CEO // t.h

Chapter eight - Business woman

Warnings: swearing.

Avery's P.O.V

It's been a week since I last saw Tom. When I got home that night I told Ellie everything that he said, she of course was furious like any best friend would be after hearing their friend got spoken to like that, I've been dreading our meeting that happens to be this afternoon. I have contemplated cancelling it time after time but Ellie has been reassuring me that everything will be okay and to show him that he may be the 'famous business man' but I am better than how he treated me.

I have made the meeting in my office, thankfully Linda sent him all the details about the date, time and location so I haven't had to speak to him. I get all our old files ready and add the new ones to the pile, just as I place them on my desk I hear a knock on the door, I take a deep breath "you've got this" I say quietly to myself, "come in" I yell out. Tom then walks through the door and closes it behind him, "take a seat" I say – my words cutting through the tension like a knife, Tom sits on the chair across from me "here is the files we went over last time, I updated them though so you can look through them and make notes" I say as I place the five files in front of him "I'm going to work on these" I say gesturing to the three files in front of me.

Its silent as we both work on our files, the awkward and tense kind of silence. "This is good" I hear Tom say, I nod in response "I especially like what you did here, it's amazing" he adds as he points to one of the sections in the file, again I just nod. "Why so silent?" Tom questions as he puts his pen and files down "well I don't know what to say, especially after last time" I reply shrugging my shoulders as I remain looking at the file "what do you mean?" Tom asks.

"Well after your lecture about how I should watch what I say and how I act, I think that I would probably be better off staying silent" I explain still looking at the file. "And to be completely honest I wasn't even sure if this meeting was going to happen after how you spoke but I have too much respect for myself to let personal matters interrupt my work life" I say finally looking up, only to be met by his piercing blue eyes.

"Well, I must say I do respect you for that" he says causing me to roll my eyes "compared to not having any respect for me last week" I say reminding him of his hurtful words. "I must apologise for what I said and how I acted, I am sorry but you had the wrong idea" Tom says "nice apology" I reply looking back down at the file. "You didn't let me finish, if I could've explained what happened when you left, you wouldn't think that way – trust me, I don't want you to think that I just fucked some random girl once you left our meeting" Tom explains, I look back up at him "I don't care if you did, that's your personal business – you just have a reputation and I thought wrong after the ball, that's all. I was annoyed of how you treated me and spoke down to me" I reply.

"Well I'm sorry for how I spoke, I didn't intentionally say those things to hurt you" Tom says, "thank you" I reply. "Besides, don't you think I am smart enough by now to lock the door if I was going to fuck her?" Tom says with a laugh, I join in "hey, I'm meant to be annoyed at you" I say, "am I forgiven?" Tom asks "yes" I say with a slight laugh shaking my head. "Now back to business, I also came here to ask you something" Tom says "after seeing your amazing work I would love to offer you a position at Hiddleston Towers, an internship type of position, now it will be fully paid so don't worry about that – you will make $550 a week and roughly $2,200 a month depending on all those business matters like tax" he explains.

My mouth slightly parts in surprise "oh my gosh, I – wow" I say. "Thank you very much, that's amazing" I add, the pay just a month is worth more than my job at R&R's and Luke's combined "but I couldn't work three jobs at once" I explain to Tom, two jobs are busy enough. "Three jobs?" Tom says with a confused look on his face "it would be – my job here, the position you just offered and my job at Luke's" I explain "well just quit working at Luke's, I'm sure the pay is more than what you would make in just a week" Tom says.

"I couldn't just leave Luke's, I love it there – I've been working there for three years" I explain, "well seems like it's time for a change" Tom says. "I just couldn't see myself not working there" I reply "I mean, you're just a waitress there – it's not like it's an amazing job" Tom says shrugging his shoulder. I'm slightly offended by his comments "you don't understand, it's not about the position – it's about the connection I have with everyone there, I love it there" I say crossing my arms over my chest. "But it's just a waitress job at a random café, you will meet new people at Hiddleston Towers" Tom says with a confused look on his face.

"Okay look, I know a 'waitress' job might seem like nothing to you, pitiful even, but it means a lot to me. Sorry I don't care for the titles jobs give me but I enjoy working there. Every time you mention it, you just talk down on my job like its worthless" I say getting angry at his attitude "I just think you will enjoy it more at Hiddleston Towers" he says with a shrug.

"Look, I have another meeting now" I say glancing at the clock on the wall, "if I can have some time to just think about it, I promise I will contact you personally and let you know my final decision" I say. "Okay deal, you have until Thursday – so that gives you three days" Tom says standing up, "thank you for today and I hope to hear from you soon" he says, the walks out of my office and leaves.

I let out a sigh I didn't even know I was holding in, "ah, what to do" I say to myself quietly.