“Penny?” I looked up and saw Cedric giving me a look with those eyes. I looked around the giant glass building feeling out of place and unwanted. I don't belong here. I was never going to work for a company this big.

I looked down at my flowy floral sundress and started to freak out. I look like I’m ready to go to the beach. My heart was racing like a jet engine. I can’t meet Cedric’s co-workers. I just think —

“I need to go back and change my clothes,” I interrupted my own thoughts. I turned around, my dress twirling with me.

“Penelope,” I heard a deep voice order me.

My body listened to Cedric before I could even think. I turned around, plumped out my bottom lip and stomped a few times as I walked toward the sexiest man I have ever seen. My man. Cedric was wearing a pair of fitted light beige pants that hugged his godly legs just right and a blue button down that enhanced the icy blue of his eyes enough to melt my panties. An electric chill ran from my chest all the way to my clit. I took a deep breath and looked up at Cedric.

“Don’t even think you can get your way because of those eyes,” he smirked.

“I don’t think I should be here —”

“Penelope. We are going to go upstairs and you’re going to talk with the interior designers. I’ll be gone for maybe an hour to handle something,” Cedric brushed his large hands against my cheeks as he tucked my hair behind my ears. He kissed my forehead and I felt aroused and protected by his actions.

“Okay,” I agreed.

I was freaking out for no reason, well . . . that’s not true. Cedric and I made an agreement about what would happen today. He said if I want to be an interior designer then he would pay for my schooling, but the catch was that I would have to move in with him.

I swallowed my nervousness and looked up at Cedric who was concentrated on his phone. I smiled to myself and started to blush at the thought of being near Cedric all the time. I wanted to move in with Cedric. I wanted to be with him for a very long time, but if I move, I’ll be leaving my dad all alone in Baltimore. Not to mention I would have to tell my dad about Cedric.

OMG.

I would have to tell my dad about us.

Why didn't I think about this before?

OMG.

My breathing was short and rapid. “We have to tell my dad?” I looked up at Cedric with fear. My mind was thinking about the worse scenarios.

How the fuck did I miss this detail?

“Did you just realize this right now?” Cedric chuckled.

“Yeah — I just. He won't take this well. Oh my god. This is not going to go well. You see how he is about Kendall. How is he going to react to us — oh my god — he is going to never talk to me again,” I started panicking.

He gave me a tight hug to calm me down and calmly spoke. “Why don’t you let me worry about that? I know how to talk to him and make him understand. All you have to do is keep your dirty little secret a secret,” he gave me a piercing wink and a passionate kiss that made me weak in the knees.

I moaned into his mouth as his hands wandered along my back and down to my ass. “Ohhh, I can keep a secret,” I pulled on his collar and pressed his lips harder into mine. Cedric let out a quiet but powerful moan.

“Good girl,” Cedric gripped a handful of my ass.

I let out a loud moan that was covered up by the bing of the elevator. Cedric grabbed my hand and pulled me down a long hallway. We got closer to a glass meeting room that had different swatches of fabrics, colors and drawings pinned all over a wall. I looked over at the table, and in the middle, there was a mini version of a wooden chair with leather cushions. I focused my eyes to the two people in the room, a man and a woman, who were arguing about which kind of leather to use.

Cedric knocked once on the glass door and the conversation halted abruptly. He opened the glass door and both people greeted Cedric simultaneously.

“Good morning, Mr. Mount.”

“Mornin’,” Cedric looked down at the chair prototype then looked at me with a smile. “This is Penny. I want you guys to show her around the office and tell her about your job and responsibilities. I’ll leave you guys alone and I will probably be back in less than an hour.”

“Yes, sir,” the young man replied.

“I’ll try to make it quick so we can get home faster,” Cedric leaned into my ear to whisper. “I’ll see you later,” he lips lightly touched my ear with a kiss.

The older woman crossed her arms and looked me up and down.

“I’m Andrew and this is Polly,” the guy pointed at the woman who seemed like she was settling into the idea of me being here.

“Hi,” I said with no emotion and a one second smile. You think after so many years working at the restaurant I would be better at talking to people.

“Hmm, we haven’t done this before. So, I guess we can talk about what we are doing now since Mr. Tate is coming soon. We are working on a new chair design for one of Mr. Mount’s old customers, the Sion family, wants something new in their household that also fits in with their existing style,” he pointed at a white living room picture.

