Rosie's POV
I promised myself I wasn't going to overthink tonight's event, but I just couldn't get it out of my mind.
First, he kissed me.
Hell, I wanted the kiss more than anything and would have kissed him again if he didn't lean back. Did that mean Mr Crest had feelings for me? The CEO of Crest International, liking me, his secretary? A month ago, I wouldn't have imagined this in my wildest thought. I did a little victory dance in my head as the moment replayed in my head. Then I remembered something and deflated.
He apologized.
Why did he do that? Did he think I was angry? Was he disappointed by the kiss? Did he think I was disappointed by the kiss? Or maybe he didn't want me to think there was more to it? So many questions were running through my mind and I didn't have answers to any of them, so I called the one person I knew that was a specialist in matters like this.
She answered on the second ring. "Hey girllllllll" Her voice rang out clear as day, a sharp contrast to the New York sky this evening. I knew Jessica from our days in NYU, and she struck me as a happy-go-lucky person with the way she always sounded chirpy and saw the good side of every situation. She turned out to be one of the best person in my life.
"Jessica darling. How are you?"
"Oh you know, the usual. I finally finished the painting from last week, so I'll take it over to the gallery tomorrow. I've also got to see Ben tomorrow", and then her voice perking up, "we've got a date."
Ben was this cute guy Jess had been obsessed with over the past few months. She first met him at an art exhibition and they found out they had similar interests, and so they hit it off right there and then. I really hope for her sake that their relationship works out.
"Ouuu. So what are you wearing?" I asked her, even though I knew she'd come out looking pretty in whatever she wore. Plus, of the two of us, she's the one with the better fashion sense.
"It's supposed to be a lunch date, so I'll just throw on something casual and curl my hair…"I lost track of what she was saying as I slipped back into thinking about this evening's events.
"...uh, Rosie? Are you there?"
"Yes, yes, I am. What was your question again?"
"I was asking what you thought about the whole combo."
"Mm, it sounds like a nice one" I said, sounding distant.
"You don't sound like you mean it though. What's wrong? Is it your boss?" She asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
In that moment, the tears I thought I had succeeded in holding back threatened to come back to the surface and I sniffled and tried to hold it in.
"Rosie you're scaring me. Are you crying?"
I managed a dry laugh "No, I'm not"
"Then what's wrong?"
I sighed and then started "We kissed. Or, he kissed me. I think you were right Jess. I do love my boss." Wow. Saying that out loud made me feel lighter.
The squeal I heard could have woken the dead.
"Oh my Goddddddddddddd. This is perfect. Movie-perfect if you ask me."
"Uh, Jess-"
"You love your boss, and he loves you too. Oh my God, Rosie, you lucky duck!"
"Jess, I-"
"Rosie's got a new boyfriend. And he's not just any guy, he's one of the richest, handsome guys in New York. Maybe even in the whole of USA."
"JESS"
My exclamation was followed immediately by a round of silence. I could hear her excited breathing on the other end of the line.
I took a deep breath and then continued " Yes, my boss kissed me, but I don't think he loves me."
"Uh, what do you mean?"
"Well, after he kissed me, he apologized and then pointedly avoided looking at me after. Even when he dropped me off at home, he called me Miss Johnson. He always calls me Rosie" I said sadly.
Silence.
And then Jessica laughed. It was a long, hearty one, and I wondered why she did.
"Oh, Roseline, you really are clueless when it comes to matters of the heart. You'd be completely hopeless if it weren't for me." Ouch. True, but Ouch.
I waited for her to continue, and then "Just because he did that doesn't mean he doesn't love you. It just means he's just as surprised at the way he feels as you are."
I guess it makes sense when you put it like that. Way to go, Jessica.
"You really think so Jess?" I asked in a squeaky voice
"I don't think do. I know so" She said with an air of seriousness.
I felt the coil that had tightened itself in my chest and stomach loosen up and my breathing became regular. And then I chuckled, and that soon became a full fledged laugh. So much for worrying over nothing.
"God, Jess. And to think I was going to cry my eyes out over this. Thank youuuu"
"I know, I know, I'm the best. Now hand me my flowers" Jess said humorously, and then sounding a bit more serious, "You're going to have to put more effort into your dressing now pookie."
Ugh. Not that. I rolled my eyes at the thought of taking too long just to get ready for work.
"And don't roll your eyes Rosie" She really knows me, I thought with a smile. "When he sees you're making a conscious effort to look nice for him, he'll feel less scared of accepting his feelings for you."
She has a point though. Eventually I agreed I'd do just that the next day and see if it'll work. We talked far into the night and probably wouldn't have stopped if Ben didn't call to have pillow talk with his girl.
The next day, I got up around 5 am, had a bath and started laboriously getting ready for work. Curling my hair took up most of my time, and I did my makeup after I was done with that. Next, I picked out a cream shirt and brown pants, the kind that screamed old money.
I got dressed, picked out a pair of stilletos and a brown bag to match my pants, and then I twirled around in front of my mirror. To be honest, I didn't just look good, I felt good. I picked up the files I was supposed to submit to Mr Crest and then I stepped out.
I got to the office before my boss and I settled down to work on some other stuff. I took a quick selfie to show Jess and she told me I looked really nice. A few minutes later, Mr Crest walked in and I smiled at him but he kept his face expressionless and didn't even spare me a second glance as he walked past.
That's odd.
I didn't give it much thought and just chalked it up to 'I've got work again' grumpiness. After about 10 minutes when hen came in, I picked up the files and walked towards his office, then knocked on the door.
"Come in" I heard his silky voice and my heart fluttered
I touched up my hair, fixed my shirt snd plastered a wide smile across my face.
"Good morning Mr Crest. I'm done working on these files. Do you have anything else for me to do?"
"Okay. Leave them on the table" He didn't look up from what he was doing "And no Miss Johnson"
His responses were cold and half hearted and I didn't know what to say next so I cleared my throat uncomfortably.
"Anything else, Miss Johnson?"
"Um… I just- I wanted to thank you for the ride home yesterday"
All I got was a grunt, and I felt my stomach flop hard. I made up excuses upon excuses in my head for his actions. Maybe he woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
I stool there awkwardly, and when I saw he wasn't saying anything, I turned around and started walking out of his office
Then, "Miss Johnson"
Finally
I spun on my heels to face him and met his cold stare, his lips set in a straight line, and his face hard and expressionless, and I shifted my weight uneasily.
"From now on, you will answer to my assistant"