FALLING FOR MY BOSS'S BROTHER

NINE

“Maeve.” I heard someone calling my name.

I was in a car with my parents and brother, “is this real?” I asked as I looked at the smiling faces of everyone in the car.

“What did you say there, sweetie?” My mother asked with a smile.

I shook my head; I was unable to form words. I felt happy to see their faces again but then I knew they were dead so this must be a dream. “I-I know I don’t say this much but I love you.” I blurted out, “I love all of you.” I leaned on my brother who was scooting over trying not to make sure I didn’t touch him. It was something we did what we were young. I moved closer to him and hugged him and just as I touched him there was a huge accident.

“Mom!” I yelled as the car swerved off the road and into the lake. I could feel the water at my feet, the metallic taste of blood in my mouth, I looked at my parents as they struggled to free themselves. I struggled with my seatbelt but it didn’t budge, I struggled to unbuckle my brother’s seatbelt, he was unconscious and I could see the wound to his head, the blood flowing to his closed eyes.

“Don’t worry baby. I’ll find a way to help you.” My mother assured me trying to assure me, and herself, that she had the matter under control but I knew she didn’t.

The water was rising fast and soon the car was filled with it. I was drowning, choking, trying to gasp for air when I woke up screaming as I trying to breath. Maverick—who was walking into the apartment—ran towards me.

“What’s wrong?” He asked as he gently rubbed my back. “You had a bad dream? But it’s okay now.”

Except it wasn’t okay, I have never dreamt about that night ever not even when I was taken to the orphanage. I suppressed my feelings about what happened that night, I didn’t even get to go to the funeral as I didn’t want to see or accept that they were gone.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Maverick asked.

I didn’t but before I could respond my phone rung, I broke my eye contact with Maverick and started looking for my phone. I found and answered before whoever it was could hang up, “hello?”

“You need to come to the office now!” Artemis barked on the other end of the line.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Get here then we’ll talk about it.” He said then he hung up.

I got out of bed, as I picked up my clothes and started getting dressed. “Do you have to go?” Maverick asked as he fell back on the bed.

I chuckled, “I have a very sexist boss, if I don’t show up he might even deduct it from my salary, which I haven’t even gotten yet.”

“Screw him.” Maverick said as he walked up behind me and hugged me, “how about you stay here. We could watch a movie, order take up, roll around in bed naked, just have the time of our lives. What do you say?” He turned me around and kissed me as he slowly made his way back to the bed.

I chuckled when I realized what he was trying to do. I pushed him on the bed, then bit my lip, then slowly made my way on top of him. I kissed him as I reach out above his head, “as much as that sounds fun, I also need my job.” I said as I took my jacket then got up.

He scoffed, “that was just mean.” He complained. “Do you want me to drive you there?” He asked.

I laughed, “don’t worry. But this is far from over.” I walked out.

“You got that right!” He yelled as the door closed behind me.

I wasn’t dressed for a day at the office, the black jean skirt, white tank top, black leather jacket and white vans rubber shoes were not office worthy. I was trying to dress more feminine, Mateo seemed to like the girlish me and I thought what was the harm in mixing it up a little bit.

I walked into Artemis office, “it’s a Sunday. This better be important.”

He just stared at me, I snapped my fingers, “I-I wanted you to come to the office because there has been an emergency in one of our factory based on your design.”

“And you couldn’t fix it?” I asked.

“I thought you should be the one to fix it, considering how proud you were of your new design. I thought you worked out all the kinks?” He asked.

“I did.” I replied, “what is the problem anyway?” I asked.

“There was an equipment breakdown back that the factory. It had to be shut down for repairs for almost an hour and a half, do you know how valuable time is?” He barked.

I sighed, “what I want to know is why I am here on a Sunday?”

He walked to the door, “walk with me.” He said. I sighed, and to think my morning was supposed to go smoothly with me in bed with Maverick, I thought as I followed him.

Artemis Gray

I was having lunch with Zoey, she was telling me how excited she was for her next project and who she was to work with. She was very happy and excited but I didn’t share her excitement as half of the things she talked about didn’t make sense to me. I was happy when I got the call from one of our factory about the broken down equipment.

