Dollars & Roses - Chapter 3

Beatrix POV

I sat on my desk knowing exactly what I'd done wrong but I just couldn't bring myself to correct it. I wasn't supposed to add the new girl to the list, I didn't even know her capabilities. But, as I said earlier, I just could not do it, I could not remove her from the list. I could feel there was something more to my irrational decision. And if what I felt was right, that would give me another reason not to add her; she'd be a huge distraction. Ava entered my office and told me it was time for the meeting. Ava was my personal assistant, we'd been best friends ever since my father hired her aunt as his personal assistant when he was running the company. Now they were both old and we'd taken over their positions, respectively. Ava was extremely amiable and we'd built such a strong friendship between ourselves that we knew almost everything about each other. The only thing she didn't know about me was that I had a silly, childish crush on my newest employee, Adelaide Susanna Oxford.

~~~

I opened the doors of the conference room quickly, I was anxious to find out if Adelaide had backed out. I looked around and saw everyone who was needed; the finance manager, our main accountant, chief detective, e.t.c. And then I saw her, seated in all her feminine glory, her neck looked gorgeous covered in some sort of halter neck and I couldn't help my thoughts from going to what that neck would look like with my hickeys on them. Then I looked into her eyes and almost died, they looked deeply back into mine, they were almost scared, I didn't know what for. But then I realized I was staring and I immediately covered it up with a quick "I'm glad no-one is late" I sat down at the head of the table and gestured for Tatiana to give the introduction speech. As she began to speak, Ava leaned in and whispered to me "What was that about?" At first, I didn't know what she was talking about, so I asked "What? I always tell Tatiana to give the introduction speech," She then rolled her eyes and quickly replied "I know, I know, I'm talking about that stare-down between you and Miss Oxford," I choked on my saliva and landed in a coughing fit and all eyes landed on me - Ava had to excuse us and take me to the washroom. Hearing someone's name would do that to you - especially if you'd been thinking about that person the entire night.

~~~

"OK, spill," Ava ordered as she shut the door to the washroom, visibly frustrated. "I don't know what you're talking about, Ava," I was terrible at lying , and , even if I was good, Ava would be able to figure me out easily. "OK," she began, and I knew she was about to verbally murder me because I knew her morbid 'I'm about to liquidate you' voice, "so apparently, you have no idea what I'm talking about but you almost snuffed it when I simply mentioned her name back there. Now listen to me Trix, if you don't tell me the truth about Miss Oxford right this minute, I don't know what to think of you apart from your being a BLOODY LIAR AND SLUT!"
"Ava, calm down, there's nothing going on between Adelaide an-"
"Hold up, so you guys are on a first name basis now."
"What the hell, no we're no-"
"Don't even try lying to me again. You BITCH ASS SLUT!"
"Listen, Ava, this is nothi- you know what? I don't even need to explain to you right now, you're over-reacting. So what if there is something going on between Adelaide and I, what's your problem?"
Then she broke into tears. I had no idea what was going on with her, she was clearly overreacting and she never acted like this when she found out that I mistakenly didn't tell her something. I watched her as she kneeled on the floor and cried with all the dramatic hiccups and wheezing. As the good friend I was, I just couldn't watch her like that. So I picked her up from the floor, hugged her and whispered into her ear, "Listen Ava, there's nothing going on between us, if there was I would've told you, and, for God's sake, I'm on a motherfucking first name basis with all my employees," she giggled in my chest and I couldn't help but smile. "Sorry Trix," she whispered. "It's cool." We got the tear stains off her face and professionally reentered the conference room.
I took my place in front of the room and began addressing the people in the room, trying my hardest to avoid Adelaide's lethal, mousy eyes. "So, I believe Mrs. Tatiana Pearl has already informed you about the agenda of this meeting, but I would like to elaborate. As you know, we have begun a project in Cuba and we will need representatives from this company to go there and help us work on a few things.....