Annelise

My new boss left work early for an appointment. I managed to leave at eight after rescheduling meetings and answering some emails and organizing documents. The guy was a machine! In less than a week, I had managed to bring in a super important account for the company. Susan was right. Abby too. If I could outrun the other secretaries, I would secure the job. Putting up with Chase wasn't all that difficult, despite being quite annoying at times.

When I got home, I ordered a pizza and Brad showed up, asking to use the bathroom. I said no problem. Five minutes later he came out wrapped in a towel and I looked at his ass under the fabric. It wasn't so bad… he thanked her and left.

The guy I chatted with yesterday, Mr. Blue Balls, sent a message:

Mr. Blue Balls: How was the day?

I thought it was weird that he asked that. I thought about him the rest of the night, when he first texted me and we chatted, but now we don't tease each other. He was being friendly, and I replied:

A: Well, although I'm hungry and the pizza delivery guy hasn't arrived yet.

I checked the clock and realized it was almost nine o'clock. I rolled my eyes and my stomach grumbled hungrily. I stretched my legs, resting them on the yellow beanbag.

Mr. Blue Balls: Too bad… thinking of you hungry makes me sick. What can I do?

I gathered my eyebrows. He said that as if he were right next to me. I wiggled my toes and shrugged.

A: Unless you feed me and pay for a spa, nothing.

Mr. Blue Balls: :( This is really really bad, you know? I don't know you, but if I did, I'd say you're lying.

I blinked a few times before putting words together and forming a sentence, but then I blacked out. The notebook's "delete" key sank and the words disappeared from the chat space. I typed again, but before I hit "send", another message exploded on the screen.

Mr. Blue Balls: What do you want, A.?

What do I wish?

It was a complex question, after all, because it involved so many things. Before I could respond, I was interrupted. The front door opened and I widened my eyes and closed the notebook with a loud thud. I took it off the pink pillow and placed it next to me, like I was hiding a crime scene.

Abby entered, carrying bulky bags.

- What are you doing here? she asked, apparently surprised that I was in my own apartment. I frowned and shrugged. "I wanted to surprise you. The sad voice scratched his throat. She ducked her head and walked straight to the kitchen.

— I left work early. Mr. Ward had to leave early because of an appointment. He was kind of nice to me today… he seemed to be in a good mood." I stood up and looked at her over my shoulder. She set the bags down on the counter. "And I ordered pizza.

she growled. Literally.

"You ran away from me yesterday, so I thought I'd break into your apartment and surprise you. I didn't think I'd be home so soon. — I headed for the kitchen. "Mike says Madeleine is better, although she's still the same.

Mike worked as a volunteer from time to time at Doce Lar, a nursing home where Madeleine, our aunt, is. I asked him not to talk to Abby about her, but Mike doesn't seem to understand exactly what I mean by keeping quiet.

I noticed the blue dress that wrapped around her body. It was sexy. Her hair was down.

'You look pretty… anything special?' Don't tell me you're all dressed up to come see me, Abby. She shrugged, not caring. I approached.

When it came to Abby Hamilton, I was an expert. She could even pretend to be strong all the time, but the truth is that she was a human being just like everyone else. Abby took the ingredients out of the bag, and as I sat down on the counter with my hands flat, she looked up and I noticed tears welling up. Deep down, we were identical. Abby Hamilton only came to me when she was at rock bottom. If she was the sensible one, I should be the expert on love problems. In my entire life, I've only dated three guys: Josh; a guy I met on the subway, David; the bartender who gave me free drinks for a month and Jessie; the sexy guitar player I forgot my wallet with — that's a long story. They all seemed to end up for the same reason: they didn't want anything serious.

- What's it? I jumped back to the floor, walked around the table, and placed myself next to her. — Abby?

She looked at me and didn't hold back. She burst into tears. Abby hugged me tightly and muttered under her breath:

"I think Mike is cheating on me.

Her whole body tensed, and I comforted her, wrapping my arms around her and patting her back. Tears wet my shoulder, where I was crying. I took her to the couch and sat down first, her after, resting her head on my lap. I stroked her blond hair.

"He's acting strange. Come home late, run away every time I try talk, no… it doesn't touch me anymore. His eyes searched mine, I noticed an erratic glint of sadness. "I don't know what to do, Anne. - She confessed.

