The Personal Assistant.

Chapter 20

Elizabeth sighed as she stared down at her feet. "Have you already had dinner?" James asked looking at her. 

She did not look up as she smiled. "No, actually I haven't." Turning her head to finally meet his gaze. "Well it might not be much of a date, but how do you feel about pizza?" He said standing up and patting the dirt of his suit pants.

"Pizza isn't the problem..." She said taking his outreached hand. "I figured..." He sighed. 

"But since me just avoiding you wasn't exactly very nice, or actually just plain rude, I'll allow it." She said smiling at him. "But don't you ever just order me to go out with you again." She said jabbing him with her finger. 

He chuckled and held up his hands, "Fair, very fair."

The two of them sat quietly eating pizza in a small pizza joint near their houses. "I can't believe that I've never been to this place," Elizabeth said half what joking. 

"Never?" He asked smiling. "No, have you ever been here before?" She said in disbelief. "No, I actually hardly ever eat pizza, to be honest."

"What is wrong with you?"

At that James chuckled and the two of them sat in comfortable silence. 

"I want to apologize." He suddenly said. "For what?" She said confused. "For what I said, on your last day." 

She looked up at him meeting his eyes and staring into them. Opening her mouth to say something she quickly looked down again. 

"Are you alright?" He said gently grabbing her chin with his hand and turning it back up looking at him. Using her hand she pushed him away and gave him a sad smile. "I'm fine."

James sighed looking away not knowing what to do next. His hand went up to his forehead and he leaned back. "Why do you keep pushing me away?" He said getting frustrated. 

"You really don't remember me, do ya?" She said looking at him with sad eyes. "I don't understand..." He said reaching out to her. 

"It's alright, but just... Just leave me alone..." She said laying down cash from her wallet and leaving the restaurant. "Elizabeth wait!" She turned for a split second before leaving the restaurant. 

Natalie was confused when the call came telling her to come upstairs. Usually, Mr. McGregor would call her and just give her instructions. It didn't happen to often when he would call her and tell her to come upstairs. 

With caution, she left the elevator, almost as if she expected to be jumped by a tiger right at that moment. Her eyes darted over to the PA's desk, looking very different from when Elizabeth sat there. Now a young Asian woman sat there in her place. She still had to learn the woman's name but in all honesty, at this point, it just felt like a waste of time. 

She took a deep breath as she reached to the office door and composed herself. She knocked three times and walked in after hearing the familiar, come in. 

"You called sir?" She asked tentatively walking over to his desk. "You know Elizabeth, don't you? I mean you're a friend of hers?" She asked. "Sir I-" She started and James just knew what she was going to say but cut her off. 

"Why would she say that I don't remember her?" He leaned forward. "I don't know what you mean sir?" She said confused. "She said, you really don't remember me do ya? Tell me, did she already work here last time I was here?" 

At that Natalie's head shot up, fear filling her eyes. "I..." She sighed. "She did."   

"What department?" He asked hopefully, but Natalie shook her head. "Right here." She said, watching his expression go from confusion to fear and realization. 

"That can't be..." He said leaning back. "That girl had-" He started. "She used to dye her hair brown." Natalie responded sighing, "She had brown hair in a different cut and used to wear different clothes and radically different makeup." 

James sighed gripping his head with both hands and leaning on the desk and groaned. "Are you alright sir?" Natalie asked. 

"I... I fucked up even before I knew..."