37 days: Holding on 2 broken promises

First day jitters

POV
Millie

I make it up to my new room at the Hollywood Inn, when I open the door I'm astonished. X booked me a suite that must've cost a fortune. It looks like a high-end apartment, the place is huge. It has a beautiful kitchen with black countertops and all the appliances are also black and high-tech looking. Lights hang from the ceiling over the kitchen and it looks so cozy, definitely not a hotel vibe at all.

There are two bedrooms on either side of the room and in between is the living room that contains a gas fireplace, floor-to-ceiling stone, and a thick wooden mantle that a TV sits above. Everything in here screams expensive, I may not ever want to leave.

I know I shouldn't do this but I pull out my phone to text X.

Thank you

He texts me back almost immediately.

Anything for you

Ugh, why does he have to say that? Why couldn't he just say you're welcome or something more stale?

I set my phone on the counter and get myself showered and ready for my big day tomorrow. Thank the good lord I have my work outfits with me. I bought some makeup and essentials at the store on my way here so I'm good to go.

I lay in the king-sized, white comforter bed after my shower and cry myself to sleep from todays events. At this point, I don't think I'd be able to ever fall asleep again without the exhaustion of tears.

...

I wake up from my alarm at 7 am. Today is the day. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.

I get myself ready, putting light makeup on and put a black pencil skirt on and a white blouse. I look professional and hope to make a good impression on everyone in the office.

I grab my phone and keys and walk down through the gorgeous lobby and to my gray Acura for my first day of work. I arrive at the office within ten minutes. I've been here twice before but it feels different pulling in being an actual employee now.

I walk in and walk up to the receptionist who is a girl probably around my age with pretty blonde hair and light brown eyes.

"How can I help you?" She asks.

"Hi, I'm Emily Hill, I'm supposed to be shadowing Nick today," I say.

"Oh yes! Marlene informed me yesterday, I'll call Nick over, just one sec." She says more cheerfully than before. She picks up the phone that sits on the desk to call Nick.

"He'll be right out." She informs me.

"Okay, thanks," I say appreciatively.

Oh, fuck...me...

The man who walks through the hall is a mix between Chase and X.

Please don't be Nick, please don't be Nick.

"Hey I'm Nick," the man says with a smooth voice.

This is bad.

Nick is gorgeous. He's wearing a white dress shirt that fits him like a glove and gray pants that are equally fitting to perfection. The sleeves of his white shirt are rolled up revealing multiple tattoos throughout his forearm. Why am I such a sucker for the bad-boy-looking type? He obviously doesn't compare to X but goddamn he's a close second.

I look up to meet his brown eyes, "I'm Emily or Millie," I say stupidly.

"Well it's nice to meet you, Emily or Millie," he says with humor in his tone.

I can't do this, I need to request to shadow someone else. I need an old man or female to follow around, not some distracting handsome man. I'll never learn a thing being in the same proximity of him.

I follow behind him to his office, my nerves have multiplied at this point. He pulls up a chair next to him and pats it, indicating me to sit.

I sit next to him as he points things out on his computer showing me various graphs. He smells divine, but still nothing like X.

I try to keep myself focused as the day goes on. I've managed to keep my hormones at bay and actually learned quite a bit from Nick. By the end of the day, I feel better about actually starting off on my own next week.

Before I leave Nick says, "It was a pleasure working with you today Emily or Millie, I'll see you tomorrow." He says so smoothly, it was a pleasure...shit get your mind out of the gutter Millie, I do not need to be getting myself involved with anyone else, especially from work at that.

I drive back to the hotel feeling accomplished with how today went. Steph will be coming by to stay with me in a couple of hours. I need to remind her about bringing my things tonight, so I make a mental note to text her when I get back. 

When I get back to my room, I kick off my shoes and plop on the couch exhausted from all the mental work I did today. Luckily I haven't received any messages from X today but at the same time, I'm a little disappointed if I'm being honest with myself. I'm in a constant battle with myself on whether I want him to never speak to me again or if I want him to try to redeem himself.

The battle in my mind is too exhausting, I text Steph, asking her to do my dirty work by retrieving my bags before she comes. Better her than me to face X.