Chosen Heart (3 page)

Mr. James politely excuses
himself, after looking down at his watch.  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I
have a meeting that I’m now a minute late for.”

Autumn is clearly disappointed as
she watches him leave.  Turning my head, I bring my hand up to my mouth
trying to hide my smile.  With a look that would scare a small child, she
returns her attention back to me.  His absence has now given her true
personality an opportunity to rear its ugly head.  I’m sure she normally
intimidates most people she meets, but I’ve dealt with catty women before and I
refuse to let her get the best of me.  In an industry that is saturated
with men, I’ve learned to be assertive, yet remain professional.  In all
reality, I would rather deal with an invidious female, rather than a
chauvinistic man.

After taking a moment to regain
her composure, Autumn leads me to the only part of the table not covered in the
sea of papers.  I learn quickly that she likes to toot her own horn. 
Discussing her extensive career with SHI, she mentions the countless hours
she’s dedicated in order to gain her position.  If I didn’t know better,
I’d think she was trying to deter me.  Her emphasis on our demanding
management and the unrealistic sales quotas were my first two clues, the third
being the implicit rules of the Sales department.

Quickly squashing any more
negative comments, I simply explain that I’m not new to the game and give her a
brief overview of
my
previous experience.  Autumn doesn’t hide her
opinion of new sales agents that have come from outside of the company. 
She feels the most successful executives worked their way up through the ranks
and put in their time. 
Just like her, what a coincidence!
 
I’m relieved when she walks me back to my desk, and leaves without so much as a
goodbye, hopping on her broom to fly away.

Shrugging off the two hour
pissing match with Autumn, I log into my computer and find two new e-mails; one
is a meeting request from my new Director, Margaret Sanders, and the other from
Arianna.

From:
Arianna Salerno

To: Elyssa Hart

Date: August 17, 2012, 7:45am PST

Subject: Welcome

Elyssa,

I hope your transition into Salerno Health goes
seamlessly.  Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need
anything.  It’s such a pleasure having you here and I hope this will be a
good fit for you.  Your mom and dad would be so proud.

Arianna Salerno

CEO, Salerno Health, Inc

Venturing off to find Mrs.
Sanders’ office I find myself in a very sterile white space, with the only
color being the yellow tulips sitting in a pallid vase.  Just as I’m about
to walk away, I notice the name Arianna Salerno written meticulously on the
frosted glass behind a receptionist desk.  Of course Arianna would have a
plain set elegant reception area.

