Chapter one - The beautiful stranger
Avalyn
I was grabbing a coffee with my best friend Abby before work. We worked with the same publication
company. I work as the assistant to the Editor in Chief, it wasn’t my dream job, but it was a start. I
wanted to write for the magazine. I have grown up with this magazine, watched it grow and change. I
have only been here a few months, though, so I don’t want to ask for anything more just yet. Abby
worked in the fashion department. She had been there for longer. It was her that put a good word in
and helped me get the job.
“Are we going out this weekend?” Abby asked.
“Yes, we can go out on Saturday. That way, neither of us is working on Sunday.”
It was only Tuesday, but Abby is a nner and a slight control freak. I just go with it.
“Yes, good idea,” Abby grins.
We stepped forward, cing our orders and stepping aside to wait for our drinks. We had time to sit in
and drink. Abby and I were earlier risers. We start at eight a.m. every morning, so we get up at six, and
that gives us the time we need to get ready, have breakfast and then stop for a coffee. We need our
coffee, or we get a little cranky.
As Abby and I were chatting, I felt like someone was watching me. I slowly lift my head, looking around.
It only takes a moment until I find who the eyes belong to. It was a very handsome looking man, maybe
in his early thirties. He was close to six foot, at least. His hair is dark brown, sitting perfectly. He is in an
expensive-looking suit, a suit that sculpted his body perfectly. I swear I was close to drooling. I couldn’t
see his eyes, but his eyes could see me because he was staring hard. He stood with a confident
stance. You could tell he had confidence in himself, authority in a way.
Why would he be looking at me? No, he must be looking at someone else. I looked at the people close
by. Yes, he must be looking at someone else. I turned my attention back to him, and the beautiful man
smiles at me. Oh God, that smile could melt your heart. I swallowed hard, smiling back. It was me he
was looking at.
“Abby, a gorgeous man is looking in this direction, he seems to be looking at me, but I don’t understand
why,” I announce.
Abby turns to where I was looking.
“He is looking at you. There is no doubt about that.”
Abby smirks at me as she speaks these words.
“So, I am not imagining things?” I ask.
Abby shook her head. I watch her face change. It goes from a smirk to her looking confused.
“How do I recognise him?”
Abby was tapping her finger on her chin as she tried to work out who he was. I looked over at him
again, but he didn’t seem familiar to me. He had turned away now because he was moving down the
line.
“Have you worked it out yet?” I question.
“Nope! But, damn, he is gorgeous. You should go say hello.”
The same smirk from only moments ago hade back onto her lips. Abby was always trying to set
me, encourage me. I wasn’t the best when it came to men and dating. My ex put me off, men. We
broke up about six months ago. He was a lying, cheating, selfish, pathetic excuse of a man. We were
together for four years. He was my first serious rtionship, the first man I loved. Before him, I dated,
had an odd rtionship here and there but nothing like I had with him. We met in College. I was
twenty-one, and he was a couple of years older.
“No, that isn’t happening,” I respond, my tone firm.
“Why not? It has been six months. It would be best if you moved on. It would help if you started dating
again, getid, Avalyn,” Abby states.
Abby’s face softens because she knows how hard that break up was for me. I stayed with my ex, and
when we broke up, he kept the apartment. I moved in with Abby.
“Abby, I don’t want to make myself vulnerable like that again,” I sigh.
“I know you don’t, but you can still have a little fun,” She smiles.
I turned my attention back to the beautiful stranger, but he wasn’t there anymore. Even if he were, it
wouldn’t matter. Men like that don’t go for girls like me. I wasn’t anything special. Men like him go for
women like him, gorgeous and confident.
“Oh well, he is away now,” I reply, shrugging.
“Damn it!” Abby giggles.
We grabbed our coffees, going to find a seat.
“I wonder what today will bring,” I smile.
This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.
“I still think you should speak to Kate,” Abby suggests.
Kate was the Editor in Chief, my boss. She was a good boss. I liked her a lot. She treated her staff with
respect and is only hard on them when she needs to be. She has been with the magazine for twenty
plus years. Like me, she started as an assistant and worked her way up. It was her that took this
magazine to a different level. She wasn’t afraid to let the magazine talk about subjects that many other
publications are scared to discuss. She was a strong woman, a great role model. She worked her ass
off.
“It is too soon. I haven’t been there long enough,”
I will talk to her one day, but that wasn’t today. Abby smiled, giving me a slight nod. She knew not to
push me too much on the subject. Abby knew I would do it when I am ready.
“Come on. We should get on our way,” Abby suggests as we finish our coffee.
“Good idea, we don’t want to bete,” I smile.
We bin our trash and head out. The office was only about a ten-minute walk from here, so it wouldn’t
take us long. Abby was telling me about a new project she would be working on soon. The girl was
amazing at what she did. And one day, she will have her ownpany and rule the world. She had so
much talent, confidence and patience. I was looking forward to the day where she would take the
fashion industry by storm.
“Meet you for lunch?” She asked as we headed inside.
“Always,” I smile.
I worked on the tenth floor, while Abby worked on the twelfth floor, but we got the same lunch break
and had lunch together every day.
Abby and I get into the elevator, which is busy due to most people starting. My stop was first. I gave
Abby a quick hug.
“Enjoy your day, babe,” She smiles, hugging back.
“You too,” I reply.
I was looking forward to today. I loved my job. I don’t dreading to work as a lot of people. I know to
some that may sound ridiculous, but work doesn’t need to be hell. Work is what you make it, just like
everything else in life.
When I arrived at my workspace everyone, there seems to be rushing around. What is going on? It isn’t
usually like this first thing. I make my way to my desk, sitting my things down.
“Avalyn, can youe in here, please?” Kate asks.
She sounds panicked. I nod, rushing over.
“Is everything OK?” I ask.
“Mr Brady is visiting today, as in Hudson Brady,” She said.
Hudson Brady was our CEO. I have never met him. I couldn’t even tell you want the guy looks like, to
be honest.
“What can I do?” I ask.
“Can you set one of the conference rooms up please,” She asks, “And also grab coffees, and set my
laptop in there for me? I will need you there too in case notes or that need to be taken,” She adds.
“I will get right on it. Anything else, just call me,” I reply.
“Thank you, you are a star, Avalyn,” She grins, “I don’t even know why he ising. Hopefully, it is not
bad news,” She adds.
“I am sure it will be fine,” I respond brightly.
I head off and get everything ready. It must be necessary if the CEO ising in personally. I got told
he doesn’t visit the office often. Hopefully, the reason will be a good one.
It would be nice to have a chance to meet the CEO too. I hope he is a nice guy and not arrogant and
rude like many men in charge, not just men; women can be terrible too.
I am sure it will make the day interesting.