Chasing Mr. Carlton ( The story of a Shrew's Son)

Part 35

"Where have you been?"  Eddie asked as Bobby strolled in after 9:30.

"I had to drop off some documents for Matt. What's going on?" Bobby asked, noticing that Nick, Lisa and Matt were all standing outside of Brian and Nick's office, laughing.

"Nothing really, just an exec meeting. Why?" Eddie asked.

"I... always prepare the meetings. I didn't know there was one." She said, frowning.

"Don't worry, Kevin took care of it. Besides, you were out delivering those documents." Eddie said, walking over to her desk as she settled in.

"Yeah, but why didn't they tell me?" Bobby asked.

"It was last minute. Brian and Nora just called it this morning." Eddie said, looking up as Lisa and Matt walked over towards them, laughing.

"Yeah, I guess." Bobby said, looking up in the same direction.  She watched how casually the walked, Lisa putting her hand on Matt's arm for a second and laughing as if he had said something funny.

This morning, she'd woken to find that Matt DID text her... two hours after she'd gone to bed and it was just a goodnight.

She was so confused. She knew she shouldn't allow her anxiety to get the best of her but she couldn't help it. She continued to watch them as she held her phone up, completely ignoring the messages as they played.  She watched them stop, talking as they stood outside Emma's office and then she saw Emma walk out and smile.

They seemed so far. They seemed so untouchable, so unreachable. They were from a completely different world from hers- beautiful, elegant, rich people. She would never be a part of that world. Then they turned, looking directly at her as they spoke. Bobby quickly averted her gaze and nodded as if she was actually on the phone.

"Right away. Yes, Thank you." She said to the machine as Matt and Lisa approached, trying to sound like she was focused on the call. She sighed, putting down the phone slowly and then looked up at Matt and Lisa who were now standing by her desk.

"Good Morning, Bobby." Lisa said in a friendly manner.

"Good Morning." Bobby said, reaching towards her purse and then turning back .

"The receipt for the documents." She said, holding out a paper to Matt who nodded as he took it.

"Thank you, Bobby." he said, looking at Lisa again.

"1 pm." He said to her and she nodded with a smile.

"1 pm." she said with a nod, turning in the direction of her office.

Bobby immediately turned back to the computer, starting it up and then glancing at the calendar. She didn't remember a meeting schedule for Matt and Lisa at 1... still, she saw they both had two hours blocked off now, so did Nick... actually, Brian and Nora had the same two hours blocked. She was about to ask if there was another last minute meeting scheduled but Matt spoke.

"I'm jumping on a call and then I have to run out." he said, turning back towards his office.

"Hold your calls?" She asked, waiting for him to look at her but instead he continued to walk .

"Yep." He said, disappearing behind his office door. She stared after it for a second, disappointed and fighting back an urge to walk in there and ask him what was wrong.

"Bobby?"

She looked up and saw Emma standing in front of her with a smile.

"Good Morning, Emma. What can I do for you?" She asked, forcing herself to act normal.