Today seemed different at work, everyone in the company was moving at the same time. There were orders here and there. I forcefully found my way through the crowd and into the elevator. When I got to my office, I noticed that the door to Miles' office was slightly open. I peeped in and saw him standing in front of a large mirror. Someone was dressing him, and close to them was a moveable rack filled with suits of different colors and designs.
"Ms. Ryan!" Miles called out. It would have been difficult to guess how he knew I was peeping, but then a mirror was in front of him.
There was someone else other than the girl and Miles. He sat on the couch with his legs crossed. Without having a clear look at him, I would have guessed he was a female because he was putting on heels (female boots). He also had a beret on and he painted his lips, but his beards were there and his body was a bit muscular. I didn't realize I had been staring at him for long till he spoke.
"See something you like, too bad I don't do females." He said.
He had this polished Italian accent.
"Just kidding," he said laughing, which made me laugh too, to ease the awkwardness.
I sat down beside him because the space beside him on the couch was the only comfortable vacant space. He introduced himself as Gregory then he took my left and kissed it. My face was about to go red but I held myself back because we weren't the only ones in the room.
"So Greg, you're Italian?" I asked which caused him to laugh.
"I'm English, "he replied with the typical British accent.
"I sound like this when I want to put up a show or when I'm dressed like this," he said, switching back to the Italian tone.
My chat with Greg was cut short when the lady dressing Miles informed him that she was done.. He stood up and walked to Miles and admired what his assistant had done with a feeling of fulfillment.
"We've completed our work here," he said to the lady signaling her to pack up so they could leave.
"Nice doing business with you," Greg said, extending his hand for a shake to Miles.
Then he turned to me and said before they left "I hope to see you next time beautiful one".
I'm glad that was over.
"Everyone seems very busy this morning," I said to Miles, who was still checking out his outfit in the mirror.
"Yes, everything needs to be perfect because my dad is coming!" He said in a distressed tone.
What was wrong with his father being present? What was he hiding? I was about to ask but he spoke before me.
"Please let's go over the presentation one more time," He said in the nicest tone I had heard from him, though it sounded more like an order.
He rehearsed for the last time then we walked to the boardroom together. We arrived in time because there were just three people in the room and I didn't have to bother on how I would walk to my seat. I walked confidently to my seat with Miles behind.
It wasn't long before the other board members arrived. Miles left the room immediately he got a call, I thought of going after him but when I thought of it as invading his privacy, I sat down back. Not long enough the door to the boardroom opened and four men walked in accompanied by Miles. Everyone got up to greet the oldest amongst them which made me guess he was Mr. Bryon, Miles' father and the other men were the visitors. Miles walked back to his seat and I could tell he was tensed.
The meeting started when everyone had settled down. Shortly afterwards, Miles was called up for the presentation.
"Take a deep breath and be calm," I whispered before he left.
The closed-door meeting which lasted for a long time came to an end after what seemed like forever. The G & D Company agree to market our products using their models. They signed a couple of documents and sealed the deal.
Everyone gathered to discuss as usual like they did after every board meeting. This time I walked to my office alone because Miles had to talk with his father.
"What a day," I said as I slumped onto the seat in my office and spreading my hands across the armrest.
I was trying to rest after the meeting but my thoughts wouldn't let me, the only thing going through my mind was why Miles was so scared of his dad and if he was the same man I saw earlier who gave a warm and soothing smile to every living thing that crossed his path yet his son trembled at the mention of his name.
The beeping of my phone cut me off from my thought. It was a message from Bryan who hadn't called back since Saturday night. Great! I should be in my grave by now if my stalker wanted me dead.
"Where are you? We are waiting at the cafe; the meeting was over years ago." I read his text out loud.
He still didn't talk about my calls. Wow! I should ask him why I thought, but meeting up with him would be better because I would express myself better.
I was about texting back when the door to my office opened and Miles walked in. Hasn't he heard of knocking? I sat up immediately, waiting for him to speak or give out orders and leave, but he didn't. He took a seat and paused for a while before he spoke.
"Thanks for today, for helping me practice you do not know how important what you did was."
I should be dreaming. Miles Bryon was sitting in my office saying all those nice stuff.
