An Unexpected Engagement

Chapter 2

There he is.

Gorgeous in his expensive suit and hair tousled by the winter wind. He is smiling. I feel a twinge in my chest. And further down. Oh God, I need him to notice me. It's, like, a matter of life and death.

"Looks like the boss has arrived," Alan comments on the obvious, but I'm no longer paying any attention.

My feet move as if of their own volition towards the object of my desire. It's now or never. Steve is being greeted by the sycophants on duty. Some women take the opportunity to hug him. Bitches. They'll all be fired when I'm Ms. Rogers.

I smile as I get closer and closer. I'm already looking forward to when Steve will turn around and notice me among the bunch of drunk employees around the open bar. Our eyes will lock and everything will disappear just like in the movies.

Like Elizabeth and Mr Darcy in the Pride and Prejudice dance.

It will be perfect. Will be...

- Damn! I exclaim when I trip over someone, making all the contents left in my glass run down the white dress of the woman in front of me.

Shit! I lift my head to curse whoever it was that stopped me from getting to Steve, but I shut up when I recognized Erin.

A thousand times shit!

- Damn it I say, Natasha! What is thinking? She holds the dress away from her body, red with anger.

"Excuse me, Erin, I was distracted, I didn't see you and..." I mumble.

Erin isn't happy at all right now.

"Don't you get tired of being clumsy?" she yells, making several eyes lock on us.

Blushing with shame. Hell, why did Erin have to be so mean to me? If I'm clumsy in her presence, it was entirely her fault!

It wasn't my fault that she abruptly turned toward me when she ordered coffee my first day, sending the cup flying from my hand and landing on her immaculate table. Thank God the notebook had been spared.

Or if, by doing the favor of opening her office window, being solicitous and proactive when she complained about the heat, a wind from God knows where spilled all her desk papers. She made me take it one by one, taking, like, three hours and leaving me with pain in my knees for days!

And now this!

"You are a walking disaster!" How am I going to greet Steve in this outfit?

"I'm sorry," I say humbly, though inside I'm laughing. One less to approach Steve today.

I cast my gaze forward again and huff as I see he's already disappeared among the staff and waiters serving canapés.

Damn it!

- Feeling sorry is not enough! You ruined my dress! It cost a fortune and I should send you the laundry bill!

"Okay, sure, anything to redeem me..." I quickly agree, with an apologetic smile, while in my mind I'm breaking the empty glass in her clown hair.

"Oh, do you want to redeem yourself?" "She measures me with interest." "Then I think you can change clothes with me."

Which? Has she lost her mind? Swap my beautiful sexy brocade dress for that stained white dress?

Not even dead!

However, Erin is already holding my arm and practically dragging me into the ladies room.

"Erin, it's really not going to work, you're a lot taller than me and...

She was already pulling the dress over her head.