Color of Love

A Date

Work wasn't too bad. My work was easy at least. I managed what supplies we used the most and thus what needed to be ordered. I also handled people's complains, but for the most part, all of Jade's designs and products seemed to have people pleased.

Jade mostly worked in her office, so I worked alongside Robin mostly. Robin and Jade had met in college and had decided to go into business together. She was sort of the co-owner of The Block, but she also was getting ready for medical school on the side – she'd just gotten her business degree first to open her own practice in the future.

The employees were nice. One of them, Skylar, seemed to give me a flirtatious grin often. He was tall, had curly afro, and a clean, shaved face. He wore braces, but he was cute – I'd give him that. I had a small desk near the front of the store so customers could talk to me. Even though Skylar was mostly responsible for cleaning and just putting clothes back up, he always found a reason to come up to the front. He cleaned the windows constantly and swept the entrance rug probably five times a day just come have conversation with me. He was nice, but he didn't catch my attention.

Perhaps that was because someone else had my attention. Jade was weirdly enticing – the way she spoke to me, the way she talked to me – like she wanted me. It was weird – kind of how guys look when they see a pretty girl, but I guess if she was attracted to women, it was the same way. I had never had an interest in females, but Jade was...different.

Every day she came to work dressed stunning. Heels were her thing whether she wore a dress, skirt, or pants. Her hair she usually wore up, but occasionally she would curl it and let it fall past her shoulders. She always had a huge smile on her face and even though she was my boss and sort of intimidated me, it made me feel nonetheless happy.

Speaking of her being my boss, I noticed that everyone else in the store besides Robin called her Ms. Jade. I understood why Robin called her that – they were friends! So, after my first two weeks during my first evaluation I asked her, "Why is it that you expect everyone else to call you Ms. Jade?"

She sat behind her desk sipping on some sort of drink from a local coffee shop. There was silence for a moment as she drank and I stared at her shyly awaiting a response. "Because I'm their boss?" she said as if it were obvious.

"Aren't you my boss too?"

"You ask a lot of questions, Linnea," she told me curtly. I frowned and then just looked at her awkwardly. "I mean yes, I'm your boss, but perhaps...I don't know, something stuck out about you. I just felt like it would be weird for you to call me Miss as well."

I went to open my mouth, but I realized a question was sure to follow, so I quickly closed it. She asked me one instead, "What're you doing after work?"

I bit at my lip and raised my brow. "Nothing...going home?"

"Is home your home or your parents' home?" she continued.

I looked at her curiously, "Mine...may I ask why?" I went on.

Jade smiled before taking another sip from her cup. "Caramel macchiato are my favorite," she said away from the question I'd just asked. Then, I think she noticed my face. "Oh! Sorry. I was just wondering if you wanted to maybe have dinner. It's on me."

"Do you do all of this for your employees at their second week evaluation?" I asked.

"You and these damn questions," she snapped. Even though I could tell she was annoyed, I didn't feel offended because she still kept looking at me as if she was drawn into me. A small, intrigued smile remained on her face. "But do all my employees call me by my name?"

I giggled, "Okay, fair enough." Then I had to ask, "where and what time?" My boss eyed me before grabbing a sticky note and scribbling something down. It was an address and followed by 8 P.M. "Got it," I said sheepishly as I stood.