Mr. Lawson's Assistant

Chapter 4

I set my cereal bowl into the dishwasher, calling to David that if he didn't hurry up, I was going to be late. He came out of my bedroom in an Under Armour t-shirt and a pair of sporty shorts, muttering something about stupid jobs.
"I'm coming..." David grumbled, "Since when do you care about being on time?" He mumbled, grabbing a granola bar and following me out the door.
"Since I'll get fired if I don't." I retorted.
We headed out of the apartment building, and hooked a left towards the crosswalk.
"So, why did this billionaire guy even hire you?" David asked me, his mouth half full of granola bar.
I shrugged, shaking my head, and laughing to myself, when the image of me without shoes, messy hair, and an empty water pitcher in my hand, popped into my mind.
"You're laughing at nothing," David rolled his eyes, glancing down at me as we came to the crosswalk.
"I met Mr. Lawson in the elevator on my way to the interview, and he was sort of hitting on me-"
David stopped short and turned to me with his lips pursed as he crossed his arms.
"He's like sixty!" His frown deepened, and I let out an impatient breath stopping in front of my brother.
"First of all, he's not sixty, he's like twenty six. Second of all, I shut him down, so chill." I crossed my own arms. David started walking again beside me- begrudgingly as it was.
"So, he hired you because you're hot?" David asked me, clearly annoyed.
"Did you just call me hot?" I grinned, and he scowled. "He's not like that- trust me." I shook my head, imagining Mr. Lawson, with his perfectly tailored suits, and professional aloofness. It made me want to laugh at the idea of him wanting to date me.
"If he so much as looks at you sideways, call me," David murmured, bringing a smile to my lips.
When I was younger, I had trouble with bullies. A few years, before my mom met Tony, I was getting more and more trouble from the boys who picked on me, and every week it seemed to get worse. Thankfully, after I met David, and Tony married my mom, David started to come sit with me at lunch. One day he had come out, and the boys who picked on me were there again, pushing me around. He stepped in for me immediately and without question.
(The day before, he'd made me tell him how I had gotten the bruises on my arms.)
So that day, when he saw the boys messing with me, he didn't ask questions he just started throwing punches. He later got suspended for fighting the three boys- and kicking their butts. Ever since then, him and I had grown closer every day; and until he left for the Air Force, we were inseparable.
"No way!" It was my turn to purse my lips. The picture of David storming into Mr. Lawson's prim office and roughing him up made me grimace. Though Mr. Lawson was definitely not a whimp, my bet was still with David.
We came to a stop outside the Lawson company building, and I smiled at David. "I'll see you later-"
"As if. I'm walking you inside," He raised his eyebrows, daring me to argue, to which I complied.
"You can't go inside, you don't work here," I glared at him, and he smirked.
"Watch me."
"David, stop!" I grabbed his arm as he tried to walk forward. "You're being ridiculous," I stepped in front of him, and he chuckled.
"Joking." He smirked, Raising his hands in front of him in surrender. I shoved him back a step with a scowl. "Have a good day at work." He grinned.
"Get out of here."
I rolled my eyes.
David winked, before turning and heading down the sidewalk towards the gym. Just as I was about to go inside, I heard a car pull up behind me, and I glanced back to see Mr. Lawson stepping out of his Lamborghini, fixing his suit as he stood. Any other girl would have been drooling at the sight of him; bright blue eyes, perfect blonde hair, and tall frame, he was hardly an average man.
I thought about what David and I were just talking about, and as I looked Mr. Lawson over, I wondered why I wasn't attracted to him. It wasn't that I thought he wasn't perfectly gorgeous, because I did, but I guess he just wasn't really my type.
"Good morning, Oana," He smiled, and I nodded at him. "Was that your brother?" He asked me, nodding towards my brother's retreating form. I nodded again, smiling back at him slightly.
"Yes, sir."
By default, I walked inside with Mr. Lawson and immediately I felt the heavy glare of the secretary on me. Frowning, I looked up up at her, and saw a dark scowl on her face.
It wasn't very becoming for her otherwise beautiful features. I would have thought her to be much prettier if she didn't constantly have such a sour expression on her face.
Once we were inside the elevator, I shifted awkwardly on my feet, feeling Mr. Lawson glance to me occasionally from his phone.
"How long is your brother visiting?" He asked, and I glanced up, shrugging my shoulders.
"I'm not sure. Until they call for him again," I told Mr. Lawson, and his eyebrows pulled together slightly.
"He's a soldier?" He said after a moment, and I nodded. "Thank him for his service." He met my eyes, and I smiled.
"I will."
The elevator opened three floors short of our stop, and revealed a beautiful young woman in a black dress, scowling at a file in her hand. I glanced her over, and in spite of her heels, she was about two inches taller than me. With brilliant sea-colored eyes, and cropped black hair, she stood primly against her heels, her back straight. Her hair was an inch or two longer than her shoulders, and it framed her sharp facial features. Her hair was styled with slight beach waves that spiraled amongst her long bob. The four inch heels that she was wearing matched her dress, and her makeup was almost flawless.
