Waking up to the shrill whine of my alarm clock, I shut it off and enjoy the few blissful moments of grogginess before remembering what today is. Pete is asleep next to me. His chestnut hair falls across his forehead. Reluctantly, my body rises from our bed and I slip into a hot shower. I'm rinsing the soap out of my eyes when I hear the shower curtain rings sliding and suddenly Pete's hands are on my hips.
"Morning," I smile, eyes still closed.
I feel him press into my bottom. He leaves a trail of lingering kisses from my shoulder to my neck and up to my ear. I fight the urge to give in to his advances and he turns me around, covering my mouth with his. I let his tongue into my mouth and end our morning breathy kiss abruptly.
"Pete..."
"Is it my breath? Let me brush..." he says and steps out of the shower.
I finish quickly and hop out, wrapping a towel around myself.
"Hey, hey. Where are you headed in such a hurry?" he pulls at my towel.
"Pete, I don't have time for this. I'm nervous as it is and being late will only make matters worse," I snap and push past him.
I flip the light on in the closet and retrieve my smart new first-day-on-the-job outfit. Today I start my first real job in the real world. I'll be answering to a woman called Vivien Jones at the Chicago office of an international marketing firm. Pete's best friend from college works there and put in a good word for me. I slip on the black Christian Louboutons that Pete bought me for my birthday a few weeks ago and glance at myself in the mirror.
Pete's voice comes from behind me, "Evey? Evey Green? Is that you?"
I blush at him in the mirror and smile, loosening up for the first time this morning. He wraps his arms around the waist of my grey dress and pulls me against him. "I know that you don't want to be late, but just know that I will be peeling you out of this later this evening,"
"Yes, please," I giggle and turn to kiss him. He pats my butt as I walk out the door, "Go get 'em!"
I blow him a kiss as the elevator doors close. Walking out onto the busy sidewalk, I glance down the street and remember one of the best parts about this job: my new building is one block from where I live on Michigan Avenue. Making my way through the revolving glass door, I enter the pristine lobby. My shoes click melodically along the marble floor. I peek down only for a moment and I can see the red soles of my shoes in the reflection of the marble and I am giddy. I approach the gentleman at the desk. He looks like he is in his twenties. His hair is combed in a perfectly 60s businessman way and suit is crisp and pressed.
I smile a bright smile at him and show him my temporary badge. He nods at me and waves me through with a polite "Good morning, Miss Green."
An escalator takes me up to the second floor where I board a golden elevator. A tall, handsome man in a dark suit smiles at me, "What floor?"
"Sixteenth, please," I blush up at him. We ride in silence and when I step out he winks at me. Blushing again, I approach the desk where our receptionist sits. She stands when she sees me coming and smoothes her skirt before extending a perfectly manicured hand to me. "Miss Green, good morning. Please come this way," she says and walks ahead of me, holding open a very tall frosted glass door. We walk past a series of desks and offices before reaching a large office overlooking parts of Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. Behind the desk in the sterile office sits a woman who looks about ten years my senior. When she sees me, she stands up from her desk and smiles a tight smile. Her blouse hugs her tightly, revealing an athletic but very womanly figure. Her blonde hair is slicked back into a perfect bun and her eyes sparkle blue against the background of the lake.
"Miss Green, Vivien Jones," she extends her hand. "Evey, please," I shake her hand firmly and she smirks. "Evey," she gestures to one of the leather chairs in front of her desk, "Please, tell me a little bit about yourself."
"Well, I graduated from Columbia College not too long ago. I am originally from Chicago. I've lived here all my life..." my voice fades as I run out of things to say and I begin to fidget.
She raises her perfectly arched eyebrows, "And?"
My voice is quiet, "And, what?"
She reaches forward on her desk, "Tell me something interesting. Say, for instance, where you got those fabulous shoes."
I smile and look at my feet, "Oh, my boyfriend bought them for me. A birthday gift."
"What a lovely gift. Well, let me tell you a little about me. I got my degree from UIC and started the same job you're starting ten years ago. This company likes to promote from within. My last three assistants were promoted within a year and are all still with the company. We hope that you'll be with us for a while, Evey. You've had an impressive academic career."
My fidgeting stops and I touch my warm cheeks. Why is this woman making me so nervous? "Thank you, Miss Jones," I smile.
"Evey, please call me Vivien. You and I will be working very closely and I don't like to be too formal. First names. Now, I have some paper work for you to look over. Afterwards we'll get you set up with a laptop, email, and company credit card. Then perhaps you and I can get some lunch." Vivien walks over to a sleek stainless steel filing cabinet and retrieves and envelope.
I sign my name for what feels like the thousandth time and look at the clock. How is it already 11:30? I look at Vivien who is going over the papers I've signed. She really is quite attractive. I had always imagined having a male boss at a big downtown job. A knock at the door startles me. The receptionist is carrying a large box. She sets it down in front of me.
"Evey, are you familiar with Macs? Because that one is yours. Name her, learn her, she will be your best friend for the duration of your time here."
I run my fingers along the case and open it. I power it up and Vivien leans over my shoulder to instruct me on company email set up. She smells divine. Crisp, clean, and a little bit floral. He breasts brush my shoulder lightly and I flush, not hearing a word she's saying for a few moments.
We work through lunch and before we know it the clock says it is 5pm.
"Oh, dear. Where has the day gone? You must be famished. Can I buy you dinner? A first day celebratory meal," Vivien smiles a sweet smile I haven't seen yet. I shoot Pete a quick text and tuck my phone back into my purse.
Vivien takes me to a lovely restaurant and we sit at a table that faces the lake. My favorite. Three drinks and two appetizers in, Vivien is grilling me about Pete. "So why aren't you two married? Four years is a long time," she stabs at the olive in her martini with a toothpick and pops it into her mouth, sucking the end of the toothpick with her full pink lips.
I shrug and sip the martini Vivien ordered for me. "What about you? I don't see a ring on your finger," I say with more bravery than I'd had all day.
"I was married. Life is always changing, Evey. My tastes changed over the years and so I moved on," she finishes her drink, "Anyway, Pete just must be some kind of fool to leave a girl like you unmarried for the rest of us to snap up," she winks at me. My head buzzes for a moment. Realizing what she's just said, I wonder if she's making a pass at me.
No. Not possible. It's the vodka talking.
I look at my phone and it's almost 10. Pete has sent four texts to the tune of "Where are you?"
"I'm sorry, Vivien, I didn't realize that it had gotten so late. I have to get home," I say, collecting my purse from the chair next to me.
Vivien puts a hand on my arm and frowns, "Oh, no! I'm sorry I've kept you so late. Let me get you a cab home."
We stumble out of the restaurant into the cool summer evening. Vivien holds her liquor well. I fight my cloudy thoughts and heavy eyelids while she hails a cab. When we pull up outside of my building, she reaches over and puts her hand on my knee. "Thank you so much for your help today. I think we'll make a great team."
My entire lower body warms at her touch. I mumble some version of "See you tomorrow" and climb out of the cab.
When I walk in the door I am greeted by a large vase on our kitchen table. A bouquet of lilies - my favorite - hangs over the rim. Two glasses of champagne sit next to the flowers. Pete is nowhere to be found. I walk down the hallway and find him asleep on the sofa. A pang of guilt hits me and I walk over, covering him with a blanket. His eyes flutter open and he smiles at me.
"Hey," he says sleepily.
