Chapter 11
875 Words
“Good morning, Mr. Sterling,” Edith greeted Evan as he walked into the reception.
“Morning, Edith. Has Miss James resumed yet?”
“Yes. She should be in her office.”
“Good. I presume you’ve told her what she needs to know so far.”
“Done my bit,” Edith replied, with a smile. Evan nodded in reply, and headed down the hallway to his office. He liked Edith’s work ethic a lot and would have preferred her to be his secretary, but he mentioned it to her, long before Grace Shell even came, she had declined the offer for reasons he could not fathom.
Evan’s office had already been cleaned and arranged by the cleaner with the blinds open and the air conditioner switched on. He loved this space called his office. It was one of the things that encouraged him to get out of bed and head to work, even when he so terribly would rather not be here. He had stayed up late after his mum left the night before watching a show called Sculpt Me that he’d slept off on the couch.
He flung his bag on the settee that sat at the far end of his large office and sank into his office chair massaging his neck. And that’s when he realized there was no coffee tray on his table. He scoffed, counted to ten in his mind and got up from his seat. He walked past the hallway slowly, to the reception where Edith was.
“Edith, did you brief Miss James on my coffee habits?”
“Yes, Mr. Sterling. It was in the email I sent to her yesterday and I gave her a rundown this morning.”
“You specifically told her it should be on its way to my office when she spotted me walking in, right?”
“Sure did.”
“Thank you,” Evan appreciated her and headed down the hallway again. He stopped at the door to Alice’s office and without knocking, threw it open. His eyes went to the coffee stand firstly and he noticed nothing was brewing. Then he turned and saw Alice, head on her desk, sleeping peacefully. What was he thinking hiring this girl? Did she think this company was for her to catch up on lost sleep? He was up till late himself and here he was, bright eyed and ready to work the day away.
He strode over to her desk in three desks and placed his big hands on it with a thud. Immediately, Alice jerked awake, her hair flying everywhere with a little bit of drool clinging from the right corner of her mouth to the desk. When she looked up and saw Evan, her eyes widened and she kept her face down again while digging inside her drawers for a tissue to wipe off the drool.
Evan smirked. He was enjoying her reaction and he waited for her to wipe her mouth before he spoke.
“You seem to think you’re on vacation, Miss James.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Sterling. I was…I just…” Alice began, before stopping herself. She couldn’t tell him she had slept off because she had an anxiety attack after scrolling through i********:. That was her business and she would be fired immediately.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated again and kept her head down.
“My coffee hasn’t been brewed this morning.”
Alice lifted up her head quickly and looked at the coffee stand. Then she leapt to her feet and walked over to it. She had wanted to make the coffee after posting her selfies on i********:, but that stupid comment just had to go and make her get nervous and sleep off. This was a bad way to start a first day at work and she was grateful no one was here with Evan to see her show of shame. She picked up the electric kettle that already had water in it and turned it on to boil. As she picked up the packet of instant coffee, she heard Evan call her name.
“I’m sure Edith informed you on how to prep my coffee. I don’t take instant coffee, Miss James. My coffee beans are always freshly bought and brewed. It takes over thirty minutes for it to be perfectly brewed and as it is, I can’t have coffee today because of your incompetence.”
Alice cringed. Edith had indeed told her how Evan’s coffee was prepared. Damn her. She decided within herself that she wouldn’t go on social media anymore whenever she got to the office. Evan looked at her quietly before he spoke again.
“Get my schedule from Harry down at the administrative office and let me know what I have lined up for today. On the way back, stop by the cafeteria and get some coffee beans. This incompetence will not be tolerated tomorrow and any other day from here on out.”
“Yes, Mr. Sterling,” Alice replied, apologetically and watched as he walked out. Then she slid into her chair with a loud sigh. It wasn’t even noon yet and she was tired already.
- Writer
