of a perfect match, we need to have a very long conversation. Her ‘search for a wife’ needs a new strategy.
I finally stood up from the table.
“Well this was fun”, I muttered to myself.
I step out and walk straight to my car. I feel the cool breeze of the night air. When my phone buzzed.
Anita: “How did it go?”
I replied with “How did you expect it to go?”.
“Not bad?”
“It was bad, she couldn't stop talking about her dumb school and her luxury brand management course”.
“She studied luxury brand management, James. She is smart”.
“I didn't even get to know if she was smart, she was either talking or taking pictures throughout the date”.
“Oh, then off to the next girl then” she said over the phone.
“Are these girls your friends?”.
“What if they are?”.
“I would not be surprised”.
“Whatever”. I imagined her rolling her eyes while she said that.
“Change your strategy”.
“Have you met your new secretary yet?” She asked me to change the subject.
“Of course, she works as my Secretary”.
“She is pretty right?”.
“She is my secretary”.
“Urgh, why are you being so difficult?”. She groaned over the phone.
“I'm not, get some rest. It is late.”
“Who told you I am home?” she said laughing.
“Where are-”. The call ended before I could finish asking.
She is so annoying sometimes… well every time.
I looked at my watch and there is still enough time for me to get some work done or at least pretend to work before I go to sleep. I have not heard from my father since he gave me the ultimatum. It's been a week. And I hope not to hear from him till I have this all figured out or have an idea of what to do.
- Writer
