Chapter 48 - Lunch Together?

Harry raised his eyes from the document in front of him and looked at Lucy who just walked into his office.

"He won't be coming in today," He said, in response to her unspoken question. While watching her closely. He had to admit that she looked more pretty wearing her hair down and without her glasses.

"Oh! So what am I to do?" Lucy asked, feeling very relieved that she didn't have to face a boss she knew was likely going to be difficult. It wasn't like she wasn't curious to know what he looked like, but she just wasn't ready yet.

"I already told you, your office changed no doubt, but your responsibilities are the same. You can have your secretary bring you all the work you need to take care of, and if the boss has an assignment for you, I will deliver it to you," Harry assured her.

"Alright. Thank you, sir," Lucy said, turning to leave.

"Miss Perry?" Harry called before she got to the door.

"Yes?" Lucy asked, looking at him curiously.

"You can't go into his office unless you're sent for, or sent there," Harry said, making Lucy frown. The more they gave her these weird rules, the wearier she became of this CEO. If she didn't know better, she would think the CEO was someone she knew who was avoiding her, but that was ridiculous. What was he so bent on hiding from? She wondered.

"Noted, sir."

"By the way, you look really good today."

"Thank you," Lucy said with an awkward smile before leaving. She didn't want to look good. She didn't even care for any of the compliments she was receiving. All she wanted was to wear her glasses and have her hair out of her face. She didn't want any sort of attention from anyone. She knew she looked good, so hearing them say it wasn't a big deal to her.

As she returned to her office, she was like a mini office outside the CEO's office, she checked her drawers to make sure everything was in place and then closed her eyes when her eyes fell on the envelope Tom had handed her.

She didn't know whether to be thankful that he had returned it to her or to feel embarrassed. She had left it there when she couldn't find it that morning, believing that she was never going to run into him again. Who would have thought any of this would happen? She took out the pant and smelt it, and gritted her teeth when she perceived the faint scent of soap. He had washed it. Did he hand wash it? She wondered, her face coloring at the thought.

She would have to dispose of it since there was no way she could wear it again. She threw it into the trashcan and stood up to pick it up immediately. The last thing she needed was for the cleaner, whoever they were to find her panties in the trashcan. That would make them assume all manner of things about her. She took the panties out of the envelope and dipped it inside an inner zip in her handbag before discarding the envelope.

"Time for today's business!" Lucy said out loud, as she picked up her phone and dialed her secretary's number. She instructed her to bring every document she needed to attend, to her. And when she was done with the call, her eyes drifted to the CEO's door. She wondered what she would find behind the door if she went into his office now.

She quickly shook her head to discard any silly thoughts and focused on arranging her desk instead. By the time she was done with that, her secretary knocked on the door, and she gave her the go-ahead to enter.

Although this office was that of a personal assistant, it was undoubtedly bigger and better looking than her previous office. Her secretary looked around with a smile on her face happy that she had gotten the privilege to glimpse a part of the CEO's office, "Here are the documents," the secretary said, with her eyes everywhere else but on Lucy. She couldn't help wondering what Lucy must have done to have received this sort of promotion. Being the CEO's assistant was a very big deal.

"Thanks. You can leave," Lucy said as she opened the documents in front of her and started reviewing them.

She remained in that position for some hours until she heard a knock on her door, "You can come in," She said without raising her head. She raised her head the moment the scent of his perfume invaded her nostrils, and naturally, her face colored.

"Sorry to bother you, Miss Perry, it's lunchtime," Tom said, raising the food pack he was carrying so she could see.

"You didn't have to worry," She said without meeting his gaze.

Tom said nothing as he looked around the office before looking at her desk, "Nice office. You seem to have settled in," Tom observed.

Lucy was grateful he wasn't bringing up the issues of the panties, "I haven't been here for up to a week, so moving to a different office wasn't really difficult," Lucy explained.

"So have you seen him? What is he like?" Tom asked curiously, glancing at the main office door.

"Thankfully he's not coming to the office today. You won't believe all the outrageous instructions I've been given," Lucy said with a shake of her head. Tom seemed like the only 'friend' she had right now, so she was willing to gossip with him, as long as that removed every awkwardness between them.

"Really? Like?" Tom asked, cocking his head to one side so he could look at her.

"If you're not in a hurry, you can sit down," Lucy offered as she covered the documents in front of her and reached for the food pack which he was still holding.

"Sure. Thanks," Tom said as he handed her the food pack, before taking the seat opposite her. Apart from bringing her lunch as he had promised he would be doing, he had wanted to see if she was still feeling embarrassed about the envelope issue, and also to see if she would treat him differently. He was impressed to see that she was acting as nothing had happened.

Lucy opened the food, thankful that he had remembered to bring her lunch. She was yet to have breakfast as usual, and even though she knew coffee wasn't good for her, she had taken coffee again. It was one of her guilty pleasures even though she had been warned it exacerbates her ulcer. This was probably how she had gotten an ulcer: always forgetting to eat and consuming coffee.

"Thanks for the food," Lucy said with a small smile and reached for a hairband inside her handbag, which she used to wrap her hair in a ponytail.

"You really don't like leaving your hair down? Why?" Tom asked curiously as he watched her.

"I'm more comfortable this way," Lucy said as she opened the box of chicken and chips, "Have you eaten?" Lucy asked, surprising them both.

Tom smiled, "Yes."

"How about you bring your lunch so we eat together next time?" Lucy offered.

"Lunch together? Really?" Tom asked with a happy smile which made her heart flutter. She had to admit that he was very good-looking.

Lucy cleared her throat, "Yes. Since you're new here I'm sure you don't have many friends either apart from the lady you're crushing on, so we can eat together," Lucy said even though a part of her kept telling her that she was making a mistake.

What harm could possibly come from eating with her one-night stand-cum-neighbor-cum-friend-cum-driver?