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Shocker of all shockers, the car is empty, a nearly unheard of occurrence.
With STS occupying one-half of the building, and an accounting firm the other, there is always someone talking on their phone, another dancing in place to the music in their ears, and of course, someone who loudly sips their coffee.
Not today, thank goodness.
The unexpected alone time gives me a moment to shake off the last of the cobwebs and run over the day’s schedule in my head.
Meetings, meetings, and more meetings until that talk with Mr. Brown at two.
Busy, busy, busy.
And I love it.
With every day different, I’m eager to come to work. I’m analytical by nature and solving problems and getting results is something I enjoy. STS provided an environment that has allowed me to thrive… despite meetinghim.
The man whose name I never learned. The man who delivered on giving me not only what I wanted, but what I craved. The man who I can’t get out of my head because I see him every night before I go to bed…
It’s my raincoat, the same black and white one he saw me in that’s making me hot, not memories of my encounter with Mr. No Name. I take it off and bathe in the air-conditioning that seems to run all year-around.
Texas is like that. One temperature: HOT. At least until the six weeks of winter appear from mid-January until the end of February.
Yeah, okay. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but it surefeelslike it.
I’m still chuckling at my thought when the elevator dings and the doors open... directly into chaos. It seems everyone on our floor, all forty-two of them, clamor to get onto the elevator. With all the bodies surging forward, I’m unable to get off before the doors close, let alone see what button someone pressed.
When the car moves, snatches of conversation appear in the air like speech balloons.
“What’s going to happen?”
“I can’t lose this job.”
“I’m not moving to New York.”
“And no one knew?”
The elevator opens and people pour out onto the executive area. It has to be, as this is the most luxurious floor on our side of the building. Cream walls, real paintings, and the best office furniture money can buy. Not to say the floor I work on sucks or has old equipment, but the twenty-second floor is where it is at.
A brown blur grabs my arm and pulls me towards the side. I stumble along for a few seconds before I realize Natalie is the one who has a vice-like grip on my arm. We take a few more steps before she jerks me behind a large potted plant.
“Did you hear?” she whispers.
Natalie has on a floral summer dress with a white belt at the waist. We discovered the dress at a boutique in Fredericksburg, and Natalie practically salivated all over it. I encouraged her to buy the garment, saying it went well with her brown skin and purple-tipped hair.
However, when she saw the price tag, she reluctantly put it back on the rack. We went to other shops, but before we left for Austin, I circled back and bought the dress. A month later, I gave it to her for her birthday.
Without a car note and insurance payment eating up my paycheck, I have money to spend on such things. Unlike when I was growing up and luxuries were non-existent and staples were scarce. That’s why I keep my emergency fund fully padded. If I were to lose my job tomorrow, I could survive until I get another one.
“What?” I whisper back, unaware of why I am doing so. “What’s going on?”
“Fam, hold on.” She peeks around the plant to make sure we’re alone. Satisfied, she says, “A large conglomerate based out of New York bought STS.”
I relax. “Is that all? I thought Liam, you know the guy whose girlfriend dyed his hair green? I thought he was about to hurl in the elevator.”
She doesn’t laugh. Very unusual for Natalie, who is beyond cheerful. “Liam didn’t, but you might.”
I roll my eyes. There have been rumors upon rumors flying like golden snitches around the building for weeks. Even the accountants next door set up a pool on when the owners would come from behind their wall of secrecy and make the announcement. It wasn’t like the company wouldn’t sell. STS is a leader in the industry, a gold star for another company to place in their portfolio.
“I’m guessing the top dogs are going to make an announcement soon to let everyone know what the hell is going on, so if you—“
