Rae Of Sunshine

Just Business

"Darling, when are you going to find a nice girl and settle down?" His mother asked, her voice filling his car as he drove into town for a meeting. The green grass, on his left and a fresh wheat crop on his right sped fast as he drove along the perfectly tarred triple lane highway.
Christopher Black chuckled. She really wanted grandkids. With his younger brother just getting into college she wasn't nearly as old as she insisted she was.
"Mum, I am going to marry a girl I love who loves me. Nice girls don't just drop out of the sky." His voice was amused.
Cherylynn Black's sigh filled the car. "Oh Chrissy, I do wish you would settle down. I've heard of the debauchery that occurs at your parties on the farm. If you were married to a good woman she wouldn't stand for such."
A cow wandered onto the road and Chris slowed down. His sleek sports car stopped just a metre in front of the unsuspecting cow. The cow looked at him chewing thoughtfully before proceeding across the tar to the strip of grass in between the two strips of highway. His side of the highway was headed into town. The other lead out of town.
He chuckled to himself. Harare was hardly a town but then again...Some things stuck.
"As soon as I meet a nice girl I'll tell you about her okay Mum?"
His mother tutted her disapproval. "I want to meet her Chrissy."
"Of course Mum. As soon as we're serious we'll come down and spend a weekend with you and Dad." Chris promised. "Mum, I'm almost at the toll gate and I don't want to be ticketed for driving and talking on the phone. Let me ring you as soon as I finish my meeting."
"Oh alright Chrissy. Don't speed and have a brilliant meeting sweetheart. I love you!"
"Thanks Mum. Love you too. My love to Dad." With a tap of his thumb he cut the call and turned the car radio on.
Although the toll system had almost been scrapped it had eventually been reinstated with a cashless system that required prepaid cards that could be topped up as easily as one topped up on a prepaid phone. It had resulted in expansion of the road infrastructure and quicker development. It was almost hard to remember that the road he drove into the city on had once been a single lane into and a single lane out of the city.
Minutes later he was parking in the underground parking of the building. He grabbed his portfolio from his boot and his car lights blinked a silent good bye as he stepped away. The glass lift took him to the top floor swiftly and he headed to the office where he had his meeting with confidence. He ignored the secretary at the desk when she didn't do more than greet him and headed for the door at the end of the hall.
A small scuffle sound hit his ears as he reached for the door. He heard the man he was about to see curse. He heard a woman's voice say very loudly and clearly "No!"
A feeling of uneasiness sat in his stomach. The man he was about to see was known as a lecher. He opened the door.
"You can take your job offer and stuff it where the sun doesn't shine!" She spat with her back to Chris.
Kitten heels, shapely calves, a hint of firm thighs, curvy hips, a small waist dressed in a very professional looking business suit. From waist up there were luxurious curls that Chris imagined running his hands through or pulling as he- He didn't get a chance to finish that thought as fiery dark brown eyes snapped and connected with his.
He also saw much to his displeasure, tears in the corners of her eyes. She was tiny...probably 1.57 metres with her heels on. When she saw he was looking at her her spine straightened and she excused herself from the room.
Christopher looked up at his business associate who grinned sheepishly. Striding into the room like he owned it Christopher raised a single brow. His associate shrugged. "I offered her the job if she was willing to let me scratch the itch every once in a while. She said no. I know for a fact she's broke and she needs the money though. Stupid girl."
Christopher recalled the disappointment on her oval shaped face and felt something. He frowned. He looked at the man in front of him disgusted.
"Look, that doesn't give you the right to force yourself on her."
"Well, if I had your looks I probably wouldn't have had to Black. It's not like she's a virgin. She's got a child-"
"Are you kidding me! She's half your size! You don't do that!! For godsake man, she's a woman! Don't ever do it again!" Chris shouted staring the other man down.
"Christ Chris, what's it to you? She's not even your girl."
"Who told you that?!" Chris was furious. A part of him couldn't believe he was getting this angry over a girl he didn't know.
The other man paled. "You're kidding?"
