The First Time I Saw You

Chapter 9

Claire was known to be three minutes late to everything, it didn't matter if it was a business meeting or a personal matter. Even if she was determined to make it on time, something would happen and hold her back. Regardless, she always had at least three reminders set up in order to make sure she left in time and tried her best to be punctual.

The first reminder was her Outlook, this one popping up the reminder twenty minutes ahead of time. She knew to stop what she was working on and save everything that might need to be. The second reminder was Siri, this one was ten minute later. By then, she should be gathering all her things and made sure she had all she needed with her and be ready for the meeting. And the last one was her assistant, Zara who would come to her office and remind her that she should be leaving now if she wanted to make it on time to the conference room where her boss, Simon Masrani, and the rest of the attendees would be waiting.

The redhead smiled with a nod and thanked her. She fixed her jacket and brushed her hair with her fingers, adjusting it over her shoulders. It seemed that for the first time since she had step foot in Nublar, Claire Dearing will be on time to something.

This expectations were shut down the moment she stepped out of the Innovation Center, "god~I'm going to he so late." She mumbled to herself seconds before feeling Owen's lips pecking hers and handing her a hot Starbucks.

"Ah~c'mon!" The man already knew that face she was offering. Those green eyes looking at him apologetically while she nibbled on her lips and hoped he would understand. She had been giving him that face for the past two weeks. That made it four months, four months since he had been hired and the most valuable time Owen had been able to spend with her was during the tour she had given him on his first day.

"I have a meeting, and I'm officially running late." She checked the time on her wristwatch before giving her coffee a sip.

"Me too, remember?" He ran his arm around her waist walking down the stairs with her and following her to her car. "It's about the new paddock for my girls. I hate this kind of crap and find it unnecessary—" he started, making a pause after taking in the face she had offered him. "But, hey at least that means I get to be near you for an hour without you fleeing after two minutes."

"This is unfair." She shook her head. She really hated it when he threw to her face that she couldn't give him more than she already did, "I told you from the start I'm not—"

"I remember~" He cut her off, his index finger resting against her lips, Claire wrapped her fingers around it and let her teeth bit on it.

"We are having fun, right?" She smiled, her eyes hoping to find some enthusiasm in his face.

Owen slowly smiled back and nodded his head. He had it bad for her and at this point, he would take whatever she had to offer. "Can I have a ride? I'm running late." He nudged her.

Claire licked her lips and unlocked the passenger's seat for him to slide in. Once inside, they both buckled up and Claire headed to their destination.

****

The Mercedes-Benz that InGen had provided the redhead was slowly parked into one of the couple spaces the building featured. Claire turned her car off and after unbuckling, she checked the time on her wristwatch. They were ten minutes late but to her relief, they were the first there. She had gotten a brief e-mail from her boss saying he had been caught up with Dr. Wu but will be driven over soon. The meeting had now been pushed over thirty minutes.

She smiled, so far it seemed she'd be on time after all, "The meeting was pushed, any idea how we can kill twenty minutes without moving from here?" She asked out loud, her eyes slowly moving up before facing Owen whom was grinning her way, already un buckling his seatbelt and pushing his seat back.