Downgrading Miss CEO

Chapter 8

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this. What was I thinking? Going online and using your name? How is that fair to any of the guys I can potentially meet on there?" I let out as soon as I stepped into Allison's office the next morning after these thoughts kept me tossing and turning all night. I didn't need to worry about this on top of my father's threat hovering above my head as some kind of dark cloud, waiting to erupt in nothing but rain and thunder. This was insane!

"Would you calm down?" She asked me without looking up from her screen, but, instead, focused on whatever she was doing. However, before I could ask her what she was doing she looked up to me and motioned for me to come and take a look. "I am saying this because I love you, but Luce, seriously, you look like shit. What happened?"

"This stupid profile kept me up thinking all night. We should take it down."

"We absolutely won't do such a thing. You're a hit! You already have been matched to five, and I must say, some of these guys look like a great match for you. Don't forget that you're being matched based on what you fill in on your profile. Please, promise me you will give it a try before you throw your towel in the ring. You, out of all people, deserve a chance to meet someone who likes you for who you are. You are not your name, neither are you your position in the company nor your bank account. You are just you." She said, trying to shake some sense into me.

It took me a while to figure out she was absolutely right, but I still couldn't help to feel a little weird about this all. I was about to say something when my thoughts were interrupted by a strange dinging sound coming from Allison's computer. She left me with no room to ask what that sound was as Allison stood up and squealed loudly. "You just received a message!"

Those words were all the encouragement I needed to nearly shove her out of her chair and occupy it myself in order to be able to look at the message. "So? What does it say?"

I looked at the screen once again and a smile spread on my face. "Is that a smile? Lucy, come on. Speak up! What does the message say?"

"Would you calm yourself down, please? I will read it out to you, geez. The message says: Hi Allison, let's skip the small talk and move on to what's really important-" Before I could finish reading the message, she squealed again.

"He's so asking you on a date! I just know it. And you are going, missy. You really are!" She beamed. Her behaviour really had me distracted for a bit and I almost forgot the message in front of me. I looked up at her and gave her a stern look. "Will you just let me finish? And no, he's not asking me out. So again, the message says: 'Hi Allison, let's skip the small talk and move on to what's really important. What's your favourite Spice Girls song?'"

Allison looked at me in disbelief. "And that's got you smiling like an idiot? Are you for real? Come on, Lucy. You can do better than that." She exasperated. "You are Lucienne Amelia Harrington for crying out loud, CEO of Harrington Inc., and you, of all people, think a line like that is good enough?"

I looked up at her in utter disbelief. What was she talking about? Wasn't that the whole point of creating this profile? "Oh my god, Allison! Are you kidding me right now? I thought the whole point of doing this was to be normal, to forget about my name and position! So yes, this is more than good enough for me. It shows the guy has some sense of humour, and besides that, I love the Spice Girls."

Suddenly, Allison burst out into laughter. "Congratulations Miss Harrington, you passed this little test and are now free to continue using this profile all by yourself, as long as you promise me to let me in on all the details. Do we have a deal?" I just rolled my eyes at her and shook my head in disbelieve, all the while with a smile on my face. "Now, tell me all about this guy that has you smiling after just one line."

Apparently, his name was Julian and he was twenty-eight years old and according to his profile, he had his own start-up advertisement business.

"I am going to reply to him. What should I say?"

Before I could really think about anything Allison forced me to look at her. "This is the point. You shouldn't think. Try to think about it as casual dating, just be you."

Allison:
I am surprised a guy dares to admit he likes the Spice Girls. Kudos to you. But to answer your question, the ultimate guilty pleasure song of the Spice Girls is and will always be 'Wannabe'. It is now clear you can no longer hide your interest in the Spice Girls, so tell me, who is your favourite Spice Girl?

Reading along over my shoulder, Allison gave me a shoulder pat. "I am proud of you. Now hit send and get on with your day. Whatever you do, don't reply to every message the minute you get them. Wait a bit, not entire days, but show him you are busy and that you have a life of your own. Keep him interested and let him wonder for a bit."

"You, as my PA of all people, should know that it's not a matter of showing or pretending I am busy, I just am genuinely busy, and so are you. So please, close the dating site for now and get to work. I need a conference room ready in half an hour. I will take care of the handouts and other papers, and I will see you in twenty.

And with that, I stood up from her chair and left her office. My mind still occupied with that one message that put a smile on my face, a smile that hadn't left my face just yet.

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