My Boss & Me

Business Trip

We pretended like nothing happened in the elevator all day. At least he did, I on the other hand was a wreck. I am not good at hiding my feelings. If something is bothering me you will know whether I want you to or not. Boy was this bothering me.

During the meeting I was distracted thinking about it, Markus had to pull me out of my thoughts at least three times in one meeting. He asked me if everything was alright, like he didn't know but I told him I was fine. Did he do it to confuse me? To mess with me? Maybe to prove his statement he made on the first day? If he did then he's more manipulative than I thought.

I really did try to pay attention but every time we made eye contact I could feel my cheeks growing pinker and I would think about the kiss again and why it happened. It was a vicious cycle that could not be stopped.

Thankfully the meetings for the day were over, at least the meetings I was required to go to. Right now I was reading manuscripts of books from countless authors who sent them from all over hoping to get published by the most prestigious publishing agency in the world. It was my job to narrow down the choices. I was to read them, write a list of bullet points about the book so Markus could decided which would get published without actually reading them. Except I don't know if he actually reads them or if he just wanted to give me more work since I wasn't exactly on my "A" game during those meetings. I don't mind though, I'm a huge book worm so I live for reading, plus I'm getting paid so why complain?

By the end of the day Markus had gotten at least twenty calls from his mother, each one I had to inform her that he was much too busy to speak with her. Eventually she got tired of it and accused me of lying for her son and didn't call back. Of course I wasn't offended, though I wasn't lying, I did most of the time because he asked me to and last time I didn't it ended horribly for all of us. He'd gone through at least fifteen meetings and I had read at lead ten out of the thirty manuscripts he had given me.

I waited a little while after his first meeting before giving him my written bullet points to give him a breather. He needed a break from...people...I guess.

When I finally decided to go in, I found him sitting at his desk with his head resting on the desk.

"I have the bullet points for you. Not all of them, just about ten or eleven. There are a lot of manuscripts. They are all so good and it was really hard to describe them in just a few meaningless bullet points so some of them may be a little long but.." "Janice!" I hadn't notice him sit up or even move out of his seat to stand in front of me considering I was flipping through my notes on the books.

He wasn't so close that it made me uncomfortable but he wasn't standing too far from me to say he wasn't going to try something again.

"Calm down. I never expected you to get through them by the end of the day. Hell, I'm surprised you got through ten of them. It took me days, almost two weeks to get through them." He said taking the bundle of papers from my arms. He looked through them as he slowly made his way back to his chair.

"Wait, if you read them already....why did you make me read them?"

He sat but said nothing until he looked up from my well thought out notes. "I needed a second opinion before I decided. Someone who has an eye for books and isn't in this business for money."

"For money?"

He nodded, "All of these decisions go through a board of people who analyze the book to see if it will make money or how it could make more money. That's not what I want. I want to publish books that are actually good. If they are as excellent as we hype them up to be it shouldn't be hard to sell them, right"

"Right. You needed a consumers point of view on the books. Makes sense."

He went back to my notes. I tookt his as an invitation to leave. "Good night Mr. Turner."

"Good night Janice. Don't forget to pack for the trip."

I stopped just as the door was closing behind me. I turned and opened it again, "What trip?"

"The business trip I told you about when I gave you the manuscripts. We have to go meet some of the authors in California over the weekend. Your mind must have been preoccupied with the excitement of reading them."

No it was most likely preoccupied with confusion on that kiss in the elevator this morning!!

I nodded "Possibly. I'll make sure to get tickets and pack. When are we leaving?"

"Friday."

"Today is Friday!"

He looked up confused, "Yes I know. The tickets were bought months ago before you got here. We leave at 10 O'clock."

"Are you serious?! I only have two and a half hours to get packed and be at the airport?!"

"Yes. I suppose I should have told you before today."

No s**t! I huffed loudly to show my anger, frustration and irritation with him. I have a feeling did this on purpose since before today we were pretty much not speaking. "I'll meet you at the airport." With that I left, not waiting for a response and not really wanting one. I called the only person I knewnto call when I needed to pack in a hurry, my mom.

***

I hadn't called my mom in almost two weeks so when I did call her I got an earful. I apologized multiple times saying I was busy with work and writing that I just forgot. She seemed to take it and finally moved on. She helped me back for the weekend and we spoke as I climbed the stairs from my apartment to the street so I could get a taxi and make it there in time.

If I didnt mention before, I'll say it now. My mom is a talker. She could keep you on the phone for hours talking about nothing, sometimes three conversations at once. I tried three times to hint that I needed to get off the phone but she didn't pick them up, just kept chatting away. Next time I'll remember to call her every other day like I promised.

When I finally made it outside with, my two bags and my phone cupped between my shoulder and my ear, I saw Markus's car parked in front of my building. Someone, probably the driver, got out of the driver seat and offered to take my bags. I let him and watched as he opened the trunk and lifted them inside with ease. Showoff!

Then he moved to the rear passenger door and opened it for me to get in.

"Mom! Gotta go. Love you."

"OK sweetheart. Love you too! Don't forg-" I hung up and got in the car.

