Three days after my interview and I get this miraculous phone call from Debbie, Mr. McCain's secretary telling me that I got the job. I can't believe how happy I feel right now while I jump up and down with joy. Finally I have gotten the job I wanted and all it took was three days. Apparently I am starting Monday and today is a Saturday.
I rush downstairs to the kitchen opening the fridge to reveal a cabinet of beer cans. The reason I know they exist in there is because for three days, I haven't seen Devan. It seems like he has been avoiding me or I am just reading too much in everything.
I thought we are alright. I don't remember doing anything stupid that day. Devan has been returning late and going out early for God knows what. When Rachel called me yesterday and asked me about him, I lied. I didn't want to explain any situation I didn't know of so I went with the busy trick.
The entire house has been mine for those days which gave me time to explore most of the house. Opening the beer can, I chug down the liquid nonstop. I didn't realise how much I needed it until now.
"What is the occasion?"
"What the f..." I turn horrified to find a smirking Devan at the door. His smirk turns into a frown immediately when he notices the mess I have made with the beer on my shirt.
"I didn't mean to startle you, I am sorry." he apologizes shoving one hand into his pockets.
"It is fine. I am a scared cat most times." I murmur. He just stares and so do I. I notice the black slacks he has on, a white Oxford button up with the two upper buttons open revealing a peek of his tanned chest and a pair of dark Oxfords. He still has his briefcase in hand which means he is from his job. I just realise now I don't even know what he does. He looks really handsome though. If he were my boss, I would have a hard time focusing on the work.
"What did the I miss? Why are you trying to kill yourself with beer in my kitchen?" he cocks a brow at me.
"Kill? No, I am celebrating." I correct immediately. His frown deepens.
"It didn't look like it."
"I got the job. Remember the one I had an interview for? I got it." I smile.
"That's great." he smiles.
"Y..y.."
I splutter when I notice his gaze stuck on my chest. Fuck! I forgot this was a flimsy blouse and the beer spill on it worsened things. It is apparently stuck on my skin aligning my chest physique. I am very sure he can see my bra from where he stands. Damn Nellie.
"I need to change this blouse." I fly out of the room before I even finish the sentence. I rush to my room before I close the door immediately. What the hell just happened? Was Devan staring at my chest? Damn, he made it too obvious. His eyes didn't even budge for a second. I cover my face with my hands frustrated. What might he be thinking of me now?
Shutting the thoughts of the akward situation out of my mind, I take off the blouse replacing it with a bigger gray hoodie before I go back downstairs. I didn't finish my can.
When I return to the kitchen, I find Devan standing by the island filling two glasses of red wine.
"I thought if you are celebrating, wine would better." he turns to me with a glass of wine. I cough a little a little surprised when he turns. Another button is undone giving me a better view of his chest. Is he doing it on purpose to fluster me because it is working.
"Thanks." I turn away to take a big sip of the wine.
"I ordered for some pizza if you don't mind." he mentions.
"I am hungry actually." I admit.
"You would have ordered something or cooked. You know that this is your kitchen too right?" Devan stares. I nod.
"I don't want you starving on my watch." he murmurs. I am thankful for him letting me stay and being kind but I also don't want to spend so much. I might regret it later. Perhaps I am not the best cook one can ever find but I can cook.
"By the way, I was meaning to ask about the whole payment thing." I utter akwardly. Devans narrows his eyes at me.
"Are you serious right now? You have just gotten your job and you haven't even got your salary yet."
"I want to be prepared you know..."
"I don't care. I am not in any rush. You can pay when you get the money." he waves off the topic.
I don't understand why he is so against talking about the topic. One way or another I will have to pay him back. A knock sounds at the door suddenly.
"That must be the pizza guy. Prepare the plates." Devans puts his glass down carefully before he walks out of the room.
He returns to the sitting room with a large box of pizza.
" I hope you like pepperoni." he says.
"My favorite." I smile.
"Good because I didn't know what you liked."
He excuses himself to fetch the wine and the glasses to accompany the meal. When he returns, he takes a seat at the other end of the couch.
"You haven't been home lately." I break the silence.
"I was hoping you didn't notice." Devan smiles. I wish he knew how that smile affects my stomach.
"I did. I thought you were avoiding me." I accuse.
"You are wrong when you put it like that. I haven't been avoiding you, I have been busy with my job." he answers. That calms me. I thought I was the problem.
"What job do you do if I may ask?" I ask curiously. This is the longest conversation I have had with him since I arrived.
"I am an engineer." he replies. I am not surprised at his answer. I was thinking along the same lines too.
"I operate with engines mostly." he adds. Mechanical engineer. How fortunate.
I realise that at a certain point, Rachel had mentioned this while we were in college. His smart brother who operated engines. How could that skip my mind?
"That's cool." I reply.
"You graduated with you computer science's degree right?" he asks. Okay. Can we talk about how this guy knows so much about me and I know nothing. Perhaps Rachel is the gossip because I can't think of any other reason. First my name and now my major.
"Surprised how I know?" his smile widens.
"Enlighten me." I sip the wine.
"You know during those years in college when Rachel used to come back for holidays, she couldn't stop talking about this great friend of hers who is a computer science Major blah blah. I could never hear the end of it. Nellie this. Nellie that." he scowls. I chuckle at his tone. It couldn't have been that bad. He follows with a chuckle too.
That reminds of the time I visited the Walter's one spring break in second year. It was only Aliyah and Rachel. I remember them mentioning their elder brother was in Germany for a workshop. That explains why I never met him but I have met his family. One could easily see the resemblance of all the siblings, the blue eyes.
"That explains a lot." I say.
"You can say that."
The situation is light and great until we both reach for the same piece of the pizza from the box. The unintended touch disguises the earlier aura. I can't help the butterflies that erupt in my stomach or how his gaze makes me blush.
All over the sudden the air is thick with tension. I guess the celebration is done. I need to get to bed now before my sex crazed hormones freak the shit out of me.
"Thanks for the pizza." I shoot up from my seat taking my plate and glass with me to the kitchen. When I reach the sink, I breathe. I swear the air back there was suffocating.
I wasn't always like this. In fact the last time I dated was last year. That explains a lot now. It maybe the sex deprivation getting to my mind something which I need to control. The man I am lusting over is my best friend's brother and I respect that.
Maybe it is time to put some boundaries and rules in the house before I end up regretting some of my decisions in the future.