Golden Opportunity

Chapter 7

AYLA

Monday. I hate Monday. Being woken up by an alarm at 7 a.m. after a lazy weekend is exhausting. I feel like I ran a marathon. I groan in frustration as I turn on my back on the soft and warm bed which simply doesn't want to let me go. I open my eyes unwillingly and sigh. I look at the white ceiling and the recent events come to my mind. And, as I remember what day it is, I clumsily jump up from bed with renewed energy.

The project, my mind screams with excitement and I let out a large smile.

I hurry to the bathroom and discard my silky nightgown in the laundry basket and walk in the shower. After a ten minutes shower I wrap a towel around myself and dry my hair. I go to the walk-in closet. I rummage through the clothes and come out dressed in blue skinny jeans, a sleeveless black and white striped camisole and a beige blazer, wearing a pair of black heeled ankle boots. I let my hair in loose waves, apply some mascara and eyeliner, a little nude matt lipstick and perfume, take my laptop case and bag and I'm ready to go.

It is a sunny day today. As I step out the apartment building I'm surprised to see my car in the parking lot. It has been at the service for the last two weeks. I go in and revel in the familiar feeling of cream-coloured leather under me. I put my things on the passenger seat and put the belt on, then turn the ignition and take off.

On the road to the office I let my mind wander to yesterday's events. I didn't expect Gavin to actually tell me what happened, but I appreciate the fact that he tries to maintain our new found friendship. As he was talking about his first love I could see and hear the hidden pain he tried to contain all these years. The thought that a woman can emotionally hurt a strong man like Gavin Kingston is unimaginable. I felt at that moment a connection with him. We both went through similar heartbreaks and betrayal and the way we cope with them, working to escape the reality...

I shake my head to clear my thoughts and focus on the road. After a 45 minutes drive I'm in the parking lot of Kingston Inc. and then in through the doors. As today is the first day in the CEO's floor, Gavin told me yesterday that I can come at the office a little later so right now it is 8:55.

Beau is waiting for me in the lobby. When he sees me, a smile takes over his face. He looks cute when he smiles. It is a far cry from the regular serious expression he keeps sporting around the office.

"Good morning, Mss. White", he greets me as soon as I reach his side.

"Good morning, Beau. Can we forget the formalities? I think we would both feel more comfortable with each other as we're going to work together", I suggest.

"Sure", he agrees.

We get in the elevator and he presses for the 15th floor. The ride up is silent. As the doors open we get out and I take my first step in this new beginning. He leads me through the desks and I can feel the curious eyes of the employees around us. We stop in front of a door and after a look inside, I realize that it is a small office. He gestures to a more imposing door next to it.

"This one is the CEO's office, make sure to knock before going in", he instructs and then opens the door before us. "And this... this is your office. This door", he gestures to a door on the wall between the rooms, "opens to the CEO's office. Both of you have the key."

I nod. I look around my new office taking it all in and I like it. A mahogany desk to the left with a swiveling chair and two other chairs in front of it, a glass wall opposite the door overlooking the busy city, cream-coloured walls, a small light brown couch near the glass wall with a small coffee table in front of it. There are empty iron shelves at the wall between the rooms and two cardboard boxes on the desk.