“Does Mr. Tate always finalize the product?”

“When it comes to Mr. Mount —”

“Yes. He can’t design for shit. Well, let me rephrase that. He’s amazing with the outside and layout design, but when it comes to picking out the right closet doors or even paint? Forget it.” Polly let out a laugh.

“True. He once thought it was a good idea to design the inside of an apartment with red and green colors because it was Christmas. It was like the holiday vomited in there,” Andrew chuckled.

I let out a little giggle imagined Cedric and his Christmas apartment.

“So bad,” Polly laughed with us.

“Anyway, this is what you have so far on the chair?”

“Yeah, I don’t like the wood,” Polly shot a look at Andrew.

“And I don’t like the leather,” Andrew rolled his eyes.

And I don’t like any of it, I thought to myself. The chair doesn’t look like it belongs in the picture. Although, I couldn't say anything because it wasn't my place and I didn't want to be that person.

“Mr. Tate,” Andrew and Polly sat up straight like statues.

I turned around to see an older man who must have been in his 70’s, if not older. He was wearing a full fitted black suit. His tan face was long and thin, just like the rest of him, but he wasn't that tall. He was holding a blueprint in his hand tightly as he walked over to the table.

“What. Is. That. Abomination.” Mr. Tate stepped over to the chair, eyeing it down as if it was the ugliest thing he had ever laid his eyes on. His body language and loud steps made everything in the room seem frozen, as if a blizzard had just covered everything.

“Sir, that is the chair for the Sion house,” Andrew spoke strongly, but I could tell that he was worried.

Mr. Tate looked over at them both with a glare then at me. He looked me deep in my eyes without expressing any emotions, not even curiosity. He picked of the chair, and turned it around to take a good look at it. The tension in the room was almost painful. I didn't know how to feel about Mr. Tate, I had thought he was a jolly old man when Cedric talked about him.

“What do you think?” Mr. Tate looked over at me handing over the replica.

“Me?” I pointed to myself.

Why was I involved?

He arched his eyebrow as I took the chair and turned it around in my hands.

“Hmm, I don’t work here. I don’t —”

“I know you don’t work here that is why I am asking you. What do you think?” he asked again with the same tone.

“I-I don’t like it,” I avoided Andrew and Polly’s faces when I gave my opinion. “I don’t think it fits the apartment. The chair has an organic structure to it even though the apartment is mostly . . . geometric . . . shapes,” my voice was almost silent at the end.

I tucked my hair behind my ear and looked over at Mr. Tate who had a faint smile across his face.

“Exactly,” he took the chair out of my hand and placed it in the center of the table carefully. “Start over. You have less than a month and I don’t want to see any hints of red either,” he pointed at the stained cherry finish on the chair.

Mr. Tate walked over to the door until he stopped in his tracks and glanced at me, “Come with me.”

I looked over at Andrew and Polly whose eyes were wide open with shock. I nodded and walked over to Mr. Tate who was already out of sight.

“What’s your name?”

“Penelope,” I spoke as I caught up to him.

“What are you doing here?”

“Cedric — Mr. Mount brought me along to take a look at how an interior designer works.”

Mr. Tate came to a halt when I bought up Cedric. “Ced is already here?” his voice was a little shaky like he was worried about Cedric. “Well, anyway let’s show you around so you can get a better understanding of how my company works.”

“Yes, Mr. Tate,” I nodded appreciating his helpfulness, but I had a feel he was stalling or maybe even procrastinating.

“You can call me Walter,” he smiled and opened a metal door that led us to a workroom. It was filled with different drawers, shelves, and other storage, which contained different types of swatches of fabrics, leather, materials and anything else imaginable to help design or decorate a home. There were a couple of high-end computers and tablets on the side of the tables.

“This is the workroom,” Walter walked over to the different boxes and pulled them out. Each one had every kind of fabric and pattern. I was stunned. Walter then went over and pulled out a wood plank with different wood grain and stain samples on it. “I want to see something. Let’s think of it as a test. Pick three different fabrics and wood finishes and put them together. If I like what you come up with, I’ll give you a job.”

“What?” I blinked slowly.

He let out a raspy laugh, “If I like two out of the three choices then I will hire you. On the exception that you will go to school and get a degree.”