Suddenly, the sounds of muffled
voices gradually rise from behind the frosted glass.  Unable to move, I’m
frozen still, listening intently.  The door swings open abruptly and I
jump forward.  Mr. James stumbles out, obviously frustrated as he runs
both of his hands through his russet locks.  I quicken my step in hopes he
doesn’t notice me standing outside of Arianna’s office, eavesdropping. 
Just before I turn the corner I look back.  With narrowed eyes, he stares
at me. Just like at the gas station, our eyes lock.  Silently, I break our
connection with a large nervous smile, before heading around the corner.

~~~~~

My meeting with Mrs. Sanders, who
insists on me calling her Maggie, was just what I needed.  She has a
playful nature about her.  She gives a great first impression, with her
large smile immediately putting me at ease and I instantly love her. 
She’s the type of woman I strive to be.  Demanding, honest, and witty, she
exudes confidence and does not see every woman as competition.  She’s
beautiful and refined, with her messy brown hair half pulled up in a bun.

After reviewing her expectations,
she goes into her long stemmed career with SHI and through the total years of
experience, I’ve determined she must be in her forties.  She looks young
and carefree wearing a tight black dress with matching jacket and stilettos,
pulling together the expensive, but studious look.  Standing to lead me
out, she gives me words of wisdom before turning me over to my colleagues.

“Never underestimate others, but
also don’t compensate for them either.”  I can’t help but feel she is
prepping me for what’s to come.

By the time I’m done with Maggie,
it’s almost lunch.  Heading back to my desk I check my phone, realizing I
haven’t had a chance to look at it since I got here this morning.  There
are three missed text messages from Cole.

One first thing this morning:

*Good Morning
beautiful! Have a great first day at work.  Call me…miss you*

And the other two, a few minutes
ago:

*Are you
ignoring me?*

*I have pictures
proving we were intimately involved. Do you want me leaking them? Yes, I’m
blackmailing you…call me!*

Cole can be so frustrating. 
Being friends with him can be a struggle, but these days he’s my best friend…my
only friend.  I just saw him on Saturday, yet here he is already
inundating my phone with text messages.  Cole and I were together for a
few years during college, but I broke his heart in hopes to keep the
friendship, ending the romance.  But, I don’t think he’ll ever accept the
fact that there is no hope for us to rekindle our relationship.  Three
years is too long to keep that hope alive.  I hate to admit that he’s been
the man in my life, even after our breakup.  He says it’s my defense
mechanism, my way of keeping people at a distance.

Staring down at my phone, I feel
his presence before hearing his sultry voice.  My eyes flutter as I inhale
his exotic, pleasurable scent. 
Shit!  I have to stop doing that!

“Everything okay, Ms. Hart?” he
questions, as he leans against the edge of my desk.  Crossing his arms, he
exudes confidence.

“Sorry, yes of course.  It’s
just my friend…well, my best friend, I guess.  He can be a pest
sometimes.  And please, call me Elyssa.”

“He?  Your best friend’s a
guy?”

“Yes…is that so
surprising?” 
What’s he getting at?

“Let me guess, he’s an
ex-boyfriend.”  He’s smug in his assumption.  How dare he classify me
with other females, regardless of the fact that he is correct.  My
relationship with Cole is different and he knows nothing about it.

“Why yes, he is.  So I guess
you could say he’s my ex-boyfriend turned best friend.”

“Figures…”  His voice trails
off as he glances around my desk with his raised eyebrows.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m sure you have numerous
ex-boyfriends willing to take the scraps of friendship while they vie for your
heart,” he huffs.  And with that, he’s gone.

~~~~~

Arriving home, I grab water from
the fridge and slump against my couch.  Closing my eyes, I try and take a
moment for myself, but I’m unable to get Mr. Sex-on-Legs out of my head. 
Obviously, he’s absurdly beautiful, but there’s something more to him,
something I can’t quite put my finger on.

Recounting the day, I lift my
pillow and hide my face out of embarrassment.  I can almost scream at
myself over my behavior.  First there was the elevator.  I can’t
believe he caught me sniffing him like a dog.  Then, I act like a lovesick
teenager, tripping over my words and staring at him every chance I got. 
Just thinking about him now, makes my loins ache and my knees weak.  That
scent…his scent…it will forever stay engrained in my fantasies.  He
already looks like he could make me speak in tongues and forget my name, but
there’s something about a man that smells that delectable.