“Sorry baby but I have to go.” I said as I sipped some water.

“Where are you going?” Zoey asked.

“Something came up at the office. It’s an emergency.” I stated.

Zoey sighed, “you’re the boss. Just ask someone else to take care of it. I mean, you are always working and we never get to spend time together or do anything fun together.” She complained.

I didn’t have time for this, I didn’t what to have to spend the rest of the day listening to her explain how she was proud to have to save some endangered animal that would probably end up on someone’s plate in some exotic restaurant. “Zoey this is important but I promise I will create time for us to do all the fun stuff you want.”

She scoffed, “haven’t you heard a word I have said?” She asked.

I was trying to make myself not fall asleep while you talk, I thought. “What’s the problem now?”

“I will be going to South America on Tuesday. You never listen to anything I say.” She stood up, threw the napkin on the table and left.

The right thing would be to follow her and try to calm her down but I didn’t want to spend another hour before I got to the office so I just left. I texted her and promised that we’ll talk about it later.

I wanted to go straight to the factory but I thought this might be an opportunity for me to see Maeve so I called her on my way to the office. I got to the office, it was a Sunday so there was little to no one at the office building.

“It’s a Sunday. This better be important.” I heard Maeve’s sweet voice say.

I turned to look at her and I was dumbfounded, she looked amazing. I didn’t think I would have ever seen her dressed like this, I wanted to just grab her and kiss her. She snapped her fingers, snapping me out of my trance.

“I-I wanted you to come to the office because there has been an emergency in one of our factory based on your design.” I stated.

“And you couldn’t fix it?” Maeve asked.

“I thought you should be the one to fix it, considering how proud you were of your new design.” I lied. I didn’t think me telling her that I wanted to see her as she helps me keep my mind steady would have made her stay. “I thought you worked out all the kinks?” I asked.

After a few exchange of words, in which she made it clear how displeased she was to being at the office on a Sunday, I thought we might as well go to the factory and see what was wrong. We drove there in silence; I would sneak a glance at her legs which were exposed based on the sort skirt she was wearing. I would love to have those legs wrapped around my waist, I thought.

“Eyes to yourself perv.” Maeve stated startling me. I went back to looking at my phone while I heard her chuckle.

We got there, the equipment was up and running, “Mark!” I called the foreman, “what exactly was the problem?” I asked.

“I don’t think our machines are able to build the new designs. There was this area here,” he showed me the design, “our machines won’t be able to work on that.”

“That’s not true.” Maeve said, “I personally went around making sure to show everyone what to do and how to handle everything. I spent almost three whole days going around to every factory and personally showed them.”

Mark sighed, “the man who broke down the machine, has been out sick for almost a week. I guess he didn’t know how to handle it.”

“Have him fired.” I stated as I walked back to the car.

“Wait, what?!” Maeve asked in surprised, “you are firing him because of one mistake?”

“This so called mistake cost us almost two hours of unproductiveness.” I replied, “those are minutes we can never get back.”

“He was sick, he just got back and didn’t know how to do it. Doesn’t mean you have to fire him.” Maeve stated.

I sighed, I didn’t want to argue but this seem better than listening to Zoey go on about animal oppression or whatever it is she talks about. “He is getting fired and that’s it.”

“No, he’s not.” Maeve stated. “You’re an entitled rich boy who thinks being mean, or whatever you think this is, is what got you to where you were. But it’s not. You just so happened to be born to a rich family but some people have to work long hours just to afford things you often take for granted. So, stop acting like some rich, entitled white boy and think!” She barked.

I looked at her, she also glared back at me, in that moment all I could think of was how her passion and capability to stand up for someone she barely knew was awesome.

“I’m sorry but is he fired or not?” Mark asked.

I maintained my eye contact with Maeve, “no. But make sure he understands that won’t be taken so lightly if it ever happens again.” I stepped into my car and closed the door.

Mark walked away and Maeve walked up to the car, “I think I’ll stick around her to make sure nothing else goes wrong.” She stated.

“I will send someone to pick you up later.” I said as I started the car up.

“No thanks. I’m sure I can find my way home.” She said as she shut the car door. As I watched her walk away I couldn’t help but feel my attraction to her grow a little stronger.