Absolute Zero (5 page)

Apparently not. She watched as the woman grabbed her keys and took a step around the desk.

“Umm…should I…?” Anne asked quietly, looking from the door to the woman and back again.

“Just knock. He’ll tell you to come in. He’s expecting you, it’s OK,” the woman answered. She appeared to be in a hurry.

“All right…” Anne breathed out, her fist raised and poised to knock. She must have stood in a daze contemplating this meeting. When she turned again, the other woman was already gone.
Deep breath.

Her knuckles rapped gently at first, barely making a sound on the solid door. She waited, shifting her weight from one heel to the other.

Maybe he isn’t here
. She would knock one more time, a little louder, before assuring herself that he, indeed, was not in the room and then she would…

Her knock resulted in an almost automatic “Come in” that was muffled, but clearly audible. It made her pulse leap.

Disappointment coursed through her. She gulped loudly before she extended her hand and turned the knob.

She pushed the door in slowly and took a tentative step into the room, her eyes scanning everything that was visible to her. His huge desk, the floor to ceiling windows behind it, book shelves along the far wall that were absolutely jam-packed full of books and a few various items. A small conference table on the opposite side of the room, a small seating area…and the man himself. He was seated behind the desk, his phone placed to his ear, a large monitor illuminating his features from the side. His eyes were fixed on her as she stepped into the room.

She purposely kept the door open and only stepped in far enough that she could easily bolt back through it if necessary.

Stop being ridiculous. What’s he going to do?

He was flicking his wrist for her to come toward him as he listened to whatever was being said on the other side of the phone.

She stood rooted to the floor. There were four impressive leather wingback chairs in front of his desk and she wondered if she was expected to seat herself in one of them.

In this setting, much more so than their previous encounter, he was powerful, completely throwing her off balance and the feeling was totally unwelcome.

He placed his hand over the receiver and spoke directly to her.

“Come here,” he stated in a low voice before nodding toward one of the chairs. “Close the door first,” he added. He seemed to have a somewhat kindly expression on his face.
Maybe he’s actually nice?

“
NO!
” He barked into the phone angrily. A scowl was very evident on his features suddenly.

Maybe not.             

“You won’t move on that until I give the go ahead,” he added in a calmer voice. He was tapping something on his keyboard, clicking his mouse and staring at the screen. For a few moments it was as if he had completely forgotten that she was standing in the room.

Suddenly his eyes went from perusing the monitor to studying her. His eyes flitted back to the screen once again, then back to her.

“Ah…what?” he finally uttered, his eyes still fastened on her face.

“Let me call you back,” he stated before placing the receiver back in the cradle. He didn’t even wait for a response she noticed, before he abruptly ended the call.

“Anne? Or do you prefer Dr. Bennett? Mrs. Bennett, Miss…?” he asked her directly.

“Ah…” She clasped her hands behind her back, lest he noticed their nervous fidgeting. She was dumbstruck. His intense stare made her forget what the question was. She was too busy trying to appear cool and confident even though her body wanted nothing more than to exit the room as quickly as possible.

“Anne it is,” he answered for her after a few awkward moments. “Close the door, Anne,” he ordered with a slight smile.

She hesitated for a brief moment before his words registered.

Her hand reached for and pushed the door closed, forcing her to step further into the room. She turned toward him slowly after the door closed with a deafening click.

“Come closer.”
I won’t bite.
He added in his head.

She looked at him with some inscrutable expression on her face. She made no attempt to comply with his request, he noticed as she stood ramrod straight, her hands now clasped behind her back once again.

“At ease, soldier,” he quipped and watched her face almost scrunch up in confusion.

“Just kidding. It’s that jacket. I’m not sure if I should shake your hand or salute you,” he blurted.

Her expression didn’t change. Apparently she wasn’t acquainted with humor, or perhaps she was nervous…

“Anne, please have a seat,” he stated in a warm voice. His hand offered up one of the chairs in front of his desk.

She looked like a caged animal. Her eyes swept toward the closed door then back to the chair. Her feet still remained planted to the spot near the door.

“Anne?”

Right. Right. Move…
She mentally ordered herself. Her feet slowly complied, her heels digging into the sumptuous carpeting in the office, her nerves jumping more intensely as she walked toward the desk.

“Are you hungry?” he asked casually, grabbing the large paper wrapped object from the side of his desk. She watched as he began to unwrap it, stopping at the side of the chair, then stepping in front of it. He dislodged the tape and began to peel back the first layer of paper before snapping his gaze to her.

“Sit,” he ordered and her body responded by plunking down in the chair immediately.

“You know, they make ridiculously large sandwiches in America,” he stated more to himself as he continued to unwrap the paper revealing a well stacked sandwich. “This is pastrami. Do you like pastrami, Anne?” He didn’t wait for a response.

He probably wasn’t going to get one anyway
, she thought. Her brain hadn’t quite acclimated itself to this situation.

“I’ll give you half,” he stated before she could utter a word.

He pulled the cut portion, leaving one side for him and holding the other out to her. “Here, grab a tissue…” he indicated the box on the side of his desk. Her eyes wandered to it and back to the sandwich. It was huge, with a mound of red meat and shredded lettuce that threatened to spill out at any moment.

“Anne, snap to, love.” He flicked his wrist, causing a few pieces of lettuce to fall to the desk surface. She quickly reached over and grabbed a tissue before placing it on the desk before her.

“There you go,” he stated as he placed it on the tissue.

He grabbed his portion and was about to bring it to his lips before his gaze snapped to hers above the sandwich.

“Eat,” he ordered and she immediately found her voice.

“I’m not hungry,” she replied and that was the truth. Her nervousness pretty much left her stomach in knots.

