Not Scared Anymore

Chapter 40 - Stephanie

It wasn't until Wednesday that things hit the fan in the office.

"And this is one of our newest members, Stephanie Halder." She heard her manager say. Turning from her computer screen, her jaw almost hit the floor when she saw the man standing behind her, a delighted smirk on his face.

"David! What the fu-" Catching herself just in time to stay professional, "I mean, what are you doing here?"

Her boss mistook her tone for one of happy surprise. "Oh, you two already know each other! How magnificent!"

David wasted no time agreeing, "That's exactly the term I would use! Absolutely magnificent!" Stephanie noticed the big smile plastered on his face, the same one he used to pick up women, but noticed a more feral glint in his eye.

Picking her jaw up off of the floor, she looked at her boss and said "Yes, I have met David a few times before. Such a coincidence he's here." Turning to look David straight in the eyes, she continued "are you going to be visiting us often like this?"

"As often as I'm needed. Or wanted. I'm just getting to know how your company operates so I can serve you best." he added with a wink. Stephanie fought the urge to cringe.

Her manager stepped in "Well, we should continue on our tour, hopefully you will have the chance to catch up soon. Come along David, here we have Andrea's desk, she is one of our junior consultants, but she is in a meeting right now I'm afraid. You'll have to meet her another time..."

She drawled on, and David turned back to look at Stephanie as they moved further from her desk. Stephanie glared back at him until he turned away, and then she quickly crept away from her desk, and took her phone out into the elevator corridor to call Kevin.

It went straight to voicemail. She hung up and texted him instead.

Stephanie: David is in my office. My boss is giving him a tour right now. He knows exactly where my desk is.

Panicking, she called Denise.

"Stephanie? What's up?"

"David is in my office right now."

"How the hell did he get in there?"

"We are now his clients apparently. We have hired him to do whatever the hell he says he does."

"Damn. Can you tell anyone you can't work with him?"

"My boss is super jazzed that we already know each other! She hopes we will get the chance to catch up soon. In manager talk that's like, oh good, I'll get her to take over, keep him happy so we get what we want."

"I'm sure she won't. Explain to her and he'll put on that charm to any woman and get what he needs."

"I don't know, all I know is this is going to end badly. I'm going to see him all the time. He works in this building. He's supposed to be here. I can't keep asking why he is where I am when he is legitimately supposed to be here!"

"Deep breaths Stephie. In for four, out for four. In for four, out for four."

Stephanie focused on her breathing for 2 minutes and felt better.

"Thanks Denny. I should probably go back to my desk."

"Go to the bathroom and compose yourself. If he is still there you cannot let him see you frazzled. That's what he wants. Keep breathing, think happy thoughts, and call me from your work phone so I can pretend to be a client if you need me to."

"What did I ever do to deserve you? I'll talk to you soon."

"Be strong Stephie. You got this." The phone disconnected.