Elia
I groan as my phone rings. It’s too early for people to be calling, but I roll over and slap my hand on my nightstand to reach for my phone to stop the noise. I squint an eye open so I can swipe the screen to accept the call, then roll over to lie on my side and press the phone to my ear.
“Hello?”
There’s a short silence. I hear Dana on the other line. “If you’re still asleep, you better get out of bed right now, Elia.”
My eyes snap open and I sit upright. I move too fast and fall off my single bed.
“I’m up! What time is it?”
“It’s half past eight.”
I stumble off the floor with my phone still in my hand. No wonder she woke me up.
“I told you to make sure that you’re on time because I have a dentist appointment to go to today. Now I’ve missed it.”
My heart thumps and I try to stop my racing thoughts and make words happen. “I’m awake now, let me get ready. Promise I’ll be there soon.”
Dana pauses for a second and I wonder if the warning shot is coming or if I’ll get fired right on the spot. “Just come as soon as you can.”
I try to feel relieved…but I’m still stressed out. I mumble out my gratitude and try to get my bearings. “Thanks. Sorry!”
I hang up and rush to the bathroom for a quick shower. I hop out as quick as I hopped in and grab some clothes, a dress with heels, and a jacket and scarf on my way out. Just as I’m about to leave, I remember my phone. I nearly forgot to take it.
The stupid phone’s old and barely works, so my alarm didn’t ring. It’s not the first time this has happened, which is probably why Dana called me. It’s a good thing she did, otherwise I wouldn’t be going to work at all because I’m exhausted, which seems to be a bad habit of mine lately.
I run to the elevator. Luckily, it arrives fast and I run outside to start looking for a taxi. I could probably run all the way to work, if I wasn’t wearing heels. What the heck was I thinking? That’s the problem, I’m not thinking straight. My leg is bouncing up and down nervously and I’m chewing my lip like it’s my breakfast.
I’m just about to give up when I see a cab coming. I breathe a sigh of relief and raise my hand to hail it. It stops on the curb. I climb in and give the driver the address.
As I buckle up, I say, “I’m actually in a bit of a hurry. Do you mind stepping on it?”
He waves his chubby fingers in the air and says, “Sure thing sweetheart.”
As promised, he steps on the gas. The journey’s a few minutes and the only thing on my mind is sleeping. I rub my eyes and force myself to lean back in my seat and open my purse.
I have my old phone and a Kindle. I bought the Kindle recently, and it’s the one luxury I’ve allowed myself in a while. Mainly because I’m crazy about reading. Besides, it’s in better shape than my phone.
“Sorry, love. There’s a bit of traffic.”
I peer out the window and see that he’s right. There’s traffic. And not a little, a lot.
“Seems as if there was an accident or something?”
Great. Just my luck.
I can’t afford to be in a taxi, and the meter’s running while we’re stuck in traffic. I pull my Kindle out of my purse and select one of the three books I’m reading at the moment.
“We’re here, love,” says the driver suddenly.
Holy crap! Forty dollars for a taxi ride? When did that happen? I quickly go through my purse and pull the bills, and I hesitate handing them over. It feels as though I’m giving him my life savings.
As I hand over the cash and thank the driver, I have a different sense of panic, thinking about the money I just spent. I could have bought a new phone. I can’t believe that it’s nearly ten and I’m even later than I thought I’d be from the time I woke up this morning. My body’s trembling as I stall outside the door. I know I’m wasting even more time.
I glimpse inside the store, and suddenly my legs are moving fast to get me inside.
I see Dana talking to someone in a suit. Normally, there’s no one interesting in the store. Certainly not a guy in a dark gray suit, with dark hair and attractive green eyes.
I walk in, interrupting the conversation he’s having with Dana. “Good morning.”
Dana stares at me. I’m not looking directly at her, but at the tall, dark-haired stranger in front of her. I’m drawn to him and flirting is second nature. When I realize that I’m blowing my boss off and my nerves went from shot to jumpy, I know at this point that I have to roll with it. So I stretch out my hand and say, “I’m Elia.”
Instead of shaking my hand, the stranger raises my hand to his mouth. He kisses my knuckles. It sends a jolt through my body.
“A pleasure to meet you, Elia,” he says, lips brushing my hand before he raises his eyes and smirks, probably at my blushing face.
Dana seems kind of mesmerized by the strangeness of this moment, and it seems to keep her from firing me now. She looks at her phone and distractedly introduces the stranger. “Elia, this is the potential new owner. He’s buying the bookstore. Seeing as you’ve decided to show up for work, I’ll be heading off. You can work for a change. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
I don’t hear her. The only thing that’s on my mind is that this guy’s going to be my boss, and if I’m not mistaken, he’s flirting with me.
Maybe working here isn’t so bad after all. I’m so embarrassed that Dana said all those things…worse that they’re sorta true. I do work hard, but I’ve just been so bummed lately. I don’t want this potential new owner to think, hey, fire this dipshit. If I could summon any energy, I’d worry about that more. But I’m staring into those emerald pools of his and trying to breathe normally and not project a serious case of ogling crazy eyes.