Isabelle and mr. Bête

Isabelle and the west wing

Chapter 06

The next days were relatively normal. There was no further word from Linda and they soon forgot about her, Jean-Marie had made her the pasta he had wanted to and she had another thing to compliment him about. He had less reason to scold her for mistakes at work and she felt good when he praised her for jobs well done.

She did get curious again after seeing him come out of the forbidden room one evening, looking a little distressed.

'Are you okay?' she asked.

He took a deep breath. 'I'm fine. What did you need?'

She handed him a copy of a contract. 'Just wanted to give you this for final approval. Legal has cleared it.'

'Thank you.' he said and glanced at it. 'Anything else?'

She shook her head.

'Then I'll be done for today. Good night Isabelle.' he said and went to his room.

'Good night Jean.' she said softly and looked at the forbidden room for a moment before heading down to her own room.

***

'So, how far have you guys gone?' asked Samantha during lunch one day.

'Hmm?' said Isabelle, unsure if Samantha meant her.

'Well?' Samantha asked again, Colette leaning a little closer.

'Who? Me? With whom?' asked Isabelle.

'Yes, you. With him.'

'Him?' Isabelle wondered, then came the obvious answer. 'What? With Jean!? I couldn't! I mean, I don't even know if he likes me all that much!'

Colette chuckled while Samantha looked suspiciously at Isabelle. 'Jean, eh? You already got that close?'

Isabelle realised her mistake and sighed. 'Something happened a short while ago and I called out to him. Nothing important, but he later said I could call him Jean in private if I wanted to.'

Samantha nodded. 'You're also the first assistant who's happy to be around him.' she said. 'You even work harder after words from him instead of groaning and complaining.'

'I think he's also been in a better mood lately.' said Colette, smiling deviously at Isabelle.

'I wouldn't know anything about that.' said Isabelle. 'I've only known him for a short while.'

'I know. Been here long enough to see the change.'

Samantha leaned back. 'So, we're looking at the start of something new.'

Isabelle blushed. 'I don't know about that.. I think he's just happy I work well as an assistant..'

'Well, then we'll just have to think of the right ways to seduce him.' chuckled Colette and she and Samantha listed any sweet and naughty ways to get him to notice her, embarrassing Isabelle sometimes when she imagined herself and Jean-Marie in some of the suggested situations.

'Then again, maybe he's just softening you up, and then eat you alive one unsuspecting night.' Samantha said, growling menacingly.

'I wonder if she'd mind that.' chuckled Colette. 'I wouldn't.'

'Colette!' said Isabelle, faking indignity. 'Behave!'

'He could also grab you, then torture you to satisfy his lust for blood.' Samantha said. 'He did make plenty of assistants disappear after all.'

'They just quit.' said Colette, chuckling.

'You know, plenty of rich men have weird hobbies.' Samantha said. 'Does he have a secret place, like a cellar?'