North Island

Chapter 5

Allie

It’s Friday, the past 4 days I’ve been shadowing Kathrine on daily task she does. Kathrine is a very sweet women and I’ve enjoyed being around her.

She’s all about me taking over and running away with my ideas. Of course with the respect of not making this place look commercial, but more professional, rather than a hole in the wall airport. She gave me visions of how she’d like the airport ran and I promised to respect then completely.

Saturdays and Sundays I get off.

The days go by quickly staying busy.

She gave me the company card to order new office supplies that will be in next week. She understood it was a much needed expense.

I’ve been doing a lot of research on different softwares to purchase and getting quotes. Before our time together was up I wanted her permission on those larger purchases even if she never used them. Even after her and her husband retire they will continue to help Brady make financial decisions.

During our time, she’s told me countless stories from how her and her husband met, Brady’s sister who apparently doesn’t visit much. The stories of Brady in flight school. The horror stories of the business over the years, along with the good ones.

“So how do you feel about being here next week by yourself?” She looks at me over the top of her glasses. I’m sitting on the adjacent side of the desk, on my laptop purchasing our new software.

“I think I’ll be good.”

I feel unsure and confident at the same time. While I’ll be sorting through the mess, (Kathrine’s words, not mine) it’ll also be a blank slate to create a workflow however I’d like and that part excites me.

The idea’s I’ve proposed so far, she’s been fond of, but she can’t fathom how they work so she’s really putting her trust in me and I’m not going to let her down.

Brady and I have seen each other in passing over the days. We don’t say much but always polite. His mom filled me in on his ex-girlfriend and their story. She just wants her son happy.

Kathrine heads out and said she’ll be back next week sometime just to check in and to call if I need anything. Literally anything, wether it’s work or I need help landscaping.

I chose to stay at the office a little longer to continue going through the files that are piled. Scanning what I can into the Mac that they bought 6 months ago.

A knock on the door frame startles me. I look up to find Brady leaned up against the frame with a smirk. I lean over and pause the music I was playing from my phone.

“Hello there.” A smile plays across my lips

“I hate to ruin your concert, but I have stuff for you.” His chuckle is deep and sexy. I feel the heat between my thighs.

Also confused, not sure what he could have for me.

“Oh really?” I say playfully and walk slowly towards him, he’s still causally leaned up against the door frame and his smile grows.

Wait.. oh my gosh, I’m a dumbass. He’s technically my boss, he could fire me for flirting. f**k. I didn’t think this out. How am I supposed to work for a man that God clearly perfected with his own hands.

“Yeah, here.” He goes into the hall and rolls a dolly in with 3 boxes stacked upon each other. My eyebrows scrunch in confusion.

“Says they’re from Office Depot.” He says peering down at the label on the box

“No way!” I say excitedly, I grab the box cutter and go to the box to start opening up the package.

“What is it?” He’s still smiling. Always smiling.

“The office supplies I ordered Tuesday. They weren’t supposed to be here until Monday.” I dig through the box pulling out a label maker, files, stamps, pens, and random office supplies.

“I have never seen someone so excited over office supplies.” He laughs

“I’m a nerd, okay.” I playfully hit his arm

He throws his hands up in defense

“It’s okay, it’s cute.”

I’d like to say he’s a flirtatious player, but his mom makes him sound so much more sincere than that. I doubt his mom really knows what he does with women.

I began to move the box to get to the next one.

“Woah, here let me get that.” Brady moves in and quickly puts the boxes on the floor.

I go and cut through the tape on the next box when the box cutter slips and go straight across the back of my right hand. It takes me a minute to realize what I did and then the pain kicks in.

“Fuck.” Oops but it really f*****g hurts

He looks over and his eyes widened at the sight of my hand. Crimson blood dripping down the sides.

“s**t” he murmurs to himself and runs out of the room. Maybe he can’t see blood. I know I can’t, I can already see the black dots in my eyesight and the panic freezing my lungs as I try to control my breathing.

I’m a f*****g mess and this is embarrassing.

Brady comes back in quickly with paper towel and gently grabs my hand, putting pressure on the wound and I wince.

“I know, I’m sorry.” He squats down between my legs.

He takes the box cutter from my other hand and sits it down on the floor.

“No more box cutters for you.” He jokes, normally I’d punch someone for joking at this moment, but he looks me in the eyes, inches away from my face. I laugh and so does he.

“You okay? You’re looking pale.” His face full of concern.

“Um, yeah, just don’t like blood is all.”

His mouth makes an O shape.

He slowly releases pressure looking at the cut, but not letting me see it.

“How bad is it?” I look past him to keep my eyes off him and the blood.

“Not bad at all.” Liar. He’s a bad liar.

“Come on, let’s go to the bathroom. We have a first aid kit in there.”

I stand with him, and instantly feel lightheaded and wobble.

“I-I’m going to sit back down.” I stutter starting to panic. I don’t like this feeling.

“No, no. You need to come with me.”

While his one hand holds mine adding pressure to the cut, his other arm wraps around me, holding me upright.

The black spots becoming more prominent as we walk to the bathroom.

I peak down at my hand to see the blood has seeped through the paper towel and his hand is covered in MY blood.

I feel the numbness in my face and my lips turn cold.

“Hey, don’t look. You’re fine” He talking to me like a child, great…

He wraps him arm tighter around me and I bury my face in his side.

We get to the bathroom and he sets the lid of the toilet down and ushers me to sit.

He pulls out the first aid and begins to run my hand under water.

I wince at the sting of the cold water on the cut.

“Good news, I don’t think you need stitches.” He’s trying to lighten the mood, but keeps his focus on my hand.

“Thanks doctor.” I throw back

“I’m certified in first aid if you must know. So yes basically I’m a doctor.”

I actually laugh at his wittiness.

He continues cleaning the cut, and wrapping my hand in gauze. He may be big, but his touch is gentle.

Finally after getting back to my new office, he sits me in the chair and disappears before I can thank him. Then quickly returns with a granola bar and a coke.

“Have some sugar. Your face is still too pale.”

I do as he says, he even opens the can of coke and granola bar package for me.

“I’m sorry. That was super embarrassing. Normally I’m not that clumsy.” I frown at him rehashing the last 30 minutes in my head.

“It was accident. I’m just glad you didn’t hit a vain on the back of your hand or anything.” He sits in the chair across from me.

“You should go home. The supplies will be here Monday waiting for you.”

“Oh no, I’m fine. I can continue organizing.” I wave him off.

He clears his throat and I look at him.

“As your boss, I’m telling you to go home and not come back until Monday.” He says in a deep, stern voice that maybe I should find threatening, but really my panties are soaked.

“Yes boss.. thank you for helping me.”

I swear a dark look flashes across his eyes as he looks at me trying not to smirk.

I stand up and begin gathering my items and putting them in my backpack.

“Have a good weekend.” I say as I pass him still in the chair.

“You as well. Rest your hand all weekend, I don’t want you reopening the cut once it heals over. Keep it clean and reapply antibiotic cream on it.”

He states firmly.

With a heavy sigh “yes, boss.”