The Man I Call Strong

Chapter 8: Moving In?

The day is finally over. All I can think to do is thank God that I'm not dead. I grab my book that I've managed to finish in less than a day... again. I start to walk to the door. I feel the cold metal of the golden knob against my hand twist and open without my hand even on the door knob. I jump back and stare anxiously towards the person that starts to emerge from the door. My body falls to ease when I see Asher's light brown hair and his strong, chiseled face appear in the light that comes from my office. "Miss. LaRue, Mr. Strong would like to see you in his office." My face is completely bleached when I think of the different things that could happen in that office. Is he going to fire me? Is he mad? Did he not like what I did to his desk? Oh my gosh. What's happening?

'Ugh, just shut up and get moving. I want to get home.' My diva is quite impatient and, frankly, not interested in my little pity-party. 'Just get it over with.' I sigh and begin to move through the door, Asher waiting patiently outside in the hallway. "D--do you know why?"

"No, ma'am."

He continues down the hallway, silently. Even our footsteps are silenced by the carpet spread across the floor. We finally get to the large, mahogany door and Asher opens it before stepping aside, making room for me to walk into the light filled room. "Close the door, Asher."

"Yes, Sir."

Asher follows instructions and stands motionless beside the door. Mr. Strong is seated at his desk, working on paper work. The neatness of his desk makes my heart flutter. An OCDs dream. 'Freak' I can't help smiling at my diva's smart remark. Sebastian looks up from his paperwork and eyes Asher. "Preferably with you on the other side of the door, Asher." Asher's eyes shoot to Mr. Strong and nods his head before opening the door and leaving us alone, clearly embarrassed to some extent. Poor guy. "Miss. LaRue..." He pauses. Why did he pause? Am I in trouble? Will I get fired? Ugh, can life get any worse right now. "I have to admit..." Admit what? What did I do? "All of your teachers that I've talked with, have warned, more than told, me about your-- How did they put it? Compulsive neatness?" I feel my cheeks heat up. I'm blushing. I can't believe I'm blushing in front of my boss.

I push a strand of hair behind my ear that has fallen, with no surprise, out of my hideous pony tail. "I never would have thought that it was this bad." I feel the heat in my cheeks rise again until they reach the tip of my ears. He looks down to his desk and the perfectly placed materials on it. "I'm sorry." I whisper to him, one side of me hopes that he heard me, the other side prays that he didn't. "Don't be. My desk hasn't look so good in years. Lia has tried and failed to clean that bottomless pit of a desk." Lia? Who's that? And as if he could read my mind, "Lia's one of many of my older sisters, if you're wondering." I let out a soft, shy laugh as I draw my arms in towards my body. "Also..." Mr. Strong gets up from his spot behind his desk and walks over to the window. "I've taken the liberty of ordering you a new car. A Viper. I hope you don't mind." He turns around and stares me straight in the eyes, waiting patiently for my words of confirmation, gauging my reaction. "I--I" And new car! Holy flying pigs! "Uh--"

'No, no, no. No car, no gifts, no debts. No!' My diva is a hundred percent right. I shouldn't be excepting gifts from my boss so early in my job. "I--I don't think that's necessary. I have a-"

'Uh, no you don't.' I roll my eyes to my diva. I can't just tell a little lie?

'No, not to your new boss you can't.'

I groan inwardly. "I-- have-- a-- form of uh.... transportation. I don't think a Viper would be necessary. Thank you, though." Mr. Strong gauges my reaction with an even great intensity, my eyes not leaving his for a split second. "You wouldn't happen to be speaking of the bike that looks like the Wright brothers rode it, would you?" When I look into his eyes, I would bet my one hat that he is being serious, but as I look closer I can see the glint of amusement in his eyes as I blush. "Well-- I-- I just don't feel the need to replace something that already works perfectly fine." Mr. Strong shakes his head and lets out a soft chuckle as he lifts one hand from his pocket and goes to press the botton that calls Grace. "You don't have to replace it, Miss. LaRue. You can keep the bike, you just aren't allowed to ride it. Grace?"

"Yes, sir."

"Confirm shipping for Miss. LaRue's Viper."

"Yes, sir." After that being said, Mr. Strong let the button go and forgot about Grace. "Now, about your seating arraignments. Considering that you're so well ordered and I'm---" He hesitates for a moment before clearing his throat and proceeding, "--not," I look down at my hands as I feel the heat build in my cheeks, "I was hoping that you would like to move your working quarters here. In my office." He gestures with one hand and keeps his other hand glued to the inside of his pocket. I look around and see the perfectly decorated room around me. In here? With him? ALONE!? "Uh-- I don't know. I think I would rather stay somewhere.... alone."

"I wouldn't be of any annoyance if that's what you're worried about." I dare to look up at Mr. Strong and I see a kind sweetness in his eyes. A kindness that I haven't seen since my mother still lived. It was as if he really was worried that he was an annoyance toward me. "Well-- If you believe that I won't be an annoyance towards you, I guess-- I guess I could move my stuff here." The expression of relief and pure joy slid unexpectedly across my boss's face. Did my presence mean that much to him? Why?
"Wonderful. I'll have your things moved by tomorrow morning when you come in." I smile shyly to Mr. Strong and turn to leave. "Driving home safe, Miss. LaRue."