Aᴍᴇʟɪᴀ's ᴘᴏᴠ
"Oh Caroline," I exclaimed, feeling my lips stretch into a wide grin. "Good lord, it's been far too many days!" I didn't give her a moment to respond as her familiar, smiling face filled my screen, a sight I had missed dearly.
"I know, right?" she chortled, her lips stretching into an infectious smile as she giggled like an excited child. "Good lord!"
"I've missed you so much," I said, adopting an exaggerated pout, wanting her to feel my longing.
"Yeah, sure you do," she shot back, laughter spilling through the phone like sunshine.
For a brief moment, I feared that she might think I had been taken hostage, given the outrageous number of times I'd called recently. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she said, "I might add, you've been quite the phone-caller!" But then her playful demeanor shifted, and she gave me a more serious look. "So, tell me, sweetheart, what's bothering my favorite person?"
I felt my smile fade as I took a deep breath. "It's been a hectic week, baby," I confessed, letting out a weak sigh. I hesitated before continuing, "Guess who my new boss is?"
Her face lit up with curiosity, and she leaned closer to the camera, eager for the scoop. "Come on, sweetheart, spill it! You know I'm terrible at guessing."
"The guy I hooked up with from the party," I said, burying my face in my hands in mock embarrassment. She raised an eyebrow, giving me a playful yet sympathetic look that said she was both shocked and amused.
"Come on, Amelia! You've got to cheer up, okay?" Caroline encouraged, her voice softening as her concern for me shone through.
"It's not such a big deal, you know, right? He's your boss. What does that mean?" she probed, one eye slightly wider than the other, mirroring her curiosity.
"Paycheck!" I quipped, trying to inject some humor into the situation.
"That's it! Baby, you need this job more than ever. And if you ever decide to quit, you know you can always count on me," she said, reassuringly.
I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, warmed by her support. "What would I do without you?" I murmured, pouting as I pretended to wipe away invisible tears.
"Stop being such a drama queen!" she scolded playfully, her laughter bubbling over from the other end of the line.
"I've got two more days until I'm back," she announced, attempting to change the subject.
Furrowing my brow, I inquired, "Haven't you been reading my emails?"
"Sure I have!" she replied, but the way she bit her lip gave away the truth—she had no idea what was going on.
"Oh, come on!" I exclaimed, dramatically throwing my arms in the air. "We promised to always be available, love!"
"I know, right? And I have no excuse for that—sorry!" she admitted, stifling a light yawn.
Before I could say anything else, I dropped the bombshell: "We'll be leaving for Singapore tomorrow."
"Do I smell love in the air?" Caroline teased, laughter lacing her words.
"Obviously not," I retorted, shaking my head. "Not when he brings in different women to the office every day. Obviously not!"
"Thanks for that lovely image," she grinned, still giggling. "I miss you, okay?" I replied, my tone turning serious. I knew it would probably be two weeks before we could see each other again.
I noticed her fighting sleep, her eyes fluttering closed every few seconds as she stifled yet another yawn.
"Okay, love, I'm going to let you get your rest," I finally said, my tone softening as gratitude flooded her voice. "I'm just a phone call away, you know that?"
"Sure, love," she whispered, knowing we both had long days ahead.
As we exchanged invisible kisses through the phone, she finally signed off. After turning off my computer, I made my way to bed, surrendering to the comfort of the dark, my thoughts swirling with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.
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____________________________________________Tʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ🌹🌹🌹
With gentle, light taps, I turned to the other side of the bed, feeling the weight of exhaustion pulling me down. "Mom, please let me rest for just a little while longer," I mumbled, my voice muffled against the pillow. The sun had already risen, and I could barely muster the energy to open my eyes.
"It's 7:00 already, and there's a gentleman down there waiting," my mom's voice drifted softly from the other side of the room, just beneath the pillow I had pressed against my head.
Finally, I shot up, a wave of relief washing over me as I realized I was indeed awake and not dreaming. Good morning, Mom. I greeted as I had been so deep in slumber that my mind had blocked out all the noises around me. Taking to my heels, I hurried to the bathroom. The water poured from the faucet, cascading down and splashing against my hands as I scrubbed my face awake. When I stepped out, I was greeted by the sight of my outfit for the airport, neatly laid out by my mom.
"Mom, does she always have to be this sweet?" I thought to myself, hastily slipping into my clothes. I quickly grabbed my arranged bags, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety, before heading downstairs.
As I entered the living room, my lips widened in surprise at the sight of Joe, comfortably seated on the parlor sofa, casually scrolling through his phone.
"I feel so honored, sir," I proclaimed with a playful bow, trying to inject some humor into the morning.
