Eyes full of stars | ✔️

Chapter 3: I see you

"I'm sitting across from you

And dreaming of the things I do

I don't speak, you don't know me at all"

-Mika

*

Some days later Mr. Lavender announced that he was leaving for Ireland for A MONTH.

"A month?!" I was astonished, he had never taken such a long business trip before.

"George asked me to take care of the Green Smoothies & Ice Creams acquisition in Dublin, as a reward for bringing in David H. Pierce as a client" he explained. "It will take a while, you know."

"George" was Mr. George Shaw, the Chief Associate of our law firm, the boss of my boss. He adored Mr. Lavender, that was why he would always rely on him for the most challenging cases. The Green Smoothies & Ice Creams, a business of bio products, was one of our biggest clients and it obviously required the attention of the best lawyer in the firm.

I crossed my legs and started to take notes on my pad as he gave me precise instructions on what to do in his absence.

"I will handle most of the job from there, don't worry" he explained afterwards. "I rented the same apartment in central Dublin where I stayed the last time I was there. Very comfortable and with the strongest wi-fi connection I've ever experienced. For you, it will be just a matter of sending me tons of stuff by courier." He grinned. "The invoices from this trip will drive Melissa crazy, no doubt about that."

I laughed. We both were fond of Melissa, but this didn't prevent us to think she was odd, especially while dealing with extra work.

He cleared his throat. "About the Pierce Acquisition--"

He was interrupted by a knock on the open door. I turned around and froze.

Sebastian was standing on the threshold of Mr. Lavender's office, smiling.

Mr. Lavender bolting on his feet and exclaimed "Sebastian!". He went to shake his hand. "It's so great to have you here! How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks" Sebastian replied. I hadn't heard his voice in a long time and it was so overwhelming hearing it again! He glanced at me and turned towards my boss again. "Am I interrupting?"

"Oh, no!" Mr. Lavender reassured him. "I was just telling Lily about the business trip to Ireland I have mentioned to you earlier. Let me introduce the two of you."

He motioned for me to stand up and join them. "Sebastian, this is my assistant, Lily Montgomery. Lily, this is Sebastian Lowe, he is an architect and a part of David H. Pierce's team."

We shook hands. I managed to stare at his hazel eyes only for a few seconds, then I looked away, blushing.

"We already know each other" Sebastian said. "Don't we?"

My head jerked up. Now I was looking at him so intensely that the only explanation I had for this courage was my utter shock.

"We have bumped into each other at the bar and Starbucks sometimes, right?" he went on.

The bar he was talking about was the one where most of the people working in our office building went to for lunch. I admittedly had seen him there more times than he thought. In order to avoid to be caught while daydreaming about him, I would usually hide behind large groups. At Starbucks, instead, we would say hi and sometimes even comment the taste or temperature of our teas - he mostly drank green tea -, the weather, the rudeness of some patrons and so on... More than one year prior, he had even let me borrow his umbrella on one rainy morning when mine was broken.

So, yeah, we weren't totally strangers, but this didn't mean we were acquaintances. I was just so surprised that he actually knew who I was.

"Yes" I swallowed. I tried to remember how to breathe. "I hope all is well" was everything I could add.

Sebastian smiled. "I didn't know you were Edmund's assistant."

Mr. Lavender patted me on my shoulder. "Lily has been my loyal and skilled assistant for five years. I am very proud of her" he said. "You two will work perfectly together."

I turned towards him so fast that I was surprised my head didn't unscrew itself from the neck.

"Together?!" I exclaimed in a raspy voice. I sounded like the possessed girl from The Exorcist.

"Yes, I was about to tell you that, Lily" my boss explained, hands in his pockets. "You will be working with Sebastian to help us going through the Pierce Acquisition while I am away. I am aware that an assistant is not supposed to do this kind of job, but you will manage it for sure... And I will pay you more, of course."

Silence fell for a moment, until Sebastian spoke. "I'm totally okay with that. Working together will be cool. What do you think, Lily?"

He. Said. My. Name.

I had to swallow again to avoid the return of the Exorcist Voice, took a deep breath and replied "I think that... yes... we will be working very well together."

***

"WHAT?!" Felicity screamed on the phone. Then her voice sounded farther, "Christopher! STOP! You can't run on the corridors, young man!" She restored our conversation with sigh. "I wonder where these children find so much energy. I need three mugs of coffee only to make it to lunchtime... So, when will you start working with Sebastian?"

"Next week, after Mr. Lavender leaves for Dublin." I was still shaking for the news and already nervous for what was coming next. "Felicity, I'm totally freaking out! I just don't know if I'll manage to spend so much time alone with him without behaving like an idiot."

"I'm sure you won't behave like an idiot" she reassured me. "I'm just a little worried that you won't talk at all. Remember that this is a great chance for you to make yourself known to him. Just be yourself, Lily."

"That is EXACTLY what I'm worried about" I replied, rubbing my forehead. "He will think I'm not remotely interesting."

"He won't. And even if he will, that would only mean he's not the man for you and you can move on."

She had a point. As always.