Elliott was waiting for me when I left the building.
He wore a dark suit, a white shirt and looked at the moving traffic.
"Hi," I said and stopped next to him.
He looked down at me and smiled. "I am starving," he said.
"Then follow me," I said and started walking. "It's good food, I promise."
He laughed. "I'm looking forward to it."
I led him, small-talking, down the sidewalk until we reached the restaurant. It was pretty big inside, but it wasn't expensive or weird food.
"Here?" Elliott asked.
"Yes," I said. "Why so surprised?" I went inside and asked for a table for two.
"Because I've passed by here before. It just looks so... so small and dingy." He said and sat down opposite me.
"Believe me, it's neither small nor dingy." I promised and grabbed the menu.
Elliott grabbed his own menu. "What to choose?"
"You have to taste their noodles, and their spring rolls." I said. "I have a weakness for the vegetarian, but the one with chicken and curry is good too."
His gaze went over the menu and he looked at me. "You order double on your order." He said.
I laughed. "Okay," I said and waved a waiter over. I ordered food, two waters, he took the menus and left.
"You seem remarkably happier today," Elliott noticed.
"I got an apology last night," I said. "And I'm giving him a second chance."
"Are you into Alexander Greene?" he asked.
"No," I answered honestly.
"Does he know?"
"I'm pretty sure. Why?" I asked.
"Because I, by chance, saw pictures of you from Saturday. He looked pretty smitten. By you."
"And how do you know that?" I asked. He hadn't looked at me, Alexander that is.
Elliott smiled and fiddled with his napkin. "I look at Candace that way."
"How adorable!" I said.
He shook his head slightly. "No," he said. "Not when Candace catches me doing it."
I laughed. "You can't win 'em all."
"I've got the girl, you believe that's enough?"
I nodded. "Are you engaged or just a couple?"
He smiled. "I proposed this summer," he said.
"Aw! How?" I asked. "Details!"
Our drinks arrived, and Elliott sighed before telling me all about the proposal.
They had been hiking in Canada, and he'd gone down on one knee before her. It was just the two of them but he had a picture and how adorable! Candace was small and petite, with blue eyes and brown hair. She was pretty and delicate. Could you use delicate about a person? Not that she looked edible, and not like she couldn't stand on her own two feet, but she just looked cute and innocent. In a good way.
We had our noodles, and spring rolls, and Elliott loved it as much as I did.
He waved goodbye, after we'd paid, and went back to his office.
I went back to my building and walked inside, waved at the security guard and scanned my card before taking the elevator to my office.
Trisha was busy so she didn't notice I was a minute late.
I took off the heels, logged into my computer and finished the analysis. It was okay, the target segment was the same I'd considered before conducting the analysis. But better safe than sorry, right? I needed a word with Trisha about the execution of the advertisement, but until she finished her call that wouldn't happen.
I had a graphical task with an advertisement which was develop but needed to be put together. I hadn't understood the wordplay at first, but after I'd read it through a million times and created the graphics then I got it.
I put my feet in the heels, secured the strap and went to see Trisha.
She looked up from her screen when I entered. "You wanted to see me?" I asked.
She gestured at the chair on the other side of the desk.
"A certain Alexander Greene has called me," she said. "Again," she sounded mildly irritated.
I had no idea why he did that. We emailed, those few times, so he had my mail.
"And he wanted to talk to you and he wants for you to get the time off, against me taking on one of his biggest assignments." She said.
"Is he blackmailing me?" I asked.
"No," she said. "Or, I don't think so. He wants to see you in his office Friday for lunch, something he claims you accepted, but he wanted to ensure I wouldn't be mad if you got back a little late."
"So if I get back before time or on time?"
"Then we'll still get the job," Trisha said. "It's an advertisement for some sort of app."
"Why did he call you?" I asked. It was my responsibility I got back to work on time, right?
"Because I'm your boss," Trisha said. "And I guess he wants to ensure that I'm not forcing you back if you're in the middle of something," she said. "If it's up to me? Just do it." She said.
I nodded. "I already accepted," I said.
She smiled.
"I got stuff to do," I said and stood. I left her office and discarded my shoes again. It was her only rule towards me, because I usually didn't wear high heels. I didn't fully understand why it was so important to wear them when working. But apparently it was, and I only did it for meetings.
An erotic novel was waiting for me. Or, the feeling of an erotic novel between Alexander and I.
Of course.
I went forward with editing and had dinner with Trisha and Will. Now they'd both gotten the long and interesting story about Alexander and I, so we could talk and laugh about it together.
"Just the graphics to that advertisement today?" I said. "The opening line from the guy is what Alexander said to me. The advertisement was for condoms but, you know, the similarity?"
Trisha laughed. "You should've said yes, just to see if it's as good as in books."
I put my face in my hands. "No!" I said. "I shouldn't have, and I'm glad I didn't."
"He doesn't look the type," Wil said.
"How familiar are you with erotic literature?" I asked him.
Trisha blushed against her dark skin. "I had him read out loud," she said. "So that makes it one scene."
I laughed. "That scene included how much clothes?"
"Nothing," Trisha said.
"And no, I haven't seen him without any clothes," Will added quickly. "Nor do I want to."
"And I'm supposed to want it just because he asked that inappropriate question?" I asked.
"No," Will said. "But you've stated you aren't a lesbian, so you are probably the one, amongst the three of us, who's got the biggest chances of actually seeing him without clothes."
"And I'd be delighted to hear the details," Trisha said and looked at Will with a sweet smile. "I'll keep them to myself."
I shook my head.
Trisha laughed.
Juan had some follow up to do when he was lunch Thursday. I went to classes right after work and Candace postponed our dinner to Monday because she was busy all day Saturday â until late night â and she'd rather not be tired.
I had a weird feeling that the world only worked that way because Alexander would ask me to accompany him to something again.
Would I, if he asked?