I pulled out a five inch square of rough textured leather and then looked over at Walter. I narrowed my eyes on him and he did the same. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Was he serious? Because this seemed like a joke.

“You have an hour,” Walter placed the blueprint on the table and pulled out a chair to sit at the computer. He carefully opened his jacket and pulled out his reading glasses, “I’ll be here when you're ready.”

* * *

“I think I’m done,” I looked over my three samples and double-checked them for the hundredth time. Well, I guess this was it. I watched Walter take off his glasses and place them back into his pocket. He got up and walked over next to me to see the three examples I had chosen. We sat in silence for seconds, which then turned to minutes. My heart was racing but also moving slowly. “I think —”

“Walter!” I heard Cedric’s angry voice fill the hallway.

“Ah shit,” Walter muttered under his breath.

“Walter!” Cedric stormed into the room furious, his nostrils flaring up but his expression soften the second he saw me, “Penny?”

“Hey, there Ced,” Walter placed his hands on the table and took a deep breath.

Cedric looked down at the table and let out a heavy sigh as he realized what he was looking at, “Really, the test?”

Wait, he knew about this? Is this really like an interview process?

“It worked on you didn’t it,” Walter chuckled.

“How’d you do?” Cedric looked over at me.

“She failed,” Walter shrugged his shoulders.

“Wait — what?” My eyes widen as I looked at Walter who had a smile on his face. I pressed my lips together and looked down, feeling a little bit sad but mostly naive that I thought I would pass.

Cedric shrugged, “Eh, it happens.” Cedric walked over to my side and looked down at the samples.

Walter switched two of my choices with each other and made a better combination. He patted my shoulder and smiled at me, “You were right the first time, kiddo. Don’t second guess yourself next time.”

“Next time?” I felt a little bounce of happiness take over me.

“I failed five times,” Cedric chuckled while petting a leather piece I picked out.

“Next time you come here we can do it again. The same reward will apply.”

“Reward?” Cedric looked over at me.

“A job. I will get a job after college,” I spoke as my eyes lit up.

“Really?” Cedric’s eyebrow arched as he narrowed his eyes on Walter, “Penny still has to go to school. She still has at least three years left.”

“I figured, but the offer will still stand,” Walter’s eyes narrowed down at me. “You seem like you have a natural eye for it, better than the two blind people currently working on the Sion project.”

“I don’t know when I’ll be in Miami again. I don't live here,” I spoke softly thinking about how it doesn't really matter if I get the job or not.

Walter shrugged his shoulders and picked up the blueprint to give to Cedric, “Things change all the time. I grew up poor in Montana and now I own a successful design firm in Florida —”

“Is that the blueprint?” Cedric cut off Walter as his fury became noticeable again.

“I was going to find you and give it to you but I was distracted,” Walter smiled at me.

“You son of a —,” Cedric mumbled under his breath. He reached for the blueprint and snatched it out of his hand. “You need to stop taking your damn vacations when I’m away. Do you think that just because I’m not here you can relax? NO. We will talk about this later when I figure out everything with the Baltimore project,” he scolded Walter with the blueprint.

Walter rolled his eyes and walked toward the door, “I think you forget that I’m your boss and I can fire you.”

“I know. I know. Which is why you’ve already fired me six times,” Cedric smirked.

Walter chuckled and left the room with a smile.

“You’ve been fired six times?”

Cedric laughed and placed the blueprint on the table. “Yeah,” he scratched his scruff. “It’s nothing. He never means it after he does it. We just get into arguments about something stupid and then he lets his emotions take the best of him. He always hires back in like five minutes after he’s cooled off. “

“Oh, okay. Nothing serious,” I smiled up at Cedric.

“Exactly. Nothing to be worried about,” his eyes focused on the blueprint.

“Want me to open it?”

“Nah,” he gripped the print tightly and slowly unraveled it. I watched Cedric hold his breath as he unrolled the print. He examined the paper as his body language relaxed. “Holy shit,” he grabbed his heart and let out a loud sigh. “Holy. Fucking. Shit.”

“I’m guessing it’s good news?” I laughed with him looked at the apartment layout.

“Yeah,” he shook his head. “I got so lucky,” he looked over to me with a big smile and grabbed me to give me a heavy kiss. “I guess you’re my Lucky Penny.”