"No problem. We have a half or a full dozen variety box," she explained.
"Let's go for the whole dozen," Xy nodded, mentally calculating how many people would be in the meeting.He was going to reveal the newest line of accessories for large breed dogs. There was something about the lightheartedness of his clients that made him refuse to completely by in to corporate America. Most men in his position would wear a suit to the office every day, but Xyrus referred jeans and a white button-down shirt.
Even his facial hair was less than formal, the thin layer of stubble covering his structured jawline. Xyrus Ashington wasn't the type of man to take himself too seriously, and his idea to bring a box of treats to a business meeting was a clear indication of that. While the cheery woman packed a powder pink box filled with donuts, danishes and muffins, Xyrus made his way around the counter, his eyes still focused on the brunette working in the back. She was at the steamer, making a cappuccino when he approached."If I would have known how well you made them, I would have gotten one of those," he joked, hoping to catch her attention. She barely flinched, keeping her eyes to the ground as she poured the warm milk over the espresso. Xyrus watched carefully, wondering if she had heard his attempt at sparking a conversation."Tina can add one to your order," the woman said, raising her eyes to meet Xyrus. In an instant he was captivated by her icy blue eyes. She had a pureness about her that he just had to learn more about. Racking his brain for the right words to say, he watched as the window closed. She returned to making her list of drinks, and the other woman called for his attention. "That'll be one thousand four hundred ninety-one and twenty five cents," she announced, setting the box of goodies on the counter beside the register. Xyrus slpped his credit card to the reader, still watching the brunette. She appeared less than impressed by him, focusing on her job without so much as glancing in his direction."Thank you! Have a great day!" The cheery red head extended her thin arm as she offered the receipt."You too," Xy smiled. He wanted to go to the door and head back to his car. He knew it was the right thing to do, but still his feet walked around the counter instead, drawn to the woman who seemed to have no time or attention for him."Next time I'll be sure to order something especially from you," he smiled over the glass barrier. A flicker of a smile flashed across her blushing face, but she didn't turn to face him. Xyrus is still satisfied with the accomplishment, deciding it best not to push it further. There was a boost of energy in his step as he made his way back to the SUV, setting the square pink box on the passenger seat before pulling back into traffic. The frequent red lights weren't as bothersome now that his thoughts continuously roamed back to the bakery, remembering the look in those big blue eyes that had stared back at him. Xyrus couldn't remember the last time he had been interested in a woman in this way. Typically, he met women at work events, because they understood who his first love would always be-his company. Xyrus generally preferred career women who didn't have time to expect much from relationships, but now all he could think about was learning more about the curvy barista. Rushed for time, he utilized the valet service at his office, leaping from the car before darting through the lobby. There was a special elevator reserved just for him, and a security officer held the door open until he was safely inside."Have a wonderful day, Mr. Ashington!" The husky security guard called."You too, Jerry!" Xyrus called back, always sure to learn the name of every employee. Unlike the average CEO, Xyrus had built his company from the ground up. He played an integral role in every aspect of the business-from hiring to product development. There wasn't any aspect he didn't understand, or any person he didn't know.He was just a sophomore in college when his girlfriend had bought a teacup Yorkie. That dog was the most spoiled and cherished pet in the world, so for Halloween, he decided to create a costume he knew his girlfriend would love. Turns out, more people on campus wanted princess outfits for their dogs. Before he knew it, Xyrus was taking custom orders and launching a website to take orders from across the country.
Two decades later, he led the largest online shopping platform dedicated solely to canine family members. It was more than work for him, Xyrus was passionate about everything he did."Good morning, Mr. Ashington," Calls greeted him as he exited the elevator. The entire floor was vibrant and alive, excited to share their ideas with the boss who kept an open-door policy. It didn't matter who you were, you could always discuss your problems and voice your concerns at Xyrus's company. Everyone from the head designer to the mail sorters know where to find him, and more than likely he knew their names and how long they had worked for the company. "There you are!" Akira greeted her boss as he made his way around the corner, handing her the box of breakfast treats."I got these to sweeten the deal," he teased. Akira was flushed, stressing about her boss's punctuality. Xyrus never let his career stress him out. As far as he could tell, he was living a dream, so there was never a reason to make it more difficult than it needed to be."Everyone is already in the conference room," she spoke, out of breath as she followed him around the corner."Bring in some fresh squeezed orange juice, and put those on a platter," he instructed before walking into the room. Akira was stunned, always shocked by his supreme level of confidence. Nothing seemed to rattle him, and she wished she could have nerves even half as strong as his. Quickly, she moved about the office, ordering the receptionist to pour orange juice into a pitcher as she carefully placed the sticky sweets on a large yellow serving dish."So, we'll have to get these out before the Christmas season," Xyrus announced, as Akira walked through the door. Setting the platter of sweets on the table, she watched as everyone's eyes doubled in size as they looked to the plate. She knew instantly that Xy had made the right decision in stopping to get the treats. Somehow he always knew what to do to make things better. It was perfect that he didn't stress about the business, because Akira stressed enough for the both of them. She had been one of the first people to encourage him to launch his own business, working side by side with him since the very beginning. Akira valued her opinion, and she admired his work ethic and charismatic ways. No one could ever stay mad at Xyrus for long, even when he was twenty minutes late to a meeting. Glancing around the room, she realized that everyone was captivated by him. As always, it had all worked out just as he had planned.Xyrus subtly winked at Akiral as her face returned to the pale tone that was normal for her. He enjoyed getting her worked up because it was so easy to do. She watched in silence as he continued with his demonstration after offering everyone a breakfast roll.
