ENTANGLED FOREVER

"C'mon, let's go unwind in a bar. It's worth celebrating". Catherine said, her smile was infectious.

I looked at her with raised eyebrows. Catherine Taylor always find excuses to celebrate anything, no matter how insignificant or inconsequential it is. And that's one of what I really like about him.

I shook my head slowly.

"Cate, i'm sure

drinking the night before starting a new job is a bad idea."

"Oh please, Leah" she rolled her eyes and scoffed at me. Cate sat on our new living room floor amid a half-dozen moving boxes and flashed her smile again, revealing a sparkling white set of perfect teeth. We've been

unpacking for days, and she doesn't seem to be as tired as I am.

She was lithe, athletically built with luminous green eyes and a thick mop of dark curly hair. A west coast brunette, she was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. Though Leah was exceptionally beautiful and could draw stares and whistles from the opposite gender wherever she was walks into, but Cate, with her jaw-dropping gorgeous Hollywood Celebrity looks make her feel like an ugly duckling each time they walk together. I always felt I'd easily detest her if she hadn't been the dearest person to me.

"Chill, babe. I ain't talking about a bender or an all-nighter. It's just a glass of wine or two. We can hit a happy hour and be in by eight. Don't start acting like my grandma"

"I don't know if I'll make it back in time." I gestured at my yoga pants and fitted workout tank. "After I time the walk to work, I'm

going to hit the gym."

"Walk fast, work out faster." Cate's perfectly executed arched brow made me laugh. I fully expected her charming Super-star looks to appear on billboards, vlog covers and fashion magazines all over the world some day. No

matter her expression, she was simply just a knockout.

"How about tomorrow after my first day at work?" I offered as a substitute. "If I make it through the day, that'll be worth celebrating, isn't it?"

"Deal. I'm breaking in the new kitchen for dinner."

"Uh..." Cooking was one of Cate's joys, but I knew too well that she is a real messy cook. Cooking just isn't one of her talents.

"Great." I sighed in relief.

She pulled back her thick dark curly hair into a ponytail and said;

"We've got a kitchen most restaurants would kill for. There's no way

to screw up a meal in there."

Dubious, I headed out with a wave, choosing to avoid a conversation about cooking. Taking the elevator down to the first floor, I smiled at

the doorman when he let me out to the street with a flourish.

The moment I stepped outside, the smells and sounds of Manhattan embraced me and invited me to explore. I was not merely across the

country from my former home in San Diego, but seemingly worlds away. Two major metropolises-one endlessly temperate and sensuallyazy, the other teeming with life and frenetic energy. While Manhattan is a densely populated, 23-square-mile island bounded by the Hudson River to the west, the East River to the east, and Harlem River to the north. The borough is a fusion of sleek skyscrapers, historic brownstones, and bustling streets.

With iconic features ranging from the bright lights and giant billboards of times square, The peaceful green oasis of central Park, The historic, cobblestone streets of greenwich Village to the majestic skyscrapers of Midtown, including the Empire State Building. San Diego on the other hand is renowned for its year-round mild climate, stunning beaches, and laid-back vibe with pristine beaches and sparkling bays and marinas. It was like a sanctuary, I thought with a feeling of nostalgia. But sometimes in my dreams, I'd imagining living in a walkup in Brooklyn, but being a dutiful daughter, I found myself on the Upper West Side instead. If not for Cate living with me, I would've been miserably lonely in the sprawling apartment that cost more per month than most people made in a year. Here in Manhattan, the rent is higher than the skyscrapers, and a slice of pizza costs more than a therapy session.

The doorman tipped his hat to me.

"Good evening, Miss granger. Will you need a cab this evening?"

"No thanks, Paul." I rocked onto the rounded heels of my fitness

shoes.

"I'll be walking."

The city looks like an adventurer's paradise, and I was just too eager with a thrill of excitement to embark on an exploration tour around the iconic city.

He smiled. "It's cooled down from this afternoon. Should be nice."

"I've been told I should enjoy the June weather before it gets wicked

hot."

"Very good advice, Miss Granger"

"You can call me Leah"

Stepping out from under the modern glass entrance overhang that somehow meshed with the age of the building and its neighbors, I enjoyed the relative quiet of my tree-lined street before I reached the bustle and flow of traffic on Broadway. One day soon, I hoped to blend

right in, but for now I still felt like a fraudulent New Yorker. I had the address and the job, but I was still wary of the subway and had trouble

hailing cabs. I tried not to walk around wide-eyed and distracted, but it was hard. There was just so much to see and experience.

