As I approached my floor in my elevator, I was surprisingly calm. It was around four hours til midnight on New Year's Eve. I was dressed in my tuxedo. I was in the office building of the company I cofounded with my best friend growing up. We were throwing a party for our employees and their guests on multiple floors. And the woman I loved was waiting in the area near my office. It was one of those moments where I should be nervous as hell. Yet, I wasn't. The doors to the elevator opened and I saw the lights on my floor were dimmed like an actual club. I started walking forward until I felt a pair of hands on me. It was then I heard her whisper in my ear.
"Boss, she's in your office."
Aubrey, my assistant, guided me towards my door as some of the employees were dancing around me. Aubrey, otherwise known as my late wife's college roommate, was helping me towards my office. I was so thankful for her at that moment because even though I was surprisingly calm, the instincts developed over time were already heightened. To be honest, I wasn't a very sociable person normally. I was never a party person. If anything, social situations always made me more anxious. Yet her arm on mine guiding me towards my office door was the best comfort. We reached the door to my office. She turned towards me and smiled.
"I hope you know she's been waiting for you. She saw Matt come back without you and was worried. I had her go to your office just so she was alright. You gonna be okay, Leo?"
I smiled.
"Thank you, Aubrey. I'll take it from here. You enjoy yourself, okay?"
She leaned over and gave me a peck on the cheek.
"I am already. Wes is waiting for me to dance with him. "
Wes is one of my tech guys. They have been dating recently. As she started back through the small crowd, I smiled and took a deep breath before opening my door. I adjusted to the lamps in my office before seeing her sitting on my couch. She had my weighted blanket next to her. It was as if she was prepared for whatever I was going through.
My neighbor looked up at me and smiled. She started to get up before I was next to her. I guided her into my arms and pressed my lips against hers. It was a long kiss. I could feel myself start to warm up just being in her presence. I could feel her starting to melt in my arms as we sat down together. I grabbed the normal blanket that was on the other side of her and wrapped ourselves in it while we sat there. Her face was looking at mine as we sat there.
"Everything okay, Romeo?"
'I'm alright."