The woman lifted her eyes to step into the elevator, and started in surprise.
"Oh, I can wait for the next lift, if this one's too full..." she glanced between Mr. Lawson and I.
I started to shake my head, glancing over at my boss, to see him quietly observing the woman.
"Not at all Malia, come in," Mr. Lawson smiled slightly, ushering the young woman inside. Her eyes switched from my boss quickly, to me, and a smile lit up her face as she settled beside me.
"I'm Malia," she offered, extending her hand in my direction. I smiled back. Her cheerful aurora seemed to fill the elevator.
"Oana Atkins."
"You're new right? I don't think I've seen you before?" She tilted her head slightly as she met my eyes.
"She's my new assistant," Mr. Lawson said, his eyes skimming me to rest on Malia. She smiled brighter.
"I knew your name sounded familiar," she laughed, "welcome to L. C." She tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, and reached out to press her floor button.
Malia got off one floor before us, and waved a friendly goodbye, before she headed off down the hall.
As the elevator opened to our floor, Mr. Lawson ushered me out in front of him, and we walked down towards the offices.
"I had Amy put your papers on your desk earlier. I have three meetings today, and I'll need you for all of them," Mr. Lawson told me, as he stopped at his door.
"I'll start on them right away," I bobbed my head, and he nodded back to me, before entering his office. I walked down the hall to my office, and moved inside with a sigh. Today was going to be a long day.
I was itching to spend time with my brother already, and I hadn't even started working yet. On top of that I had to attend all three of Mr. Lawson's meetings today. Seeing the papers on my desk, I cocked my head, and headed over to sit down.
*
I stood up with a sigh, setting down the last paper, and reaching up to rub my temple. Mr. Lawson had already had his first meeting, and he must've known that I had to finish some paperwork, because he dismissed me early. Thankfully, I had just finished a few minutes before his next meeting. Standing up, I knocked on his office door and he called me inside. Stepping into his office, I walked over to gather the pitcher and dirty glasses from his desk. On my way over, another knock sounded, and Mr. Lawson called someone inside.
"Mr. Lawson, I thought you ought to know that your brother has called for you on line one," The secretary from downstairs said, a sickly-sweet smile coming to her lips as she addressed him.
Really??
I had to strive not to roll my eyes as I gathered the things into my hands and turned to leave.
"Thank you, Oana," Mr. Lawson called to me, and I sent him a quick smile, before leaving. The woman was shooting daggers at me with her eyes as I left.
I didn't miss the fact that Mr. Lawson called her Rachel.
Shaking my head once I was out of his office, I headed to refill the water pitcher and get some new glasses. Placing the used glasses into the dishwasher, I took some new ones and put them on the trey with the filled pitcher. Turning, I stopped when I almost ran into someone, and I tripped back against the counter to avoid hitting them. The person who I had run into quickly reached out and grabbed the trey to steady the pitcher. I looked up quickly to see a pair of striking emerald eyes.
"I'm so sorry!" I rushed, as the man gently released my trey and took a step back, letting me move away from the counter.
"No harm done, are you alright?" He asked me, looking genuinely concerned. I nodded, fixing my hold on the trey, not sure what to say. I was sure that Mr. Lawson's meeting was about to start. I quickly made sure I had everything adjusted correctly, before looking back to the man with a flustered breath.
"I'm fine! Sorry again!" I grimaced, and the man flashed me a dashing smile.
The man waved his hand at me dismissivly, "No worries."
"If you'll excuse me?" I rushed, and he raised his eyebrows, as I turned and moved down the hall, hoping I was in time for the meeting.
Back in my office, I heard my phone going off, so I quickly set the trey down on my desk, and went to rummage through my drawer.
"Hello?"
"It's David, when do you get off again?" My brother asked me, and I heard Mr. Lawson greeting someone inside his office.
"Four or four thirty, I have to go." I hissed, and before he could say goodbye, I hung up. I didn't even have time to fix my hair, before I knocked on the door and was called inside. Only, as I opened the door and walked inside Mr. Lawson's office, he was nowhere to be seen. In his place, was the man whom I had just run into in the hallway. He appeared surprised to see me again as well.
"Hello again," He smirked, and I frowned.
"I'm looking for Mr. Lawson..." I trailed off, confused as to why this man was in his office.
"I am Mr. Lawson," He told me, amusement playing in his green eyes. I took a step back, my face twisting in confusion.
"But-" I stopped myself, turning to see the real Mr. Lawson coming through the door. Glancing between the two men, my frown deepened. The real Mr. Lawson turned from the door just then and saw my expression. He gestured to the man with green eyes in front of me with a small smile.
"Oana, meet my younger brother Damon."