The sensory input was almost overwhelming-the smell of vehicle exhaust mixed with a savory blend of hot dog from vendor carts, roasting chestnuts, and the sweet, sugary aroma of freshly baked pastries from the Korean bakeries. the shouts of hawkers blended

with music from street entertainers, the awe-inspiring range of faces and styles and accents, the gorgeous architectural wonders...And the

cars. Oh Jesus, I groaned. The frenetic flow of tightly packed cars was unlike anything I'd ever seen anywhere.

There was always an ambulance, patrol car, or fire engine trying to part the flood of yellow taxis with the electronic wail of ear-splitting sirens. I was in awe of the lumbering garbage trucks that navigated tiny one-way streets and the package delivery drivers who braved the

bumper-to-bumper traffic while facing rigid deadlines.

Life here seems fast paced, I thought as crowds swirl around me, a diverse tapestry of humanity: businessmen and women rushing to meetings, tourists consulting maps and guidebooks, artists and street performers showcasing their talents, and New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds, each with their own unique story to tell.

Real New Yorkers cruised right through it all, their love for the city as comfortable and familiar as a favorite pair of shoes. They didn't

view the steam billowing from potholes and vents in the sidewalks with romantic delight and they didn't blink an eye when the ground

vibrated beneath their feet as the subway roared by below, while I grinned like an idiot and flexed my toes. New York was a brand new love affair for me. I was starry-eyed and it showed. Now I see why it's called the city that never sleeps, the title seemed so fitting.

So I had to really work at playing it cool as I made my way over to the building where I would be working. As far as my job went, at least, I'd gotten my way.

I wanted to make a living based on my own merits and that meant an entry-level position.

Starting the next morning, I would be the assistant to Simon Grady at NovaSpire media partners, one of the most prominent advertising agencies in not just New York, but the entire US.

My uncle, Mark Seymour, had been rather annoyed when I took the job,

pointing out that if I'd been less prideful I could've worked for a friend

of his instead and reaped the benefits of that connection.

I remembered that very day.

"You're as stubborn as your father," he had said derisively and with barely concealed contempt when I turned down the offer. "It'll take him forever to pay off your student loans on a cop's salary."

That had been a major fight with an exchange of heated words. My father wasn't flinched and had refused to back down.

"Hell if another man's gonna pay for my daughter's education,"

Paul stanton had said when uncle Seymour had made the offer. I respected that. I suspected my uncle did too, although he would never admit it. I understood both men's sides, because I'd fought to pay off the loans myself, but only succeeding to pay one third of it. It was a point of pride for my father. Though my mother had refused to marry him, but he'd never wavered from his determination to be my dad in every way possible.

Knowing it was pointless to get ruffled up over old frustrations, I focused on getting to work as quickly as possible. I'd deliberately chosen to clock the short trip during a busy time on a Monday, so I was pleased when I skirted a street and rounded up on the looming steel and glass building of NovaSpire media partners in less than thirty minutes.

I tipped my head back and followed the line of the building all the way up to the slender ribbon of sky. The building was really impressive, a sleek spire of gleaming sapphire that pierced the clouds, it seemed to stretch into the atmosphere and beyond.

I knew from my previous interviews that the interior on the other side of the ornate copper-framed revolving doors was just as awe-inspiring, with golden-veined marble floors and walls, and brushed aluminum

security desk and turnstiles.

I pulled my ID card out of the inner pocket of my pants and held it up for the two stone-faced and brawny guards in black business suits at the desk. They looked at me with a slight hint of suspicion, no doubt because I was majorly underdressed, but then one of them cleared me through with a grunt. After I completed an elevator ride up to the twenty second floor, I'd have a general time frame for the whole route

from door to door.

I was about walking into the bank of elevators when a beautifully groomed brunette caught her purse on a turnstile and upended it, spilling a deluge of change. Dollar notes flew and even a few coins spilled onto the marble and rolled merrily away, and I watched people that were obviously in a hurry, dodging the chaos and keep going as if they didn't see it, casting glances on their gold wrist watches instead. I glanced at her in sympathy, slowed and hesitated for a moment, while people either brushed past or bump into me with an occasional mutter of annoyance or just "sorry". I walked back and crouched beside the woman, helping her to hastily pick up her money, one of the guards that had earlier checked my ID also walked up to help her out too.

