MORE THAN A SECRETARY

“Katrina, in my office right now”.

Katrina heard as soon as she answered the phone. ” Okay sir” she replied dropping the office phone and picking up her notepad. quickly checking to make sure her makeup is in place and her skirt in order. She walked to her boss office knocked on the door and entered

“Sir, you called for me?”

“Katrina how many times have I told you to call me by my name? Especially when it’s just the two of us Like we have been working together for almost seven years now.”

“Si… I mean Lucas it’s just that it won’t seem professional if I call you by your first name when you are my boss” and it will give me hope that the impossible might happen. Katrina added the last part in her head.

“Whatever you say, lady, I prefer it when people call me by my name especially people I am close with.

We are not that close, Katrina said in her head.

“Anyway, the reason I called for you is to tell you we have to go on a business trip by Thursday, I know it was not in our schedule but it’s a trip that can’t be avoided. I am telling you now so that you can prepare and also sort things out to avoid a reoccurrence of what happened on our last trip” Lucas disclosed

“As I would not want the both of us to be in a situation like that again”

He is never gonna let her hear the end of it. This crazy man, Katrina thought, just one mistake in six years and he keeps going back to it. She wished she could erase his memory.

“Are we clear Katrina? Kat are you still here??

” Oh yes sir, I mean Lucas”

He looked at her strangely and Katrina blushed inside, he called her Kat he has never called her that before.

Before she could dwell more on that he continued talking and she was grateful for the distraction though she knew she would go back to it when she was on her own.

“It’s a one-week trip so you should know what to do though we are not staying at a hotel as Mr. Raven who is hosting us has a resort and he wants us to make use of it.”

“Si.. sorry Lucas, I have a few questions if you don’t mind,” Katrina said when Lucas paused

“Okay, ask away sweetheart,” he said

What is wrong with him today Katrina thought, first he came to the office bearing coffee which he bought for himself and her, secondly he is not his usual arrogant and bossy self now he called her Kat and sweetheart in the space of five minutes. Something is wrong Katrina thought. The last time he had been this nice to her she had ended up spending her whole weekend babysitting his sister’s kids which was not bad because she loves kids and Leah’s kids adores her. But her job is to be his secretary, not a babysitter. He better not make any silly requests again just cuz he bought her coffee. But then again they were going on a business trip so definitely not babysitting.

“Kat, I thought you had questions you’ve been silent for too long lady.” He scolded bringing her out of her head.

“Yeah, Lucas what’s with the sudden business trip and where are we going as I am not aware I figured this must be a new investment or merge. As far as I know as of Friday you are supposed to be on your way home for your sister’s wedding rehearsals.” And als…

“I already called Lilac,” he said cutting her off “and she understands which is why we are going straight to Arizona after our business in California”.

” wait, we are going to California? And also what’s this about us going to Arizona together this is my first time hearing about it”

“Lady, you are my Secretary and my PA and as you know I am currently single who else would you think will go with me to the wedding? He asked looking her over

“Well.

“See even you agree with me.”

“Nope, I don’t agree. wait, is this the reason you have been nice to me??”

“Wow wow wow calm down miss I wasn’t kind to you I was my usual self I am a caring boss.”

“Really? are we gonna talk about you being a nice boss cuz I got loads of things to say.”

“Oh, fierce I like that.”

Okay something is not right Katrina thought cuz this is not the boss she has known since these years

“Okay, Lucas what is going on are you high?” Maybe he had a drink or two when he left the office. But he wasn’t smelling of booze.

“Do I look like I am drunk? I am just talking to you.”

“Dude, you never talk to me like this.”

“Like what?” He asked

“Like this, as if we are close friends, real close friends. You order me around you are bossy you don’t engage in conversations except those related to work you are telling me now that you prefer being called by your name. I called you sir Friday before I went home and you didn’t scold me I called you sir this morning when you came in and you didn’t correct me.” Suddenly, this afternoon you are talking so casually with me. It’s suspicious so Mr what’s going on?”

She asked folding her hands on her chest. His eyes followed the movement of her hands and landed on her chest then back at her face she blushed and dropped her hands from her chest.

“This is not the first time I told you I prefer to be called by my name.” He said after a short pause raising his brows as if asking her to argue.

“Okay, agree it is not the first time. Aside from that, today is the first time you bought me coffee that’s always my job. The last time you were nice to me we ended up in your sister’s house babysitting and I did all the work while you went about whatever you were doing then.”

“I promise Kat you are not babysitting anyone.”

“Oh, that too,”

“What?” he asked looking confused.

“You called me Kat you have never done that before.”

“Oh yeah, I know why haven’t I? I like Kat or should I call you Trina or Rina those sounds nice too but Kat is my favorite.”

