Meredith and Taylor walked down the street and went to the cafe on the corner so Meredith would have to walk too far in her platform pumps. She got stares the whole way there and while she was in line a couple people took her photograph. She wasn't too phased; she was busy trying to not think about her elevator ride and what her upcoming interview meant. After a while though it got to her. Her irritation level was already heightened thanks to a certain David. She couldn't take the stares and photos on top of the David elevator ride.
"What's going on with them?" She asked finally fed up. "Why is everyone staring?"
"Because you're hot, of course. I do good work, I can't lie I even impress myself." Taylor responded smugly then promptly ordered her lunch. She didn't seem to mind the attention Meredith was getting. It appeared as though she found it amusing more than anything.
"Umm sure." Meredith mumbled. She didn't find it amusing at all and she never really thought she was ugly but hot was not a word she would ever use to describe herself. She wouldn't even really call herself pretty. She thought she was decent enough but definitely not photo worthy. And not photo worthy of some random strangers. She found that to be weird and illogical.
Sure she had been asked on several dates recently but that wasn't because she was "hot." At least she didn't view it that way. Jordan was at the mixer and so as odds had it they were paired up. It wasn't as though he had picked to sit next to her, right? He just happened to get the end seat before her. And he was spanking her ass that night because they had both had far too many drinks. No other reason. She didn't think looks really played too much of a role into that night. It was merely a beer goggles moment gone very very badly. Although she had to admit it was a bit humorous that Dino was so aggressive towards Jordan.
Then their were the security guards that had asked her out. Both security guards seemed very fond of her. She just figured that they were nice but lonely guys. It seemed like convenience more than anything. She happened to see them regularly and so that was an easy catch she thought. They didn't have to go out and try to win a girl. They had her and could talk to her whenever they saw her. It made logical sense to her. And then there was Barry, well, he's Barry. He had always had a crush on pretty much anything that was female and within yelling distance.
Meredith really didn't think she was all that special or "hot" because why else would Chad have treated her so terribly and had cheated on her when they had been together so long. She figured they were young and so he got together with her because it was convenient but once he grew out of her he was quick to discard her like the trash she was. Okay, that's harsh, maybe she didn't view herself as complete garbage but she definitely didn't think she was hot and knew Taylor was joking. Taylor did like to boast. She was probably just pointing out the good makeup and hair job she had done. Meredith had to admit the make-up and hair made her somewhat pretty. But definitely not photo by a stranger hot. And her outfit was nicer than usual. Maybe it was the outfit that did it. She had complained that it seemed a little over the top.
Meredith nodded to herself in agreement with her own thoughts and then ordered a large bowl of soup as Taylor waited. The cafe was relatively empty since it was Friday and a lot of people go home early on Fridays. Free to pick pretty much anywhere to sit Meredith and Taylor found a booth easily. They both slid into the booth and set down their lunch orders preparing to chow down. Meredith was so hungry she nearly burnt her tongue slurping her soup immediately.
"Ouch!" She said around her spoon. Taylor just shook her head and took a few bites of her chicken cobb salad then stared at Meredith. Taylor hated when Meredith slurped. She had mentioned it over nine thousand times but Meredith still enjoyed to slurp her soups.
"What?" Meredith asked finally as Taylor continued to stare at her. She paused her puffing to cool her soup down and looked up.
"Two things. First, how was your presentation?" Taylor began and took a bite of her salad while she waited for the answer. Meredith was certain it was a trick to get her to stop slurping. But it wasn't going to work, she was determined to enjoy her soup to the fullest. She would give the bare minimum answer and go back to slurping.
"Good." She said then puffed a couple of times and slurped.
"Good?" Taylor responded rolling her eyes. "I am not trying to distract you from your soup. We spent a lot of time and energy into preparing you for that presentation. I deserve to know the outcome. Come on." Meredith sighed. She knew Taylor was right.
"Ok. Sorry. It went really well actually. I was crazy nervous but I pushed it aside and focused on the task at hand. Mr. Maxwell just sat there the whole time then quickly left before everyone else but I guess he is pretty busy. Being one of the top guys has got to be busy as hell. Henry, his assistant, was really impressed though. He stayed behind after the meeting and told me I was basically his favorite presentation."
"That's a good sign. Too bad Edward didn't propose to you on the spot but still it's looking positive. That's a shame you didn't get to snag a David after all that work we did." Taylor sighed and shoved a forkful of salad into her mouth.
"Right." Meredith said slightly ignoring the comment about snagging a David. She knew Taylor was in the fan club and everything but it was a very far-fetched idea to think that she would get her billionaire boss to propose to her after an ad presentation. "Well hopefully my department gets chosen as one of the two designs Edward Maxwell takes to the client. I really think we will. The odds seem ever in our favor."