His presentation went off without a hitch, but that didn't mean he wasn't distracted. His mind still raced with ways to get the attention of the blonde from the bakery. No matter what else was happening around him, those blue eyes were never far from his mind.
"That sounds great!" One man announced with a smile, standing to his feet. The rest of the participants followed, each making their way to the end of the table to shake Xy's hand. His down to earth reputation preceded him, but it was still shocking for people to meet a CEO so involved with their business, yet still approachable with innovative ideas."I was wondering if we could get into talks with wholesalers," a woman suggested, as she approached him. She was tall and blonde, smiling a little too hard as she batted her eyes in Xyrus's direction. He was used to being hit on in a professional setting, so he continued with the harmless banter before shaking hands with the pretty executive, promising to look over a few reports she wanted to leave with him. "And how can I help you?" Xyrus smiled, moving on to the next person. His job was endless, but he loved every second of it. Sure, he could have any of his project leaders introduce his products in design meetings, but he preferred to be the face when people saw his company. While they did billions of dollars in annual sales, Xyrus liked to think that his company was still close knit and run like a small start-up. Many things remained from the launch of the business twenty years ago, including employees. It was his way of not getting a big head from so much success. Somehow, Xyrus had remained the same kid from his college days, and he liked to think it was by keeping people like Akira around him. She had been his friend from early childhood, and now she was more like a sister than anything else. Not much got done without Akira's approval, although her title said she was just Xy's assistant. She knew the inner workings of the company better than anyone, and he trusted her opinion more than most."Well, let's discuss that more in my office," Xyrus suggested, leading the last member of the meeting out of the conference room. The man had wanted to discuss the sales numbers in Canada, but because he didn't have the necessary documents, Xy decided to finish the conversation in his office, where the statistics would be readily available. The two men walked down the wide hallway to Xyrus's office, his home away from home that was actually more comfortable than his actual house. As a self-proclaimed workaholic, Xy had no problem admitting that he always preferred to be at work.The bakery had just shut down, and Lana was removing her apron when Tina approached her. She was responsible for training her and had been the first to make her feel welcome behind the counter at A Slice of Suzeth. "Did I hear right-do you live on BGC area? "she asked. The paranoia set in as Lana wondered where her co-worker had learned her address. Forcing herself to relax, she just nodded her head, plastering a feigned smile on her face."I'm just a few blocks from there. How do you get home?" Tina asked. "Oh, I walk," Lana said, feeling awful. She wished she could offer Tina ride, and after spending the day on her feet she could stand for a ride herself. "That's perfect! So do I. Come on, let's walk together-I'll show you all the cool places," Tina said. It was more of a command than a suggestion, so Lana agreed, grabbing her jean jacket from the coat rack before following Tina out the front door. "This is my favorite season. You know, when the wind started to
The day had gone execption well for Xy. After his meeting, he had closed a few deals on the new product launch, lining up vendors that wanted to sell his latest pet accessories. Over the years, he had learned that there was very little that dog owners wouldn't do for their furry children, and when new lines were designed, he often thought the possibilities were endless. Initially, Xy's company focused on catering to smaller breeds of dogs, since their owners had the tendency to buy more costumes and accessories. What he had learned was that large dog owners also wanted to accessorize their pups, they just didn't know how. The new line for larger breeds was projected to increase sales dramatically, and Xy was excited to see what new opportunities it would lead them to. Sitting at his fine mahogany desk, he typed out the last of the emails, thanking those who attended the meeting. As he said in the email, it was an exciting time and he was grateful to have all of their ea
Today was the day Lana could start listening to the advice provided by Tina on recommendations for places to visit in their neighborhood. On their walk the previous night, she had pointed out her gym, noting that they had a referral program. If Lana mentioned her co-worker's name during sign up, they would each get a discount on their monthly rate.It had been a while since she had worked out, but Lana was excited to get reconnected with a part of herself she had sacrificed for her marriage. Danny never liked her working out, claiming it would only make her more attractive to other men. He liked her weak and docile, but that was never who Lana envisioned herself being. The morning breeze felt great on her skin as she trotted down the steep streets winding through her neighborhood like a maze. Every new route memorized gave her a renewed since of confidence, and another connection to the city she was growing to love. Everyone seemed so nice thr city always eager to help
