AllFreeNovel
Share Us
This was how the first three weeks went.
We finally made it to Charlotte and all three of us were exhausted. Phillippe checked us into our hotel rooms with strict orders to eat and sleep.
The following morning we all met in Phillippe’s suite for breakfast. The moment Tony opened the door, the aroma of fresh brewed coffee greeted me.
“Good morning Miss Townsend.”
He still won’t smile, but at least he’s not giving me intimidating looks anymore. “Good morning Tony.”
I was beginning to relax in my job, in spite of the crush on my boss. Maybe it was his intelligence, or the way he took charge in meetings, or his sense of humor. Who am I kidding? It’s the whole package. If I were to tell God exactly what kind of man I want, it would be one like Phillippe. A man who knows how to handle his business. Who’s gentle and strong. Who makes me laugh, loves art and isn’t afraid to admit when he’s made a mistake. Let’s face it, if he looks like he just stepped off the cover of a romance novel, that’s even better.
I followed the aroma and found Phillippe standing at the window on the phone. He had his back to me and the sight of his broad shoulders and tight backside, did more for waking me up than the coffee.
“I understand you don’t like this, but…I see…I don’t think that’s a good idea…uh-huh…uh-huh…no…if we do that, it could set us back at least six months…I don’t agree…the whole thing could have been avoided if he’d told someone…exactly…a million three…about three million…exactly…I’m already on it…a couple of weeks, maybe longer…no...okay.”
I walked over to the buffet and started piling food on a plate while staring at Phillippe. My, my, my…God, You have incredible sculpting skills. I wonder what he looks like naked.
He started pacing, then looked up, saw me and smiled. I quickly turned my attention to my overloaded plate and put the serving spoon down.
“We’ll continue this when I get back…not yet…because it’s too soon…yes it is…I do, but not now…I’ll let you know…no…don’t you trust me?…thank you…bye.” He pressed the button ending the call and placed his phone on the table. He rubbed his head with his hands and exhaled. Clearly whoever he was speaking with, upset him. A few seconds later, he seemed calm. “Good morning Gabriella. How did you sleep?”
“Well. Thank you. And yourself?”
He hesitated with his answer. “I slept.” He walked over to the buffet and picked up a plate. “Tell me about your family.”
“My family?”
“Yes. Tony said he met your mother when he picked you up.”
He returned to the table with a modest serving of scrambled eggs, bacon and asparagus. He sat down in the chair across from me and looked at my plate. Oh great, he probably thinks I’m a drooling idiot and a greedy pig.
“My dad’s a lawyer and my mother is a teacher.”
He nodded as he chewed and swallowed. “Any siblings?”
“A younger brother. He’s a junior at MIT.”
“Impressive. What does he want to do?”
“I’m not quite sure. He says he feels God is leading him into research. He’s only eighteen and works harder than I do.”
“Wow. We may need to hire him.” He smiled and refilled his coffee cup. “What grade does your mother teach?” He sipped his coffee. His dark full lips looked even more delicious holding the white cup prisoner as he turned it up.
“She’s an étiquette teacher.”
“Really?”
“Actually, she teaches protocol to executives.” He looked vexed. “When my dad went to China, he asked her to help him not embarrass himself. She researched the culture and learned how he should conduct himself in business and social situations. He made a great impression and it helped with his negotiations. When one of his friends was preparing to go, he asked my dad for help and my mother coached him. He hired her and her business was born.”
“I might need to hire your mother.” He sipped his coffee. “What do you do in your free time? Any hobbies?”
“I like visiting art galleries and the museum. Once a month I take some of the kids from my church to the museum. And, I teach Sunday School.” It was difficult concentrating on my answers with him staring at me.
He smiled. “How old are the kids in your Sunday School class?”
“Eight.”
“Do you have a boyfriend?” He picked up a stalk of asparagus, bit down and my stomach danced.
