Green City Project

Gabriel woke up abruptly to an alarm not long after he fell asleep. He turned the alarm off in a daze, rubbing his face. He checked his phone, but Claire never replied.

He sighed and quickly got himself ready for his workday. He expectantly entered the lobby, but Claire wasn't anywhere in sight. After 9 am Gabriel was an anxious mess. Claire usually was in by 7 am, never mind 9 am. He walked towards her office himself, but it was empty. He looked at Gina and Zoe but they both shook their heads, understanding his look without a word.

Gabriel hesitated. He started calling Claire. As she didn't answer the first call, his heart sunk. But he called again.

"Hello?" Claire answered sleepily.

"Are you okay? Where are you?" Gabriel asked, with slight relief.

"Oh, sh*t!" Claire exclaimed on the other side. "I'm so sorry. I overslept." She huffed on the phone. Gabriel heard her getting up quickly and clattering in the background of her rushing around the room. "Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t..." Claire kept mumbling.

"Do you have any meetings this morning?"

"Yes, I have a consultation with the Green City project reps at 9:30."

"Okay, I'll stand in for you. Take your time." Gabriel said reassuringly.

"No, I don't want to save me whenever I fall back." Claire cut him off sharply.

"Don't be silly. That's my job." Gabriel chuckled. Who has any info on the project?"

"Take Derek with you," Claire replied.

"Take your time." Gabriel reminded her as she disconnected, probably running from the hotel across to the company building.

"Mr Wood, I need you to help me out with the Green City meeting that's starting in 15 minutes." Gabriel turned around to Derek. "Claire's running late, I'm going to stand in for her."

Most of the people within the department looked up curiously at the exchange.

"Is she alright?" Zoe asked. "We've been bombarding her with texts, but we didn't get any response."

"By the sounds of things, she just woke up. I'll check on her after the meeting." Gabriel said quickly walking towards Derek's desk and gathering printouts from him.

Gabriel started scanning through the documents attentively. "Is this correct?" he asked pointing at some of the data.

"Yes, sir." Derek smiled. "Miss Thompson managed to incorporate so many new sustainable design features that the building is pretty much carbon neutral. Her energy usage estimate during the initial conceptualisation was within 0.001% margin of error of an actual usage that we obtained over the past few weeks as the building has been opened."

"Holy sh*t," Gabriel uttered, which made Derek laugh.

"Something like that," Derek said. "That's why they are consulting with us. They want to utilise our previous design ideas to incorporate them into their existing projects, including how to make city hall more eco-friendly. Claire has been personally invited to work on the project. Not like this isn't the norm."

"What are the current recommendations?"

"Here." Derek passed him a pile of paper which pretty much resembled a small book. "It's all categorised by the buildings and spaces, it rages from introducing bamboo cooling walls to changing the lightbulbs to the newest energy-saving LEDs."

"I've never heard of bamboo cooling walls."

"Neither have I. Claire contacted a French firm that was working on eco-friendly AC units and came back with the prototype. It hasn't even hit the market yet. The prototype has been presented barely a few weeks ago."

"How did she manage that?"

"Honestly, she's a miracle worker." Derek smiled. "I've worked with her for the last five odd years, and she still surprises me. She's absolutely amazing when it comes to research. She's always on top of any new technology and development."

"Here's the room booking." Gina passed Gabriel a printout with the room booking details and agenda. "Good luck, boss."

"Don't call me that," Gabriel grumbled at Gina. "Claire is the boss."

Gina laughed wholeheartedly.

"Of course, Mr Moore." Gina smiled.

"There's so much of this!" Gabriel said nervously. "I think I'll have to bluff until Claire gets here."

"I'll come with you then." Gina offered.

"You sure?"

"If anything, I should come." Zoe chipped in. "We both know I can bluff for my life."

"Thanks." Gabriel smiled at them. The four of them, Gabriel, Derek, Zoe and Gina, made their way into the meeting room.

Gabriel stood up in front of the room full of the reps of the Green City project, with Derek beside him.

"Welcome everyone. I'm Gabriel Moore, the Chief Executive Officer and owner of Diamond Corporate." Gabriel started with faked confidence. "Unfortunately, Claire is running late, hence I thought it most appropriate that I step in for her. Mr Wood, Miss Green, and Miss Smith are here to assist me. Mr Wood is the vice-head of the Contracts and Services Department, And Miss Smith and Miss Green are both our senior designers." The silence answered him. "I will try to go through each point as well as I can, and I hope that my colleagues will step in and correct me if I'm saying something completely wrong."

