13. Unfinished Business

He tapped his fingers impatiently on the metal desk placed in front of him. He was in trouble. He inhaled sharply, the smell of light vanilla and papers filled his nostril. His desk was strewn with files, write-ups and discarded letters. It looked chaotic, very much unlike the rest of his room. He preferred the steely grey colour, metal polish in his furniture. The colours and the ambience of his office screamed "strictly business" in every sense. Being a CEO was hard, but it was harder to step into his father's shoes and exceed the expectations. He owned one of the country's biggest chain of hotels. He ran his fingers through his hair absent-minded. A phone call from his mother had left him nervous. She had asked him to do the impossible. The dreaded conversation started to play like a broken record, at the back of his mind.

"We are expecting you this Thursday, its your cousin's engagement. You must be here," his mother had commanded.

"But maa, try to understand, I am incredibly busy here. I have so much work to do, so many deadlines to meet," he had said exasperatedly.

"We won't be entertaining anymore of your excuses. Moreover, we want you to meet someone," his mother had trailed.

"Not another girl! I told you, I don't want to get married. I am committed to my work," he was angry.

"I just want you to settle down, beta. And, she is a lovely girl. You'll like her," she said.

"I am not interested in any girl," he muttered angrily. He had a long way to go, he had to prove that he was as capable a CEO as his father was. He wanted to expand their business, their hold in the stock market and for that he needed to focus his undivided attention on his career.

"You...you are interested in boys?" her mother whispered, unsure of herself.

"WHAT?! NO," he shouted at the phone, "I have someone else in my life. I am seeing a girl."

"Oh, so that's it! Why didn't you tell us before? You must bring her to meet us. We shall also see this lady who has finally swept my son off his feet," she said enthusiastically.

"B-but, she is...she...ugh...she is busy, maa. I don't think its fair for me to pull her out of work and drag her along with me," he had stammered.

"Oh no, I don't think one day's absence will affect her profession that much. I insist you bring her along. Your father and I are eagerly waiting to meet her," she concluded and hung up.

He bit his lips.

Where the hell would he find himself a girlfriend in such a short notice?

His phone rang shrilly as he snapped out of his trepidation.

"The new photographer is here," informed his secretary.

"Send her in," he replied curtly.

He frowned. Never in his experience was a photographer indispensable to a hotelier. But times have changed, and he needed decent pictures of all his hotels, their restaurants and their location.

"May I come in, Sir?" a voice addressed him. She sounded so confident, so self-assured.

She was wearing a bright yellow sundress, topped with a denim jacket. She looked out-of-place, she stood in a stark contrast with the metallic colours of his office.

He stared at her disbelievingly, not only had she violated the dress-code in his office but she was standing there with her head held high. Her eyes bore into his, and she raised an eyebrow. Baffled, he pointed her to sit. He had never come across someone so insolent, and yet there was an aura of innocence enveloping her.

"So, you'd like to work for me," he stated.

"I applied, yes," she said.

"And why should I appoint you?" he knitted his eyebrows together.