Xander
Chantel Pieters, an interesting woman, but not more interesting than Nikki, she knows how to hold a conversation, knows a lot about business, sports and just everything else, not once did she show fear when I tried to intimidate her, she stood her ground and pushed back, I like her. To also add to her intellectual knowledge, she is beautiful, curly short hair, honey-brown eyes, freckles on her cute nose, gorgeous body from what I could tell and caramel coloured skin. No wonder my father is against them, they draw you in like bees to honey and before you know it, you're hooked.
Stay focused, Xander.
"So, how long will you be here?"
"Well, I'm planning on going back, in a few days," I reply, "Why?"
"We need to discuss a few things about project finances, get your account details and just confirmation on transfers and all that," she replies.
"Sure, of course," I nod.
"Great," she stands up from her seat and I do the same, "When you have the time either today or tomorrow you can pop by my office, and we can discuss everything."
"Definitely Miss Pieters," I say with a smile.
"It was wonderful meeting you Mr Forsythe," she smiles seductively, "I look forward to getting to know you."
And she walks away before I can even respond, I feel a tightening in my pants, and I sit back down.
Crap, not this again.
I feel the tension coming from the other side of the room and Nikki and Aiden seem to be in some silent heated argument, Nikki looks terrified more than anything, I need to help her, I stand up, pulling my suit jacket down and I approach.
"Do we have a problem here?"
They both look at me and Nikki looks like she's on the verge of tears, something is going on between them, I knew it!
Nikki clears her throat, "Nothing, everything is okay."
"Are you sure? You don't look, okay?" I ask worriedly.
Like a bee to honey, I'm trapped, if the only father could see me now, he'd end me.
"She said, she's okay, now back off," Aiden says, moving closer to me.
I stand my ground and stare at him, I clench my jaw, I really don't like this guy.
"I wasn't talking to you van Rensburg, I was talking to lady," I reply through gritted teeth.
"Bullshit, this sexist piece of shit, caring about women," he chuckles, "Absolute bullshit."
"Aiden," Nikki says in disbelief.
"He's not wrong about that," I say and walk out of the room, I pull out my phone to text Charles, he replies and says he's down the hall in Jo-Anne's office with Damien. I make my way there and open the door and it's just the two of them, crap.
"You look frazzled, what's wrong?"
"Nikki is fucking Aiden,"
Charles gasps lightly and Damien winces, "Shit."
I groan, "That's the last time I give a shit about a woman, see I fucking tried Charles."
"Xander, come on, you can still be friends with her," Damien suggests, "It's something at least."
"What am I going to do? We have dinner tonight," I sit down on one of the chairs and run my hand through my hair, dammit, I'm so stupid, to think I even had a chance with her.
"Don't cancel it, just invite Chantel and Aiden," Charles suggests, "You can be so dramatic and stupid sometimes."
"How did you know about Chantel?"
"I was spying on you," he grins sheepishly.
"Damien?"
"He said he was going to the bathroom," he replies, turning to look at his boyfriend.
Charles holds up his hands, "Look, I can't help but meddle in my best friends' life, especially when he is the way he is, a lost cause."
"You need help," Damien sighs and looks back at me, "But I say Charles is right, so that it's not awkward, turn it into a business dinner and show how much of a good man you are through Chantel, make her jealous."
"Yep, you'll have to play dirty to get what you want, it will be difficult but if you want Nikki, you'll have to go through Chantel," Charles adds.
"I can't believe, I'm letting you talk me into this," I groan, "Now I have to ask Chantel to join us and then ask Nikki to ask Aiden."
"Good luck, you're going to need it," Charles laughs, as he helps me up and pushes me out of the room.
Seriously, he's just going to ditch me like that, what a pal. I take in a deep breath and walk look for Chantel's office, she said it was close to Nikki's, I look at the doors and walk down the hall, until I find her office door, with her name on it and I knock.
"Come in," I open the door and walk in, closing it behind me.
"Hi," I greet nervously.
