Taming the Master

Blood is not thicker than water.

Louise's POV
Okay. I know I said I was only going to work for a couple of weeks, but the pay is good! I've been working for a little over a month now. I hate to say it, but I'm actually enjoying my job.

And Mr. Charlie has become more bearable. I won't say things are entirely peachy between us but you can say it's pretty decent.

I explained this to my mom but she was still disapproving, saying she didn't like me being a major provider of our family. But I reassured her and told her I was completely fine with it and just wanted to make her comfortable. She allowed me to continue working here but she told me she was going to get a new job and I wouldn't need to work for much longer.

It's been a week since the incident with Mr. Charlie occurred but two things were still stuck in my mind.

One. Mr. Charlie had been calling me by my name since the night of the ball. It felt natural like that's how he normally addressed me.

And two. Just Mr. Charlie. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get him out of my mind.

Okay, so it's just one thing then. My boss. The so-called master Charlie. But there's a solution for every problem.

I was caught off guard the other night but I've taken some time to think. Being around Charlie almost all 24 hours of the day can leave me confused.

I mean we're both adults who have undergone puberty. Hormones can get crazy when there's tension and an enclosed room. I just needed to spend time away from him and more time with the guy I like instead. Dré. We were going to watch a movie after work hours and some time with him will snap me back to my senses.

We were currently driving to the company's headquarters.

The one where Charlie's father, the chairman of the whole company worked. Not the branch Charlie worked at.

I've been following him to the office recently, as per my job description. And just one thing stuck out to me. The silence.

The silence was so suffocating and I don't know why I felt so awkward. Maybe it was because the guy I liked and the guy who made my hormones spiral were in the same car with me!

Someone should say something.

Anything.

I peered at the rearview mirror in the car and looked at Charlie. His eyebrows knit together in concentration, his jaw tense as he focused on reading a contract. He was always so serious and alert. I saw faint traces of eye bags underneath his eyes and wondered if he could just take some time off to rest.

His eyes shot up and met mine causing mine to widen in embarrassment. He had caught me staring. I broke eye contact and coughed awkwardly. My eyes flickered back to the mirror and I saw that he was now him smirking.

What an arse.

"Woah. Scarlet are you okay?" Dré asked from the driver's seat and passed me a bottle of water from the cup holder.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I gulped some water, cleared my throat once more, and looked out the window.

Louise. You are so embarrassing.

I mentally facepalmed myself for making a fool of myself in front of the two of them.

"Scarlet?" A voice that had not been heard since we left the house spoke out.

André and I shared a look. "Uh yeah. It's just a nickname he gave me." I blurted quickly.

I don't know if it was physically possible, but his already tense jaw, tensed even more.