There Goes My Life

Chapter 2

Pepper was in Tony's kitchen eating breakfast waiting for him. Since he dismissed her for the day after lunch because he was just too angry and distracted to work. He thought he'd feel better after a shower but he didn't. So now she didn't know what Tony to expect.

"Morning Miss Potts" Tony said as he appeared in the kitchen.

Pepper wasn't sure how to read him. She slid his coffee over to him.

"Morning Mr. Stark" she said.

"What's on the schedule today?" he asked.

"You have your budget meeting at two" she said knowing how much he hated those.

"Perfect" he said clapping his hands together.

That was an extremely strange reaction from Tony.

"Tony you hate budget meetings" Pepper said.

"I do. That's what I have you for. I need to go into the basement and get some personal items" Tony said.

"You're going to leave me in the budget meeting by myself?" Pepper asked.

Tony just shrugged.

"I talked to Rhodey by the way and he's going to the MIT reunion" Pepper said.

"He is?" Tony asked.

"Yeah he is.

"Is he bringing a date?" Tony asked.

"That's what he said"

"Well if he goes then I should go but I need to have a hot date to show off. I can't have Rhodey bring a date and not me"

"So what would you like me to do? RSVP yes?" she asked.

"Not until I have a date"

"Ok well you need one by tomorrow. That's the rsvp date" Pepper stressed.

"You" he said.

"Me what?" Pepper asked.

"You will be my date" Tony said.

"What? Tony no. You're my boss. I can't-

"Great it's settled. RSVP yes for me and my plus one" he said as he walked away.

Pepper knew it was a bad idea but she did as he asked and RSVP'd yes for him with a plus one. The minute she hit the send button the realization that she was going to be Tony's date hit her and she started to panic and tried to think of what she was going to wear. She went online and started browsing dresses. She had like 3 different ones in her cart when Tony's email pinged again. Her heart started to race a bit when she say that there was another one from Rachel. She didn't want to upset Tony, and she didn't want to invade his privacy and read it behind his back and she didn't want to just delete it in case it was important.

"Tony?" Pepper asked into the intercom.

"What's up Pep?" he said back.

"Can you come up here for a minute?" she asked.

"Pep I'm busy. Can't you figure it out?" he said back.

"Tony I'm sorry. I don't think I can" she said.

She heard him sigh and hang up the intercom.

"What is it Potts?" he asked a minute later as he was standing behind her.

Pepper had a look of intense discomfort on her face.

"There's another urgent email from Rachel" she said preparing herself for Tony's explosion.