Abby was decisive and she always knew what to do. No matter the situation, she always found a way to resolve it. But when she met Mike, she became less sassy and independent. She got pregnant three months after the wedding, she quit her job to take care of Maryah and when I asked if she needed help, she ran away, saying she could handle it. I was afraid she would lose the spontaneity she always boasted about. Not that I hated Mike, but because of him, Abby practically forgot who she is. She used to be adventurous, liked challenges and I admired her. She is perfect, she has a perfect life, but her wisdom is also a hindrance.

"You know you can count on me, don't you?" I will always be here. Regardless of what happens. — Guaranteed. For the first time since she walked through the door, a smile drew her face.

She dried her tears and sat up, placing her hand on my knee and squeezing it lightly. I smiled.

"Today is our anniversary. He said he was going to get stuck at work because apparently his boss made him cover a shift. The other nurse resigned. What made me furious was that he didn't even remember that today is our anniversary." The choked voice sounded painfully hoarse.

It was bad to see her like this, especially since she was used to the usual unattainable Abby. The older brothers have a magical filter that prevents them from telling everything that's wrong in their lives, as if that would assuage the truth. I wondered, every time I saw her, if the smile she wore was fake or forced. The truth? Carrying a burden greater than was bearable was a condemnation. It had been five years since Mike and Abby had been married, and I could see the romance's magic waning each year. I never said anything, because I didn't want to be misinterpreted, but Mike didn't treat her like he should.

"I think you should talk to him. You should know why he is running away and understand the situation they are in. Maybe it can be difficult to resolve, after all you've already settled down with each other. It's okay to forget about the excitement of love, but it's not justifiable either," I said, meeting his eyes. She nodded. Abby looked tired. I hugged her and continued: — It's going to be all right, little sister.

She smiled.

My heart was filled with a kind of relief. It was nice to realize that she was reachable once in a while. I remembered when we were kids and we loved putting up a tent in the backyard. We snuggled inside and used to spend the night reading by the light of flashlights and stars. It was the only time not haunted by complications. The separation of Dad and Mom, the accident that killed them, the arrival of our Aunt Madeleine. After Mom and Dad died, Abby was never the same, but she always kept the twinkle in her eye. No way did I want her to forget that she still had him.

Abby got up, went back to the kitchen and made dinner. I canceled the pizza order. We talked about the girls and I told them how the neighbor had a wonderful ass. She laughed. After we were done, the nanny called her and Abby hurried out. I ran to the couch, grabbed the notebook and saw that another message had arrived from Mr. Blue Balls.

Mr. Blue Balls: Are you ignoring me?

I smiled and replied:

Dwarf. My sister appeared. She was bad.

He replied almost instantly:

Mr. Blue Balls: I'm sorry.

A: Thank you.

Our conversation lasted half an hour. I told her I loved winter, because I loved wearing scarves and buying colorful pillows for my collection—my biggest secret since high school. He was surprised when I revealed that he collected pillows, but soon reversed that, asking if I used them for anything other than collecting dust. Slightly perverted…

Mr. Blue Balls: I think I'm in trouble.

Why?

Mr. Blue Balls: I'm liking a girl I don't even know who collects pillows.

I laughed maliciously.

A: You haven't seen anything yet.

Mr. Blue Balls: Can't wait then!

***

I woke up excited. I did yoga and found out I'm not that good at it. The result was almost unbearable back pain. I must have managed to get a position wrong. The excitement still got me. By eight o'clock, he was at Shaffer & Sheppard, humming Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You." As I sat down at my desk, I took off my headphones and looked up to see if Chase had arrived. To my surprise, the answer was yes. In all the days I worked, he had never arrived this early. I figured he was up to something. Maybe he was choosing the next victim.

My desk intercom rang. I answered.

— Mr. Ward? I asked.

"Come to my room.

I got up and headed to his office at the end of the hall. the light was on sa, that's why I realized I was in there. I knocked on the door. He ordered me in. He wore a dark blue suit, which somehow accentuated his gray eyes. The usual sullen look took over his face, and walking closer, I noticed he was a little sad. He raised his eyes, which stared at me full of suffering. If I didn't know him, I'd think he was crying before I walked in.

'Annelise, can you buy me a coffee?' he asked, looking away. I noticed a pile of papers lying on his desk. Some scribbles took the form of drawings, logo ideas and written words, but I found the exam papers scattered on the table strange.

I nodded.

Please him and keep your precious job.

"A Machiatto, right?"

- OK.

I turned to leave, and then he said:

— Annelise? - A pause. - Thanks.

