Two and a half weeks had elapsed since that Sunday morning when Marsha demanded that he did nothing about the business expansion, but Dominique would not allow his wife to dictate anything to him. Why did he need her approval for in the first place? The intercom rang in his office and disturbed his thought process.
"Yes Maxine," he answered.
"The landlord is here with your notarized copy of the rental agreement for the office should I send him in to you orcan I just collect it and place it on the file?"
"Maxine you are the office manager and the documentation relating to the office space at 32 Red Hill's Road is your responsibility and not mine, so thank you for the update, but you can handle it from here."
"Ok thank you, Mr Martin," and he heard the line go dead.
As he hung up the phone he wondered whether hiring Maxine was a good choice because she seems to second guess everything.
"Maxine is something wrong with the Wi-Fi in the office? I can't seem to access the online portal."
"Mr. Martin the supplier will be coming here later today to complete the installation so there is no Wi-Fi for you to use yourlaptop. Do you need me to come and show you how you can use the phone?"
"No Maxine I will drive up to the branch on Constant Spring Road, do you want me to bring back anything for you since it is so close to lunch time and there are very few places with good food within walking distance?"
"No thank you sir because I brought my lunch from home but I love surprises."
"It seemed so much easier to talk through the open doors instead of picking up the intercom. I know it probably not the right protocol for office behaviour but it seems so much more relaxed."
He got up from behind his desk and pushed back the executive style black leather chair and walked over to the fridge in the corner and took out a bottle of soda and then looked at the painting he had acquired at the art sale at Devon House and smiled.
As he passed by the adjoining office and looked in at his office manager she was fighting with the new filing cabinet that was still in the wrapping and he smiled at the sight of her posterior bending and trying to remove the plastic from the bottom drawer. Maxine Langston was a heavy set girl with a bubbly personality and very pleasing disposition.
"I will be back shortly Maxine," he said as he rapped on the door.
She jumped.
"Oh, Mr Martin you almost give me a heart attack."
Her hand was clutching her chest and her ample bosom strained the blue tweed jacket that she was wearing for the second day in a row. It was not the norm for him to notice things like that, but somehow his eyes had become glued to her cuddly shape and form. If and when Marsha found out about her she should be pleased that Maxine would not be considered a threat because a woman that fluffy was not his style.
The trip past the conference room and the kitchenette and the stairs seemed to take forever in the small office because he dreaded going out in the sun.The office needed a receptionist, but that would have to wait until the cash flow picked up. The cobble-stone paved parking lot greeted him as Dominique pushed the glass door and stepped outside. Very little wind was blowing and the stones seemed to have stored the heat of the sun and threw it at once in Dominique's face.
Dominique strutted toward the black SUV opened the door and the heat boxed him across his face and as he sat the leather seats that baked his ass until it was crispy.
"Why the hell did I want to go on the road at this time of the morning and worse by a car with leather seats," he said and pushed the start button, thankfully the auto cool would bring the temperature within the car to a manageable temperature shortly.
As he reversed and looked up at the office window facing the parking lot Maxine was standing in the window looking down at him and smiling and waving. He felt it natural to wave back and this surprised him, because he was not naturally an emotional person, but the past few days in office with her made him enjoy coming to work. It was so much different from being at home in a semi hostile environment where awar could break out at any minute. The drive to the bank was easy and the roads were virtually empty and surprisingly it was easy to find parking at the bank.
"Good Morning, Mr. Martin," he was greeted by the security guard at the door.
"Good morning," Dominique responded.
"You can go straight upstairs to client relations sir you are expected," the guard said.
Dominique was puzzled as he told no-one. Only Maxine knew that he was running to the bank.
"Hello. Good morning, Mr Martin. My name is Michelle Greenland and I am the Assistant Manager, your personal assistant called and said you needed some assistance and you wanted to transact some important business with us today."
Dominique was impressed with the customer service, and reached out to shake Michelle's hand. Her hands were soft, she had a gentle grip, and she was pleasant to look at as well, and for a short while he was at a loss for words while he held her hand.
"I need to verify the balances in my account and for some strange reason the online banking portal will not allow me access."
"Ok let me see how we can assist you, please come with me,"
Michelle pivoted and walked a little ahead of him and his eyes travelled down her head and paused as it reached the small of her back. He noticed when she adjusted the hem of her blouse to cover what his eyes had become transfixed on. Dominique felt warmth run through his body.
"Mr Martin, please pay attention and look where you are going I would not want you to be distracted and have an accident at my workplace," Michelle said.
Her words caught Dominique by surprise, and he quickly looked up, then he noticed that she was looking in their reflection in the adjoining glass partitions. He had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He felt quite abashed,
"I'm sorry," he mumbled.
"Oh never mind it happens all the time and at least you never said anything about it unlike many other men," Michelle replied.
Dominique made a concerted effort not to glance downwards although he found it difficult to resist themagnificent view under her uniform. The offices were all glass walled partitions and some had plants while others looked very sterile, but the one he approached looked receptive and warm.
"Here's my office, please have a seat Mr Martin" she said as she pointed him to a seat in front of her desk.
"I should have known, this was your office. "
"What is that supposed to mean, Mr Martin?"
"Nothing the office feels warm and inviting and not cold and inhumanelike the others that I have passed coming down the passage. This one matches your personality."
Dominique was still quick and watched her face to gage if he needs to buttress his compliment. He witnessed as the frown became a smile on her face.
"Thank you Mr Martin, I spend a lot of time hereso I try to make it feel like home."
"You can call me Dominique. Mr Martin was my father and I don't know if he is dead or alive."
Michelle paused and then she responded, "OK Dominique."
Her smile shifted to a quizzical look.
"Please swipe your card Dominique," she requested.
Dominique swiped his debit card and inserted his pin and sat back in the chair
"Which account would you like to access Mr Martin is it your primary or the secondary?"
"Secondary, please."
Michelle's eyes popped wide open; she had a look of disbelief on her face.
"What's wrong?"
"I checked your accounts when your office manager called, before you came and the balances are dramatically different from when I checked it earlier and it took me by surprise," she replied.
"OhI hope all is well," he replied.
"Yes Dom, it is just fine what can I do for you?"
"What is the balance please?" he enquired
"Forty five million in the secondary and six hundred and fifty thousand in your company account."
"You are a little too efficient Mrs Greenland I only wanted to know the balance in my secondary account."
"Oh I am sorry but it's Ms Greenland."