This story is a little different from some others I wrote but it was inspired by a couple feedback notes back and forth with someone. The woman who wrote the feedback had some good ideas and one became a story idea. So thank you to JL for the ideas. Capturing some of the types of characters has been new for me so I hope all the readers enjoy this.
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Janet didn't hate her job and didn't love her job. It was a job. She was paid well and generally didn't have to put up with a lot of annoying things at work. People left her alone, her boss was okay, and it gave her something to do. She didn't have a big social life. When she was out of college, she was more socially active but it changed as she got older. She was in her forties now and hadn't been dating recently. But she didn't talk about it at work. She wasn't close to anyone in a way that they talked about their personal life.
Today, she had been helping her boss with a presentation. She liked Tom. He treated her with respect. He knew she was a big help and actually she made him look good. He was grateful too. And he never hit on her or anything improper. Sure he stared at her sometimes but most guys did that at least sometimes. It wasn't because she was so amazingly good looking or wore revealing clothes. Janet was good looking but not amazing. She dressed well but professionally not sexily.
But Janet knew that almost all guys would look once in a while if she bent down and showed a little cleavage because of it. It was harmless and her boss was harmless. In fact, he was married to a nice woman she knew and they had a daughter who sometimes came by the office. Tom's wife and daughter came by that day around the time they finished up.
Janet was sitting in front of Tom's desk almost ready to leave when Mrs. Brown and Meredith came in. Tom looked up and smiled.
"OH, here's Bonnie and Meredith. I think it must be time to be finished. All right, thanks for all your help Janet. I don't know what I'd do without you. I'm ready for tomorrow. You have a great night."
Bonnie was very polite and only mixed into her husband's business life a little bit. She was in her fifties but with the money to look a lot younger than most women her age. She and her 22 year old daughter didn't look like sisters but they didn't look far enough apart in age to be mother and daughter. "Tom, don't stop because of us! Hello Janet. It's nice to see you again." With that, she leaned in and kissed Janet on the cheek politely.
Janet had been about to leave but she was always impressed with Bonnie's grace and ability to remember names and make people feel at ease. She smiled herself and quickly added "oh don't worry, Mrs. Brown. We were done anyway. I don't want to stand between my boss and his dinner!"
Bonnie patted Janet's shoulder and said, "aren't you nice? Now, why on earth doesn't Tom bring someone nice like you home for dinner instead of all those boring young men he's always dragging over?"
The daughter, Meredith, said, with a hint of resentment, "because he's always trying to fix me up with some boring accountant he can control."
Tom was quick to step in. "Ha, ha, very funny Meredith. She's joking. Of course we'll have to have Janet over quite soon. Bonnie will make us a meal you won't forget. She's an amazing cook, my wife is."
Meredith was rolling her eyes but Bonnie didn't let it go. "Perfect idea, Tom. Now, Janet, you can't say no to your boss, can you? I'm sure you're very busy but what about next Friday?"
She smiled so sweetly but of course Janet knew she had to say yes to her boss's wife. "Friday would be perfect, Mrs. Brown, thank you."
Bonnie reached out and squeezed Janet's hand. "Wonderful. It's a date! We'll see you then." And the Browns left Janet and went on their way.
By the time next Friday came Janet was okay with the idea of the dinner. She liked Tom as a boss and Bonnie was always friendly. She remembered what Meredith had said about her dad always trying to fix her up and hoped there wasn't a son secretly waiting. But she was pretty sure the Browns only had Meredith and that she herself was too old for a son anyway.
She hadn't seen Tom much and had stopped at her apartment to change into a dress instead of work clothes before dinner. She also brought a bottle of wine.
Bonnie greeted her at the door in a blue dress with pearls looking like the part of the wealthy boss's wife. She gave Janet a big hug and squeeze and took the wine from her. "You really didn't have to bring anything at all. We're just happy to have you."
They went into one of the largest kitchens Janet had ever seen and Bonnie quickly attacked a bunch of pans on a huge stove. Tom came in from another door. He looked like he had just taken his tie off from work and put on a sweater but he was more relaxed and less formal. He also hugged Janet, something he never did at the office.
"Janet can I get you a glass of wine? Bonnie's already opened a Chardonnay."
"Thank you, Tom. That would be nice but please let me know what I can do to help with dinner."
Bonnie looked over with a fake angry look and waved a cooking spoon at her. "Nothing at all. You're our guest. Now just sit there and look pretty."
Janet smiled and thought about how much she liked Bonnie. She was at least ten years older but if her husband wasn't Janet's boss they could easily have been friends. Tom was extra friendly as he gave Janet wine and told her how nice she looked. Janet found herself wondering about Tom.
She thought, "He wasn't exactly flirting with his wife right there but there was a little flirt in his voice. It almost makes me wonder about him."