"That just doesn't seem like a big deal to me," Xyrus reasoned. He was talking through the car stereo system with his cell on speaker phone. A few new investors had called, wanting to get in on his innovative designs and Akira was freaking out. She looked at all problems as bad, but some problems, like having too many people begging to give you money, was something Xy considered a good problem. "They haven't even seen the prototypes," she reminded him. "So, set up the meeting. Just e-mail me all the deets," Xy instructed calmly. "Okay, I guess we can make it work," Akira relented as she always did. "Sounds good. I'm just pulling up to the gym so I'll be offline for a bit," Xy explained before ending the call. He had decided against his home gym in order to have an audience. Sometimes, he felt he needed to know someone was watching in order to keep from quitting, and that was usually the case when it came to lifting weights. His personal trainer was
"So, you've never ever tried Joshua Diner?" Tina asked Lana, as she packed away the last of the day's baked goods. The owner had established a relationship with a nearby women's shelter, and every evening, A Slice of Suzeth donated any unsold products."No, I literally just moved, Tina. I haven't even unpacked yet," Lana fought her smile, amused by Tina's confusion. For the past ten minutes, she had been trying to explain that she didn't know anything about the hot places in the neighbourhood. Tina explained that she was born and raised just a few blocks from the bakery, so she could introduce her to everything there was to know about Taguig City. "Here you are, John. Thanks for stopping by," Tina announced, handing a pink paper box to the man waiting from the shelter. He smiled, bidding both women a good evening before leaving the bakery. Lana was finishing up with cleaning the espresso machine when Tina startled her, turning to face her as the unruly strands of red ha
Xyrus watched with interest as the brunette woman he'd been lusting about knelt quickly to pick up each tomato from the floor. She was flustered from the sight of him, which he took as a good sign. After the way she had rejected him at the gym, he had feared he was losing his way with women. But the look on her face when her eyes had landed on him was the indication he needed to know that she was most certainly affected. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," he started, hoping this would be a lengthier conversation than their last interaction. "No-no, it's not your fault," she said, so softly Xyrus had to lean in to make out her words. Never did she look up to him, focusing more on the task than him. "I was just shocked to see you again. You remember me, don't you?" Xyrus asked, with a tone that commanded her attention. Those blue eyes were more remarkable every time he saw them. Filled with curiosity and a dangerous emotion he couldn't exactly place, Xy felt he could get lost
"That was delicious, Tina!" Lana exclaimed after finishing her last bite. "Pesto is the easiest dish ever! I'll write the recipe out for you," Tina smiled, beaming with pride. The two women had shared a chicken pesto pasta, with salad and breadsticks. After unpacking the box marked with 'kitchen' in bold black marker, Tina began cooking while Lana continued to unpack, organizing the cabinets with glasses and dinnerware. Lana was finally feeling like her old self again, thanks in some ways to the wine. She had unwound a bit, pouring one glass after another until they had gone through two bottles of the expensive wine Xy recommended. "How about you just come over and make it whenever I order?" Lana teased, laughing at her own joke as Tina joined in. "This is such a cute place, Lana," Tina admired, glancing around the small apartment. "Thanks. It'll feel more like home once I get everything unpacked," she giggled, before taking the last sip of her wine."Yes,
"So, tell me about her," Akira demanded, as she lounged in a leather loveseat in Xyrus's office. The two had just finished up a business meeting when Xy sought some much-needed advice. Seeking discretion, he asked Akira to follow him to his office before he told her about how badly he had blown it with Lana. Unable to control her laughter, Akira had laughed for a full two-minutes before speaking and Xy found it difficult to take her seriously."What do you mean? What's there to know?" He asked, chuckling softly."What about her caught your attention?" She asked."Her eyes." Xy's answer was swift, because he had been visualizing Lana in great detail more than he cared to admit."Well, that was quick," Akira raised one eyebrow, impressed by his answer."You haven't seen them. Her eyes are. mesmerizing, as blue as the Pacific Ocean," Xyrus looked up towards the ceiling as if recalling a wonderful memory. "You really have a crush, Ashington," Akira teased, using Xy's last name as