Falling for You (Stefanielle)

Chapter 2

The elevator stopped at floor 5, and the doors opened so Stefania could get out. Neither woman said a single word to one another as Stefania exited the elevator. The doors closed and Danielle made her way up to the 10th floor. What were the chances that the woman she had run into at the coffees hop was the person she was going to be working with in Italy?

The doors opened to the 10th floor, and she walked by the lounge which she had to pass to get to her office. She noticed Patrick standing there with a coffee mug reading some papers.

"Good morning, Danielle!" Patrick said with a large smile.

"Hi, Patrick."

"Please stop by my office once you get settled in, okay?" I'd like you to meet Stefania."

Danielle opened her mouth to say something, but then paused and refrained from speaking. "Great, see you soon."

Danielle walked to her office and quietly shut the door behind her, then sat down at her desk. The blonde placed her hands over her face and shook her head. She turned on her computer and went through a few emails, then decided it was time to go to Patrick's office. Danielle felt butterflies in her stomach, but she had no other option than go meet with her boss and Stefania. The blonde stood up, grabbed her phone, then walked to Patrick's office and knocked on the door a few times.

"Come in!" Patrick shouted eagerly.

Danielle slowly opened the door and Patrick smiled as she walked in.

"Danielle!" Patrick said with a vibrant smile. "Please take a seat," as he motioned for the blonde to sit in front of his desk, where Stefania was also sitting.

"Ladies, I've called both of you here today because we have some exciting projects coming up, and I believe you'll make a wonderful team."

Danielle and Stefania exchanged a subtle glance, a twinge of irony in their eyes, as they knew something Patrick didn't. But they remained silent, allowing him to continue. "Both of you are here because I'm confident that your skillsets align with one another. Both of you are extremely dedicated and I want to you make the most of your talents by pairing you up. I know you both will be able to achieve big things together in Italy."

Danielle's lips curled into a small smile, and Stefania fought back a chuckle, recognizing the irony of the situation.

Patrick, oblivious to the tension in the room, leaned forward, his enthusiasm clear. "I'd like you to meet each other formally, get to know your strengths, and find ways to complement each other's skills. This partnership could be a game-changer for our team."

Danielle decided to break the news gently, a playful glint in her eyes. "Patrick, it's actually quite funny you mention this, because, well... We've already met."

Patrick, taken aback, blinked in surprise with furrowed brows. "I'm sorry... What?"

Stefania couldn't help herself and chimed in, "This morning, at a coffee shop. We had a bit of a... Memorable encounter."

Patrick's confusion deepened, "I'm not sure I understand..."

Stefania squinted her eyes and glared at Danielle. "Patrick, Danielle slammed into me this morning when I was holding my coffee. And, well, it spilled all over me."

"I think you're leaving out the part where you were on your phone and not paying attention to anything... And being extremely rude to me."

"Oh my-" Stefania managed to say before Patrick cut her off.

"Okay..." Patrick said with a deep breath. "How about let's start over? Stefania, meet Danielle. Danielle, this is Stefania. Whatever happened this morning, I highly suggest you forget about it."