The Receptionist [Episode 7]

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Nov 27th 9:00am

‘Mr Ifeanyi left very early this morning, he sent me a text on what he need us to do’ Adesuwa went on as we headed towards the hall.

‘Ok’ I answered absent-minded, his name brought back memories of his kisses on my neck.

‘There was a time I woke up and didn’t see you in the room, where did you go?’

‘I was on a call and didn’t want to wake you up’ I lied without looking at her.

‘Ok’ She answered ‘Hope you are enjoying the new job? I know Mr John can be very demanding’

‘Yes, it’s fine’ I lied again

She looked at me from her side eye, I wasn’t giving her juicy details she wanted but I was being careful who I talk to.

‘How did you meet Mr Ifeanyi, I heard he gave you the job after you delivered cake the office’ She persisted

‘Yes, that’s what happened’ His name triggered another memory, I muttered inwardly as I relived the moment he finally let our lips touch, I felt a shiver run through me as I tried to get my head out of the clouds

‘Just like that?’ Adesuwa asked bringing me back to reality

‘Yes’ I said

‘Lucky you, unlike us who had to go through Mr John’s recruitment process’

I smiled in response, knowing she was still fishing for details. I was grateful when we finally spotted the hall where the event was taking place. I quickened my pace, leaving Adesuwa behind, I didn’t want to believe Mr Ifeanyi would ask me to pay him in kind for the job offer but last night was giving me second thoughts. I kept telling myself maybe it was a mutual attraction and spur of the moment kiss but I felt his fast breathe again just as if it was happening again.

‘Yvette, you can’t go on your day this way’ I scolded myself trying to shake it off for the hundredth time today.
I found a secluded spot and took a sit there, Adesuwa was soon beside me

‘Where are you rushing to? The hall is still almost empty and they haven’t even started yet’

‘I just wanted to get a good sitting space’ I answered.

‘Ok, let me find the restroom’ She said placing her laptop bag on the vacant seat beside me.

1:00 PM

It was almost time for us to have lunch, I was tired already, who said listening wasn’t cumbersome. I just couldn’t wait for lunch, looking at Adesuwa she was going through gossip blogs pretending to pay attention.
I wondered when Mr Ifeanyi will come back, I dreaded seeing him at the same time I wanted to see him. The thought that I melted in his arms, willingly and naively last night made me scold myself. This took me back to when he broke the kiss, we were both breathing hard, while I waited and waited for him to continue where he left off but he didn’t. The silence was deafening, each second seemed like a minute to me. I knew I had to take the lead because I could see he was having second thoughts already. I stood on my toes, waiting for him to accept the open invite. I knew he was contemplating and also on the verge of putting up his usual uncaring facade.
My phone vibrated on my lap, I snapped out of my Memory Lane, it was Michael sending me pings on BBM.

*I have been calling you, can I still come over there. send the address.
*Ok, yes you can. Still at the seminar Tho. Will get the address and send it via SMS to you
*Ok Luv, see you soon
*Kk

I let out a happy sigh as I heard the moderator announce the seminar was over and lunch was being served. I packed my note pad.

‘Let’s go Adesuwa’ I said nodging her as she was lost in her laptop skimming through gossip blogs.

‘OK, let me arrange my stuffs, ..Mr Ifeanyi is back he sent me a text.‘ she announced

I didn’t respond, pretending to be engrossed in my phone.

‘He says he is taking a nap and would be with us later in the evening. He wants us to have dinner together, he is taking us out’

‘Dinner?’ I asked

‘I thought you were forming not interested’ Adesuwa teased me

‘I have a friend coming over later today’ I said with a frown

‘Na you know.. we can all go together. Is it not the cute guy who picked you up on your first day at work?’ She asked with a mischievous smile.

‘How do you know him’ I asked surprised.

‘Well.. You have people watching you at work’

I shook my head, wondering when a new gist will spring up in the office and I would stop being the subject of cafeteria gossip

‘Let’s go and snap some pictures, I haven’t taken any yet here’ she implored as she plastered a smile on her pretty face.

‘Sure’ I agreed following her as we walked towards the pool side attracting some stares as we went.

7:15pm
‘Hello’ I greeted Michael with a smile on my face.

We shared a brief hug as I took a seat beside him at the hotel reception area.
‘So this is where you came to hide Abi’ He said playfully

‘You have started, how was work?’ I asked

‘Fine’

‘Can we go and eat now, I have been waiting for you ‘

‘Foodie!! You wouldn’t even allow me spend a minute admiring you. ‘

‘Like you haven’t been doing that for years now’ I stopped mid-sentence as I saw Adesuwa walking towards us. Why did she follow me I wondered, ‘this girls’ nosey self is just something else.
‘Adesuwa what happened?’ I asked
‘Nothing’ She answered innocently ‘Boss just sent a text, he is joining is at the reception so we can go out for dinner’

My heartbeat quickened as I heard this, ‘I have a dinner date already, you can go with him’ I told her

‘We can all go together’ Michael suggested, I gave him a warning expression which he ignored

I frowned at him, thinking how I could talk him out of it.
‘Don’t mind Yvette, the more the merrier. Forget that three is a crowd saying, it’s a lie’
Knowing there was no point protesting, so it wouldn’t be obvious I was avoiding my boss.

8:30PM
‘I want to use the restroom’ I announced
‘OK’ Michael said giving me a smile ‘Don’t be long’

The dinner was just starting and I was already finding excuses. I adjusted the gown Adesuwa borrowed me as I was short of clothes and she insisted I wasn’t wearing the same gown I wore to the seminar.