"Oh." Taylor took another swallow of salad. "You definitely will. You're crazy talented."
"I don't know about that. But I do have fun creating stuff at work. This project, while it has been very exhausting, has been a lot of fun. It brought a certain passion back into my job. We had so much free reign on it. I love when we get to just go crazy on something like that and really stretch the boundaries. I really do enjoy working there."
"All the while I'm just in accounting crunching numbers."
"I need those numbers crunched to have the company cover some of my supplies when I work from home. Although I try to rarely work from home if at all possible."
"Yeah, yeah just don't forget the receipts and no a bank statement doesn't count." Taylor laughed and then shoveled some more salad in her mouth. She was crunching while Meredith was slurping, then Meredith remembered something and took a pause between her slurps.
"So what was the second thing you wanted to ask?" Meredith slurped her soup and smiled to herself glad her presentation went well and was finally over. She would be looking forward to some rest after the last two weeks of intense work.
"Oh! Who were you flirting with in the elevator before lunch? I was on the wrong side. I could see who it was from my angle. I saw just the edge of his suit before the doors closed. Was it some hot new intern?"
"Something like that. It was a misunderstanding. I'm pretty sure he was just a bit, I don't know what he was really. I bumped into a friend of his the other day trying to get to work on time. So he was confronting me about it."
"What? He was upset about it? It was obviously an accident. People normally don't go rushing into people for no reason."
"Well, I don't know. It's no big deal really. The guy I bumped into was really cool about it so it's not a big deal. Anyway he asked about it. I answered his random questions. That's all."
"Are you sure. There's something you're not telling me. I have a friend in HR if you want me to call over there when we get back just to be safe. You shouldn't have to be harassed on the elevator just for accidentally bumping into someone. That's a bit absurd."
"No, no. It's settled. No big deal."
"Okay. But if you change your mind." Taylor gave Meredith a look that said, don't you dare hesitate to tell me.
"Sure. You got it. I'll let you know." Speaking of said David, Meredith looked at her watch and it was already 1:00 p.m. They still needed to walk back, find her badge, and she still had her portfolio with her that she forgot to drop off on her floor because of being so distracted by a David in the elevator, not to mention she had to tell her boss that a David wanted to meet with her for some unknown reason, and she needed to make it to the thirty-seventh floor in the next fifteen minutes. "Fuck. I gotta get back I have a meeting in fifteen minutes."
"But you're always late they wont mind."
"I'm not always late, I'm usually late. But I can't be late to this. I might really get in trouble this time." Then just in case Taylor tried to ask questions Meredith added, "You know the project and all. Need to wrap up we get the results soon."
"Oh! Let's go! You should have said something sooner!"
The two girls scrambled to get back on time. Meredith started searching her bag for her badge a block before they got to the door and had it out and ready before they even got to the guard station. She swiped in said a quick "Hi" to Ben and rushed to the elevator before the doors closed going up.
Meredith dropped off her portfolio and rapped on Mr. Hubert's doorframe. She still had six minutes. He was on the phone.
"Yes mom, the pink one never did well. No, I think you should do mauve next time. I always say mauve is mauvelous!" He waved Meredith in and went on. "No purple is too gaudy. Yes, I know mom. Okay I have to go one of my employees needs me… Love you too… Mmmbye! Have a seat Meredith."
"I have a meeting on the thirty-seventh floor in four minutes sir."
"Thirty seven?"
"Yes sir."
"Oh my god. Go! Go! You should have said so."
"Thank you sir." Meredith rushed to the elevator and pushed the button. It seemed to take forever and when she got in she had to stop at five floors on her way for people to get on and off. She just didn't understand what was with the elevators today. Finally three minutes late she arrived on the thirty-seventh floor. There was a large desk right off the elevator with a secretary, a very pretty secretary. She looked up at Meredith and nearly scoffed.
"What floor are you looking for dear? This is floor thirty-seven."
"Yes. I have a meeting with Mr. Maxwell. My name is Meredith Glenn."
"Oh he only does meetings by appointments dear."
"I have an appointment at 1:15."
"You're late. Let me see if he will still see you. Have a seat." The secretary motioned to a black modern leather sofa on the left with a couple of matching arm chairs. Meredith sat in the furthest arm chair and waited on the edge of the seat patiently.
"He says to send you in." The secretary said after hanging up the phone. "It's down this hall on the right last door you can't miss it."
Meredith headed down the hall and at the end of the hall straight in front of her was a door. She knocked and heard his voice telling her to come in. She opened the door and entered wondering what in the world was going to happen next. She hoped she could leave with her job intact.