“Of course you are. Please. I don’t want to eat in front of you; that’s rude, eh?” He took a small bite and chewed. This situation was completely nerve-wracking for her and he was so casual and cool about it.

She sat and watched as he swallowed his bite.

“Anne?” he asked with a raised brow.

After a moment, he set the sandwich back on the paper and settled his elbows on the desk.

“You’re nervous. Why?”

Her only response was a shake of her head.

“Aye, you are. That’s Ok, seems to be a running theme in this facility for some odd reason. At any rate, I called you in here to apologize,” he confided. His words caused her expression to change to one of scrutiny.

“I don’t usually pop in unannounced to new hire orientations. However, I wanted to meet the woman responsible for causing a man’s penis to explode. Like a…ah…hot dog in a microwave, right?” he added with a smirk.

Her hands gripped the arm rests on the chair. Her cheeks had to be bright red; she could actually feel the blood rush to them.

Oh dear lord. Had that woman…?

“Don’t worry. I was just sitting in the lobby. You didn’t notice me. You were too busy staring at the magazine in your lap and trying to escape from the woman next to you.  I told them not to hire her by the way.  Claire?” he asked. “Can’t have Claire running around the office blathering to everyone. We need to get work done, right?” he stated in a carefree tone.

Her voice was now officially lost. Her lips moved to say something,
anything
, but there was nothing forthcoming.

“So did you?” he asked after a moment.

“Did I what?” she answered after a brief hesitation.

“Did you really work for a sex toy company? Did you really blow up a man’s whalluper?”

The term was unfamiliar but the translation was crystal clear.

“No, of course not! I was just…she was just…annoying and I…I just don’t like to be crowded. And…I’m not a big talker…she asked too many questions,” she answered honestly.

“Yes. I can tell that bothers you.” His slight grin turned serious. “Anne? Can I give you a bit of advice?” He didn’t wait for her approval before continuing. “People around here? Very friendly. They like to know about you. The pace is much slower here than where you’re from, I’m sure. They take time to get to know each other. It’s not a bad place to live, it’s just different,” he stated before picking up and biting his sandwich once again.

“I’ll um…keep that in mind,” she stated softly.
Can I go now?

“Anne, please eat that. It’s actually verra good.” He nodded toward her untouched portion of sandwich.

“I…they ordered me lunch. In the Conference Room… I should probably go and…eat it,” she stated before biting her lip.

“Are you trying to get away from me, Anne?” he asked in a low voice, his eyes back to piercing.

She contemplated her response before a blurted “Maybe” escaped.

A small laugh erupted from his throat. “Oh Anne! You are refreshing to say the least,” he said with a warm smile that transformed his face into something softer, more human.

“Very well, you can go.” He waved her off like some insignificant being. She immediately pushed up from the chair before his words halted her.

“Good day, Anne. Try not to scare off any of my employees, eh?” His eyes practically twinkled.

Her brows immediately scrunched together once again as she studied him.

“That was sarcastic humor, love. The appropriate reaction is a smile or a laugh,” he stated. “Or in your case, a look of complete confusion…”

A tiny spark of anger erupted within her. He was making fun of her. Her lips moved without hesitation. The words spewed forth unchecked.

“You should talk,” she stated coolly.

“What was that?” He looked surprised. Good.

“I said, ‘you should talk’. You scare the crap out of everyone in this place,” she muttered, sidestepping the chair and backing away. It was true.
She should probably shut up right about now…

“Do I, now?” His eyes crinkled in amusement. It only served to anger her more.

“Yes. I’ve only been here half a day, but I noticed that the mere mention of your name puts a stricken look on your employee’s faces,” she answered honestly, her previous nervous state completely overridden by a new emotion: annoyance.

He was speechless.
Did she just say…?

“I’m just going to go,” she stated as she backed away toward the door. He was clearly mulling over her words. Maybe he truly didn’t know or maybe he just wasn’t accustomed to bluntness.

“You’re very direct, aren’t you?” he finally stated when she was only a few steps from the door.

“Yes. Yes I am.” She took a step toward him. “You brought me in here to what? Tease me? Knock me off balance? I have no idea what the purpose of this meeting was. I
am
socially awkward. I accept it, it’s who I am. I am
not
a people person nor do I aspire to be,” she shot out in a firm voice. “I’m a damn good scientist. I can be socially inept and still do this job,” she added smoothly, her stance and facial expression almost challenging.

She was small but so powerful in that moment; he was absolutely captivated by her. Anne, the little powerhouse: cute as a button, but fierce.

Fascinating.
He watched in stunned silence as she turned on her heel and wandered toward the door.

“Good day,” she stated confidently before pulling the door open and walking through it, without waiting for permission to do so.

He sat and stared at the door as it closed with a firm click. “That went well,” he stated under his breath. A smile crept across his face a moment later.

His eyes turned toward his monitor a moment later, scrolling down the multitude of listings under the search Anne Bennett.  They were mostly Social Media accounts. He scrolled through them; fairly certain Ms. Bennett was
not
a social media participant. 

A long list of hits for an author appeared on the next page, several other listings that were definitely not what he was looking for, a Dr. Anne Bennett, but in Washington DC.  He added San Diego and a new list of names cropped up.  The third page netted a Dr. Anne Bennett in San Diego. It was a Doctor Profile for St. Luke’s Hospital. Dr. Anne Bennett, Neurosurgeon. He almost passed it and continued the search but clicked on it instead. A mere second later and a picture popped up along with a listing of schools, awards, specialties. The woman in the picture bore no resemblance to the woman that just walked out of his office. She was much heavier in the face; her hair was shoulder length and a non-descript brown color, and then there was… her nose. The woman in the picture bore a slight resemblance to a Proboscis monkey. Her nose was large and too long for her face. It definitely was
not
her. Although…her eyes. A bright blue green and almond shaped.