Merry Christmas Eve Lovebugs.
I DO NOT OWN SINGLE LADIES OR GLEE
After the whole fiasco with Jalen Mercedes worked like a dog. She typed up new itineraries, she signed over ten contracts, she scheduled recording sessions, it was a miracle Tasha even got her to eat lunch because she refused to take breaks. However, that was just how Mercedes operated she refused to take breaks and focus on herself especially when she felt as though her business was being threatened. Jalen marching into her office demanding money was a threat to her company. Sure Jalen gave her half a million dollars for the company and at one point he did own 5% of the company but that was when he was faithful. That was when Mercedes actually thought her husband was going to be ok, he had completed his physical therapy and there was talk that he was going to be able to play again, and he seemed happy. However, Mercedes was wrong. When she found out that he had been cheating on her she bought him out of his five percent with an ample amount of money. So much money that he and his new bitch could have moved to Los Angeles and started a weed dispensary, and a bakery. But there was Jalen barging in her office demanding money, always there to remind Mercedes how much damage he really did.
Mercedes was in the middle of setting up a press event with tv show when Kurt and Rachel came into the office and sat in the two chairs in front of her desk with a folder in their hands.
"If this doesn't have anything to do with the new deal I just signed with Kurt and Jane I quite frankly don't want to hear it," Mercedes said calmly.
"It isn't that but it is about this new up-and-coming underground artist, his name is Lex Jegs, he has a wonderful sultry voice and he can even rap. He is just what Jones Management needs. You have to snatch him up before one of the competitors do," Rachel talked.
"Rachel, no one in their right mind would even think about competing with me for one because I would simply just win, and two this doesn't have anything to do with Jane, or Kurt, so you just wasted my time," Mercedes replied.
"Mercedes, um do you think we could sign him off because we already disclosed a meeting with him on Friday at 11:00," Kurt said sheepishly.
Mercedes let out a deep sigh as she rubbed her temples, "You two are very annoying, and persistent, but since you think you can take matters into your own hands and schedule meetings with potential clients how about this. Lex gets one meeting and one meeting alone, if I like him then I will sign him with the company and he will become your responsibility. Not just Rachel's and not just Kurt's but the both of you's responsibility. You are going to be responsible for making him a star, you are going to be responsible for making sure he comes out with a chart-topping album, making sure he has positive interactions with the press, making sure he stays on track, making sure he is trained properly under any circumstance, making sure that if anybody was to ever say something negative about him that he learns how to look and not reply, making sure that he can truly handle this business, making sure that he has the balls to be in this industry and his fashion needs to on point. And if I don't like him, well you just better hope I do like him. Are we clear?"
Rachel and Kurt both visibly gulped, "Crystal."
"Great," Mercedes replied but the two kept sitting down.
"Oh, I guess you want some type of motivational encouragement. Here it goes, don't fuck up. Now see yourselves out." Mercedes replied and the two quickly rushed out of their seats and out of the office. Mercedes closed her desktop and unbuttoned the two buttons on her blouse, and closed the blinds on the windows with her remote, and laid her head down on the desk. She let the darkness overtake her and slowly her beads of stress started to fray and she thought about last night with Sam and how alive she felt with him. And how much she wanted to see him again.
"Alright so let me get this straight Quinn is talking about how stressed she is about her residency, and how she needs a break, and your big idea is to buy her a puppy. Am I hearing this correctly?" Sam questioned. Puck and Sam were currently outside of the high-profile politician's office having some really late lunch. It was 8:50, Sam and Puck had been on the clock since 10:30 this morning. They were both ready to go home but instead, Puck was filling his friend on the new drama with his wife, until the new guards came in for their shift.
"Puppies dig chicks, chicks dig puppies, besides I don't see the big deal it was a puppy." Puck stated.
"Puck, Quinn expressed that she is stressed out, you bringing home a living and breathing creature is just adding on to her stress. Think about she spends most of her days at the hospital, every single time she is at home she has to cater to you, and then clean the whole house because a majority of the time you have had left it like a pigsty. So just by you adding a new puppy who I am sure is not trained just created more stress."
"So what I was supposed to buy her?"
"A goddamn cleaning lady, hell foot rubs, a trip to the spa. Anything that would have caused her to destress." Sam stressed. He loved Puck to death but when it came to being a good husband he struggled a lot.
"Oh please, you would have gotten there the same exact thing that I had gotten."