“Oh stop it, Lucas, be serious what do you want from me??”

Katrina asked getting annoyed and yet no knowing why she is annoyed. This was what she had wanted all these years right? For Lucas to give her his attention and for the attention to not be work-related but this must be work-related maybe that why she is annoyed one minute they were a boss and a secretary and the next they are talking as if they are close and he was making her feel different emotions at the same time hope excited annoyance and all that he was evoking different feelings in her feeling he won’t take responsibility for.

“Katrina” he called

“Yes” she answered

“I am sorry I offended you I was just trying to be.”

“See that’s another thing you never do you never apologize to me or anyone,” she said cutting him short.

“Okay, let talk about th…

The ringing of the phone on the table beside him cut him off he looked at the person calling.

” Excuse me Kat I need to take this call but we will continue this discussion later. He said as he picked up the phone and answered the call.

” No, we won’t,”

Katrina said more to herself as turned and left the office.

Going back to her desk Katrina felt even more confused. what just happened? She thought. one minute they were talking about a trip and the next they were practically bickering. Who bickers with her boss?

She couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off. She just knew it, Lucas was up to something. And she is gonna find out soon.

She let the thought off and concentrated on sorting the applicant files and also making preparations for the upcoming trip.

When she finally, raised her head it was almost three o clock. Time for the meeting with the Dubai investors.

She saved her progress, picked up the files related to the Dubai deal on her desk, her tab, and walked to Lucas’s office.

“Sir, it’s time for the meeting with the Dubai investors. I mean Lucas.” She added when he looked at her strangely.

“Hmm, I already did that,” he replied casually.

“What? When??” She asked confused as f*ck. When did he start going on meetings without her??

“When I left the office ma.”

“But the meeting was supposed to be by 3 pm, I don’t understand.” She said looking at him intently.

“It’s simple Kat, you had a lot on your plate, and the team from Dubai called that they will like to move the meeting forward when I came to your office to tell you, you were so concentrated that you didn’t even notice my presence. So I just opt for going myself since your presence wasn’t required much and I figured it will be less stressful for you. Did I do something bad?”.

He asked after explaining.

” No, you didn’t it’s just that…

“That what?” He asked when she didn’t finish her statement.

That you being nice to me will fill my head with thoughts, thoughts that are not gonna be good for me in the long run. She thought to herself.

“It’s just that you are being too nice to me this afternoon and I can’t help but be suspicious.”

“Okay, I do have a favor to ask.” He replied with an offside look.

“I knew it.”

“Yeah, you do but that’s not the only reason I am trying to be nice I know I can be very overbearing but that’s not a reason for you to quit.” He said.

“Wow, wait, quit? Me? When? ”

Katrina asked confused.

“I saw the letter you typed among the files.”

He explained.

“Were you looking through my stuff?”

She asked. Eyeing him over forgetting the manners she hated when people look through her stuff no matter who it is.

“I wasn’t looking through your stuff it was in the printer.”

“What? I didn’t print anything, if you bothered to check the date written on the letter you would have known it’s not something that was written this year.” I must have mistakenly printed it out with the files you asked for. But that still doesn’t explain why you are nice.” She said.

“Oh, it’s not a new letter.” He said as if he was relieved. “But the thought of you quitting doesn’t sit well with me whether it was years ago or now.” He added.

Katrina had forgotten such a letter existed, she had typed it three years ago when her feeling for him was taking over her and she felt confused. She had wanted to quit then cuz she didn’t know how to handle knowing that she loved him but he was gonna marry someone else. She hadn’t had the mind to submit the letter and he didn’t get married to Susan either. But how the letter got among the ones she printed is what she still can’t pick point.

“Okay, years ago I wanted to quit but I didn’t so what’s the favor that you want from me?” She asked

“Why?”

“What?”

“Why did you want to quit?”

“Because you were being so… Nevermind.”

” I was being so what? Say it don’t be scared,” he replied. When she stopped talking.

“Can we forget about that? It’s in the past. She said wanting him to give up the talk already.

” Okay, for now, I will drop it but just so you know I will still ask again.” He said.

“Fair enough, so what’s the favor? She asked in reply.

” I thought we were dropping the issue?” He asked laughing.

He has a nice laugh. And whenever he laughs she always finds herself smiling. She can’t help it.

“Nope not that,” she said catching herself and giving him a dirty look.

“Let’s talk about it some other time we still have till Wednesday.”

“Okay, if you say so.” She replied not wanting to prolong the talk.

As she made her way out of the office he called her name and said something that stayed on her mind through the rest of the day.

“Kat let’s be friends from now on.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

She had been too dumbfounded to respond and had just left his office without saying anything.