There he was. Sitting at the rear drivers side, reading. Didn't even acknowledge me until we began moving.

"You didn't have to hang up on whoever that was."

"It was my mom and trust me when I say I would be on the phone all the way to New York if I did t hang up." That made him chuckle,

"Mom's, right"

I smiled "Yeah, mom's."

The ride was silent from then on. Both if us too absorbed in our reading to do more than just that, read. We hadn't even recognized that we had stopped and made it to our destination until my do or had opened. Which I might add scared the daylights out if me.

I placed my reading material back into my carry on and stepped out if the car. I waited for Markus before leading the way to get our tickets. The line wasn't long since we arrived there pretty early. We made it through security and everything within fifteen minutes. Now we just had to wait to board. We were first class, I never flown first class before but I wasn't expecting much but more leg room. I hated flying. I was only able to fly to New York was because Dee was with me, she kept me calm.

The wait to board was worse than I remember. We waited three hours before they even called us to the gate. As soon as we were on the plane I sat down in my assigned seat and closed my eyes.

"Nervous flyer?"

I heard his voice next to my ear. He was sitting next to me. Pretty close from what it felt like but I was determined not to open my eyes so I just nodded.

"Just relax." I could hear his smiling in his words. He was enjoying my discomfort. Another hour later we were finally ready for take off. That only made me more tense. I felt him grab my hand and against my better judgment I didn't move mine.

"Janice." I didn't move to look at him or respond.

"Janice, look at me."

Finally I looked. I looked straight into his eyes. They were soft and comforting. "Just look. Don't think." I did. My heart raced but it had nothing to do with us being lifted into the air inside a flying mechanical tube.

When we were in the air, coasting, he broke eye contact leaving me feeling lonely and even more confused than with the kiss.

___

After the flight we went straight to the hotel to freshen up. We had two parties or something to get to. Two. In one night. No big deal. Except we had a problem checking in to our rooms.

Markus insisted on doing it himself so I stood to the side just listening and watching it all frustrate him. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed his frustration and he was kind if cute when he was. He always got this really stern look and this small line between his brows. Plus he wasn't frustrated often and it was kind of fun to see him that way.

"I reserved these rooms months ago." He spoke to the young girl behind the counter in a very serious voice.

"I'm sorry sir but the other name on the reservation doesn't match what was given us. There's no way for us to change it without undeserving it and redoing the reservation. Unfortunately I can't guarantee the room will still be available once I've finished un-reserving it. We are getting a lot of last minute reservations."

Markus sighed heavily. He didn't seem to know what else to say to the poor girl. She was just doing her job but it wasn't helping him. I took this as a go ahead to intervene. I stepped up to the counter and smiled sweetly at the girl. "I know we are being difficult but the reservations were made months ago. However those reservations were made for Mr. Turner's first secretary but she was replaced by me recently and we just didn't have time to change the reserved room to my name instead. Is it at all possible for you to un-reserving the room, save it somehow and reserve it in my name?" I explained hoping my calm tone would get me points.

"Let me check with the manager." She said giving me a smile but it left her face quickly after hearing Markus whisper a breathy 'Finally' behind me. She left the desk going into another room marked 'Staff Only'. I turned to Markus and smacked him in the arm.

"She is only doing her job, you don't have to be such a jerk to her."

"Ow," he said rubbing his arm

"Oh please, I barely touched you." I said turning back to the counter.

The young woman came back, clicked a few keys on her keyboard and smiled at them both. "My manager was able to over ride and switch the names. I've just checked you in and the bell boy will help you to your rooms."

I gave the girl a grateful smile, "Thank you so much." I turned to Markus and gave him a look before following the bell boy who was already picking up our bags. I hadn't packed a lot so I only had two bags, one for my clothes and such and my purse. Markus, however, had at least two suitcases. How much do you need on a weekend business trip?

we were lead to our rooms, mine was a floor under his, which was fine maybe he wouldn't bother me on this trip as much. I thanked the bell boy and tipped him. I waited until I heard their foot steps went away before heaving a huge sigh. This was going to be a long weekend.

The room was huge, it had its own living room. I didn't really need it but I guess if you have money to spend you would want the best. I took my bag into the bedroom and placed it on the bed. I began to unpack, I dont know why I was only here for a few days but I guess I felt like I had to. Not even a minute into me hanging up the fee dresses I packed I got a call on my cell. I looked, Markus. I rolled my eyes and debated ignoring it but I answered it anyway.

"Shower and get ready. There's an event in a few hours."

"Wait, what! Are you serious? I am going to need this event plan of yours if I'm going to be your secretary! You need to inform me of these things long before the time."

His voice sounded amused at my outburst but he didn't laugh, "Sorry. I'll get you my plan tonight. Wear something formal."

He hung up and I tossed the phone on the bed gazing at the dresses I brought. The only formal dresses I brought was a long off the shoulder slim mermaid black dress and a long bright blue sleeveless halter neck dress with a front slit. I don't know what type of party it is or may e its a dinner so I don't know which I should wear.