Why me? I bent down to pick up the stack of papers that had just fallen from my grip. It was most definitely a Monday morning and I wanted to be anywhere but at work. We were getting to meet the CEO today and I was in no way ready. I picked up the fallen paperwork and walked to my cubicle setting everything down in a massive heap on my desk. I needed a minute so I walked to the bathroom. I stood at the sink staring in the mirror before me. My black hair looked like a rats nest sitting on the top of my head in a messy bun. Thanks to my Latin heritage my skin had a natural tan to it and made my brown eyes look almost chocolate in the light. I took a deep breath and ran some water in the sink bending down to splash my face. I used a paper towel to dry my face off and straightened my clothes. I had chosen to wear a red button up blouse and a black pencil skirt. The outfit hugged my curves perfectly. My 36DD breasts sat perfectly under the shirt and with the top two buttons undone gave the hint of cleavage that left plenty to the imagination. My hips were full and thick so the skirt sat like a second skin on my body. I brushed my skirt down and turned off the water. Sighing I walked back to my cubicle and began organizing my mess.
It was almost 2pm when a message popped up on my computer screen reminding me of the meet and greet with the CEO today at 2:15. I finished entering my data into the spreadsheet before me. Client acquisitions for a large shipping company wasn't glamorous but it paid the bills. I stood and took a notebook with me, surely the new CEO would have something informative to say so I may as well look ready. Otherwise I can just doodle the time away. I walked down the hall into a meeting room, there was a large table with 16 chairs circling it. I was early enough that I got a chair this time and wouldn't have to stand at the back of the room like a wallflower at a school dance. My colleagues filed in and began to fill the seat and available space left in the room. Mary, our office manager filed into the room after everyone else was in.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen, sit down and give your attention to Mr. Stephenson our new CEO" she motioned to the door and in walked a man younger than I imagined he would be. He couldn't have been more than twenty six years old. He was tall at least 6'4" with sandy blonde hair that was grown shoulder length, he was built with a muscular body that reminded me of Chris Hemsworth in Thor. His eyes were a bright blue and they held a sort of mystery in them as he scanned the room it was almost like he was plotting something.
"Please everyone call me Jack." He said with a smile. "I am here for the next few weeks to oversee how this company is working. I recently purchased Anderson Shipping and would like to see if any changes need to be made. Currently I am not planning to make any personnel changes, so just go about your work and lets see how we can make this company more efficient." Everyone clapped then at the thought of not losing their jobs. I hadn't made up my mind about our new CEO yet. The whole idea of he wasn't planning on making any personnel changes didn't mean he wouldn't. After a few questions were asked back and forth the meeting was dismissed and it was almost time to leave for the day. I walked back to my cubicle and started to clean things up.
"Hello." A voice from behind me I turned to see Mr. Jack Stephenson standing at my cubicle. "I didn't get a chance to meet you in the other room."
"Elisa. Elisa Rodriguez." I replied turning to continue to gather my things.
"You are in client acquisitions I see. Any ideas on how we can grow our business?" he sounded friendly enough more like he was trying to make small talk but wasn't sure how to in a work situation.
"Yes but I need to get going so I can't talk right now."
"Maybe over dinner sometime?" his question made me stop fiddling with the stuff on my desk and I turned to look at him.
"Excuse me? I mean did you just ask me out on a date?" I was confused and nervous.
"Yes I did. I think you are beautiful and would like to buy you dinner." he made it sound like a business transaction.
"No thank you." I stated politely.
"No thank you?" he looked amused.
"I don't think it's appropriate now if you'll excuse me I have to get going." I gathered the remainder of my things and walked past him before he could say anything else. As I walked to the parking garage I couldn't believe what just happened. My new boss asked me out. Did he really think I would say yes? Was it some sort of ploy to get me to sleep with him to secure my job? No I'm just overthinking things, I convinced myself as I climbed into my dark blue Pontiac G6. I drove home listening to the radio trying to clear my head of the last hours events.
The next day I woke up early and showered before work brushing my curly hair smooth. I ran a flat iron though it so I could leave it down so it cascaded past my shoulders almost to my mid back. The blackness of my hair gleamed when it was straight, almost like looking into a shiny pool of dark water. I put on a grey skater style skirt that flowed when I walked and a matching silk blouse that had a ruffled collar that draped low but not too low as to not be professional. I drove to work and got there ten minutes early. I walked to my cubicle and sat down turning on my computer. I saw there were a few unread emails so I clicked on the first one not paying attention to the title. 'Client Acquisition department meeting at 11am' I read the email and rolled my eyes. There was only one other person in my department and they were on vacation until the end of the week. At least Mary should be there too. Most meetings don't happen all especially interdepartmental meetings without Mary present. I looked at the clock, 9am, whew I still had a couple hours before I had to deal with our CEO again.
"Elisa?" Mary stood at my cubicle door.
"Good Morning Mary." I said with a smile. It was hard not to smile around Mary. She was an older lady sixty five to be exact and always had a Mary Poppins kind of attitude about her. She was like everyone's mother, always making sure you were ok, and with me being the youngest in the office at twenty two, she took a special interest in checking up on me.
"Did you see you have a meeting today with Mr. Stephenson?"
"Yes ma'am I did. Will I be seeing you there?" I asked hopeful.