"Many apologies, but we specifically requested Miss Thompson." The older man said sharply.

Gabriel wasn't sure how to respond for a second. He had never before been told that someone was more desired than him.

"Many apologies for running late." Claire stormed into the room, heading straight for the computer and putting a USB stick in, bringing the presentation up. "Thank you, Mr Moore. I think I can take it from here." Claire stood in front of the group of men and started presenting as if she just didn't sprint in.

Gabriel sat down with the rest and watched her attentively.

"Any questions?" Claire asked as she reached the last slide.

"Thank you, Miss Thompson." The old man smiled. "I think that it was perfectly clear. I would like to discuss our collaboration for our next project during our next meeting. We decided that past this consultation it will be best to bring Diamond Corporate into the project directly."

"Of course." Claire nodded. She quickly passed them her business card and suggested they send their requirements across. As the men left, she turned toward her colleagues. "I'm so sorry. Thanks for playing on the time."

"We've barely started when you came and took over," Gabriel said with a smile.

"That must've hurt your ego." Zoe burst into laughter.

"What happened?" Claire looked curiously.

"They didn't want him." Zoe laughed.

"Yeah, it did hurt," Gabriel admitted. "But then, my business and finance background means absolutely nothing in here."

"I'm guessing that the mayor doesn't care for your position," Claire said with a smile.

"That was the mayor?" Gabriel looked surprised.

"Yes." Claire nodded. "Newly appointed mayor."

"I think I fell a little behind on my social knowledge in the past few weeks," Gabriel admitted.

"Well, I haven't been to any social gatherings since the Jones' banquet. And if I have to be honest, it was a bit of a fiasco." Claire said.

"Don't remind me of it." Gabriel turned red.

"There's a banquet at Evans' this weekend," Claire informed him.

"Is there?" Gabriel looked surprised.

"It's in your diary." Mark walked in, bringing Gabriel some documents.

"Did you RSVP for me yet?" Gabriel turned to Mark.

"Yes." Mark nodded.

"I'm sure you can excuse me." Gabriel moaned.

"Do you have better plans?" Mark asked openly.

"I was hoping to do something a little more exciting," Gabriel admitted as he looked at Claire.

"Oh yeah, it's a black and white theme." Derek nodded.

"Hang on, you have an invite?" Zoe looked at Derek with jealousy.

"Yeah, they sent invites out when I was covering Claire."

"Does it mean you're not going?" Zoe turned to Claire.

"I got an invite when I returned. I already RSVP'd yes." Claire replied. "I'll be collecting my dress on Friday. I can't tell if you'll hate it or love it though." Claire smiled at Zoe. "I'm guessing we'll be sitting together." She turned to Derek.

"Do you want to catch a ride with me?" Derek asked kindly.

"Hey, I apparently RSVP'd yes. Why don't I sort out a ride?" Gabriel offered. Zoe looked at him understandingly and laughed at his secret display of jealousy.

"I thought that you were planning something more exciting?" Claire raised her brow and smiled mischievously.

"Do you really think that there's anything more exciting than doing you?" Zoe asked suggestively.

"Zoe!" Claire exclaimed, turning beetroot red.

"I didn't think you and Claire had that kind of relationship." Derek poked fun at Zoe.

"Really?" Zoe asked in return, leaning over and hugging Claire. "I think we would make a lovely couple."

"You really think so?" Claire looked over at Zoe.

"Yeah, we could share our wardrobe and wear all sorts of fancy dresses. We would go out to dinners and movies. And we would dance together." Zoe sighed, still hugging Claire. "I know you in and out, so you don't even have to say what is wrong out loud. I know what you like and dislike, and every little dirty secret you have."

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Claire smiled at Zoe.

"Is it working though?"

"I'd pick Gina over you any minute," Claire said teasingly.

"But she's taken…" Zoe grumbled. "Besides, I'd be always keen to go to any banquet with you."

"You only would like to be with me for the banquets," Claire replied with a chuckle.

"It's not like he wants to go." Zoe pointed at Gabriel, finally letting go of Claire.

"Yeah, but Derek does." Claire smiled at Derek.

"Hey!" Gabriel looked disgruntled. "I'm coming."

"No pressure, Gabriel." Claire smiled sweetly. "I'm sure I'll have plenty of fun with Derek."

"How dare you even say that?!" Gabriel gasped.

