Richard's POV
I sat at my desk, staring at the spot where she had stood not ten minutes ago. She hadn't shown it but I could sense it. I had hurt her. For the first ti in years, I felt...off. The last ti I had felt that way was back in board school. In all honesty, I expected a different reaction, I expected her to admit defeat and just stop calling that. It sounded awfully familiar to the way Benny used to call . The way she says it...
Maybe getting her fired wasn't the right approach but she would have had to quit the job sooner or later. It's just the woman pressed all my wrong buttons at the sa ti.
I had to apologise but I really didn't know how to. What would I say? I paced my office thinking of what I could do. What if she changed her mind about the marriage? I need to do damage control as soon as possible.
An hour later, I found myself still thinking about what I could do. Nita wasn't the type I could appease with a fancy bag or a trip to Paris. She wasn't shallow like most won I knew and the strangest thing; she wasn't attracted to like most won I knew. Strange, isn't it? I wonder if she was dropped on the head when she was a baby.
My desk phone rang and I picked up, short on patience "Mr. Nuro?" my assistant's voice wafted through.
"What?" I snapped.
"There's a report you need to..."
"Not now..."
"But it's urgent."
"Tell Sam to deal with it. Postpone all appointnts."
I slamd the phone down and grabbed my car keys. How hard could apologies be?
*****
As I stepped out of the car, adjusting my suit, I rehearsed my lines. Nita, I'm sorry for being ...Nita, I shouldn't have. The door opened as I tried to knock and I stepped through.
There was loud music coming from the living room 'Kelly Rowland's I Like My Kisses Down Low' blaring through the speakers. Interesting song choice. I walked through knowing she was ho. Her Dad was at work, her mum had gone with mine to see wedding planners. I stepped into the kitchen and found a very interesting sight. What greeted was Nita, in hot shorts and a tank top, holding a spatula like a microphone and shaking her thang.
She didn't notice right away so I cleared my throat, I didn't want to startle her. She turned to , and her eyes landed on , instantly going wide. She dropped the spatula in the sink like a hot potato. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Enjoying the show"
She scoffed and walked out of the kitchen, keeping her distance when passing by . "What do you want, Junior?"
There it was again. The girl really didn't know how to listen. "Would you please not call that?" I snapped automatically.
"What am I supposed to call you? Isn't that your na? Why do you suddenly want to chop my head off when I call you that?" she spun back to look at holding my gaze. Damn, the girl has got spunk.
"It just... I can't explain it. It's sothing I was called when I was younger, I just feel like it doesn't suit anymore. My na is Richard. You can call Richard," I couldn't explain to my fiancée that the way she called Junior sounded exactly like the way a girl I had a crush on used to call . "Look, I ca here to apologize,"
Her eyebrows shot up. "Sobody pinch ! Apologize? You?"
"You're not making it easy though. I am capable of remorse,"
She chuckled slightly and sat on the couch in the living room, "Go on, then. Apologize."
"I... I shouldn't have gotten you fired but in my defense, you would need to quit sooner or later,"
"That isn't an apology, that's justification."
"Nita, co on... I'm trying here. Okay, how about we make a deal,"
"you do seem to pull those out of your ass,"
"That's what makes an aweso businessman," I countered
"and full of shit,"
I sighed in exasperation. How many of my buttons had she pressed in less than ten minutes? "You need a job. After the wedding, you can head the Nuro accounting departnt. You're overqualified for anything less anyway. I spoke to your boss."
"You want to work for you?"
I had to choose my response carefully or I would have to start this conversation all over again. "Well, not directly under . But technically, yes." I sighed again. "Nita, co on. Take the job. It's yours."
She mulled it over for a mont, I could almost see the wheels turning in her head. "Fine. But on one condition."
"Na it."
"Dinner. Tonight."
I frowned. "That's it?"
"Yes, but I pick the place."
*****
An hour later, I was standing outside a shack a few kiloters from her house. A neon sign blinked "Mama L's Burgers" in bold letters.
"This is where you want to eat?" I asked incredulously as Nita strolled and placed orders, looking far too pleased with herself.
"Let's put it this way, every ti you offend , I will think of ways to make you suffer,"
The place was packed and I stood out like a sore thumb. The plastic chairs on the street were filled up and we had to stand. The noise from the street was deafening.
We were handed our burgers and I stared at it in disbelief. There is no way it was healthy. The amount of oil dripping from the at was alarming. Nita, on the other hand, bit into hers like she hadn't eaten in days. It made rember sothing my mother said about Nita loving food.
"Well?" she prompted, her mouth full.
I took a cautious bite and chewed carefully.
"See?" she said, " nice, isn't it?"
"It's... edible."
She laughed, and for the first ti, I noticed just how beautiful she could be if she were genuinely happy. I felt the urge to keep her that way.
*****
I had a busy morning as usual, I didn't even have ti for my coffee. Consequences of skipping the rest of the day yesterday. I had an amazing ti last night, Nita seems to be warming up to but she still had this wall built around her. I had woken up feeling great this morning, I even said hi to the receptionist on my way in.
Sam, my COO barged into my office with a stack of docunts. The coffee on my desk was already lukewarm, I buzzed my assistant and requested another before I could enter into Sam's tirade of what was next on the day's agenda.
"Richard?" Sam called while I distractedly opened one of the files he had just brought in.
"Yeah, Sam?" I asked without looking up.
"I don't suppose you have checked your phone, email, or social dia today, have you?"
"Haven't had the ti. I rember dropping instructions yesterday for you to handle so of my tasks. I wonder why I still have so much to get done today,"
"Richard, you're trending!"
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