(Super short intro chapter. Some explination in the next one.)
'Hello."
Celia glanced up from what she'd been doing and blinked at the man who had appeared at her desk when she wasn't looking. "Uh-" She glanced down at the schedule in front of her and didn't see any important dates that she should have been aware of. "I-um. Are you-? Uh. Mr. Stark left a few minutes ago."
The man smiled at her, or at least it felt like he did though his expression didn't actually change that much. "I'm not here to see Stark."
Celia's brow rose. She generally assumed that if anyone in a suit entered the building they were here to talk to the big man in charge.
"Is Mrs Potts in?
"Oh. Actually she's in a meeting. Though she should be back soon. You can take a seat over there if you want." She said, motioning to the waiting area off to the left. This is basically everything her job as the Stark Tower receptionist consisted of. Directing people to one place or another. Something R&D, sometimes to Tony Stark. Usually to the waiting area. Really she was just a buffer. To give Mr Stark some warning when someone was on their way so he could pretend he'd been ready for them, or so he could stop them before they go to close. She'd even given a few 'Don't come to the lobby yet, she's here.' calls when an ex-girlfriend or one night stand come sniffing around.
The man glanced over to the small carpeted area complete with plush chairs, month old magazines (All with articles featuring Tony Stark himself) and a small coffee machine, but didn't seem at all interested in it. Instead he leaned slightly closer to her. "Have you played the starwars edition?"
She blinked up at him and his eyes flicked down to the phone in her lap.
"Oh!" She blushed the flipped the device over, pressing it down into her skirt. Just what she needed. To get caught playing Angry Birds on the job. "Uhm... No...I-"
"It's pretty addictive isn't it?"
"Yeah." She sighed. "It certainly eats away the hours."
"Phil!" They both glanced up to see Pepper Potts rush through the automatic doors of the tower. "Sorry I'm late. The meeting ran long."
"Oh, I wasn't here long, and I had this this lovely young lady to keep me company."
Celia blushed at that. Not because of his comment but because she didn't want Pepper to think she wasn't doing her job, even though she didn't exactly have anything to do right now.
"Oh, good. Are you ready?"
Phil nodded before glancing back at the receptionist. "Don't worry." He said quietly, eyes shining. "Your secrets safe with me." With that he left to join Pepper by the door "What do you think? I'm feeling Italian."