His inquisition also has me
baffled.  How can he assume that just because my friend was a guy that he
was an ex.  He’s right, but that’s beside the fact.  He’s absolutely
frustrating with his superiority complex, assuming that he knows me based on
his experience with women.  “I’m sure you have numerous ex-boyfriends
willing to take the scraps of friendship while they vie for your heart,” I say
out loud, mockingly.
What in the hell is that supposed to mean?

~~~~~

Settling down for the night, I
jump into bed and grab my phone.  I know Rachel has been waiting on pins
and needles to find out about my first day, so when she picks up after the
first ring, I’m not surprised.

“El?  How did your first day
go?” she questions with excitement.

“It was good, Rach.” 
That
didn’t sound very convincing.  Why do I sound so gloomy?

“You seem down.  Is
everything okay?”  Showing concern for her baby sister, I don’t have the
heart to explain my glum mood.  How do I explain that I’m pining for a man
who I’ve only talked to for no more than five minutes?  Or that love might
only be for fairytales, Hallmark, and the movies?  Especially, when she’s
already in love.

“I’m ok, just tired from a long
day.  I just wanted to call and check in.”  My sister has always had
the mother’s intuition, and can tell when something’s bothering me.  Trying
to lighten my mood I change the topic.  “I saw Arianna today in passing,
but didn’t get a chance to talk to her; she looks good.”

Rachel huffs, “You’re probably
better off.  Keep your relationship with her purely professional El; keep
her at a distance.”  I can picture her rolling her eyes at the simple
mention of Arianna’s name.  I guess I chose the wrong change in topics.

“I still don’t know why you’re so
pissed.  Arianna has been nothing but nice, and you’re always making her
out to be the devil.  I just don’t understand.”  Rachel has never
liked Arianna and from what I’ve seen, Arianna has never given her a reason to
hold such animosity.  The only thing I’ve ever come up with is that Rachel
may have felt intimidated or challenged when Arianna offered to raise me after
our parents died.  Either way, Rachel needs to get over these unwarranted
feelings, especially now that Arianna’s technically my boss.

“I’m sorry, El.  You’re
right.  She’s never done anything to
you
, so I will try and be
nice.  Seeing as she’s your boss now, I’ll keep my little comments to
myself.”

“My boss’s boss,” I correct, and
she giggles.  I decide not to tell her anything about Mr. James. 
That conversation can wait for another time.  Besides, what is there to
tell?  He was just being the genuinely nice guy that I think he is. 
That
I hope he is.

“Are you sure you’re ok? 
Something’s definitely bothering you,” she asks, never one to give up so easy.

“Just a lot of information to
take in and I’m tired.”

“I won’t force you to talk about
it, but you know I’m here if you need me.”  My chest tightens.  Just
knowing my sister is there, always makes the world right.

“I know, Rach.  You always
are.  Tell Bryan I said hi.”  Rachel and Bryan moved in together a
few months ago, which is the reason I got my own place.  How awkward it
would’ve been sharing a home with a couple who can never seem to keep their
hands to themselves.  They deserved the privacy without worrying about
someone constantly walking in on them.

“I’ll tell him.  Love you, El! 
Night.”

Tuesday September 18, 2012

Day two at SHI wasn’t as
invigorating as my first, and I’m slightly disappointed in myself.  I’m
normally more focused, but the memories of my first day are a complete
haze.  Everything, except for those piercing blue eyes, is a blur. 
Well, and that scent.  I can see now, where I’m going to need my daily
dose of Mr. James, just as much as my morning coffee.

What I wouldn’t give for him to
walk in right now, if only to see a small glimpse of my fantasy. 
Shit…be
careful what you wish for!
  Catching me blankly staring, looking
towards his office, I see him approaching my desk and am unable to hide my
excitement.  I can feel myself flush and can’t bear the thought he knows
what’s on my mind.  How embarrassing would that be?

Exuding masculinity, he continues
his strut in my direction.  His gray slacks hang from his hips, in just
that way, and sway with his movement.  Hungrily, I eye his body,
appreciating every inch of him.  His matching vest clings to his torso,
accentuating his toned chest and slim waist.  Fighting the urge to lick my
lips, my mouth feels dry as my nerves get the best of me.  I’m sure every
woman reacts this way around him.

As he approaches, a slow,
breathtaking smile spreads across his lips.  He’s absolutely flawless with
his long lashes and spotless complexion.  I’m caught.  “Elyssa…I need
you.”  I quiver, in complete shock at his forwardness.

“Y-you need me?” I stutter,
feeling like a nervous schoolgirl as I push my hair behind my ear.  Con
sidering
he’s my boss, I really need to stop reacting this way towards him.

As quick as his smile came, the
happiness fades as his mouth straightens into a firm line, finally becoming
conscious of the fact he’s reeling me in like a fish on a hook.  And if he
knows that, he would be wise to stop.  We are at work, and whatever is
going on, can’t be good for business.