CHAPTER THIRTEEN

 ❣️STAY WITH ME❣️

She somehow remembered Max's phone number was saved on her phone and she searched and dialed his number immediately.

About twenty minutes later, Jason arrived. He looked like he'd rushed out of the house in a hurry.

"My baby... You did it!!!" He screamed and picked her up. Spinning her round and found till she felt dizzy.

"Put me down... Put me down" she protested.

"I can't believe this," he said again

"Can't believe what? You thought I'd fail?" She asked, feigning annoyance.

"What? Hell no! I told you earlier, my Crystal is a fighter. She will take that which belongs to her with full force" he hyped.

She laughed. 

"I thought you said you would cook lunch before I got home. What changed your mind?" She asked, suddenly remembering that he'd said so.

"Nay nay. I said I would cook lunch if you didn't get the job and if I saw you crying, your shoes in your hand. But right now, none of that is happening. Aren't you happy?"

"You're such a conniving crook" she slapped his shoulders.

Max arrived almost the same time Jason did. They drove off to an open-spaced restaurant where they could have lunch.

"Isn't this the man who drove you to the venue for your interview?" Jason asked Crystal.

"Yes. Why?" She asked.

"I thought it was impossible to get the same uber twice a day?"

"Yes, it is. I copied his phone number. I like him" she smiled and looked at Max in the rearview mirror. He nodded in appreciation.

"His name is Max. He thinks we're married. No, he thinks you and I  have a strong vibration between us and that we could get married in the future"

She said this to make Jason laugh but he took it seriously. 

"He might be right. I like him already" Jason mumbled.

"Hello, Crystal. How did the job interview go?" Max asked.

"Oh it went well" she turned to Jason, "guess what?!"

"No. Tell me immediately"

"Well, I met a guy there—" 

"You what?" Jason and Max asked in unison.

"Can you both just shut up and let me finish?"

"Sorry ma'am" Jason apologized and sank deeper in his seat while he listened to her story. 

She told them of the meeting at the entrance, the comments she made and finally her shock when she saw him in the CEO's office.  She also mentioned the very weird answers she had given when asked why she should be employed there.

"Serves him right," Jason said after about three rounds of really good laughs.

"I guess so", replied Max, "I think he likes you though. He might start hitting you when you resume fully. Right now, you'll be placed on probation. Just be careful, whatever you do"

"Aye, aye captain" she replied.

The week went by slowly. Crystal couldn't wait. She was eager to go to work. The emails had been exchanged and everything was set.

Finally, Monday arrived. Crystal was up before 6 AM. She showered and rushed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Jason wasn't up yet even though he had to be at work by 9 AM as well.

She put his in the microwave and went into his bedroom.

"Wake up, sleepy head. It's morning" She clapped loudly.

"Ugh!" He groaned.

She pulled at the covers and the pillow his head lay on.

"What time is it?" He asked, rolling to the other side of the bed, far from her reach.

"It's 2 PM. You've slept for two years straight. Guess what. I even got married and I have seven kids now" she replied sarcastically.

"You're so mean" he whined.

"Get your ass up and into that bathroom. It's almost 8 AM, dumb ass" She pulled the curtains open and picked up the glass of water on the bedside table.

"Woah" he jumped off the bed, "what are you trying to do?" He asked, pointing at the glass of water in her hand.

"Well, let's see. I'm trying to empty it on your bed or your body if you don't run into that shower right now. We do this every blessed day!" She shouted.

He didn't wait for a second explanation. He simply rushed to the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

Crystal was right. Every morning, she had to walk into his bedroom to wake him up. And when he refuses, she would threaten him with a glass of water which she never uses.

She was going to use it one day though. She was patiently waiting for the perfect moment.

"If you marry me, you won't have to walk from your room to mine" he shouted from the bathroom. "All you would have to do is turn over and give me and long kiss and I would come alive" he laughed.

"You're such a pervert" she laughed and left his bedroom. She waited till he was dressed and ready to leave. It was a few minutes past eight. They stepped out of the house together. He gave her a hug and a peck, and they bade each other goodbye and went their way. 

Jason's office was in the opposite direction so there was no way they could use the same taxi.

Twenty minutes later, she was at work.

"Morning Martha" she greeted the receptionist she had seen the previous day. 

"Hello Miss Adams" 

"Call me Crystal, please. I was scheduled to resume today"

"Yes. Mr. Anderson did leave a message about you. He's asked you to come up to his office immediately after you get here"

"His office? Why?" Crystal asked, looking scared.

Who wouldn't be? Maybe he wanted to revoke the employment? Did she do something wrong? Was there an error in the emails?

"Why does he want to see me in his office?" She asked again when Martha didn't respond the first time.

"Honestly, I don't know. He's in a terrible mood though. Be careful" she looked at Crystal pitifully. It wasn't so funny to be challenged by an angry boss on your first day of work.

Crystal thought of going back home but was that an option? One does not always have to run away from their problems because they'll always come back.

She thanked Martha and marched to the elevator. She marched to her doom.

When she got to Dave's office, she stood by the door for more than a minute.

She placed her knuckles on the door, ready to knock, but ended up withdrawing them again and again and again.

Her legs were wobbly and suddenly, she felt so small. So tiny.

"Are you going to come in or do you want to keep standing there forever?" An angry voice barked from within the office.

It took her two seconds to register that the voice was referring to her.

She quickly opened the door and half walked, half stumbled into the office.

"Good morning Mr. Anderson" she greeted.

"Good morning Miss Adams. What a great day! I hate Mondays. Do you like Mondays Miss Adams?" He asked.

Am I supposed to answer that? She thought.

"I like Mondays, sir. They give us a new week to accomplish things we couldn't do the previous week I guess" she replied as politely as she could.

"My assistant was involved in an accident yesterday. You're the only staff less busy this week. So I want you to fill in for her till she resumes"

All these while, he had his back to her. He loved to watch cars and people pass by, maybe. She thought.

"But sir, that was not stated in the job description. You never mentioned that I would have to fill in for any absent staff. Besides, being a personal assistant isn't in my line of specialty" she protested.

"I'm not asking you, Miss. It's an order" he turned to look at her.

"Your office for the rest of the week will be the office outside mine. You don't need any specialty to be my assistant. Forward my calls to me, remind me of my schedules"

"What about my job?" She asked

"You can work from the PA's office. You literally won't be doing any strenuous activity in there so you might as well help around.

She studied his face for the first time. He was handsome. Too handsome.

He had Viking-gold hair, bristly eyebrows, a handsomely straight nose, and well-defined cheekbones that led to a  concrete jaw.

He had a Titan's shoulders, broad and finely muscled. She knew this because his suit was well-fitted. His tailor must be expensive. He was dishy.

When he moved, it was with a leopard-like grace. He walked with such fluidity. He walked to where she stood and his hands slid into the pockets of his pants as he looked at her. She didn't avert her gaze. She stared at him as well, not blinking even for a second.

He had sea rover-blue eyes and they were almond-shaped. There was a fire with passion in them. 

Max was right.