Some ice caps must have melted for him to say such a magic word. I smiled and almost skipped down the hall, humming "My Boss Likes Me" by Annelise Hamilton.

I ran to Starbucks across the street. Luckily, the queue had dissipated, so I ordered coffee and in a few minutes, I was back in the building. When I got off the elevator and went to Mr. Ward, I ran into him. Just as he was about to enter, he opened the door, and we collided. The coffee flew and exploded at him, and he yelled a string of curses. Mr. Sheppard, who was waiting in his office, bent his head to see what was going on.

- Fuck! You wet my suit! "His tone was tough. "Don't you look where you're going, or are you really stupid?"

Embarrassed, I tried to apologize, but he only got angrier. Mr. Sheppard left his office and I followed Chase, apologizing nonstop. He took off his jacket and white shirt, and I had a chance to see the muscles of his defined chest. I didn't realize I was drooling until he said:

- Like what you see?

A smile softened the irritated expression.

I turned red.

He laughed.

"That was a trap, Ms. Hamilton? Did he bump into me so he could see me without my clothes on? - He asked.

- No. - I replied more than quickly.

"Oh, what a pity..." He handed me my jacket and shirt. "Because it worked.

I tried to look away from his body, but involuntarily roamed over his sculpted chest, ripped abs and… oh my God… he looked so sexy without a shirt on! I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away from my mind.

I took his jacket and shirt from him.

"There's a laundry room around the corner. Hurry up," he demanded and pointed the cup in my hand. I nodded. — and bring another coffee.

I blinked a few times, frozen.

— Come on! - He ordered.

I did what you asked. I ran again, jacket and shirt in hand, and found the laundry room around the corner. When I opened the door, I looked around and went inside. I saw some washing machines lined up and headed there. I opened one and some time later I ran to Starbucks. I ordered another coffee. I was taken care of. I got the coffee. I went back to the laundry room. After drying the clothes, I finally made it back to the building, only to find that Chase was gone. Did he go shirtless?

I couldn't help but imagine him parading through the streets of New York with that wonderful body.

I snorted, remembering that he'd done all this work for nothing. I took a sip of coffee.

***

Susan invited me to lunch at an Italian restaurant near work, and even though I didn't know the restaurant, I noticed that it was close to the Pet's Cute Shop, my sister's pet shop. She almost fell over backwards when I told her that Chase Ward had taken off his suit in front of me, and I could appreciate the monument beneath the elegant gown. He was truly a delight. Along the way, I remembered Chase opening each button; it looked like a spectacle. Every open button, every inch of exposed skin, a shiver ran through my body. I stiffened before him, speechless. Was he right. I had loved the sight, and I was grateful for it.

When we arrived at the restaurant, she grabbed my arm and pointed to a table in the corner, saying it was the best option. She went ahead and I followed. I pulled out a heavy wooden chair and she sat across from me, drawing the biggest smile she could with her lips.

Susan was nice. As soon as I set foot in Shaffer & Sheppard, she helped me adapt to the environment and explained how it was all going to happen. Susan told me everything I needed to know about Chase Ward and his temper. She told me he was young when he got a job at the company and soon after he climbed, step by step, the landing, until he became one of Mr. Shepard.

I called the waiter over and he came over, offering a wide smile.

I ordered a risotto and she ordered a slice of lasagna.

"My sister thinks her husband is cheating on her," I began. "I felt sad for her, because she gave up so much to give herself to him. She had a lot of dreams and became, basically, a mother and son.

wife Susan stared at me, bringing her fork to her mouth.

"This is too bad," she said, her mouth full. "I have a cousin who is going through this. She ended up breaking up with the bastard. She leaned her elbow on the table and played with her fork in the air. "She lived with me for a few weeks before I found out she was pregnant. I widened my eyes and rummaged through the food on my plate. - Do you know what I think? Men get in the way of our lives. So I decided to just use them and throw them away.

I smiled.

It is true. Much of Abby's sense of adventure was lost when she moved in with Mike. I wonder what would have happened if she hadn't, or if she hadn't gotten pregnant.

"Maybe I should do the same thing, though..." She stared at me. I ate a spoonful and continued: — although I haven't known what sex is for almost eight months.

