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“Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes flickering to him briefly, back to being shy.
“You’re so welcome. Now, I have to calm Johnathan over before he kills me. He’s quite capable of dolling out extreme pain and I don’t want you to have to see that,” Colin chuckled.
He led her out of the restroom and into the severely deserted lobby and reception area.
The receptionists’ phones were ringing off the hook with no one at the desk to answer them. She peeked a bit to the right and looked through the glass window of Johnathan's office. She inwardly groaned, seeing that Johnathan in fact did have his staff in his expansive office. And they were all talking around a boardroom table while passing around a couple of decanters of liquor.
Her phone beeped.
She opened her text to dozens of demon and eggplant emojis.
OOhhhh sister sister, I heard from a little birdie that you are getting your shit absolutely ran through at Johnathan’s office. *giggle* I am jealloouuussss. Btw, Johnathan’s mad as shit at you two. I told him I’d say something to you so: Can’t y'all just suck face like normal people? -Nessie.
Colin grabbed her hand and pulled her through the lobby, and Olivia gave Johnathan a little embarrassed wave as she clicked in her heels after him.
Back at Colin’s office, he sat in his lounge and downloaded architectural books on the kindle that he bought her. Trying to get a head start on studying before starting school in January. She then bit the bullet and bought her books for her first semester early and poured over them. She took time writing notes and highlighting, making electronic flash cards.
At the end of the day, Johnathan sent Colin the bill for the money they all lost while he and Olivia were in the bathroom. Two million dollars, and Colin paid the invoice happily.
Olivia was more than worth it to him.
Evil Sisters
Over the next several days, Olivia put herself into her own world, refusing to be an ornament in his office. Or like a third limb for him to always carry around with him. Although she appreciated the clothes, and jewelry, she didn’t dream of being a trophy wife.
She wanted to hold her own next to him.
Colin would watch her during his online meetings, how studiously she worked and pushed herself. She brought up paper and tools and spread out on an obscure corner of his office floor to refresh herself on design and measurement. He would cross an ankle over his knee and observe her intently as she practiced designing various structures. From a floor of an apartment building to a small home, eventually working her way up to a medium-sized home.
He did observe that she stayed away from designing mansions, but he didn’t press for more information on why.
His eyes perused her designs thoughtfully, nodding at her and telling her how brilliant she was. Because he truly thought she was.
But deep down, Colin was worried. He noticed exactly how brilliant she was and saw a lucrative career in her future that he wanted desperately to help bring to fruition. Ideas of how to use his influence to network to give her the best possible start flirted with his conscious. Even though he instinctively understood when the time came, she would try to shut down any help. He struggled anew with his irritating fresh wave of insecurity.
He massaged the back of his neck, struggling with the need to have this woman the way his body craved, needing to make sense of her first.
Colin often walked up to Olivia in between meetings. Crouching down to where she was spread out on the floor and kissed her senselessly before heading back to his desk and going over more documents.
A week later on Friday evening Vanessa and Johnathan stopped by the house before they all headed out for some fun. They were going to chill out a bit before going to a karaoke bar. It was Vanessa’s idea, not wanting to go dancing and have Olivia be uncomfortable. She wasn’t ready for that quite yet. Olivia rolled her shoulder, feeling less and less of the twinge the more the days went by. She stood there in the kitchen with Mary as she was cooking up a lamb and rice dish. Mary seemed to be a little short-tempered today and Olivia was sharing a bottle of wine with her while she cooked. She helped her by cutting up onions but that’s all Mary would let her do.
Olivia was wearing another long-sleeved dress, this one cream colored with a beautiful gold necklace that hosted a blue aquamarine at the end. She wanted to ask Colin if it was real, but considering he took it out of the safe, she felt like she didn’t really have to ask. A simple gold bracelet cuffed her right wrist, and Vanessa gasped as she saw it.
“Oh my God, that’s a Tiffany cuff bracelet!” she breathed, turning it this way and that. Olivia scrunched her nose and pulled her hand away, still very uncomfortable with wearing jewelry and real jewels at that. She sipped her wine.
Colin had walked into the room with a bottle of whiskey for him and Johnathan, and she watched as they clasped each other’s back in greeting. Thankful for Colin that whatever he did to smooth over the office fiasco they created last week worked, and there was no tension. Really, the big man was all softy on the inside. She was happy for Vanessa. She said they were dating, and things were going really well, and Allison adored the man.
“Mary,” Olivia said, turning to the woman again. “Can I give them a little to taste? It really looks delicious,” she asked the older lady, who nodded and scooped a few pieces of the dish onto a plate. Olivia was busy trying to grab some forks when Johnathan suddenly spoke and then all hell seemingly broke loose.
“Hey Mary, is that ha-“ he shot across the island to Mary’s back, who suddenly stiffened and pivoted on her feet, facing the people at the island. Everyone jumped when she slapped her hand on the island. Olivia’s hand flew to her breast in surprise.
“HALAL? Is it HALAL? You dense man, I’ve yet to serve you PORK. PAY ATTENTION to something other than yourself for the love of Allah. We don’t even eat pork in this house because of you. I don’t even buy it for my own house either! Did you even bother to notice?” Mary bit out, tears in her eyes.
Johnathan’s eyes rounded in shock as he sat ramrod straight in his chair, shooting a panicked look at Colin. Who was currently slowly setting his whiskey down on the island countertop.
Olivia saw Beth suddenly peek her head around the corner, her eyebrows raised in concern. She’d gotten a nose ring, and her brunette hair was sporting blonde roots. Olivia frowned. Colin turned, seeing Beth too, and shooed her away.
That’s odd. Why would a blonde want to be a brunette? Olivia thought to herself before turning away from Beth and putting her attention back on Mary.