‘It’s a dinner not an interview Yvette ‘ She said with a chuckle

I protested but she insisted, I finally agreed, to save time and I also knew I would look odd dressed so formally to a casual evening dinner with friends

‘You look good! Wow, you can keep the gown, you have the curves for it.’ She said admiring me

‘No, I can’t keep it and it’s quite short, you know I’m taller than you’

‘It’s perfect, go and drop some more men’s jaws jare’ She teased with a wink. I suspected what and who she was talking about but I decided to feign ignorance.

I wanted to use the restroom before Mr Ifeanyi arrived the restaurant, he was trying to find a parking space.
I took a deep breath before leaving the restroom. ‘Yvette calm down, it’s only two hours and you would be back to your room’ I told myself as I closed the restroom door. I prayed I don’t do anything to alert Michael’s suspicion. I almost slowed down my step when I saw Mr Ifeanyi was already seated. He was staring at his phone screen, Adesuwa said something I couldn’t make out and he looked up, our eyes met. It was the same expression he gave me before he took my lips again last night accepting my willing invitation, his hands caressing the sheer material of my night wear. He looked away, picking up the menu list while responding to whatever Adesuwa said

Minutes later dinner was served, we ate in silence except for Adesuwa’s chit chat, soon Michael and Mr Ifeanyi joined in.

‘What do you want Yvette?’ Mr Ifeanyi asked

I looked at him confused, then I saw a waiter beside him and I knew I had missed a part of the conversation.
‘What?’ I asked

‘What do you want to drink?’ The waiter asked

‘Chapman will be fine’ I answered

I finally joined the conversation, the uneasy silence has ebbed thanks to Adesuwa’s chatterbox nature. It was the first time I saw the playful side of my boss.
‘Do you like it Yvette?’ Mr Ifeanyi asked me

‘What?’ I asked Looking totally bewildered

‘The drink, you are hardly taking a sip, you want something else?’

‘No, I am fine’

‘OK’. He said returning to the conversation.

But I was back to his hotel room in my head, remembering when he asked me this same question. ‘Do you like it Yvette?’
But this time with his tongue playing with my ear lobe. I was so lost in the moment I didn’t know how I got to his bed and I wasn’t ready to leave

‘Don’t Stop’ I pleaded almost out of breathe.
He did the opposite, he stopped looking at me with a serious expression, finally he sat up.
‘Go to your room, it’s late ‘ He said
I almost screamed ‘why!’ in frustration but I knew his mind was made up, he had his blank expression back on his handsome face and I could see Mr Ifeanyi my boss was back
I accessed myself, adjusting the night gown, I didn’t realise I was almost going clothless.

‘I don’t have affairs with my employees, especially not with you ‘ He explained knowing I was fishing for a reason

I felt insulted, buried my head in shame, left his room without a word, what did he mean especially not me.

11:00 PM
‘Mr Ifeanyi keeps staring at you but you don’t want to admit it’ Adesuwa argued, we have been on this since we got back from the restaurant.

‘Adesuwa stop imagining things, I want to sleep, I am totally tired’

‘OK, your boyfriend Michael is really cute’ she said changing the topic

‘He isn’t really my boyfriend, we haven’t defined the relationship yet. We like it with no label’

‘Weird girl, how long ago did you start dating unofficially?’. She laughed.

‘Just a few weeks back’ I said

‘Give me gist o, all the details ‘

I laughed preferring to talk about Michael, we chatted on for almost an hour then finally called it a day.

Dec 3rd 10:15 am
It was over a week since the hotel incidence and I have been avoiding Mr Ifeanyi, luckily he didn’t come to Mr John’s office. My friendship with Adesuwa blossomed, she was the only confidant I had in the office.

‘We are having a presentation for a client tomorrow, prepare a powerpoint presentation and show it to me before the end of the day’ Mr John ordered

Haba!! I said to myself, this man is a wizard.

‘Me?‘

‘Are you asking me?’ He said irritated

‘I haven’t done a presentation before sir’ I tried to protest

‘Tomorrow will make it the first time, your presentation should close the deal for the company so you have to impress them‘

I was having all sorts of butterflies in my belly already, why am I burdened with this now.

‘Get started, show me the first finished work by 3pm so we can start editing. I will forward a mail to you on what you’re presenting and a sample you can use as a template’
‘OK sir’ I answered

I was lost in my preparation when my desk phone rang

‘Hello’ I said

‘Yvette, come to my office’ I recognized the voice immediately
I wondered what I did this time, this job would give me high blood pressure soon I swore under my breath.

* * * * *

‘Good morning, You called me’ I said announcing myself into his office

“Come in” He implored standing up
I stood at the center of his spacious office space.

He didn’t stop moving, I watched with a startled expression till he was only inches away from me, my heartbeat was on a major marathon race.

‘I want to break the rules for a few minutes, I haven’t been able to get some things out if my head’ He said in a low husky voice before his lips claimed mine. I was shocked and it took me a few seconds to react.

I decided not to give in remembering the rejection of the other day but I couldn’t keep to my promise instead I closed the gap between us. He drew me closer with his hands on my waist then we heard a voice from the door.
‘Good afternoon Mr Ifeanyi’ A female voice called out.

The shock on my face was evident as I stared at my ex boss Vera at the doorstep knowing she saw it all with the smug expression on her face.
‘Yvette, you need to go and wash your head in the river’ I said to myself wondering how I would explain myself out of this

My days were becoming like a layered cake, each layer gave me something surprising and different. That feeling of not knowing the flavor waiting for you in the next layer, I still couldn’t decide if it was a good or bad thing