"Hey, please sit, Mr Forsythe," she says.
I walk over to her desk, and I sit down on the chair, I'm sweating bullets in my shirt right now.
"What can I help you with sir?"
I clear my throat, "I was wondering if you'd like to join, Miss Abrahams, Mr van Rensburg and I for dinner tonight?"
"Oh, I would love to," she says excitedly.
"Oh, that's great," I stutter.
"What time are we meeting?"
"Uhm, seven for seven-thirty, I'll send you the rest of the details," I say, "Should we meet there, or would you like for me to pick you up?"
"We can meet there it's fine," she nods.
"Great, I'll have Charles talk to you," I say as I stand up.
"Or you can take my number and talk to me yourself?" she suggests playfully.
I chuckle nervously, "Right, that could work too."
She gets a sticky note and a pen and writes down her details and she hand it to me; I look down at it and her number and email are on it.
"Thank you,"
"No problem," she winks, and I turn to walk out of the office, but I stumble into the chair, and I apologise, I hear her giggle before walking out of the room, red as an apple.
I'm in the hallway and I can't help but feel relieved, and then it hits me, I got a girl's number, for the first time in my life, I got a girl's number on my own.
Xander James Forsythe! Have you lost your mind? That is what my father would say, you're getting weak. I would in turn respond by saying, I'm simply getting to know my business associates and he can't argue with that.
I walk back to the office, feeling proud of myself, I open the door and find Nikki and Aiden in a heated make-out session, Nikki's shirt is unbuttoned and her plump breasts are staring at me and then I look over at Aiden and he has a smug look on his face and that's when the disgust kicks in, just when I thought my feelings for her couldn't be unless, it's back to where I started with her, hate.
She pushes Aiden off and covers herself, "Mr Forsythe, I –
"There is no need to explain yourself," I say as I pick up my briefcase and walk to the door, I turn back and look at them both.
"I'm cancelling our dinner," I say, and I walk out and bang the door shut.
Nikki
I jump when the door slams shut. Dammit, I just fucked up, he'll probably pull out of the project and bail. Dammit, Aiden!
"The look on his face," Aiden laughs, I push him away and walk away to button my shirt.
"Bet he ain't never seen a naked woman," he laughs.
"You have got to be kidding me right now, Aiden? Our biggest investor just caught half-naked in my office and you're laughing, we could lose this contract," I yell.
"Hey, hey, calm down. I'm sorry, everything will be alright, okay?" he says in his calming voice, he walks to me and pulls me close to him.
"No, it won't," I reply, pushing him away.
"Look, I'll talk to him, man to man," he suggests.
"No, I'm the boss here, I'll talk to him," I say, as I walk to my desk.
"Alright, I have to go, I have a meeting soon," Aiden says.
"Sure, bye,"
He leaves my office and I plop down onto my chair; I call Chantel and tell her to come to my office, she's always been good with damage control, hopefully, she fixes this one at such short notice. She is the only woman I trust in this entire building and my life, she's been with me for years, from my diapers to diamonds, she's never let me down.
"Knock, knock," she says as she enters my office.
"Come in, come in,"
"I saw Mr Forsythe leave, he looked pissed, what happened?" she asks as she sits down.
"He caught me and Aiden making out,"
"Nikki, why! I thought I warned you about this," Chantel scold, "No affection in the building until he is gone, he could ruin you."
"I'm sorry, and I know. That's why I called you here," I say, "I need your help and it's a code red."
She sighs, "You just had to say code red, I'll help you if you promise that you and Aiden will keep the PDA outside of this building."
"I promise,"
"Good, so he had asked me to join you guys for dinner tonight, I will innocently, ask if we are still meeting and if he says no, I'll put on the charm and get him to go out with me instead,"
See, problem solved.
"That sounds smart, you're the best," I squeal.
"I know, I know," she smirks.
"Now go and do your thing, please and let me know what he says okay,"
She gets up from the chair and laughs, "Yes I will."
She leaves my office and all I can do now is pray.