My Boss And I

Chapter 26- A Table In The Back

A/N: Short Chapter.

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Tamila's Point Of View:

Miguel had suggested over text that I meet him in the inside of Toast, that café around west 3rd avenue in the more city area of Los Angeles. The two of us briefly spoke this morning before planning to meet around noon in the back table, where we were less likely to be heard.

I took the plunge this morning to look better than usual. Not that I ever looked bad, because trust me, I always looked good. Nobody compares to my appearance. I dressed this way not because Miguel was a pervert and that I wanted to provoke him, but more for my dignity. Now more than ever I had to look and at least appear confident in myself, or I'd be more a victim in this scam that I'm still not completely aware of.

The drive to the place consisted of me trying to listen to the radio, but the music ended up being tuned out by my thoughts, which were racing all over the place inside my head. I questioned my decision to hire Miguel, the court case I had yet to file and the man who could be behind this all, my once trustworty alumni and partner, Mark. Those questions in my head were flooded with emotions, like the anger towards Chase, the love/hate I'd recently developed for Jaime, and the sudden trust I built in Miguel.

If only the drive had been longer, my thoughts would have gone on. I parked by a meter in the sidewalk, stepping out of my car to insert a few quarters into the valet before walking into the café. The second I open the door a few bells made a jingling noise, signaling that someone either entered or exited. My eyes gravitated towards the food, the delicious looking pastries' an blended beverages, looking so delectable through that glass case. My hand naturally went to my stomach, when realization hit me, I was skinny, and strictly here for business. I couldn't get sidetracked by fatty foods.

"Can I help you, Miss?" I looked above the case to see an extremely attractive, yet mysterious looking man leaning over the case with one of those employee aprons on. His blue eyes had an interesting glint, one that made me suspicious. He had a moppy mess of dark hair and an intricate tattoo on the side of his arm, a distinct pattern that I've never quite seen before. It seemed to change every time I took a glance at it. He was almost vaguely familiar, yet he was so enigmatic that I couldn't sort out my thoughts while looking at him. They seemed clouded in this strange aura of the man before me.

"Um, I'm just looking, thanks..." I trailed off, not making eye contact with the guy, just awkwardly trying to analyze his distinct tattoo. Where did I know him from?

He waved his hand in acknowledgement and returned to whatever he was doing before, though I couldn't help but notice that he shot sideward looks at me through the corners of his alluring eyes.

I decided to pick a table in the back, since most of the people in here were seated towards the front door. Lunch hour was just about rolling in, so the people were bound to come in.

Just as I sat down the jingle of the bells sounded, and my eyes turned to the door. There, in his causality, stood the ambitious Miguel, with his white chucks, dark jeans, gelled hair and a hoodie. He had that taste that made all the teenage female population in the café gawk over him as he walked through the door. But it wasn't Miguel that made my breath hitch. It was who was behind Miguel.

There was nothing different about him, that was for sure. But the way he looked just blinded the rest of the world from my sight. He was perfect, as always, and even more so with the unshaven traces of stubble.

There was no doubt the women in the café were staring at him too. The way his tan suit fitted over his Adonis body perfectly, the collar of his dress shirt slightly raised, as if to tone the formal look down, the dark of his hair was more prominent, in a clean cut that emphasized his all-too handsome face. The natural tan of his skin was darker than ever, indicating he spent one to many hours in the blazing heat of the California sun.

Jaime. He never failed to have me at glance.

Then I remembered that I was enraged at him. Furious. He humiliated me in so many ways...

"Hello, Tamila!" Miguel smiled and snapped me out of my thoughts as he and Jaime approached the table. "You look stunning as always." He lifted my hand and kissed in chivalrously, earning an extremely awkward clearing of the throat from Jaime.

Miguel, picking up on the awkwardness, blushed furiously and released my hand as he found a sudden interest in the clock on the wall behind me.

"Tamila." Jaime nodded politely, though his eyes spoke otherwise.

"Mr. Gonzales." I menanced, leaning my elbows on the table just to get a better look at his features."Such a pleasure to be acquainted with you again." Sarcasm inevitably dripped from my voice.

"We agreed you wouldn't call me that, I said you'd be-"

"Hey! Shut up already!" Miguel interrupted with an annoyed tone. "I'd like you to remember we are strictly here for business." he mocked with a smile, eying me in places I really didn't appreciate. Especially in front of Jaime himself.

Jaime noticed too, because he said something to Miguel in Spanish before smacking his arm and having Miguel snap right back in Spanish before they turned to look at me sheepishly.

"Uh..." Miguel trailed off nervously while scratching behind his head. "Lets just stay on topic and put this bull shit aside."

"Language!" Jaime played back with a glare. "This is pretty serious, regardless of how unrealistic it seems. Now Miguel, Tamila's given you an opportunity and a task that you must take seriously. I will be here to guide you, however what Tamila says goes first."

Now if only he would have lived by that this whole time he and I would be on much different terms. Believe me, he'd never had been laid off if he hadn't been so open to Chester, who hadn't contacted me at all since that little mishap of dramatic events in the office, which only left me to assume that he was by far over and done with whatever nonsense we had going.

And as much as I would deny it to myself, whatever attractions were merely lustful frustrations of the two of us not knowing what to do with ourselves. I'm sure he'd approach me later, but until then, I'm in my own crisis of being unemployed and stripped of my ego.

 "Have a seat, guys, cause we're running out of time." I sighed before the two guys sat before me and I prepared myself to take a major risk that could either assist me or break us all down.

"Here's my plan..."