"Okay," I said with a confused facial expression. Was that all? He should get going, or did he have something else to say? Maybe his office needed cleaning or something and I have to stay back to make sure the cleaners clean it properly. I could see him fighting with his emotions, and I did nothing but stare.
After a while he asked me out for lunch and I agreed because anything was better than going to the café. But then I teased him by asking if it was at the café and he replied.
"No! Why would I go to the cafe to have lunch?"
Because that is where all the workers have their lunch and you should lead by example.
"You'll find out if you come, along," he said, standing up to leave.
I looked at the message I wanted to send to Bryan and I wiped it off and reconstructed it, saying
Would love to hangout but I'm quite busy.
I quickly packed my things and hurried out to the hallway, I don't know what I felt at the moment but it felt nice. I waited for Miles at the hallway and when he came out of his office, we walked downstairs together. A car was already waiting for us outside. His chauffeur opened the back door for the both of us. This was going to be a very awkward ride because it was just Miles and I at the back seat.
The restaurant wasn't just the normal down the street restaurants as he had described. In fact I was stunned when we pulled up on the driveway. Everything seemed expensive and I could bet that they add the bills for stepping on the floor while charging for the food.
Miles had made a reservation before now so we were directed to our seat when we got into the restaurant. I wondered why he was doing this; I mean there should be more other than helping him put together his speech.
When we had settled down, Miles passed the menu to me. I checked through the food menu looking for the cheapest meal, when he noticed I had been flipping through to the end of the menu he decided to order for the both of us. Few minutes later I saw a waiter pushing a tray of food towards us.
God, no! What's Miles doing?
When he got to our table, he stopped then placed the tray of food on our table. I was starving but I had to wait for him to open his food before I open mine. Spaghetti and steak? I said out loud.
"What? You don't like it?" Miles asked.
"No, n... nothing, I mean I do," I said.
The meal wasn't the problem, it was the price. I'm not vegan and I mean who hates spaghetti and steak? But gifting me a meal like this at a price like that didn't sit right. Mia it's just a gift, I said to myself.
We ate in silence after our meal was served till he decided to break the awkward silence by asking a question.
"Are you from Melbourne?"
I really should have stayed back to have lunch with Bryan.
"Yes," I said, gulping down the food in my mouth waiting for the next question.
"You live with your parents I guess because you talked about your mum the last time. Am I correct?" he asked.
I stopped eating for a while when he asked this. The questions were getting deeper, why did he have to mention my parents?
"I live with my mum, she is a single mum," I replied, sipping my tall glass of water.
He changed the topic when he noticed I wasn't comfortable with his questions and he kept the conversation going even when we had finished eating. He sent his chauffeur home, insisting he would take me home by himself. I checked my phone and as expected I missed Leah's calls, she is going to kill me.
"Uhm, my mum, called," I said interrupting Miles while showing him my phone as evidence.
Miles paid the bills immediately then we walked to his car. I was about to open the door to the passenger seat but he beat me to it which was weird.
I thanked him then I got into the car and he closed the door before walking to the driver's seat.
"Where do you live?" He asked while looking at me when we had already hit the road
"Flinders close to Swanston," I said.
He just gave me a nod which I assume was an OK , after that he turned his attention back to the road.
I was already freezing before we got to the car and I wasn't with my jacket. To make matters worse, the air condition was on. I looked at Miles and he didn't seem cold, so I tried to stay calm because my house wasn't so far.
Just a few blocks away you can do this.
Miles noticed I was cold when my teeth chattered, and he handed me a jacket from the back of his car. I quickly put it on and even though I was still cold, I felt warm; I think he also noticed again because he turned down the air conditioner.
Few minutes later we got to my house. I thanked him for the meal and ride. He didn't leave till I got inside and shut the doors.
I met an angry Leah in the sitting room waiting for a good explanation, and I had one.
"I can explain, "Was the first thing I said when I stepped in.
I narrated my day's experience to her but she didn't say a thing, she just gave me a stern look. Then she walked upstairs to her room and slammed the door. She was furious I got home late coupled with the fact someone brought me home, I won't deny the fact that she has given me enough reasons not to trust anyone but come on it's just Miles, and he has nothing to do with whatever situation we were in. He doesn't even know me and he thinks Leah is my mum, so why did she get so angry? This proves she is hiding something, but what? I needed to find out, but she wasn't giving any hint or even dropping clues.