Kissing Mr. Bradley

Chapter 2

Maudie pushed a button I would forever associate with the top floor of Mr. Bradley's office.

I took a moment and double checked my appearance from the elevator mirrors. I tucked away a stray piece of hair behind my ear then smoothed down the wrinkle in my skirt. Maudie looked away in amusement. She was presenting a short blonde cut down to her shoulders and thick rimmed glasses. She was dressed in the Bradley & Sons navy uniform suit with a silver badge carved with her name on it.

"How long have you worked for Bradley & Sons?" I asked out of curiosity.

I was never one to engage in small talk but it seemed appropriate at the time. We were both in a small, quiet space and I needed to get close to Maudie to get even closer to Mr. Bradley. It was the perfect start.

Maudie's eyes lit up at my question.

"One year and counting," she said proudly.

"Hm."

She nodded. "It sure beats waiting tables for entitled customers," she said. "I used to work at the Italian restaurant next door. Great food but the customers are terrible!"

The elevator doors opened up and we continued down a long, carpeted corridor with beams of light shooting up from the ground to the ceiling. Each step we took somehow attracted the electronic sensors that controlled the lights. I would be lying if I said I wasn't impressed by the advanced technology.

"This is neat," I commented. "I can tell this is the work of Mr. Bradley."

"You're right!" she exclaimed. "Mr. Bradley is a design aficionado. His family designed every floor of this building."

I was beginning to like Maudie. She was definitely one to keep in my back pocket for later use.

"Thank you for the backstory."

"Wait until you see his office," she added. "It will blow your mind."

We came up to a set of double doors. To the side of the door was a gold plaque with the title, Ethan Bradley, CEO & Real Estate Agent, engraved onto it. It soon became official. I was getting closer to the man himself.

Maudie pushed the red button on the intercom.

"Good morning, Mr. Bradley," she said. "Ms. Hastings is here for the interview."

She let go of the button and waited.

Maudie looked back at me, only this time with a nervous smile before pushing the button a second time. Her lips were inches away from the speaker when the buzzer sounded and the doors swiftly opened as if it were the gates to Heaven. The only thing missing was the sound of trumpets in the background and a couple of Angels flying about.

Maudie stepped to the side, making room for me. "Welcome to Mr. Bradley's office," she announced.

The first thing I noticed was the hit of the sweet aroma that filled the entire room. It was a mix between sweet coffee creamer and a hint of masculine aquatic cologne.

The color scheme of Mr. Bradley's office was similar to the rest of the building. It was a monotonous palette of dark shades. It was clear that Ethan didn't have much of a taste for color but his sense of style and design was impeccable to say the least. Every piece of furniture, from his office desk to the coffee bar, was customized in black matte glass. On one side of the office, Mr. Bradley had an entire cabinet dedicated to his accomplishments including photos of his many trips around the world. There was the same leather seating arrangements as the front lobby and a table with a glass version of a chess board placed on top of it. I was in awe of Mr. Bradley's office but nothing could compete with the breathtaking view of the city as the automated shades rolled up to the top, presenting a backdrop of every skyscraper in sight.