When a hot wave of earth hits me, I remember that I had to be inside about ten minutes ago and dash past Ernie who has usual obnoxious dad smile on.
Saying hi to all the workers in the lobby, I’m stopped by the crowd of people in front of the elevator.
Eyeing the stairway sign, I dart towards it, hiking the basket up my forearm and dealing with the long-gone popsicle and remaining sticky residue from it.
Fifteen floors later, I’ve made it to Vuk Securities.
CHAPTER 3
“These are beautiful.”
Naimah sits in her cubicle. Her niqab covering her from head to toe, all I could see were her beautiful grey eyes. Which are sparkling from the bouquet I’ve handed to her.
“Thank you, Naimah.” She stares down at the roses and baby’s breath. Red roses are always the perfect choice for a new bride. It reminds them of love, their new life, and the endless possibilities that are to come for them. “Consider it a gift for the wedding I couldn’t make it to.”
She places the flowers down. “Don’t even worry about it. Uncle Salman started shaking his butt on the dance floor and it wasn’t a pleasant sight.”
“Ah, dammit. I would’ve loved seeing him get his boogie on.” I do a quick shake of the hips which makes Naimah chuckle.
After a few more pleasantries and a whole lot of flowers, I head towards the front desk to Gregory. His eyes are squinted and he’s using his whole face to focus on whatever it is he’s doing with his index fingers clicking against the keyboard.
I take out the purple chrysanthemum and place it on Gregory’s desk. He looks up and huffs. “Nova, child. How many times have I told you I don’t want flowers?”
Once, in the beginning. But ever since I secretly saw him eyeing everyone else’s flowers with longing in his eyes, I couldn’t resist.
The old man is grumpy and rude, but deep down he’s a sweetheart. I bet he pulls each petal off and sticks it in a journal somewhere.
“I know you said that, Greg. But giving you flowers makes me happy.”
“Find your happiness elsewhere,” he says while smelling the flowers.
“Is Mr. Vuk in?” I ask even though he’s too busy to give me any attention.
The old man nods. “That one’s in a mood.”
When isn’t he? Hence, why I gave him the name, Ogre.
It’s when I knock against the opaque door that I realize my hands are still sticky from the popsicle.
A rough, gravelly, “Come in” emanates from the other side.
I push the door open and come to a complete halt when I see the imposing man on the other side.
He looks bigger, somehow. Like he dwarfs the whole black desk in front of him. Swirls of black ink on his right hand swallow the mouse while one corner of his lip is turned upward in some kind of sexy snarl. A strand of light brown hair falls over his eye while he does whatever it is that he’s doing. In the right light, you could see hints of blonde.
“Mr. Vuk?”
He shuts his eyes like my presence is bothersome and he’d rather chuck me out the window. I pull my lips into my mouth, digging my teeth into the bottom one. It isn’t often I deal with people who hate me. My smiles don’t work on him and neither do my thrown back,dad jokes. Well, okay those do suck but at least I’m trying to eradicate some humour out of him.
He opens his eyes and looks up to the right of me. I sidestep to be the core of his viridians and smile. “You asked to see me?”
His jaw clenches and gruffs, “I did.”
My smile quivers but I put my big girl pants on and force it still.
When I move closer to his desk, the man shoots up from his chair, making it fall backwards.
My smile falls and I blink stupidly.
