Have Dinner With Me

Rowan glared at the two employees standing before him, their heads bowed in shame. They knew they had violated company policy, and Rowan was furious. He wasn't just angry about the violation - he was also enraged by the sight of them when he'd arrived at work. The scene had been too intimate, too familiar.

When Rowan walked into the building, the first thing he saw was Kodi's back, turned towards him. What happened next filled him with rage. Kodi was leaning towards Victoria, who had her head bent and her face tilted up towards him. It looked as though they were kissing. Or worse. The sight of it infuriated Rowan. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Rowan was especially upset with Kodi. As his secretary, Kodi should have known better than to behave so inappropriately. He was supposed to set an example, not behave in such a manner. What's more, Kodi had been with the company for almost two years. He should have known the rules.

Or perhaps the reason for his anger was not just the policy violation. Perhaps it was also the fact that he'd taken a liking to Victoria, and it pained him to see them in such a position. His eyes met Kodi's, and he felt his blood boil with fury. In that moment, he felt nothing but hatred for the man.

Rage coursing through his veins, Rowan stood up from his chair forcefully and pulled Kodi aside from Victoria, to his inner room inside his office. It was a large office.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Rowan asked, his voice steely and cold.

Kodi swallowed hard, he hadn't seen Rowan in such an enraged state for a long time. He stammered, struggling to find the words. "I... I'm sorry, sir. We weren't doing anything inappropriate. It was j-just..."

Rowan banged his hand angrily on the door, shocking Kodi. "I'll ask you again," Rowan said, his voice low and dangerous. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Kodi swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. "I - I'm so sorry," he stammered. "I was out of line, and it won't happen again. Please, I'm begging you, don't fire me."

"You think a simple apology is enough?" Rowan demanded, his eyes flashing with anger. "I should have fired you on the spot, but I'm feeling generous right now."

Rowan huffed and puffed. He couldn't possibly fire his own right hand man because of a woman. He knew he was overreacting but, he would do anything to take any man away from the little joy he had found - Victoria.

"You're not off the hook just yet," Rowan continued. "You're being reassigned to a new location, effective immediately. Consider yourself lucky that I'm not taking more drastic measures."

Kodi's eyes widened in alarm. "Please, sir, I want to stay here with you. Besides, my siblings and parents are here in-"

Rowan cut him off with a sharp gesture. "I don't care about your family. I only care about the integrity of this company, and you've jeopardized that. You're dismissed."

Kodi seemed to be on the verge of arguing, but then he thought better of it. With a resigned sigh, he turned and walked out of the office, his shoulders slumped in defeat. The main office door swung shut behind him, leaving a heavy silence in the room.

For a long moment, Rowan simply stood there, staring at the spot where Kodi had been standing. Then, he turned to look at Victoria, who still hadn't moved. Her head was still bowed, her eyes fixed on the floor.

Victoria couldn't believe it. On her very first day at work, she had made a significant mistake. She silently hoped that whatever punishment had left Kodi feeling downcast wouldn't be handed to her as well.

"Please sir, listen to me," Victoria said, her voice urgent. "I know what we did was wrong. We were in public and we were at the office, we are supposed to be professional but-" She broke off, taking another deep breath. Rowan remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

Rowan studied her face, trying to read her expression. She looked nervous, maybe even a little scared. He knew that whatever she was about to say would be difficult, but he needed to hear it. After a moment, she took a deep breath and began to speak.

"It's not Kodi's fault at all," Victoria said, her eyes pleading. "I'm the one who deserves to be punished, not him. I'm the one who walked up to him and started being loud. He was just responding to me. If anyone deserves to be reprimanded, it's me." She took a deep breath, waiting for Rowan's response.

As Victoria finished speaking, Rowan's expression remained unreadable. He was bitter. He couldn't believe that she was pleading for someone else instead of herself. He was angry at the idea that she was asking him to spare Kodi, saying that it wasn't his fault. On the contrary, Rowan felt that he deserved a harsher punishment.

At the same time, Victoria watched Rowan closely, trying to gauge his reaction. She noticed that his expression was unreadable, and she couldn't tell what he was thinking. She noticed that Rowan's posture was stiff and his jaw was clenched, as if he were holding himself back from saying something. His body language betrayed his true feelings, even if his face remained impassive. She waited for him to respond, feeling the tension in the air.

Rowan remained silent for a few moments, his eyes locked on Victoria. Finally, he spoke. "So, you think it's okay to skirt the rules as long as you can find someone to take the blame?" he asked, his voice low and controlled.

Victoria's heart was pounding in her chest, and she felt a knot of anxiety forming in her stomach. Rowan's expression was inscrutable, and she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Finally, he spoke. "I appreciate your apology," he said, his voice calm and even. "But I'd let this slide if you have dinner with me."

Victoria's lips turned up into a smile, and she let out a sigh of relief. "I knew you were a good person," she said, her voice soft and warm. "You're not a bad person," she added, her tone light and playful. She gave Rowan a playful wink, which caused him to smile in spite of himself.

"What about Kodi?" she asked. "Will you forgive him, too?" She watched Rowan carefully, waiting for his response. His face was unreadable, and Victoria's heart was pounding with anticipation.

Finally, Rowan spoke. "I'll forgive him, too. And you can't call him just Kodi, call him Mr. Kodi," he said, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips. Victoria let out a sigh of relief, the tension in her body melting away.

"Yeah, I'd accept only if you accept my offer," Rowan added, a twinkle in his eyes glistening with mischief.

Victoria paused for a moment, considering Rowan's offer. Then, she nodded slowly. "I accept," she said, a smile spreading across her face. But before Rowan could react, Victoria's expression suddenly changed.

She shook her head and her smile faded. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I completely forgot - I have plans tonight with my friend, Myra. We're having dinner together. I'm so sorry - but could we meet for lunch instead?"

Rowan was disappointed but his disappointment quickly turned to understanding when she suggested meeting for lunch instead. But before he could respond, he remembered that he had a meeting scheduled for that time.

He smiled gently and said, "You're my secretary - you're supposed to know that I have a meeting during lunch." He paused for a moment, considering her suggestion of lunch instead. "We can just go for dinner tomorrow instead. And please if you have any schedule for tomorrow evening, clear it off."

Victoria nodded, a look of acceptance on her face. "I agree," she said, her voice firm. "I'll clear up my schedule for tomorrow evening." She smiled, trying to put on a brave face. Her work would keep her busy until then, so she might as well make the most of it. She turned back to her computer and got to work.

Victoria's office was built inside of Rowan's larger office, but it was tucked away in a corner and situated at a distance from his desk. As Victoria walked to her desk, Rowan smiled to himself. He was content with the way things were. Rowan was a single man and had always been protective of his personal belongings. He wasn't willing to let anyone get too close to him, and he wanted to keep it that way.