We were in the office chatting about nothing in particular, we had been merry for a while now and everyone was excited, work with no play makes Jack a dull boy, it is true. We had closed a deal, not our first, but the competition was stiff and we had all the luck; Isa pulling all the strings, Will's charm, my negotiating skills, Bryan and his wonderful genius mind, and his lovely girlfriend Vicky who over-hyped us, ran things and made sure we were our best self despite of her nagging, everything came together as one.
When we decided to start the company, we didn't know we could grow this fast and this big. With everybody investing in Tech, and offshore tech companies coming to the country; business was booming. We were in the midst of the swarm. With proper management and guidance, we quickly established a strong reputation for quality and reliability, which attracted even more clients to our services. The team worked tirelessly to meet the increasing demand, constantly pushing ourselves.
We are able to expand our operations, hire more employees, and invest in more advanced technology, the deals were a win for us. We are excited to see what the future holds for our company and are committed to continuing to grow and evolve in this rapidly changing industry. This was a step to many more and it deserved a celebration.
We were in celebration mode when she walked in. Did Vicky call her? We were over this, we had a mutual understanding, and we were friends now, What is she playing at? I haven't crossed that boundary and don't intend to, we were good, still in the talking stage.
Vicky was elated to see her. How was this going to pan out, did Bev not tell her we have been communicating and we are buddies now? Is this another blind date? I hold my cool but my friends are being weird.
Isa shot me a questioning look, and Will was chuckling and loving every bit of it. Did he think that I had turned into him? Bryan was looking at his girlfriend, smiling, did he know what was going on?
I tried to maintain my composure and not let her presence disrupt me, but I found myself powerless to resist. I hadn't confessed my feelings to B nor let her know at the slightest that I was interested in her and I was feeling overwhelmed, Someone may say something inappropriate, and people may get ideas. What we had was a dance of attraction, a battle between rationality and emotion that left me entranced in her orbit, unable to break free from the hold she had on me.
I walked towards her, I couldn't restrain myself anymore, the allure of her presence beckoned me with its tantalizing promise. Every fiber of my being was drawn towards her as if she possessed a gravitational pull that I couldn't resist. She was radiating, and I was excited to see her, even though I wasn't expecting her. She was stunning in a sexy dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. Her eyes sparked as I reached her, and I couldn't help but mirror her smile.
"Hey there," I said softly, reaching for a warm hug. She fit well in my arms.
"Hey yourself," she replied, her voice light and full of happiness.
"I missed you," she says, releasing me from her arms.
I felt my heart swell at her words. I had missed her too, more than I could put into words and agree to. We haven't met physically since the weekend at Bryan's place. We have been having these long calls where we talk for hours and hours, don't they count? She didn't tell me she was stopping by.
How did she know where the office is, never mind, I have my answers. She was here and she missed me, let's concentrate on that. The others joined us and everyone was happy to see her. After the his and heys, everyone went silent, sipping on their drinks.
It was starting to be awkward when I said, "Long time no see."
"Yeah." She says and we share a look.
"Not too long enough," and I shoot Will a look.
"Hi Will, did you miss me?" she says smiling.
What? No, I shouldn't react that way, I knew this was inevitable, knowing Will, something was bound to happen. She was off-limits, though, I was forced to banish those thoughts. I pushed those feelings aside and reminded myself that our connection was unique and special in its own way. I didn't need to compete with for Bev's attention; I was confident in our bond. So I smiled, putting my insecurities aside and focusing on enjoying the celebration.
"Hi Bev, good to see you."
He untangles himself from the situation and heads to talk to Isa. She stands there beside me rocking on her feet.
"Let me get you a drink. We don't have the good kind it has run out of stock, can you have a can.
"Sure."
I led her to the table where different flavored cans were arranged and the girls were talked by the table. She joined the chat and I excused myself. I walk over to Will who is standing aloof watching the room. I observed her interactions with Vicky and the others in the group. She seemed to be comfortable and at ease, laughing and joking as if she belonged there. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of contentment as I watched her effortlessly integrate herself into our circle.
"What is the deal?"
"With what?"
"B, is it B?"
"Bev? It's B."
"You guys hook up now… You didn't tell me?"
"No, we don't!"
"You sure? Because I did bet with Isa."
"What?"
"Brian and Vicky are in too."
"What did you guys bet?"
The group walked towards us and our conversation died.
"Guys, we're taking this party somewhere else," Vicky says with glee.
"Finally," Will says as he entangles himself to pick up his jacket
"Let's go."