Page 76 of The Boss and the Wedding Mess
Yeah, but a little glimpse into the future isn’t the worst thing.
"Do you want a relationship with him?" she asks seriously.
"He has good and bad sides. Hard to say. I barely know him. But looks-wise, and based on what he can do in bed, he’s definitely a perfect ten." I gush, even though I didn’t mean to.
"You have good and bad sides too. Everyone does. Nobody’s perfect. The question is just whether you can live with his."
"I think so."
Hmm. But before I think about that, I’d like to know what’s happening on Monday. Then I’ll see.
After a wonderful girls’ weekend—I spontaneously stayed overnight at her place—I drive back home on Sunday evening. The week was turbulent, and I’m looking forward to a significantly calmer one.
I wake up to my alarm, arrive at work on time, and everything at the office runs smoothly. I bring Alex his coffee, pick up some suits from the cleaners for him, handle a few small matters he needs taken care of, and sort the important issues so he doesn’t get overwhelmed in his first week. The less urgent things I redirect to others.
On top of that, his father asked me to send some documents to his home. This way, Alex is unburdened and can focus on the crucial remaining tasks.
Yep, that’s part of my job too. I do what I can.
I’m alone during lunch break, and we don't see each other again until after work, since he’s tied up in a two-hour meeting.
We meet in the elevator going down.
"What a day," he says with a deep breath. "In the next four to eight weeks, my team will be leaving the States. I need to speak with some real estate agents later so I can quickly and properly accommodate them and their families—children and pets included. For now, they’ll be staying in hotels, vacation homes, or rented apartments. I want to offer each of them at least three options for where to move, so they have the perfect start to their new life."
"Can I help with that?" I ask him.
"I was hoping you'd want to," he admits with a smile.
"That's part of my job too. I assist you wherever I can, especially when it comes to taking the load off you or accommodating employees. If you give me the details, I can take care of everything."
"Details?"
"Yes. Who is the employee, who are they bringing with them, what are their expectations? For example, if it’s a single man with a dog, I need to check the breed and what problems might arise. Does the animal need quarantine or vaccinations? Thatcan take weeks or months if you don’t plan ahead. If there are children, I need to take care of placements—kindergarten, elementary school, and so on. Do they need a house? Do they want a garden? Is one of the women perhaps pregnant? Are there any severe allergies that would make a house in the city, without a garden, better or..."
We arrive at the ground floor.
"I understand. I don't have lists like that. I've always spoken with everyone personally, but I can give you their names and phone numbers." Alex thinks briefly then says: "Contracts still need to be negotiated. Only when the entire team is set and we know when everyone can come over simultaneously we can get started."
"What’s the timeframe?" I ask so I can plan better.
"At least six months. Many have children, or their partners have jobs. I can't bring them over within a few weeks. At the moment, they can still work from the States. I'll probably fly over every few weeks and otherwise stay in touch through video conferences. It's going to be a challenging time." Nevertheless, he smiles enthusiastically.
"You can count on me completely. Rushing things now wouldn't help much. One thing at a time," I say with a broad smile. "I want you to be able to focus on the work. The first few weeks will certainly be tough, but your father will be here now and then, and I've offloaded some tasks to the department heads. They'll manage just fine."
"What would I do without you?" Alex smiles at me before letting me step out of the elevator first. The affectionate way he says it touches me.
"Still upstairs. In the office. Working overtime and despairing," I counter, amused.
We both walk through security with a smirk and leave the building. Our cars are parked right next to each other.
"Shall we meet at the boxing club in a couple hours?" he asks. ""Seven sharp?" He glances at his watch, then at me inquisitively. That's when I notice he's holding his USB stick again. He's even rubbing it with his thumb, which makes him seem a bit nervous.
"That works perfectly." I don't think he has anything devious planned. Today was a good day and we get along splendidly. Today went well, and we got along splendidly. Maybe he just really wants to train with me and enjoys making me panic a little. Who knows?
Alexander nods a quick goodbye and gets into his car. I start my engine and watch him pull out first.
During the drive to my apartment, my mind is racing. I keep imagining what might happen at the boxing club. Alexander surely won't want to fight against me, and sex in the ring while everyone watches? No, that’s just my imagination running wild. He didn't make any suggestive comments today. Not even asweet look. Alex was completely focused on work, and I followed his lead.
