A/N: Thank you guys so damn much for the awesome response to this story and for welcoming me back with open arms... I am beyond grateful for all of you... for the encouragement and all the reviews, to everyone sharing and commenting you guys rock... I'm going to try my best to respond to you all! I love seeing so many of the same names that I've seen for years and the new names too... It makes my day seeing reviews like "I haven't logged into fanfic in forever, but felt I should for this occasion!" Thanks Nic!... I seriously missed all of you!
Okay, enough rambling... as I said this is pre-written and going to be 5 short parts... I have another story that I'm working on from years ago that's almost completely written and that will be posting next... so if you haven't already... please set your alerts!
Thanks again to my team... Ashley, Monica and Di... couldn't have done it without you!
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Part 2
The memos and calls are out of the way in no time, and with nothing to occupy it, Bella's mind wanders. It's one of the reasons she doesn't mind the myriad of tasks set out by Mr. Cullen. As well as Bella knows her boss, she's pretty sure Mr. Cullen—Edward—is just as familiar with her, and realizes how she works best. When she has time to think, Edward Cullen is always at the center of her thoughts.
And not just because the man's older and gorgeous. That part is obvious. And while daydreaming about the physical perfection her boss embodies is wholly acceptable away from the office, she likes to concentrate on Edward Cullen, the man.
She has worked here for nearly three years, going from unknown legal clerk to personal assistant for one of Chicago's premier finance experts. The job fits like nothing she ever studied or expected. Her economics and law degrees had prepared her for something altogether different, but once she met Mr. Cullen, her focus had shifted. The calm and powerful man had captivated her. She also saw something she wanted to achieve and emulate. The man gave her that chance, looked past the monotonous work Bella had been given. Bella likes to think he'd seen future potential. Edward Cullen is certainly smart enough to know where his employees will be most useful. Despite what Rosalie and others think, Bella has no regrets and can't fathom why he would.
Someday they'll know; they'll realize the opportunity she's been given. Just not today.
Today, she can relax until the conference call finishes, and then, as the highlighted agenda reminds her, it will finally be tonight.
Two hours later, the conference call wraps up, sending Bella and Rosalie back into work-mode. Mr. Cullen emerges from his office and drops a folder onto Bella's desk.
"Bella, fax these over to McCarty's attorney's office. He requested them during the call."
Fifteen minutes later, fax sent and logged, the intercom buzzes.
"I need the prospectus on the Newton accounts. Organize it for me so that it's ready for their appointment in the morning."
The requests continue well into the afternoon and early evening.
"I skipped lunch. Order me a tuna sandwich and pick it up."
"Bring in the reports from the Stanley acquisitions you printed out."
"Contact Ben Cheney and see if you can switch our meeting to Wednesday instead of Tuesday."
"Call my country club and schedule a round of golf for Mr. Volturi and me on Sunday morning."
Bella's in her zone of listen and follow through when the last request stops her. She stares at the intercom and goes through the facts in her head. Her boss's Sundays have always been "reserved." No meetings—not even casual appointments. He doesn't take calls and hardly leaves his townhouse—uses the day to unwind and escape, the same way Bella does. Plus, Cullen hates golf.
"A round of golf?" She has to question it, and figures Cullen can hear the speculation even over the line.
"Was I speaking Spanish?"
"No, just double-checking," she covers. "Sunday morning, you said?"
There's a moment's pause before the line picks up again.
"On second thought, don't schedule it. Phone Volturi and set up a meeting for Monday morning."
Bella's stumped as she turns off the intercom. The dilemma's moot now, but it's not like Cullen to change his habits without Bella noticing. Suddenly, she remembers the earlier awkward and subtle tries at humor. Is her boss still trying to mess with her head? The golf thing could easily have been an attempt to trip her up. If so, she's passed, hasn't she?
Fingers tap a nervous rhythm on her desk, and Rosalie throws a crumpled up spreadsheet at her head.
She doesn't really want to ponder it. Edward Cullen in a playful mood can mean a dozen things: alien abduction, getting up on the wrong side of the bed, or maybe the mayonnaise in his tuna had turned. It all pushes to the back of Bella's mind before she can obsess any further. There's only an hour to get through before she's done for the day. Dinner beckons, and she can forget all about countless errands and strange behavior.
At least, until tomorrow.