Meeting Mr. Mogul(28)

In one swift move, I grabbed the coffee from her hands and exchanged her  holder with mine. "He is no one," I replied defensively as I returned  her coffee. She still had a mocking expression.

"No one, huh?"

Right on cue, the elevator door opened, ending our conversation. I got  back to my desk as Maggie sipped her coffee, trying not to giggle. When  William walked up to us, he stopped by my table and glanced at Maggie  and me.

"Is that my coffee?" he asked as he faced me.

"Ah yes," I answered and frantically handed him one of the coffee cups.   





 

He paused for a second as he eyed the cup in confusion. "Who is Mase?"

That did not just happen to me twice. I stood up from my seat and stole  the coffee from his hands. "He is no one," I replied hastily. I placed  the coffee on my table, grabbed the other one, and handed it to him.  "This is yours."

He looked at me with his lips forming a grim line as he got the cup. He  assessed it again with a playful glint in his eyes. I rolled my eyes at  his teasing gesture and sat back down on my desk.

"I'll be in my office. I might give that Mase person a ring," William  said with a muffled cackle as he went inside his office. My head snapped  up so fast in his direction that I must've strained a muscle and  cringed in discomfort. I glowered at his closed door as I soothed my  neck.

"Did he just tease me?"

"I believe he did," Maggie countered, looking at me with a huge grin. This woman was all smiles.

When lunch came around, I was about to head out to grab something to eat  when William's door opened. There was someone on the phone since he was  talking rapidly and looking serious and businesslike.

"Yes. I'll be there in a second …  I promise I will," he said, ending the  call with a sigh. He looked around for a second before his eyes landed  on me. "Oh, there you are! I thought you've already gone down," he  exclaimed in relief.

I was a little baffled so I asked, "Is there something you want, Mr. Maxwell?"

"Yes. Can you come with me for lunch? Someone needs to talk to you."

"Someone?" I looked at him uncertainly. I didn't know anyone that he may  know that would want to see me. Well, I knew one, but she was halfway  around the world at that moment. "Is Ms. Maxwell back in town?"

"No, she is still in Italy. But her fiancé is here," he replied in finality, grabbing my arm as he led me to an opened elevator.

"What?" I asked aloud in bewilderment. It was a good thing that the  elevator doors were already closed, because if Maggie-or someone else  for that matter-heard us, it would only lead to a series of questions.

"My sister has something for you. I told him I could give it to you, but  he insisted on seeing you again. I couldn't really refuse much or he'll  tell Alex," he explained, sighing dejectedly.

"Why in God's name does he want to see me?" I mumbled in confusion, but still loud enough for him to hear in the confined space.

"I have no idea."

It was awkward as we both walked through the lobby then to his car. I  mostly kept my head down, but I still felt people stare at us. I saw  Danny, with her eyes wide open, from the corner of my eye as we passed  by her. I didn't have the guts to wave at the moment. It was noon and  almost everybody working in the company was heading out to grab some  lunch. This has got to be one of the most misinterpreted situations of  my entire life, and my actions would only fuel their assumptions.

By the time we were inside his car, I thought I ran out of blood in my body since they're all up in my cheeks.

"Are you okay?" William asked as he glanced at me for a second before  starting the car. I was a bit confounded that he was driving, but didn't  press on the matter.

I nodded in reply and turned my head away from his line of vision. "If  you are embarrassed about what people think, I could make a public  statement if you like," he proposed. There was a teasing edge to his  words.

I turned to scowl at him and said in annoyance, "No, thank you. I can  handle this fine. It's not really my fault that you slept with most of  your sister's secretaries."

"So that's what you've been talking about behind my back," he said  softly. He sounded somewhat hurt. "Well, I'm sorry for making this  difficult for you."

I turned away from him, angry with myself for repeatedly spitting out  whatever passed through my brain. Why do I have to be rude to this guy  all the time? "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

"No. You don't have to apologize. You were right on the mark," he replied, sounding cold and rigid.

I think I just pissed him off again. Well, there goes our supposed  friendship. That's why I never really have friends in the first place.  Damn mouth, why don't you behave for once.   





 

I kept quiet from then on until we reached the restaurant where we were  going to meet Alexandra's fiancé. I didn't recognize which restaurant we  were dining in until we went inside. I could never forget the familiar  wooden furnishings and the elegant chandelier above us.

"Mr. Maxwell. Good afternoon!" The familiar, high-pitched voice broke my  stupor. I turned and looked at Reyna, the girl who tends to the podium  in front of the restaurant, blankly. I may not have anything against  her, but I didn't particularly like her either.

William walked past her and ignored her greeting as he headed straight  to his usual table, which wasn't empty. I silently followed behind him,  my head down as I thought that the embarrassment was over.

As William took his seat on the booth across from Alexandra's fiancé, I  stopped dead in my tracks in astonishment. Where the hell was I going to  sit? The booth was comprised of two upholstered benches facing each  other. Both weren't that wide, so there was hardly any gap in between if  I sat next to either William or my boss' fiancé.

William noticed my hesitance and looked at me questioningly. "Why are  you standing there?" he asked as he gestured for me to sit next to him. I  would have preferred not to be beside him, especially after what  happened a while ago. But who am I kidding.

Reyna finally noticed me standing behind her. Her eyes went wide as she  recognized who I was. I had the pleasure of seeing her reaction, which  made me feel a little smug.

"Andy! It's nice seeing you again!" Alexandra's fiancé greeted, getting  up from his seat and pulled me into a quick hug before I sat down.

I stiffened in his hold and let out a sigh of relief when he backed away  a little. He still had his hand on me, though, holding me at arm's  length. I remember Alexandra's fiancé, Michael Hamilton. He was an  interesting character: very enthusiastic and slightly arrogant when he  had the chance. Well, all men are arrogant bastards if they get the  chance.

"Mr. Hamilton. Good to see you, too," I reply with a weak smile and took a small step away from him.

"Please sit," he instructed, gesturing towards William's side. "I'm  sorry about my brother-in-law's rudeness, Andy. The boy doesn't know  much about being a gentleman," he stated as he sat down across me at the  same time I sat beside William.

"Don't talk like I'm not here, Mike," William hissed in annoyance as he  pretended to be occupied with the menu in front of him. It was like he  hadn't memorized that damn thing already. Michael just smiled like he  wasn't affected by William's mood.

"I'm glad to see you too, Willy."

When nobody spoke, Reyna took this opportunity to get back to her job.  She silently introduced herself and told us to wait for a server to take  our order. It was standard stuff. She left with a quick bow and  retreated to the podium. I caught her eyeing me for a second before she  left. I didn't dare look at her directly as I pretended to study the  menu. I was just as damned as William.

After a few seconds, I noticed a person coming towards us in the  standard uniform: black slacks, white polo shirt, and dark brown apron.

"Good afternoon. I'm Terry, your server for today. Are you ready to  order?" he asked, his familiar voice making my stomach turn. I didn't  look up and slid lower in my seat after he talked. This was getting more  and more embarrassing than I have hoped.

"I'm already full. You can take the young lady's order, Terry," Michael said, gesturing at my covered face.

"You've already eaten? Why didn't you wait for us?" William asked in a  miffed tone. I think he always sounded that way whenever he talked to  Michael.

"You made me wait for almost an hour, Will. And I got hungry, so I ate."

From my peripheral vision, I could see William shake his head in  disapproval and close his menu. Then, he turned towards Terry with a  stern expression. "I'd like roasted chicken with corn and mash potatoes  on the side. And a Riesling wine."

"All right, sir," Terry said with a hint of smile, pausing for a moment. "And for you, ma'am?"