Mr. Perfect(13)

We both reach for it at the same time and each of us has one broken strap in hand, tugging like two dogs fighting over a bone.

“Let go,” she growls through her teeth.

“Fuck,” I say again. I wanted that bra. But I let go. I’d be on her level of crazy if I had a fight over who gets to take her ruined bra home when someone is about to catch us.

“As I said, Mr. Stonewall, I’m quitting. My resignation will be in your inbox this afternoon announcing my two weeks’ notice.”

“What? You can’t quit now, Miss Hatcher.”

“Hello?” the strange voice says.

I look over and see a tall red-headed woman in a very short skirt, middle-aged, standing on the bottom step of the stairs. She’s flashing me a hand in a wave and her thick eyelashes are batting at me in amusement.

A door slams and when I look over, Ellie is gone.

“Oh, ho, ho,” the redhead says. “Did I interrupt something?” She covers her mouth in some kind of fake oopsie move from a Doris Day flick, and then winks at me.

“Uh, no. Well, if you call that”—I wave my hand at the door—“crazy bitch quitting something, then yes. You did. How can I help you… Sorry, I don’t have your name?”

“Ellie,” she squeals.

I turn and look over my shoulder at the door, wondering why Ellie came back. But there’s no one there.

I turn back to the redhead. “What?”

“Ellie, Mr. Stonewall. I’m Ellie Abraham. Your brother Heath and I, we're very good friends.” She gives me a wink and then adds, “If you know what I mean. But I must say, you are far more handsome than he is.”

Wait. “Your name is Ellie too?” I point at the door to indicate my Ellie who just walked out.

“Oh, I know. She’s nuts, right? Don’t assume all of us Ellies are that way. So… is Heath coming back anytime soon? I really, really miss the fun we used to have.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Abraham, I have work to do.” I take the steps three at a time and burst back into the bustling Atrium lobby. I pull out Heath’s phone as I jog up the steps to the seventh floor and open up the messages.



Ellie: Look, did you see this house? It’s only fifteen minutes from the Tech Center. And no traffic. We could take side roads all the way into work each day. It’s perfect, right?



Ellie: I want to kiss your cock with my pretty lips, then swallow you whole as you spill your come down my throat.



They are two different people. Jesus fucking Christ. Dream-House Ellie and Fuck-Me Ellie are two different people.

What have I done?





Chapter Six - Mac





By the time I get back up to the seventh floor, I’ve forgotten all about the meeting.

The glares coming from my executive team through the glass walls of the executive conference room remind me quick enough. Shit.

I straighten my tie as I walk through the doors and slide them closed behind me. “OK, where were we?” I scan their faces. They’re all looking at me like I’m a pariah. Even Sowards, who didn’t seem to like Ellie much before her meltdown.

“Is Ellie OK?” Jennifer, the Communications Director, asks.

“Um…” Shit. “I’m sure she is.” I give Jennifer a weak smile. “I’m sure whatever is bothering Ellie will pass and she’ll be fine. Look,” I say, hating the fact that I’m the one who has to do this. Hating that Heath is off in China so I am forced to deal with the company. “Obviously all these changes are happening for a reason. We’re restructuring, but not because we’re having capital issues or unexpected profit reports.”

There’s an audible sigh from all eight of my top team.

“But because…” God, I’m so bad at this. “Because we’re selling.”

Dead silence for a count of three. Then everyone is talking at once.

“Parceling it off by division?” Jennifer asks.

“Where is the organization chart for that?” Sowards asks. His tone towards me is more like the tone he had with Ellie earlier. Impatient.

“Will we still have jobs?” Clarisse asks.

“Who is courting this sale?”

“Does your father know about this?”

That’s my favorite. Yeah, no. I think I’ll sell off a multi-billion-dollar business without approval.

“That’s all I have to say today, so if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. We’ll talk more as information comes in.”

I walk out the doors and turn left towards my wing of the seventh floor. Of course, it won’t hide me for long. All eight of the people in that room have offices up here too. But I’ve done what I came to do.