"Thank you," she said, shooting me a quick harried but slightly nervous smile.

I smiled back "it's no trouble, ma'am. I've been there"

"I appreciate once more, and you can call me tiffany"

She extended her hand, and I took it. I then turned to glance around and saw a dollar note just beside the entrance of the elevator.

"Oh, there's one more runaway"

I squatted to pick it up when a pair of legs clad in an expensive sleek, hand-stitched calfskin brogues, perfectly complemented by a streamlined, Italian-wool trousers stood just opposite me. A masculine voice coughed and I arched my neck back to allow my line of sight to rise and stare directly into the face of the most handsome being I've ever seen in my life. The custom three-piece charcoal-gray suit that hugged his athletic physique in all the right places. The fabric was clearly of the finest quality, smooth to the touch, and expertly tailored to accentuate his broad shoulders, chiseled chest, and narrow waist. A crisp, white dress shirt complemented the suit perfectly, its cuffs secured with elegant, silver cufflinks that glinted in the light, but it was the tall, powerfully lean body inside it that made it even more sensational. Still, as hot as all that magnificent maleness was, it wasn't until I reached the man's face that I went down for the count.

Wow. Just...wow.

He sank into an elegant crouch directly in front of me. Hit with all that exquisite masculinity at eye-level, I could only stare, with mouth agape and stunned.

For some awkward moment, I felt as though air is being sucked out of my lungs as the aura that exude out of him was like a scorching force that seemed to take my breathe away. His features were chiseled, refined, and perfectly proportioned, as if sculpted by the finest artist. I couldn't help staring into his eyes that were a deep, piercing blue and sparkled with warmth and intelligence, fringed with thick lashes that added to their allure. My gaze went from those electrifying eyes to his lips that were full, sensual, and inviting and at that very moment was curled into a subtle, disarming smile of amusement.

The world around me seemed to have ceased existing because I was too preoccupied with staring, riveted by the man in front of me. Inky black hair framed a breathtaking and savagely gorgeous face.

His dark hair was styled perfectly, not a single strand out of place, and his skin had a warm, golden undertone, a testament to his impeccable grooming habits.

A slim, silver tie added a touch of sophistication to his outfit, its subtle pattern catching the light as he moved.

As I took in the full extent of his attire, she couldn't help but notice the quality of every item, the attention to detail, and the obvious expense that had gone into creating his outfit. This was a man who valued style, sophistication, and luxury, and who wasn't afraid to show it.

My heartbeat quickened; my lips parted to

accommodate faster breaths. He smelled sinfully good.

He held out a hand to me, exposing onyx cuff links and a very expensive-looking swiss wrist watch.

With a shaky inhalation, I placed my hand in his. My pulse leaped when his grip tightened.

His touch was electrical, sending a shock up my arm that raised the hairs on my nape. He didn't move for a moment, a frown line marring the space between arrogantly slashed brows.

"Are you all right?"

His voice was cultured and smooth, A subtle scent of expensive cologne wafted from him, teasing my senses, making me feel lightheaded and my stomache to flutter. for some unholy reason, It brought sex to my mind. Extraordinary sex. I thought for a moment that he might be able to make me orgasm just by talking

long enough. My lips were dry, so I licked them before answering.

"I'm fine."

He stood with economical grace, pulling me up with him. We

maintained eye contact because I was unable to look away. He looked to be in his late twenties.

I felt drawn to him, as though he's a living magnetic field. I blinked and tried to will myself out of my reverie. Looking at his dazzlingly beautiful face, I searched for a word befitting enough to describe him. Maybe an archangel would better fit. He was the kind of guy that would make a woman want to rip his shirt open and rip off the buttons without hesitation, letting go of her moral inhibitions.

He bent down and retrieved the dollar note that I hadn't realized is still there on the marble floor, breaking the spell that his gaze had induced on me. My brain stuttered back into gear as though I was waking up from day-dreaming.

I felt irritated with myself for feeling so awkward while he was so completely calm and in control.

I can't completely blame myself though, I was mesmerized and just couldn't help it.

He glanced up at me, and the pose-him nearly kneeling before me my equilibrium again as he handed me the note. He held my gaze as he rose. "Are you

sure you're all right? You should sit down for a minute."

