Tell Me Something

The First Meeting

Chapter One

The loud yellow taxi horns blazed through the atmosphere as I ran as quickly as I could in the highest pair of heels I owned and in the busiest city to exist. The tall buildings on top of me, including the Empire State, now seemed invisible to me as I grew used to them since I moved here seven years ago.

I can't be late. Not today.

Running in New York City has several outcomes. First, you bump into approximately twenty people a day, drop your bag about ten times and trip somewhere near fifty times, if you're lucky. However, I grew used to those things, because that's the everyday of a busy New Yorker.

I finally reached the building where the social media agency I worked for was based. We had an urgent meeting held with another social media agency that was after the same social media page, whose ratings was hitting the roof. Our main aim was to persuade them to step down from this page because we needed it more than anything and I needed it even more so I could finally stop being just one of the new employees. 

I yanked the glass door open and rushed into the office as I raised my wrist to check the time.Ten minutes late. I walked through the corridor leading from the secretary to the offices and took a look inside the meeting room. Everyone was already in the meeting room and my heart jumped. I wasn't going to let this promotion escape me. I snatched my notes from my bag and began to run to the meeting room, tripping for the fiftieth time today.

Everyone stared at me as I forced the door wide open and guided my way to the empty chair next to my boss that was already glaring at me. The rival company was sitting opposite me and I stared back at them.

I moved my eyes and looked at every single person with no hesitation until my eyes landed on a pair of calmer ones that were almost soft and approachable. My expression softened as I scanned his clean-shaved face that still had some type of roughness to it. His jawline was one of those jawlines that looked like it could slice my cheek with a single brush, and cut my lips with a single kiss.

He blinked slowly and that immediately snapped me out of it. I blinked several times and opened my notebook revealing my strategy for the meeting.

"Now, that we're all here, we can begin this meeting," My boss said with her squeaky voice that could fool anyone but not her employees that experienced her ruthlessness and intimidating glares. I cleared my throat and began to speak cautiously but confidently. Half an hour later the meeting came to an end and we all stepped outside and made our way to the food station where breakfast was served for everyone. The meeting went by smoothly with no heated argument like we usually end up having. My boss thankfully allowed me to present my plan thoroughly in which consisted of several benefits that the rival company would still have if they allowed us to fully take over the popular social media page. All that was left was for them to discuss with their boss and for me to receive a phone call from them declaring their decision.

Before I headed to the food station I grabbed my phone from my desk and checked my messages.

I miss you. When will I see you?

I let out a deep breath and replied without even thinking.

Tonight?

Not a second goes by when he replies back to me.

My place?

"Tell me something," A voice startled me forcing a shriek out of my mouth.

"Do you always avoid meeting a person's eyes during a meeting?" I turned around abruptly and there he was. I almost failed in recognizing him because of how little I looked at him the whole meeting. His jawline reminded me, however.

"I look at everyone during my meetings," I raised my chin to look at him and straightened out my pencil skirt carefully, accidentally making his eyes drop to my legs. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, clearly not today," He said as he tilted the cup of coffee to meet his lips and took a slow sip.

"Maybe, you were too busy staring at my legs," I said as I took a hold of my phone.

He chuckled and my eyes immediately widened. That laugh is too familiar.

"Have we already met?" I said abruptly catching him off guard by my tone. I didn't mean to sound so harsh. Or maybe I did.

"I don't think so" He raised his left eyebrow and looked at me for a few seconds longer. "I would remember."

I nodded slowly and in the silence, I could feel and hear my heart beating a hundred times a minute. I sucked a deep breath in and exhaled quickly.

"Hey, you ok?" He said and touched my arm lightly, making it worse.

"Yes, I'm fine, I just need some coffee, urgently," I forced a smile, and even though he knew me only for five minutes he did not seem convinced.

"I'll let you get to it," He smiled. A decent smile that revealed a dimple on each cheek.

"We will call you with our answer by the end of the week."

"Thank you Mr—,"

"You can call me Nathan," He smiled.

"Cassie. Pleasure to meet you," I forced a smile back and I began to walk to the breakfast table when I received another message.

My place it is then.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed a croissant and poured myself a cup of coffee. As I took a sip of my coffee I remembered the way he drank his coffee. The way his soft lips met the paper cup and the way the quiet slurping of his tongue pervaded my ears. I found myself searching for his tall silhouette amongst the other employees.

"Cassidy, can I see you in my office?" My boss said behind me and I almost shrieked as I turned around to look at her.

"Now." She walked to her office before I could even answer her. I followed her with my chin tilted upwards in an attempt to disguise the anxiety of having to face her.

Her office was mostly covered in glass that displayed the city making the room the most luminous and spacious in the building. The Empire State was not so invisible from up there.

"Have a seat," She breathed and I slowly took a seat on one of her fancy leather chairs that faced away from the glorious view and the chair let out a sigh as I lowered myself on it.

"That meeting went great, don't you think?" I smiled at her nervously.

"You left me and the team without a scheme for twenty minutes,"

"It was ten minutes, actually," I said without thinking and she gaped at me.

"You're lucky your plan seemed to have worked out well enough," she said.

"It won't happen again," I looked straight into her eyes hoping she would believe me.

"You will be the one to receive the call by the end of the week. If they reject your offer, be ready to persuade them in any way you can,"

"Of course, I have it all covered,"

"I believe you do too. You're one of my strongest employees here. Don't let me down," She sat on her chair and turned her attention to her computer. That was my queue.

"I'll let you know what happens," I marched out of her office and already began to plan in my head what my strategy would be if our offer got rejected.