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collect all the data and assess them for the
inefficiencies in the company's operating procedures."
    I nodded, safe in the knowledge that for the first time today I
had said the right thing. He smiled to reassure me.
    "I've been difficult. Things are a bit...complicated at the
moment. But I'm here to help. Don't ever feel otherwise."
    The Steven that I had flirted with and found attractive had
returned. The ugly monster that had showed his ugly head had gone. I breathed a
sigh of relief. This was not my first time working for a corporation. Studying
had probably made me forget what all the stress was like and how at times, you
felt like banging your head against the wall.
    When we returned to the office I started to pay attention. I
listened attentively and took notes on my tablet as the CEO and CLO discussed
the issues faced to date and what needed to be addressed. I felt like I had a
sense of importance and achievement as I finally left the office at seven.

 
    I grabbed a taxi home. I could not wait to get my heels off. My
business suits looked great in the morning, but by the time I got home, it was
a different story. My hair was no longer strongly secured in a bun, but was
lose with strands dropping like little drops of rain. My make-up was no longer
fresh, but smudged. The day was too stressful, I had no time to keep going to
the bathroom to top up.
    Gosh! I did not even remember eating lunch. It had just been one
meeting after another. As I jumped out of the taxi I got a text from Steven. As
exhausted as I was it put a smile on my face. I kept reading it over and over
again trying to remember if I had given him my number. I tried not to read a
double meaning into it. The stress of losing both my fiancé and best friend at
the same time had me feeling vulnerable.
    I stepped out of the elevator with a hint of a smile still on my
face. It was wiped off as soon as I opened the door. There on the kitchen bench
lay seven red roses with a note.
    Seven,
because it’s seven days since I last saw you.
    Love Mark
    Xoxox
    I put on my slippers took the roses and headed to take them out
to the trash.

Chapter
Eleven

 
    On
Wednesday I sent Anne a text about the flowers. She said he had a cheek. One
thing about her is she says it how it is. There was just no mincing her words.
She asked if my boss was hot and I could not even answer. I took my time
replying and by the time I did, she had already sent another message:

 
    Took you too long to reply.
I know the answer ;)

 
    I
blushed when I got this, especially when he chose that moment to buzz me to
come into his office. I closed the door.

 
    "Sorry,
were you busy?"

 
    "No,"
I replied, trying to get the text out of my mind. He started to talk about the
meetings and our findings to date. This was when my memory turned to mush.
Apart from taking notes, I had not even had time to re-read them let alone do
an analysis. He stopped me as I was about to answer to interject that it was
time to attend another meeting.

 
    As
we made our way into the elevator, the stressed Steven returned. This was the
one that hardly spoke and had a big frown on his face. I sat where I had sat
before and took out my tablets to begin taking notes. I had so closed my mind
that I never realized that I was being addressed.

 
    "Ms.
Brady, Lea isn't it?" The CLO spoke in a crisp, clear voice.

 
    I
nodded. A feeling of trepidation spread through me as I wondered what would now
take place.

 
    "How
do you feel about the company's administration?"

 
    I
sat with my mouth wide open hoping that a gold fish would drop into it and I
would die and they could bury me now. Yes, now would be a good time to die.

 
    I
started to fidget to see if I could quickly pull up old notes on all the
meetings that I had attended. My red suit felt as if it was on fire as I
started to sweat like a sinner in church.

 
    Steven
came to my rescue. "Come on, it's only her third day!"

 
    I
wanted the meeting to