Unwanted Heat

With that I storm out of the room and leave the PR team to discuss other options, although I know the reality is there really aren’t any other options. I wish there was a way to get the paparazzi to just leave me alone but short of buying out every media outlet in the country, I don’t see that option being realistic.

At one point I had my legal team demand a gossip site remove a story about me and issue a statement that they reported false information. The day after it was issued, another media outlet published a different story about me, this time speculating on why I make charitable donations to certain organizations and not to others. In that moment I realized no matter what I did, there would always be stories out there about me. I stopped wasting my resources having my legal team send requests for companies to recant their stories.

“Mr. Parker?” Melody knocks on my door.

“Come in, Melody.”

“I just wanted to remind you that I am off tomorrow-”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“Yes, it’s on my calendar.”

“You have an early morning meeting where we usually provide breakfast so I have already placed an order with a local bakery. However someone will need to pick the order up-”

“Can’t they just deliver?”

“This bakery does not offer a delivery service, Mr. Parker.”

“Why the fuck do we do business with them if they don’t deliver?

Do you know how much time we could save if you didn’t need to run out before meetings to pick up food? Surely there are other bakeries in this city that offer delivery?”

“Yes, there are numerous bakeries within a few blocks of the office. However you know those muffins that you love?” I nod. “They are from that bakery. And the freshly made donuts that are a hit at each of your meetings? Also from that bakery. Your meeting tomorrow morning is with Connors and Associates and according to Mr. Connor’s PA, he has a soft spot for this bakery’s banana nut muffins which, of course, I ordered for tomorrow morning. Now if you don’t have anyone who can pick up the order, I can cancel it and find a bakery that will deliver-”

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll get Carter to stop by on our way in,” I concede once again realizing why it is I value Melody so much.

“Will you need anything else before I leave?”

“No, enjoy your day off Melody.”

After a couple more hours of work, I’m sitting in the back of the

Audi SUV that Carter is driving back to The Accord. Without asking, Carter again takes the long way, slowing just past the little coffee shop where only a couple of weeks ago, we splashed a beautiful young woman who has haunted my thoughts ever since. I don’t know what it was but there was something about her that captured my eye. Her long brown hair was pulled into a neat ponytail, her makeup was very light and minimal allowing her natural beauty to show through. Her outfit was simple but dressy: a pair of perfectly fit tan dress pants was complimented by a form fitting black button up blouse.

Carter and I both repeatedly apologized but she continued to say it wasn’t a big deal and shrugged the entire situation off. Had that happened to me, I guarantee I would have been cursing up a storm at everyone and anyone who would listen, demanding someone pay for the damage to my clothing. Knowing that we likely completely ruined her pants, seeing that they were now covered in water and dirt, I offered to take her somewhere to buy her a new outfit. Much to my surprise, she refused my offer, saying she was on her dinner break so she didn’t have much time. What surprised me more though was when I gave her money to pay for the new outfit and she tried refusing it.

I can’t remember ever having women try to refuse money that I gave them. Normally that’s all they want me for. That’s what they expect from me: they expect me to give them money and buy them things. This woman was completely different in that she tried to give the money back to me! No matter what I said, she insisted paying for new clothes wasn’t necessary but Carter and I both knew it was our fault that she would have to buy something new. Carter has worked for me long enough that verbal communication is not always needed; a quick glance between us confirmed that we were both thinking the same thing. As I pushed her hand with the money away, Carter and I both turned around to head back to the car, leaving her with the money in hand.

Ever since that evening, I have found that woman entering my thoughts at random times. I don’t know what it is about her but something is making her stick in my head. A couple of days after we spoke to her, I asked Carter to drive past the area on the way home. He was of course confused because this area was in the opposite direction but when I asked him to slow down as we approached the coffee shop, I think he figured out why I asked him to go this way.

Thus, every night on our way home, we go pass the coffee shop. We haven’t seen the woman from that incident on any of our drives past. I know the chances are slim of seeing her again but I still don’t ask Carter to return to his usual route. I’m not sure what I would do if we saw her tonight, or any other time for that matter. I have no desire to start a relationship and I doubt she would be interested in what I have to offer.

If I could find a way to just fuck her, it would probably get her out of my head but I certainly couldn’t walk up to her on the street, introduce myself and then ask her to come back to my place for a quick fuck could I? Something tells me that even if I could get away with that, she would never agree to it. One look at her and I could tell she isn’t the type to have a one night stand with someone. She’s the type who wants it all: the husband, the house, the white picket fence with 2. 3 kids running around in the backyard.