I wheeled around and caught sight of the brunette who had spilled the contents of her purse. She was walking briskly over to where me and prince charming stood. She smiled quizzically at me, as she must have noticed the beads of perspiration rolling down my forehead. How silly it must be for me to appear awkward and clumsy in front

of the most gorgeous and graceful man I'd ever met.

"I just lost my balance. I'm okay." I mumbled.

She smiled again pitifully at me and then thanked me even more. I handed her the dollar notes and the coins I had picked up.

She turned to prince charming, thanking him too. For a flicker of a moment, I had the impression of a human bowing before a male god of gorgeousness.

I talked over her. "May I have my badge, please?"

He offered it back to me. Although I made an effort to retrieve it

without touching him, his fingers brushed mine, sending that charge of awareness into me all over again.

"Thank you," I muttered before skirting him and pushing out to the street through the revolving door. I paused on the sidewalk, gulping in a breath of New York air redolent with a million different things, some good and some toxic.

I walked over to a sleek, spotless Mercedes Maybach at the parking lot just outside the huge building and stared at my reflection in the car's window-glasses.

I almost cursed myself in embarrassment, because I was looking flushed

and my gray eyes were overly bright. I had seen that look on my face

before-in the bathroom mirror just before I went to bed with a man. It

was my I'm-ready-to-fuck look and it had absolutely no business being

on my face now.

Jesus Christ. Get a grip

I groaned and scolded myself.

Just a minutes with prince charming , and I was filled with an edgy, restless energy. I could still feel the pull of him, the inexplicable urge to go back inside where he was Christ. I could make the argument that I hadn't finished what I'd come there to do, but I knew I'd kick myself for it later.

Just the first day in visiting my place of work, and I've already made a mess of myself?

"Enough," I scolded myself under my breath. "Moving on."

And again I was assailed by the chaos of manhattan as taxis, cars, and trucks jostled for position. Horns blared, a cacophonous symphony of frustration, as drivers inched along, their patience wearing thin.

A yellow cab swerved into the adjacent lane, narrowly avoiding a collision with a sleek black sedan. The cab driver, a grizzled New York veteran, let out a string of expletives, his fist shaking in anger. The sedan's driver, unfazed, retorted with a few choice words of his own, as the two vehicles inched past each other, their occupants locked in a brief, fiery stare-down.

Meanwhile, a chorus of honking horns, squealing tires, and revving engines filled the air, a constant reminder of the city's frenetic energy. Amidst the mayhem, pedestrians dodged and weaved, their eyes fixed on the sidewalks as they navigated the concrete jungle. It was just another typical day on the streets of Manhattan.

As I melded into the flow of foot traffic and set off toward the gym, a smile teased my mouth. Ah, The Big Apple, I thought, feeling settled again. You rock.

I strode into the gym, the soft glow of the fluorescent lights bathed my face. I then dropped my bag onto the floor with a soft thud, the sound echoing off the mirrored walls, fell in line. I began with the stretch, my lithe body unfolded like a cat awakening from a nap, and my sinewy muscles rippling beneath my sleek skin.

I'd planned on warming up on a treadmill, then capping off the hour with a few of the machines. I expertly navigated the maze of weight machines and cardio equipment. The whir of the treadmills, the clang of the free weights, and the muted hum of the ellipticals provided a familiar background melody, one that seemed to fuel my focus.

By the time it was over, I felt more like myself. My muscles quivered with the perfect amount of fatigue and I knew I'd sleep hard when I crashed later.

"You did really well today, Leah ." someone clapped from behind me.

I wiped the sweat off my face with a towel and turned to stare into the beaming face of Coach Ryder.

Coach Ryder stood tall, his impressive physique a testament to his years of experience in the fitness industry. His short, dark hair was flecked with gray at the sides. Piercing blue eyes, both intense and encouraging, seemed to bore into Leah's very soul, as if daring her to push herself to new limits. A fitted, black tank top showcased his impressive biceps, while his worn, nylon shorts that spoke to his no-nonsense, hands-on approach to training. Despite his tough exterior, a hint of a smile played on his lips, betraying a deep passion for helping his clients achieve their goals.

"You have a natural grace and great physique Leah. With a little training you could be a real knockout. In a city like New York, knowing self-defense is imperative."

