Plain Jane

Meeting Aston Smith

I gasped slightly and threw the phone to Darren, angry tears filling my grey eyes.

“That d**k! I’ll kill him!” Darren yelled,his fists balling up. I swear sometimes Darren is so masculine but right now was not the time, I needed a reason. I ignored Cayden’s text and with shaky fingers responded to Ryan’s.

Why?

I pressed send and waited silently wiping away the few tears that he had already made me shed. God this guy had so much effect on me, I shouldn’t let that happen. A text buzzed in and the screen read Ryan. I swept across the screen to open the message my eyes scanning the words.

I don’t do strings attached and I don’t want to ruin my company’s rep over some girl. Sorry hope u understand

I read the message and didn’t reply instead I mechanically got up and walked towards the bathroom slowly.

“Jane? You okay honey?” Darren asked quietly.

I turned to him a devious smile on my face. “Yeah, he’s one hundred percent right, I shouldn’t have even let myself fall for him. Anyways I need to go shower, I have an early workday tomorrow.”

He nodded and I shut the bathroom door, leaning against the cold wood feeling my inner shell slowly come out. Protecting me just as it did when he cheated. This time I wasn’t coming out.

…..

I woke up and took my hair out of its braid, pinning the waves up into a high ponytail. Today was Friday a good day to start over, the new, protected me. No Ryan, no Cayden to complicate. It was only work from now on.

I put on my skinny jeans, a tight white crew neck, black heels, and my thick rimmed black glasses on. My contacts were a thing of the past, well at least until I got tired of my glasses like I always did. They were like my shield, the glasses. Every time I put them it was like a new beginning. God, I sounded like those people on New Years.

“Oh no, not the glasses again!” Darren yelled, throwing his hands in the air.

“Unfortunately my friend, the glasses are out.” I smiled, grabbing my purse and keys and waving at him.

“Have a good friday!” He called as I shut the door. My keys dangled in my hands, my fingernails a deep purple today, and my hair swished as I walked. The cab driver was even nice to me today, a rare thing at least for me.

The receptionist gaped as I walked past, my hand flying to my face subconsciously to check for anything. There was none. The elevator dinged open on Ryan’s floor and Amelia whistled as I walked by. I smiled at her making my way to the office door, not even slowing down.

“Good morning, Mr. James.” I smiled at him, continuing my trek towards my office.

There was a pause but his reply came right before I shut the door. “Uh hello Ms. Everson. Wait, come here!”

I paused for a moment holding a finger out the door to signal for him to wait while I put my purse down. My stomach did a tiny flip but I ignored it completely, remembering my glasses.

“Yes, Sir?” I asked, c*****g my head to the side.

“Don’t call me Sir, I think I’ve shown you part of what I can do you wouldn’t want me to show everything I could do to that tempting little-“ He started but I held my hand up to stop him before he could try and make my insides puddle once again.

“My apologies, I meant to say yes Mr. James?” I asked again, straightening my glasses.

He ran a hand through his hair before speaking again. “There’s more to be done on the Chang assignment, his rival has a meeting with me today. I need everything to be in order so we can find out what we need to know. Could you grab those papers for me by the way, they’re in the bottom drawer of my desk.”

I nodded and walked over to his desk, bending over to search for them. I moved some random clutter around before hearing a very loud groan from the other side of the room. “Never mind, stand up, right now.” He yelled. His rough, agitated voice made me smile and I stood up slowly.

“I actually think they're in my office, I’l get them right away, Sir.” I walked off quickly before he could comment, going straight to the drawer I knew they were in. I walked back towards him handing him the folder he needed but he grabbed my hand before I could walk away.

“What are you doing?” He asked. I shook my hand from his but an arm snaked around my waist bringing my slightly closer.

“Mr. James I ask that you let go of me right away.” I said, my voice threatening.

“Or what? Don’t think I won’t do something to you right here in front of this window, Ms. Everson. You don’t scare me.” His eyes narrowed.

“This is a professional relationship-“ The door to the office opened and both Ryan and I looked up at the person who was entering without knocking. He was a tall man, about one inch shorter than Ryan. His hair was light blonde and he styled it in such a way that his bangs piled on top of his head messily, like he had purposely but not purposely done that. He was wearing a grey tailored suit, it fit perfectly to his fit body. His eyes were an emerald green and he smiled, showing off two deep dimples in both of his cheeks.

“I’m Aston Smith.” He stuck his hand out to shake my hand, his eyes locking with mine.

“I’m uh I’m- um J-j uh-“ I stuttered, my cheeks turning bright red.

“Jane Everson. I’ve heard about you, actually. This company should be proud to have you working here.” His voice was so deep, I was basically quivering in my heels.

“Yes, we are.” Ryan interrupted. We both faced him. “I’m Ryan James, as you probably already know. My publicist here will be going back to do her job while we talk.” Ryan glared angrily at me, his eyes stone cold.

“Actually Mr. James, if you remember you actually asked me to stay here and take notes.” I smiled, turning my attention back to the fine specimen standing in front of me. The stubble on his chin was directly in my line of sight and I sighed as I looked at the gruff handsome business man.

“Go get me coffee. Now.” Ryan barked.

“Now Ryan, I don’t know you personally but I assure you that’s no way to talk to a lady and also an employee.” He faced me. “When you go get him some coffee could you grab me a mineral water, please?” He asked, his eye lashes gazing down at me.

“Oh my God yes, anything else you would like, like anything at all?” I asked. I realized how desperate I sounded so I looked at my feet.

“I might take you up on that offer later, but right now no thanks.” He smiled again. I nodded and walked towards the door, opening it and closing it behind me. Then I ran to Amelia’s desk, slamming my hands down on it.

“Did you-“ I started but she held up a hand.

“Jane, don’t even tell me what it was like to be in a room with such an angel like him. God created him specially on his own, personal, time.” She said. Her breathing was labored and cheeks flushed but the excitement was still in her eyes.

“Uh Amelia, you okay?” I asked, peeking over her desk looking at her swollen stomach. Her hand fluttered to it and she held it there. She shook her head silently looking at the floor.

“I think I’m in labor.” She stated.

“You think your in what?” I yelled. She nodded confirming what I was thinking and instantly my mind raced into action. I ran back down the hallway bursting through the door. Both Aston and Ryan looked at me, breaking their conversation. For some reason my frantic eyes met Aston’s first and I spoke quickly.

“Amelia’s in labor.”

Aston looked confused for a moment, wondering who she was, but his features quickly calmed down, though he was still wide eyed. “My sister went into labor around me once, I know what to do. Get her purse, call her husband or whoever and let them know were going to the nearest hospital.”

“Regional West.” I said, following him out the door to go do his orders.

“Yeah we’ll go there.” He pulled out his phone, dialing someone and yelling orders to pull up a car. We slowly walked Amelia to the elevator and got her in, at the last moment Ryan squeezed in, his eyes met mine and anger crossed his features as he glared at me. But I soon realized he was glaring at my body, which was pressed against Aston’s tightly. His hands encircled my waist as my own hands touched one of his and held tightly onto one of Amelia’s.

“Are you okay Amelia?” Ryan finally turned away.

“No Mr. James, I am in labor and it hurts like a bitch.”