His Mystery Gem

14 - Third Time Charmed 😱

14 - Third Time Charmed 😱

It had been three weeks, two days, twenty hours and five minutes since Mike Collins set eyes on his mystery girl. Not that he was counting. Yes, he now knew the identity of his mystery girl but it was easier to pretend otherwise.

He was trying to forget her, but it was hard when her ghosts or maybe her identical twin sisters, were stalking him. In the last three weeks since their flirtation at Art's Heart, Mike had seen Adunni two other times. At least he thought it was her he saw, but he couldn't really be sure.

The first time he saw her ghost, it had been here in the Collins HQ building. He had seen what had to be her apparition dressed elegantly in yellow and getting on the elevator on the way to his office. But it couldn't be her. What business did Collins Jewels have with Adunni the waitress and artist? None. So he had dismissed the event or at least he tried to.

The second sighting of phantom Adunni had been at Exquisite, she worked there so that sighting was more understandable. Every time he asked Chris about Dunni, it was her day off so Mike just stopped asking. It was like Adunni was on permanent vacation. But he wasn't worried, she worked there and he visited often, one of these days he was bound to run into her. No matter how hard he tried Chris couldn't hide her away forever.

The apparition he sighted at Exquisite was dressed in a layered pink chiffon dress, not her uniform. So he just assumed that his mind was playing tricks on him and he just saw his mystery girl everywhere he turned.

She was living in his mind rent-free and today was no different, thoughts of her occupied his mind. Snapshots of her bumping into him at the party and soiling his expensive tux.  Pictures of her in that sexy red number she had on at the art event, were front and centre in his mind, he could probably draw a detailed picture of her in that dress straight from his memory. That was how much he was affected by her, but he needed to focus today.

Today was a big day, they were finally getting a new jewellery designer. But not just any jewellery designer. This particular jewellery designer was someone his mom and Aunt Viv loved. That was a rare sight, Mom and Aunt Viv rarely liked the same people for the job after the screening process was over.

But this new hire was exceptionally good because both women would not stop singing her praises at their family dinner yesterday. Mom claimed that the girl had a unique perspective, she was so excited to see her designs and creations. Aunt Viv had called her sensible and hardworking. Both women had also claimed that she was very beautiful, well he would be the judge of that. He just had to see this beautiful damsel, his Mom and aunt could not stop yapping about it. 

He strolled into the office early, he liked to be the first in the building if he could. He got all his best ideas when the skyscraper that housed their headquarters sat empty. He had been chipping away at his work for a few hours, at least he was trying to—thoughts of the mystery girl were still front and centre when his door was yanked open.

He looked up expecting to see Emes, his assistant but he locked eyes with his mother. What was she doing here so early? 

"Mom," he rose from his chair to embrace the short woman in a hug, he definitely didn't get his height from her side of the gene pool. "To what do I owe the surprise?"

"The new designer resumes today," she moved out of his hands and studied him. Her hands got busy, brushing invisible lint from his suit and brushing his hair with her hands.

"I know that ma," he moved away from her assault. "You and Aunt Viv went on and on about what an asset she will be to the company."

"I see you were listening at dinner," she nodded and continued to study him with questioning eyes.