Chris shook his head. He pointed a finger at his associate. "I'll deal with you later...If she's hurt..." he left his threat unstated and ran out of the office. The corridor was empty and the secretary was craning her neck to see the drama for her desk. She pretended to be stretching as he jogged past. The lift lights were off so he ran down the stairs and there he found her crying silently half way down the flight.
He pulled the handkerchief from his blazer top pocket. Kneeling on the floor below her he gave it to her. She silently accepted it as her quiet sobs haunted the empty stair well.
"Did he hurt you?"
She looked at him as if he'd grown a second head. She sniffled. "No, he just threw my horrible financial state in my face & told me that my family will starve if I refuse the carpet interview then tried to grope me. Nope, I'm not hurt." Her bottom lip wobbled.
Chris cursed and pulled her up for a hug. "Sweetheart I'm so sorry! I'll never let that happen to you again." He put his chin on her head. The door at the top of the flight opened. Chris looked up.
"Raella, I mean Miss Grey, I am so sorry. I didn't realize you were dating Mr. Black. Times are hard and it was just a business proposition." The man nervously wrung his hands until the knuckles were white.
Chris raised an eyebrow. The man gulped. Chris felt Raella resist his hold and reluctantly let her go.
"You can have the job, Miss Grey, you choose the perks. Hehehe," his laughter came out dry and pathetic.
"Mr Faulkner, you can keep your job. I know my worth." Raella Grey picked up her portfolio and walked away from both men. Chris glared at the man. "I don't do business with creeps. Especially those who don't know the boundary between right and wrong. I will be taking my business somewhere else Mr Faulkner. It's just business."
Chris picked up his portfolio and walked down the stair well to the next floor and opened the door to the lifts.
The empty lobby space was an instant disappointment. He glanced at his watch and found that it was quite nearly lunch time. Deciding to visit the restaurant three floors down he pressed the 5th down pad.
Deciding to go over his notes again before his next meeting he opened his portfolio. In it was a Curriculum Vitae for Raella Angela Grey. He frowned. How had that gotten in there? A picture of the most adorable baby he'd ever seen was where his company logo would be on his portfolio.
A number he didn't recognise was calling him on his cell. He cut the call. His curiosity got the better of him and he went through the entire portfolio.
By the time he was done with his lunch he was impressed. She was a woman of many talents. She could be anything. Why she'd choose to be a PA didn't make sense to him.
The number from earlier called. He had half an hour to get to his next meeting. As he answered the call it cut. He frowned. He hated it when people cut the call like that.
He called his waiter over asking for the bill as he dialled the number back. He was going to give them hell. It rang then cut off as if the person had hung up.
His waiter returned with the bill and he headed to his car. On his way out he collected the sandwich he'd ordered as takeaway.
As he pulled out of the underground parking he saw her. Braking sharply he put on his hazards and went where she sat on the bench at the bus stop. He'd already put her portfolio in his boot out of habit and he was going to be late now.
"May I offer you a lift home?"
"No thank you. I just need my portfolio and I'm fine."
Chris ran his hand through his black hair. His blue eyes sparkling with impatience. He didn't have time for this.
"Look, it's in my boot but I'm about to be late for a very important meeting. If you come with me I swear to be on my best behaviour and take you out for dinner to make up for the inconvenience. Please?" He put on the puppy dog look he usually gave his mom and almost smirked when she nodded.
He took her hand and opened the passenger door for her before dashing in front of the car and seating himself in the driver's seat.
"Call Greg Dande." The phone dialled and rang when it had a connection.
"Ndeipi blaaz ('sup big bro)?" A voice filled the car.
"Hapana (nothing much) Dande, shaa ndanhonoka ndichisofter bhebhi (I ran late getting a girl to soften up to me) so I'll be about 20 minutes late."
A bark of laughter filled the car. "Bhebhi (a girl) , you? I'll forgive you if you bring this mythical woman with to the meeting. See you when you get here." The line went dead.
Chris licked his lips. He turned to Raella his eyes almost pleading. Here goes nothing.