"On this note, I'm going to take my leave." Derek smiled giving Claire a fist bump on his way out.

"I'll have fun with you tonight." Claire poked Gabriel with her index finger on his chest. "I recommend that you wear some butt pads." She smiled, leaving the room behind Derek, to get on time for her next meeting.

"What?" Gabriel asked but she was already gone. Zoe and Gina were snickering at how he turned red at Claire's suggestive tone. "Do you have any idea what she is planning?" Gabriel asked them.

"It's a secret," Zoe replied with a smug smile.

"What even are butt pads?" Gabriel asked in confusion.

"It's literally in the name," Mark said, trying to hide his laughter now.

"Why would I need butt pads?" Gabriel still kept asking, which only made everyone laugh harder.

"Obviously, Claire thinks that your ass is too flat." Mark teased Gabriel, patting his back. Gabriel scowled at him.

"Claire is rubbing off on you a bit too much," Gabriel said coldly to Mark. However, he stood up trying to turn around to check out his buttocks. "Is it really that flat?" He asked worriedly. They all roared with laughter.

"Gabriel, your ass is fine," Mark said as he tried to stop laughing, and hiding his mouth in his palm. "I'm sure Claire had something else in mind."

"But what if it is too flat?" Gabriel asked worriedly. "What if she doesn't like it?"

It didn't help. They started laughing again.

"Go and ask her then," Zoe told him encouragingly.

"How do I even ask such as question?"

"Hang on," Zoe said as she took her phone out and dialled Claire's number. As the phone connected she put it on the loudspeaker.

"What's up?" Claire's voice sounded through the phone.

"I have an important question to ask you," Zoe said as she tried to contain her laughter.

"Yeah?"

"Do you like Gabriel's ass?"

"Zoe, I don't have time for this." Claire sighed. "What kind of question is this?"

"Just answer," Zoe said, letting a bit of chuckle out.

"I don't know," Claire answered. "I have a meeting literally in a minute. Can you tell me what is this about?"

"Just answer my question."

"It's alright, I guess," Claire answered. "Anything else?"

"No, Claire-bear." Zoe disconnected, now bursting into laughter.

"It's alright?" Gabriel looked dissatisfied with an answer. "What does it mean?"

"Oh my, you're just as clueless as Claire." Gina smiled at him, her cheeks also crimson red.

"It means that she checked it out and she likes it," Mark answered.

"Is this some form of delirium?" Gina asked. "I don't know about you guys, but I haven't expected us to talk about our CEO's buttocks today."

"Definitely not." Zoe and Mark replied in unison.

"I think I'm losing my mind," Gabriel admitted. "Butt pads…" he mumbled. "Where do you even get such a thing?"

"Don't worry," Mark said. "I'm sure that Claire was just teasing you."

"No, she wasn't." Gina shook her head. "Check out the shop with sports equipment."

"Oh." It finally clicked in Gabriel's head. "Protective wear?"

"Yeah." Gina nodded.

"She's going to drive me insane." Gabriel sighed.

"If you asked beforehand we all would've told you that she's kind of crazy."

"I gathered." Gabriel laughed. "She wouldn't have signed a contract if she weren't."

"True." They nodded in unison.

"By the way, watch out for the booze during the banquet," Gina said with a warning.

"Why?" Gabriel couldn't hide his curiosity.

"Derek and Claire are both rather sporty and very competitive," Gina said honestly. "Add alcohol to the mix and you have a disaster waiting to happen."

"What happened?" Gabriel asked as he raised his brows.

"We were very bored during one of the client's opening ceremonies. It dragged for hours. So, we sneaked outside, into a garden, with plenty of booze. Derek and Claire started competing over who can do a better somersault without spilling a drink, and somehow we ended up with a rave in the garden with most of the guests." Gina explained quickly.

"Well, Derek and Claire always end up competing in some weird way," Zoe said with a shrug. "There was an evening where they started playing limbo in front of everyone. And one where they stacked the chairs into a tower and competed who can climb the higher chair tower."

"Yeah, that one didn't go so well," Gina remembered. "Claire managed something like eight chairs and Derek fell on the sixth. I think he ended up with sprained ankle."

"Why am I hearing about this only now?" Gabriel asked.

"It wasn't an elitist banquet or anything that fancy, otherwise we would've been kicked out straight away. Instead, it was a good laugh and a lot of drunk professionals who cheered on them during those stupid competitions." Gina shrugged.

"You say that as if we didn't join and failed on the first hurdle." Zoe laughed.