"Ever heard of mua Thai, Jiu Jitsu and krav maga?"

"I know of krav maga, but the other two....nada, never"

"I teach it, and I'd love to teach you. That's my website and the number to the studio."

Coach Ryder crossed his arms, which showed off bulging biceps. His Converse sneakers looked comfortably beat up and tribal tattoos, most likely originating from the cherokee peeked up from his collar.

"My website has the hours. You should come by and watch, see if it's for you."

He said.

"I'll definitely think about it."

"Do that." He extended his hand again, and his grip was solid and

confident. "I hope to see you."

* * *

I walked into the apartment and slammed the door behind me, heaving a sigh of relief in the process. I sniffed, immediately inhaling the fabulous smell drifting around the apartment. I tiptoed into the kitchen and saw Cate stirring something I couldn't quite see on the range.

There was an open bottle of wine on the counter and two goblets, one of which was half-filled with red wine.

"Hey," I called out as I got closer. "Whatcha cooking that smells so heavenly? And do I have time for a shower first?"

She dramatically poured wine into the other goblet and slid it across the breakfast bar to me, her movements practiced and elegant.

"Pasta with meat sauce. And hold the shower, dinner's ready. Have fun?"

"Once I got to the gym, yeah." I pulled out one of the teakwood barstools and sat. I told her about the martial arts proposals.

"Wanna go with me?"

Cate shook her head. "That's hardcore and not fitting for a lady. I'd get all bruised up and that would cost me jobs. But I'll go with you to check it out, just in case the guy's a wack."

I watched her dump the pasta into a waiting colander. "A wack, huh?"

For a moment, I contemplated telling Cate about the gorgeous guy in suit I met inside NovaSpire media partners building, but then thought better of it. What should she think of me if I do? Besides, it really wasn't worth talking to Cate about, so I brushed it aside.

My dad had once taught me to read guys pretty well, which was how I'd known that the guy was trouble. Regular people offered token smiles when they helped someone, just to make a momentary connection that smoothed the way, but him? There was just that hint of mischief and smugness that lingered on his smile that I had at first failed to notice.

"Baby girl," Cary said, pulling bowls out of the cupboard, "you're a sexy, stunning woman. I question any man who doesn't have the balls

to ask you outright for a date."

I wrinkled my nose and made a face at her.

She laughed.

"Stop doing that or you'd be looking like my grandma soon enough"

She set a bowl in front of me. It contained tiny tubes of salad noodles covered in a skimpy tomato sauce with lumps of ground beef and peas.

"See that look on your face? You've definitely got something on your mind, Leah. What is it?"

Hmm...I caught the handle of the spoon sticking out of the bowl and fiddled if it's worth telling her or not. Well.....

"I think I ran into the hottest man

on the planet today. Maybe the hottest man in the history of the world."

"Oh? Tell me about this mr. hottie " Cate sat on the opposite wooden chair, studying my face while eating.

"Not much to tell, really. I ended up looking like an idiot in the lobby."

"What was he like? muscular or lean Tall or short? Blond or dark? Eye color?"

I washed down my second bite with a glass of ménage à Trois red blend, which is a french red wine brand. The food didn't taste as bad as I initially feared.

" He was uhm..Tall. Dark. Lean

and built. Blue eyes. Filthy rich, judging by his clothes and accessories. And he was insanely sexy. You know how it is-some hot guys don't make your hormones go crazy, while some unattractive guys have massive sex appeal. This guy had it all."

My belly fluttered again as it had when prince charming touched me.

In my mind, I remembered his breathtaking face with crystal clarity. It should be illegal for a man to be that mind-blowing. I was still

recovering from the frying of my brain cells.

Cate set her elbow on the counter and leaned in.

"So what happened after he helped you up?"

I shrugged. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"I left...ran out of the building"

"Huh? No conversation? Just like that?"

I took another bite.

"He wasn't the kind of guy a girl should really be with, Cate."

"I dunno, Cate....there's something... dangerous about him that I can't seem to place my fingers on"

.

"Ah c'mon, leah, Bad boys can be fun, if

you don't get too close."

Of course she would know; men and even women of all ages fell at her feet. Dating to her seemed like an adventure of fun. She's dated stalkers, and cheaters, and lovers who threatened to kill themselves over her, and lovers with significant others they didn't tell

her about...just name it, she'd been through it.

