Clyde's POV
I'm getting restless in the elevator as I make my way to my floor. Every morning, I get butterflies in my stomach as I wait to see her.
She had such an impact on me the first time we met. A long line of nearly identical applicants waited when she walked in the door. Unfortunately, she was not the first. Usually, her casual attire would have been enough to disqualify her, but I froze in my tracks when she looked up at me with those brown eyes. She seemed to be able to see right through me when she wore them.
As soon as she started talking, my interest was piqued by her quick wit. I found myself telling her to evict the remaining applicants and clean up the folding chairs in the blink of an eye. I tried to convince myself that she wouldn't last more than a week, but I knew that wouldn't be the case.
Kate is one of my favorites, and she has a lot of brain power. There was never a time when she gave me a reason to ignore her. As a result of her diligence, she was able to pick up new information quickly and with little error. It didn't matter how much she trolled me; I still had fun. Kate knows exactly what to say to get me out of a bad mood, and she does it every time.
When I was twenty- five, I started the company. I worked for a few other investment firms before starting my own. No one can delegate authority to me because I'm a control freak. The eighty-hour workweeks I've put in since then have paid off; now, at the age of twenty-eight, I can proudly say that my firm is one of the world's top investment firms. Despite her heavy workload, Kate never complains. However, I have seen her filling out other job applications. If I notice that she's looking for a new position, so I'll give her another raise. She is by far the most capable assistant I've ever worked with. My previous assistants have all been incompetent, so I cannot afford to lose her.
I straighten my suit and fiddle with a button while waiting for the elevator doors to open. As soon as the doors open, I know Kate will be there to greet me. I snort a smirk as it reaches my floor and grips my briefcase tightly.
"Good morning, sir," she says.
Despite my best efforts, I can feel the ends of my lips curling upwards.
As I pass Kate on my way into my office, I can tell she's taken notice because she smiles at me. Kate comes in after me and drops off a cup of coffee, and I see my breakfast on my desk. Before I check my emails and any notes she may have left for me, I whisper a thank you in her direction.
After clicking on an odd notification at the top of my inbox, I visit a dating website. The glass windows in my office allow me to see Kate, who is sitting at her desk, through. I'm envious because she's laughing and chatting on the phone. As far as I can tell, she only joined the site last night, but she already has a few messages. She does. Kate is a model of perfection. Even the most cynical of us would be hard-pressed not to fall in love with her.
I'm not a neophyte. I've been attracted to Kate since she walked into my office, but I know that a romantic relationship between us is impossible. There isn't enough time in my schedule for a romantic relationship because I am a workaholic. I'm a little skeptical about long-term commitments. Since my first girlfriend cheated on me in high school, I've avoided having a serious relationship with women on the other side of the spectrum. My feelings for my ex were nothing compared to what I feel for Kate.
On the other hand, I know that Kate is worth more than I am, and I'm also aware that if we tried to date, I'd ruin it and lose her forever. However, if we work together and it works out for both of us, this is something I can handle. Even though she had no idea, that I know that she was using online dating services at the time. When I open her profile, Kate is still at her desk; I'll check to see if any of the messages she's received are from guys. I'm glad she hasn't responded to any of them because they all look like losers who don't deserve to be in Kate's presence.
Kate announces, "Mr. Clyde, your mother is on the line over the intercom." I leap out of my seat.
Kate smiles back at me as I reach for the phone, my glare aimed at her. She is well aware of my aversion to fielding phone calls from my mother while working. Because I have so much to do at work, I have no time for her. Unfortunately, they can be a little overbearing when it comes to my family. In particular, my mother. Her calls to me have been increasing over the last few weeks. As a result of my sister's wedding last year, she has been nagging me to find a partner, and I'm at a loss for what to say.
I answered the call, "Hey, Mom."
"Clyde, my son! Thanks for letting me catch up with you. Is everything okay?"
"Yes, everything is good."
"We just need to know when you'll be arriving next week so we can prepare."
"For what?" I wonder.
"Thanksgiving, Clyde," she says with a sigh.
"Can you tell me when the dinner will be served?"
"However, everyone else is expected to arrive at ten o'clock. You are free to follow suit if you so desire. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Being reunited with all of one's family again."
I begin to get a dull headache, so I rub my brows together to alleviate the discomfort.
"I'm sorry, Mom, but I can't stay the night," I say, trying to come up with a compromise. I'm not too fond of it when I let my mother down.
"That's all there is to it. To ensure we have enough time, I'll tell Emma to arrive at 9:30 p.m."
"Whoa! Please be patient while I figure this out. And who is Emma?" I ask.
"That's the girl I ran into at the hairdresser last week. Additionally, she's single, so I was thinking of inviting her to join us for Thanksgiving. Clyde, I have no doubts about how well you two will get along."
I put my head in my hands as the pulsing pain behind my eyes becomes unbearable.
"It's not going to work with Emma, Mom."
"How'd you come up with that?" she asked.
When Kate hands me a files, I smile and raise my chin to hers. When an idea strikes me… I told my mother that I was dating someone, and she was shocked and worried.
"What!? How? It would help if you told me sooner. Do I know this woman?"
"Mom, it is Kate."
"Really? I had a feeling something wasn't right between you two. Incredibly sweet, she'd be a wonderful girlfriend for you. So, let us take a look at what we have. Don't worry, Emma will not be attending the thanksgiving party anymore. I'll let everyone know that you and Kate are coming in with me. I am excited to see both of you!"
After she hangs up, I put the phone down. I expected her to be overjoyed when I revealed that Kate and I were seeing each other. Kate will love her as much as my family does. They all know Kate better than I do, I'm pretty sure.
The only thing left is to persuade Kate to agree to it.