Susan covered her mouth with her hand and looked at me in disbelief. I twisted my lips down and nodded. It was really very sad. It had been eight months since I'd broken up with the sexy guitar player—the one I left my wallet with. I found him playing in the street, and he was such a handsome sight. I ended up pulling the wallet out of my pocket, but instead of the money, I gave the wallet itself. An hour later, desperate—because I thought I'd lost my wallet—he knocked on my door with a kind smile on his face and the leopard-print wallet in his hand. I thanked him. Two months later, I found myself in love with him. Completely. The sex was amazing, he was amazing…but I didn't want anything too serious. He practically used me for sex, but on the other hand, I used him for it too. Colorful friendship? This. We could hang out with other people, and during that time, he met a hot model and moved to Los Angeles.

"You need to get the cobwebs out from under there, friend." She nodded at my lap. I laughed. "I know some guys who'd love to help you with that. They're kind of inexperienced, but they learn quickly. She waved her fingers in the air.

"Actually, I think I'm talking to a guy," I said. "Off my sexy ass neighbor.

- Sexy ass?

I nodded.

— My neighbor is kind of in love with me. He asked to go take a shower at my place, because his shower broke. I raised an eyebrow. "He has a wonderful ass. He smiled, shrugging his shoulders.

- Serious? I nodded and she leaned toward me, running a hand through her brown hair, brushing it back. "And who's the guy you're talking to?"

I took a sip of water.

"I don't know," I shook my head, "I kind of met him in an online chat, anonymous. He's perverted. — I bit my lower lip and shook the water in the cup. "But I don't know if I'm going to go ahead with it.

— Pervert? What kind? She raised an eyebrow, interested.

"The kind that asks if my panties are comfortable, or if the vibrator I use is powerful enough to make me…satisfy me. "I turned red. She laughed, putting her hand over her heart.

- My God!

- So it is. We talked for a few hours. He wants to know more about me, but he asked me to remain anonymous until we are ready to reveal ourselves.

"And why do you think it won't work?" I met Collin, my boyfriend/bed friend at a party. Maybe it works, even if they don't know each other.

"I don't know if I want to know how this ending is going to end. The truth is, I'm tired of waiting for the perfect guy to show up. Why does it have to be so difficult? I moaned, leaning across the table. "Maybe if I didn't create expectations...

"Don't breed them. It's never 100% the way you imagined it, and that's frustrating.

I agreed.

After Jessie, I couldn't get back on my feet lovingly. Maybe I should look less and try what had been delivered easily, but I didn't know if I was still ready until…until I saw Chase? I drew my eyebrows together and practically stood up. Chase! He was there! And wearing another suit! He passed on the other side of the room, and I called the waiter and Susan and I paid the bill. I dragged her out of the restaurant and ran outside, suddenly laughing. Susan, not understanding my reaction, asked:

'What got into you?'

— Chase.

- What?

She turned to look in the direction, but I quickly pulled her close and stood behind her.

- Do not look. He entered the restaurant. Let's get out of here. — I pushed her.

I took her to meet my sister. Susan was delighted with the number of toys a dog could have and met a dog, who did not let go of her. She put him on her lap and he clung to her clothes. When she let go of him for a few seconds, he whimpered. I recognized the little boy. It was the same one who was trying to climb over the yellow fence to be with Abby when I came to the store two days ago.

I introduced them, and walked over to the cat pen.

I loved cats, mainly because they are cute and purr, but also because of their personality.

— Hi, little friend. I said, reaching out and picking up a furry black kitten.

— Meow.

I smiled. I put him on my lap and he climbed onto my shoulder. Perched there, Susan and Abby smiled, amused. I tried to get him out of there, but he nibbled my hand. I widened my eyes.

"I think he liked you," Abby said. 'You should have him.'

The kitten clung to my blazer and closed its eyes.

Abused.

— Choose a name. Susan sat on the floor across from me on a bone-shaped rug. The needy dog ​​jumped into her lap, and she stroked its fur, running a hand over its little body.

What name can I choose?

Black?

Shadow?

No…

Chase," my mind screamed.

Chase.

Annoyed. Smug. Stupid asshole.

Beautiful.

I looked at the kitten and smiled.

— Chase.

Susan's eyes widened in disbelief and her brows arched. I shrugged and finally took Chase in my hands. He cast me again.

- Matches the personality. — I explained.

***

At seven o'clock I put on Mr. Asshole In a box, I wrote a note and took it to his building. I expected it to be luxurious, just like Chase's taste, and I wasn't surprised. I had to tell the doorman that I was his girlfriend and that I wanted to surprise him, because almost half an hour of trying to convince him that I worked for him came to nothing. He took the box and took it.

Ready.

I sighed, and noticed my thoughts drifting to Chase Ward once more. What will your reaction be when you open the box?