"I can't see this guy ever being fun," I said. "He was way too intense, cate. Still, I bet he'd be awesome in the sack with all that intensity."

"Now you're talking. Forget the real guy. Just use his face in your fantasies and make him perfect there."

Preferring to get the guy out of my head altogether, I changed the subject.

"You have any go-sees tomorrow?"

"Of course."

I sipped from my whine glass again, and listened with rapt attention, giggling in excitement as she cate filled me in on her latest modeling gigs. Cate launched into the details of her schedule, mentioning a lingerie advertisement, self-tanner, underwear and some cosmetic brands.

"I know, right?" Cate said, barely containing her grin. "I'm actually starting to get some real traction. I just landed a campaign with a major beauty brand."

Cate's eyes widened. You're my super star already!"

I laughed. "Hardly, but I'm definitely making progress. And I have to say, it's been a real learning curve. The industry is so competitive, and you have to be on top of your game at all times."

I nodded thoughtfully, merely looking at her, she'd have no trouble at all in being at the top of her game. She's got the knockout looks, shape, elegancy and gracefulness.

"This is really great, Cate. You have a natural talent for this. And you're smart, too – you're not just focusing on the modeling itself, but also on building your brand and networking."

I was really thrilled for her and already envisioning her as a super star in the modeling industry.

She was practically bulldozing her way to the top.

It wasn't until after dinner that I noticed the two large gift boxes propped against the side of the sectional sofa.

"Who are those for?"

"Ohhh, that's from your beloved uncle Seymour. He dropped by briefly while you was away. kinda in a hurry, so he didn't stay long"

I held up the wrapped box, feeling a flood of emotions pouring in. Whatever animosity I might have harbored in the past against uncle Seymour was no more.

"What are they?" I asked Cate quizzically.

"Mind opening em up to find out?"

As I was unwrapping them, Cate continued;

"Glam threads for the advocacy center's fundraiser dinner on Saturday. A bombshell dress for you and one for me too, because

buying gifts for me is what he does for you, cos I'm part of the family anyways, and you're more tolerant if you have me around to listen to your blabbering."

"Damn straight. Thank God he knows that."

Cate caught my hand and tugged me over.

"Come on. Let me show you something"

* * *

I steeled myself for a few seconds as a wave of anxiety passed through me before pushing through the glass and steel revolving door of NovaSpire media partners into the lobby about fifteen minutes before nine the next morning.

Wanting to make the best impression on my first day, I'd gone with a simple sheath dress paired with black pumps that I slid on in replacement of my walking shoes on

the elevator ride up. My blond hair was twisted up in an artful chignon that resembled a figure eight, courtesy of Cate. I wore the Gold Rolex that had been a gift from uncle Seymour when he dropped by the day before.

At first, I had complained to Cate that I had put too much care into my appearance and recalled our last dialogue before I left the apartment.

"Ugh, I feel like I'm trying too hard," I had said to Cate, frowning a bit at my reflection.

Cate, lounging on the couch, snorted. "You're wearing a corset and a bustle, Leah. You look like you just stepped out of a Jane Austen novel."

I rolled her eyes. "Ha ha, very funny. I'm just trying to make a good impression."

Cate chuckled. "Impression? You look like you're about to attend a royal ball. 'Oh, good morrow, kind sir. Might I have the pleasure of discussing the finer points of 19th-century literature with thee?'"

I laughed, shaking her head. "You're ridiculous."

Cate grinned. "Hey, someone's got to keep you grounded. Now, go forth and conquer the day...or at least, the office."

But after stepping into the lobby and the event of the previous day where I was embarrassingly sprawled on the floor gawking at prince charming came flooding back at me, I thought better of it.

The two security guards didn't seem to put two and two together when I flashed them my ID card on the way to the turnstiles. If they had remembered me as the girl the other day, they didn't show it. I guess they see way too many faces everyday to be able to be adept at face recognition.

Twenty two floors later, I was walking out of the vestibule of NovaSpire media partners and before me was a wall of bulletproof glass that framed the

double-door entrance to the reception area.

The receptionist at the crescent-shaped desk saw the badge I held up to the glass.

She hit the button that unlocked the doors as I put my ID away.