"Whatever," he snapped, rolling his eyes at my dramatic entrance, a slight smirk betraying his amusement.
"Ma'am, if you don't mind, we really need to head to the airport now." He rose, bowing slightly again, and gestured toward the door, his demeanor as polite as ever.
"Oh, Joe!" I laughed heartily as I caught my mom's gaze; her lips curled into a wide smile, radiating warmth and pride.
I rushed over to her, wrapping her in a warm hug, reluctant to let go. "Take care of my baby, okay?" she urged, a hint of worry in her tone as she turned to Joe.
"Sure, ma," he assured with a reassuring smile. "At your service, always, ladies," he called over his shoulder, and we shared a laugh that lightened the atmosphere.
"And we don't want to be late," he added, glancing at his watch with a sense of urgency.
"I know, I know! Bye, Mom! Don't miss me too much!" I shouted, feeling a mixture of excitement and homesickness already creeping in.
"Sure, baby!" she replied, her eyes sparkling with motherly affection. "If it'll make you feel any better, Caroline will be coming over in two days."
"Hurry on, okay? Don't be late!" she encouraged, still smiling.
Joe opened the passenger door for me with an elegant gesture. "Aren't you such a gentleman?" I teased, finding joy in our playful banter.
"Sure I am," he chuckled, a hint of warmth in his voice as I settled into the car.
As Joe started the engine, the car roared to life, and we hit the road toward the airport. Glancing outside the window, I found my mind wandering. It felt strange, almost like I had known Joe for more than just a few weeks we had been working together. Every time we talked, he had a remarkable way of lightening my mood and creating an easy atmosphere.
Leaning back into the plush seat, I decided to initiate some light conversation. "So, Joe, how long have you been working at our office?" I asked, breaking the silence that filled the car.
"Okay, let's say 8 years," he replied casually, seeming to reflect on the time.
"Wow, really? That's such a long time," I remarked, genuinely impressed.
"I was Mr. Bruno Gideon's personal assistant before he moved to Singapore and passed the CEO position to his son," he explained, his tone a mix of pride and modesty.
"Oooh, I see! No wonder there's such familiarity between them," I responded, connecting the dots in my mind about the dynamic at the office. "It's nice to see how close he and Xander are," I added, impressed by the relationship.
The silence that filled the car felt heavy yet comforting as we made our way to the airport. Joe seemed to be the quiet type, perhaps more focused on the drive than engaging in conversation. Slowly closing my eyes, I aimed for a little nap, attempting to steal moments of rest before facing the ever-ridiculous world of Xander.
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I felt a light tap on my shoulder, gently urging me from the grasp of sleep. As I blinked my eyes open, Joe's playful voice cut through the fog of my slumber. "Sleeping beauty," he teased, chuckling as he gestured toward the window. "We're here already."
I sat up, still groggy, and watched as he pulled our lounges out of the car's boot, his movements practiced and efficient. He handed the keys to an elderly man who nodded with a warm, knowing smile.
"Didn't take you for a guy with a butler," I joked, smirking at Joe, who responded with a hearty laugh. "And I definitely didn't expect you to be such a heavy sleeper," he shot back, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Glancing around to take in our surroundings and shake off the remnants of sleep, I asked, "So what are we doing now?" I knew that Joe had meticulously planned this trip.
"Oh, we need to head over to get our plane tickets," he replied, glancing at his watch. "We'll be catching the 8:00 flight."
As we walked through the terminal, I scanned the bustling faces of travelers. "I don't see the boss around," I murmured to Joe, concern creeping into my voice.
"He should be nearby," Joe assured me, collecting three plane tickets from the counter. He expertly handled one and then passed it to me. "Let's see if we can find Xander."
Just as I mentioned his name, I spotted him across the waiting area. There stood Xander, dressed in a relaxed but stylish outfit, his dark sunglasses perched on his nose. He exuded a casual confidence that made him all the more appealing.
As we approached, I couldn't help but admire how good he looked, almost making me drool involuntarily. I swallowed hard, hoping not to get caught staring.
"Well, well," he drawled, voice dripping with playful sarcasm, "look who we have here—if it isn't Elizabeth the Third of England." He shot me a bemused glance, clearly amused by the irony of my groggy state amidst the bustling crowd.
"Do you ever adhere to time?" he asked, pulling down his sunglasses to fix me with a piercing gaze. "It's all good," he added with a tilt of his head and a reassuring smile.
"You've got me stuck with you for two weeks, so I suggest you get your act together," he remarked, a wicked grin spreading across his face, leaving me both flattered and flustered.