TRINITY
I texted Lizzy that I couldn't make it to the welcome party because I had to visit Oli for our 1st anniversary.
I knew it sounded lame because I went in the morning, and the party was not until almost midnight. But to be honest, I'm not ready to face him. I still feel guilty until now.
I look at the mirror one last time. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. As soon as Bash figures out, I'll be working with him for eight hours weekly, and I'm bracing myself for whatever Bash throws at me. In fact, I've been practicing my speech since yesterday after arranging his schedule.
I leave the ladies' room while wiping my sweaty palms on my skirt. I'm breathing deeply, like every ten seconds.
What's wrong with me?
Pretend he is your new boss and an arrogant prick who hates women, K.
A text from Lizzy.
LIZZY: He's in the elevator now.
Crap!
After a few minutes, I'm done arranging the file, and that's when the door swings open. When I think I am ready to face him again, it's total bullshit. I'm never going to be prepared. Ever.
Relax. Just play cool.
No, I can't!
Oh, boy! He isn't the young Bash, my best friend once for years. He's changed a lot.
I should have followed what Lizzy told me- to check out his social media or likely to stalk him so that I won't be swooning in front of him- in front of my effing boss.
Bash Hughes is hotter than the molten lava and like an effing sun.
Our gazes meet. There's a surprising look in his gray eyes.
Doesn't he suppose to know that I'm his personal maid now?
He calls my name Trinity. He's the only one who calls me by that name, and if I'm being honest, I really miss it. I miss his voice. I miss that coming from his mouth.
I have to blink many times to push the thought out of my head.
I greet him. Calling him by that name feels like I swallow a fish. And I hate fish. It's nasty.
His beautiful brows furrow.
I continue, "I hope the interior fits your liking, but we can still request and change-"
He raises his hands to stop me from babbling like an idiot, showing me his long fingers.
My heart pounds in my chest. I feel my face heat when our gazes meet again. I have to break it because Bash hypnotizes me with those gray eyes I once looked closely at.
My lips dry instantly.
"You didn't come to the party my family threw out for me two days ago," he says in a low voice.
Was he expecting me to be there? Wow. I did not get that memo.
I grab some files on top of his desk that I placed perfectly. I hold the iPad where I saved all his appointment and my notes.
I'm not supposed to do that, but I can't just fidget in front of him or gawk at him for the rest of the day. I hug them to my chest to somehow calm my racing heartbeat.
"I sent Lizzy a message that I couldn't make it," I reply nonchalantly, then I continue to avoid stuttering, "So, as you know, I'm your new assistant. Temporarily. And my office is just adjacent to yours." I point at the door to his left. I look at him like he's my manwhoring boss who cheats on his girlfriends and doesn't give a damn.
I tap on his schedule on my iPad-it's company property.
"You have a meeting in less than ten minutes." I look at his schedule and read it to him like a normal assistant-boss conversation.
"Trinity, just leave the meeting for a while, can you?"
I swallow hard when he moves closer to me. I feel everything around me disappear, and the tension between us radiates to the next level.
"Okay, you're the boss," I agree. "I placed all the paperwork left by Mr. Peter Williams."
"I'm not interested in that either," he snaps.
I almost collapse.
Oh, Lord, please?
Please give me some magic to turn into an ant, or at least a portal will appear before me and transport me to the other realm.
"What happened to you, Trinity?" he asks, looking at me intensely.
I can't help but be amazed at how handsome he is now. Bash 2.0 doesn't do any justice.
"What happened to me?" I ask back, pointing at myself. "Nothing bad happened to me, Mr. Hughes. If you don't want me as your assistant, by all means, please, ask HR for my replacement," I spit out my anger.
Thank God! I don't stutter like I always did when I got nervous.
"That's not what I meant," he says.
I act like I'm not affected. It hurts, though, and I want to die right now.
"Stop calling me Mr. Hughes. You're my best friend."
"Were. Ex-best friend, Mr. Hughes. You are my boss, so it's only proper to address you as-" I answer quickly, but he interjects.
"I am your boss, so do as I say." He sounds intimidating. And... hot.
Crap!
And he's angry. I just poked the bear-the big handsome, cuddly bear.
"Sure," I answer, defeated. I look down at the empty chair in front of me. I place down the file that I took as my shield.
"I came to see you before my flight to the U.K, but you were not there. You went to your grandparents in Boston." He starts talking, and I can't help but listen to his deep baritone voice-his sexy voice. I miss it.
"I wanted to apologize that day and take back our friendship, Trinity, but you didn't even answer my calls nor reply to my messages," he continues.
"It doesn't matter." I continue my facade. "That was four years ago."
He snorts. "That's it? I mean, you just wasted our friendship for years with just one mistake I made, and you made mistakes too, Trinity."
I face him. The last time I checked, he was the one who yelled at me and pushed me out of his life. "I don't want to be your friend, Bash. Can't you understand that? Your friends, classmates, and girlfriends thought I was just your slave. I'm a dog under your leash. Your personal maid!" Boss or not, I don't care.
I can lose the job I love, but he keeps pushing me like it was my mistake alone.
"Did I listen to them even once? How many times did I fight for you against them? How many times did I choose you over my girlfriends? How many times did I defend you against those freaking losers, Trinity? How many times?" His voice makes me want to sink into the floor. He is right. He was the best friend that a girl could ever ask for.
"I don't care. I have friends now. I'm sure you made friends with Brits." And you have a Brit girlfriend.
"You're such an immature!" he snaps.
"You're an asshole!" Oops! I shouldn't have said that.
"Watch your tone and your language when you're in my office, Trinity. I'm still your boss." Crap! He sounds angrier. And his voice alone almost makes me jump.
He did change a lot. He's more intimidating, more mature, and hotter.
I don't mean that last word.
"My apology, Mr. Hughes," I say silently by force.
"Don't I get a welcome back hug?" he asks with a soft voice this time.
My head almost snaps as I look up at him.
Bipolar!
This man is unbelievable.
"That's inappropriate. Meeting in less than four minutes, Mr. Seb Hughes will introduce you as the new CFO." I don't realize he moves closer and forcefully grabs the iPad from my hand.
"Dinner with Luke; to discuss the engagement?" He taps it and reads slowly. He almost drops it to the floor before he throws it to the empty chair that serves our gap. I watch his jaw clench and breathe deeply before he walks away without a single word.
The last thing I hear is the slamming of the door behind him.
Great. The best first day with my boss. Yay.