Hi, Sakura," I greeted her cheerfully when I stepped inside, admiring her cranberry-colored blouse. She was a Japanese american and her features were a blend of her Japanese heritage and American upbringing. Her raven-black hair fell in sleek, straight lines down her back, framing her heart-shaped face and bright, expressive brown eyes. A smattering of light freckles across the bridge of her nose added a touch of warmth to her delicate, porcelain-like complexion. Her full pink lips spread into a disarming smile to reveal perfect dentition as she fully acknowledged me.

"Hello, Leah. First day at work?"

"Yeah, and I feel kinda nervous"

"I understand" she replied sympathetically at me like an overcaring mother. "Jonathan's not yet in, but I believe you know where you're going, right?"

"Absolutely." With a wave, I took the hallway to the left of the reception desk all the way to the end, where I made another left turn and ended up in a formerly open space now partitioned into cubicles.

One was mine and I went straight to it.

I dropped my purse and the bag holding my walking flats into the bottom drawer of my utilitarian metal desk; then booted up my computer. I'd brought a couple of things to personalize my space and I pulled them out. One was a framed collage of three photos-me and Cate on Torrey pines state beach, San Diego and the second was my mom and his brother, uncle Seymour, on his large yacht in the french Riviera, and lastly was my dad on duty as the county of madera's sheriff. He was perched onto the side of his police cruiser.

The last item Cate has smuggled in before I left the apartment were two water colors. I admired the color palette momentarily before I heard a clearing of throat beside me, making me to almost jump.

"Good morning, Leah"

I stood up to face the man, who turns out to be my new boss.

"Good morning, Mr. Banks".

"Please just call me Jonathan. Come on over to my office"

I followed him across the strip of hallway, once again thinking that my new boss was very easy to look at with his gleaming dark skin, trim goatee, and laughing brown eyes. Jonathan had a square jaw and a charmingly crooked smile. He was trim and fit, and he carried himself

with a confident poise that inspired trust and respect.

He gestured at one of the two seats in front of his glass and chrome desk, and waited until I sat to settle into his mahogany chair. Against the backdrop of sky and skyscrapers, Jonathan looked accomplished and powerful. He was, in fact, just a junior account manager and his office was a closet compared to the ones occupied by the directors and executives, but no one could fault the view.

He leaned back and smiled.

"How's your new apartment, by the way?"

I was surprised and at the same time touched that he cared enough to ask. There was a casualness about him that made me like him right away. I'd definitely get along with this new boss of mine very well.

"Yes, for the most part" I replied. "Just a few more stuffs to put together and hurl back here"

"I'm sure you must be missing the west side already. It's like an entirely different world from here"

"Yeah, the weather is milder and the air is dry. Great sunshine and more laid back"

He smiled. "You'd get used to it here. A lot more people, crazy traffic, noisier and more alive" He then leaned forward;

"So...it's your first day, Leah and you're my first assistant, so we'll have to figure this out as we go. I'm not used to delegating, but I'm sure I'll pick it up quick."

I was instantly at ease. "I'm eager to be delegated to."

"Having you around is a big step up for me, Leah. I'd like you to be

happy working here. Do you drink coffee?"

"Coffee is one of my major food groups."

"Ah, an assistant after my own heart." His smile widened. "I'm not

going to ask you to fetch coffee for me, but I wouldn't mind if you helped me figure out how to use the new one-cup coffee brewers they just put in the break rooms."

I grinned. "No problem."

"How sad is it that I don't have anything else for you?"

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Why don't I show you the accounts

I'm working on and we'll go from there?".

* * *

The rest of the day passed uneventful.

Jonathan touched bases with two clients and had a long meeting with the creative team working on concept ideas for a trade school. It was a fascinating process seeing firsthand how the various departments picked up the baton from each other to carry a campaign from proposition to fruition. I might've stayed late just to get a better feel of the layout of the offices, but my phone rang at ten minutes to five.

"Jonathan banks office. Leah miller speaking."

"Get your ass home so we can go out for the drink you rain-checked on yesterday."

Cary's mock sternness made me laugh.

"All right, all right. I'm coming."

Shutting down my computer, I cleared out. When I reached the bank of elevators, I pulled out my cell to text a quick "on my way" note to cate. A ding alerted me to which car was stopping on my floor and I moved over to stand in front of it, briefly returning my attention to hitting the send button. When the doors opened, I took a step forward.

I glanced up to watch where I was going and blue eyes met mine. My breath caught and I gasped on seeing who the occupant was in the car.

It was prince charming.