It Doesn't Work That Way

1

Much like everyone else's, my morning starts with coffee. Leaving the house without it seems like a counterproductive way to start the day. 

I pick up my second cup of coffee from the counter of a new cafe and thank the barista before exiting and walking across the street into my office building. Most days I'm thankful for living so close to work, but especially on Monday's do I appreciate the short commute and the abundance of coffeeshops along the way

"Morning Caroline," I hear from the receptionist's desk. I glance up sleepily to see Charles the security guard and Stella the receptionist greet me with smiles. I close my eyes and take a big sip of my coffee before responding kindly by giving a two fingered salute, a habit of mine they've come to accept while coffee is in my hands. 

I didn't need any more to give away the fact that I got up 15 minutes ago. As if my bedhead wasn't show enough. I am thankful again, for the fact that I don't work too closely with customers and when I do its meetings late in the day, after I've had time to wake up and make myself presentable. For the most part though, my job centers around the design and product itself.

I open up my phone and scan my security badge before heading towards the elevators. My coworkers have learned not to expect an intelligable answer until they see I've had my coffee. Of course, they don't know that it's not my first cup of the day, it at least it keeps me from being bombarded before 9:00 AM.

I get to my desk, still slowly drinking my coffee, trying to slow down the incoming emails and interns with my mind. I log into my computer and set my coffee near my mouse. I put my headphones on and press play on my phone to check my voicemail.

"Caroline, we have a very important client coming in this morning that wants to meet our head engineer. As you can see on your schedule I've arranged a meeting with him at 11:00 AM this morning, There's no getting out of it because I've already checked with your secretary that you were free and to block any other appointments that could be made there. No excuses this time, kid. I'll stop by your desk around 10:30 to give you an idea of this guy. Who knows maybe you'll hit it off with him from what I hear he's quite the looker. And you could use someone to make you a little less uptight if you know what I mean.  Alright, I hope you had a good weekend. Happy Monday! Rogers out." Beep

I sigh loud enough for my seecretary to look back from her desk and give me a sheepish look. Then I press a button on my desk that closes my door so I don't have to look at her play guilty. Okay, I have an hour and a half before 10:30. This means if I want to get any real work done today it has to get started now. I stand up and walk over to the window to manually open my blinds. Walking back to my desk I stretch, chug the rest of my coffee, and get started before I'm inevitably interrupted.

The knock on my door goes ignored as I type in the final bits of code needed to fix a bug that a  client had been complaining about. The door opens before I can respond and in walks Harrison Rogers. A man that is closer in age to my oldest brother than he is to me, yet acts childish enough for me to forget he's the CEO of a state-of-the-art security company.

"Goooood Morning my Coco Deschanel." He sang, with an energy that could only come from drugs. I sharply glance at him walking towards my desk only to have a small smile spread across my face when he offers me what's in his hand.

"I know how much you hate happy people in the morning but I figured if I brought a peace-offering to the most high caffeine goddess, she might show me mercy?" He presents a cup of coffee from my favorite cafe across town, I reach for it but he moves it away before I can grab hold. A whine escapes me and he laughs, 

"You only get this if you're on your best behavior during our meeting." He smirks thinking he got me but the look on his face falls when I quickly snatch the cup from his grasp. I take a slow sip before responding, 

"What am I? A dog?" 

I stand and gather my hair up and away from my face, looking at my reflection in the opposite window before meticulously creating an updo that is professional enough to make me presentable to anyone outside of the office. I take the folder I had compiled about our latest product, my laptop under my arm and my new caffine victim in both hands and I stride out the door to the conference room. I hear Harrison chase after me while trying to keep up with my pace and maintain composure.

"How in the hell do you walk so fast in those shoes Caroline?" I hear his shoes falter after I assume almost running into the mail cart that I narrowly avoided myself. I turn into the conference room adjacent to his office and set down my stuff.

"I have things to do Rogers, I don't like unexpected meetings nor do I like people this early in the morning." I all but pouted at the last part taking another sip of my coffee to stop myself from childishly stomping my feet. I feel him round the table and set his phone and a pen down at the end near my seat.

"I left that message Friday evening, Caroline. You would've known about this if you brought work home with you like everyone else does. Besides I brought you coffee, you can't still be upset with me." He rested his hands on the table looking like a lost puppy. I rolled my eyes and started spreading my papers out and took a seat.

 "You know work stays at work, not home" I took another sip of the coffee, finally feeling a little more awake, and smiled, "besides, if I came in as happy as you every Monday I wouldn't get to enjoy free coffee from Philz and watching you make a fool of yourself trying to keep on my good side." 

I glanced up at him with a smirk and crossed my legs under the table. I took my laptop out and booted it up,

"Now who is it we're meeting with?"

He sighed and opened the folder that was in front of him, "the CEO of a new company we've contracted with, Pharaoh Co., wanted to meet with you about certain security measures he wanted to be adjusted in his package.

His name is Adriano Russo."

I faltered as Harrison said the new client's name. A name that sounded familiar but was from a time I had tried hard to forget. I shook my head and continued logging into my computer.

"Okay, so this guy is some sort of big shot or something? Why am I wasting my morning explaining something to him that I'm sure you can make sound way more interesting?" I started tapping my one foot under the table my nerves for this meeting starting to show.

"He specifically requested that you be present in this meeting Caroline, I don't know what reason he has for doing so, but this man is going to start paying us each month what people sometimes make in a year and I'm not about to go against any of his wishes that are this easy to comply." 

Harrison glanced up and quickly got out of his seat. 

"In fact, here comes the man of the hour, I want you on your best behavior, Caroline, don't be as mean as you are to me." I see him give me a look out of the corner of his eye before standing up to greet the man he spoke of.