After Ava had left Mason's office, Nancy came and sat at the edge of his desk facing him.
"So, she is the one you're getting to replace Becky?" She asked in a tone that indicated that she didn't approve of Ava.
"Yes," Mason replied, he could sense her disapproval but he didn't bother to say anything else, he didn't need to explain himself to Nancy, he was in charge here and he could employ whomever he wants.
"And you think she is capable of doing the job?"
"If I didn't think so, would I have employed her?" Mason had a lot to finish up before he closed for the day, and he didn't have the time to indulge Nancy in her chitchat.
"Hmm, being your assistant is a very demanding role, and you need someone equal to the task."
Mason paused what he was doing as he raised his head to look at her, "and what makes you think she won't be equal to the task? You don't even know this girl and you've already passed your judgment on her."
Nancy opened her mouth to say something but Mason stopped her, "I employed Ava to be my assistant because I know she is equal to the task, and I don't see any reason why you should have a problem with that."
Nancy looked hurt for a moment with the way Mason spoke to her, but she quickly wiped the frown off her face as she smiled.
In a soft voice, she said, "I'm sorry, I was only looking out for you." Mason didn't respond, he went back to typing on his laptop. He knew she wasn't looking out for him but for herself, he could tell she felt threatened by Ava's presence. Even though he keeps telling her they aren't dating, Nancy still feels the need to fight other women off him.
She leaned off the desk and came to stand behind his chair, gently caressing his shoulders. "I can see that you are stressed out, how about I..."
Mason didn't allow her to finish, "not today, I have a lot of things to do," he said.
"I was actually going to say we meet up after work," Nancy said, still touching his shoulders.
"I have a lot to do after work, not today Nancy," Mason slowly removed her hands from his shoulder. He had a lot on his mind and her company was the last thing he needed.
A frown appeared on Nancy's face, "Mason, what's the problem?"
"Nancy, there's none, I'm just tired. I've really had a long day," Mason replied. "Why don't we meet some other time?"
Nancy stood staring at him for a second, fuming with anger for being turned down.
"Have you chosen a wife already from the ladies your grandfather sent? Is that the reason you are treating me this way?"
Mason looked at her like she had gone mad, why would she even think such a thing?
"Nancy, please now isn't the time."
Nancy opened her mouth to protest but he quickly stopped her, "please leave my office, I have work to finish, and I'm sure you do too," he said to her in a bossy tone reminding her of who the boss was.
Nancy seeing Mason was in no mood to listen to her, turned around and stormed out of his office. The moment she shut the door behind her, Mason cussed under his breath as he went back to work, she was beginning to think too much of herself and it was high time he reminded her who the boss was. He would have to do that later, right now he needed to finish up with work so he could go over to his grandparents' and have a chat with his grandfather, that old man needs to learn to stop meddling in his business.
*****
Ava was walking to the bus stop to catch a bus back home when she heard the sound of a car honking behind her, she turned around to see Mason's car.
He drove beside her and wound down the passenger's window.
"Hop in, I will drop you off," he said to her.
"Thanks, but I will find my way home," Ava said declining his offer.
Mason stopped his car and came down, "are you always this stubborn about everything or is it just with me?" He asked her.
"I'm not stubborn."
Mason smirked, "yeah, indeed you aren't, so please get in the car and I will go drop you off."
"You don't have to bother yourself," Ava didn't want him to give her a ride because she didn't want Nancy's trouble.
"What type of boss would I be if I drove past you without offering you a ride?" Mason came around and opened the passenger's door for her.
"Get in," he said, this time it was a command. Ava looked at him and he held her gaze with his, daring her to argue.
Not wanting to argue, she decided to get in the car and allow him to give her a ride, she actually does need it, at least she won't have to spend money on the bus.
"Thanks," she mumbled as she got in.
"How did you find your first day at work?" Mason asked her as he got back inside the car and started to drive.
"It was okay," Ava replied looking out her window. The rest of the ride was silent as Mason seemed to have a lot on his mind and so did Ava.
She kept thinking of how rudely Nancy had treated her at work. What if she knows that Ava once tried to sell her virginity to Mason? Probably that was the reason she was being so rude to her.
"Don't you consider this to be weird?" Ava asked Mason as he got to the front of her apartment.
"What's weird?" Mason asked her.
"You and I working together."
"Why would I consider you and I working together to be weird?"
"Well....., considering the circumstance upon which we first met," Ava said.
Mason shrugged, "I don't consider it weird in any way, we both had a business transaction and that was it. Now, you're my assistant, I'm more concerned about you carrying out your duty as my assistant than what transpired between us weeks ago," Mason said with seriousness.
Even though they both didn't have sex, Ava still couldn't look past the fact that she had stripped before him, but it clearly meant nothing to Mason.
"Why did you choose me for the job?" Ava asked.
"Because a girl as smart as yourself shouldn't be waiting tables, and selling sneakers. Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing any of those, but every time I saw you I could tell that you looked out of place in that store, you always had this look like you want to be somewhere else."
Ava sighed, Mason was right, she was only doing those jobs to pay up her mother's debts and save up for college.
"I've never worked in the cooperate world before, I don't even know if I would be able to meet up with your expectations," she said, voicing her fears.
Mason gave her a warm smile, "if I didn't think you were capable of doing the job, I wouldn't have hired you. You need to believe in yourself a little more," with that said, Mason got down from the car and helped Ava to open her door.
"Thank you," she said as she got down.
"Goodnight Ava," Mason said, still smiling at her.
There was something about the way he smiled at her, it uneased every nervous feeling Ava had about working for him. And as she walked up to her door, she caught herself smiling as well.