"No, I wouldn't have, because I actually would listen to my wife, and get her what she needed not what I thought she needed."
"Dude, you got laid for the first time in forever, and now all of a sudden you are the lady whisperer. The sex could not have been that good." Puck said.
"Oh but it was Pucky boy," Sam sighed as he stood up and threw away his trash.
"Are you going to visit her tonight?" Puck questioned.
"What do you mean?"
Puck huffed, "What do I mean, you know the woman's first name and last name, and where she works, and we both know she is most likely a workaholic so what I mean is are you going to go and visit her after the shift is over?"
"I hadn't planned on it," Sam answered truthfully.
"Well, you should matter of fact bring her some dinner and everything, be the nice gentleman that you are trying to train me to be." Puck joked.
"And I will, as a matter of fact, when do our shift takers get here?" Sam questioned.
"They should be here in the next five minutes, so you can do the security sweep and I will throw away the trash," Puck commanded. Sam nodded his head and headed out for his security check. He checked all the main doors, the windows, and all of the empty rooms, and once he was positive he check everything he headed back to the room with Puck where the two new guys were.
"Hey man I just informed him that his new guards are here, let's roll," Puck said. Sam nodded his head and followed the man to the truck. The puck dropped Sam off back at the office so Sam could get in his truck. When he did he decided to go and get some breakfast from the same place he did this morning so maybe this time Mercedes and Sam could enjoy the food. He checked the time on his watch and noticed that it was 10:15 and he really hoped Mercedes was still working. When he made it to the massive building he understood clearly why Mercedes took so much pride in her craft. She managed to take an idea and turn it into a money-making machine. When he entered everyone was gone but a few security guards.
Sam knew that they were not going to let him go in without confirmation but he also wanted to surprise Mercedes so he snuck to the elevators and was able to slip in without ever being seen. A trick of the trade from all the work he does. He clicked the top floor button and let the ride calm his nerves. He genuinely hoped that Mercedes would still be here and if she was that he would not turn him away. He wanted to get to know her, he felt drawn to her, and he wanted to see how much this would take him. The elevator dinged and stepped off and walked straight to Mercedes's office but she was so engrossed in her laptop that she hadn't even known that he was standing there.
"I am going to assume, that you have barely eaten all day, and that your assistant had to force you to eat that measly salad," Sam spoke as he laced the bag of food on Mercedes's desk breaking her out her work spell. Mercedes eyed the man.
"OK, one how did you get past security? Two, how did you know where I worked, and three how do you know it was a salad?" Mercedes questioned.
"One, I did work as a secret service agent, I know how o be invisible, two I finally got your full name, and three your trash has the salad in it." Sam answered as he started taking the food out of the trays.
"I can't eat I have work to do," Mercedes said as she went back to typing. Sam raised his eyebrows at her and walked behind her and started massaging her shoulders and Mercedes instantly melted into his touch.
"Now, what is going to happen is that you are going to eat, and you can work on anything you haven't finished today tomorrow," Sam instructed.
"Who says that I have to listen to you," Mercedes replied as she tried to go back to typing, but Sam took the laptop away and placed it away from her on another desk.
"You are going to listen," Sam answered. He sat back down in his seat and gave Mercedes her food before grabbing his own.
"So tell me what happened today," Sam began.
"Well, I had to break up verbal sparring match between two people, I had to force one of my clients to perform the correct songs, and in the midst of that I had to answer emails, schedule meetings, type up itineraries, and make sure everyone has control damage for those who need it. Pretty normal day." Mercedes answered.
"Why didn't you eat today?"
"I did."
"Beautiful, eating a couple of bites of a salad isn't you eating, that's you surviving."
"Why would you care so much."
"Because I hate to see a woman as beautiful and strong-headed as you neglect her health. You need to know when to rest."
"I don't have the time to rest, I have to work even when all I want to do is lay in bed, my gender and my race don't allow for me to rest." Mercedes answered truthfully.
"So what I am hearing is that I need to start forcing you to eat and rest, that isn't a problem for me at all Ms. Jones," Sam said with a smirk. Mercedes rolled her eyes and kept eating her food. They ate in a comfortable silence until Sam stood up and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked at the skyline. The night was covered in deep blues and purples with lights from surrounding lights from other buildings.
"This view is amazing," Sam said as Mercedes walked over to him.
"I know it was one of the main reasons why I bought the building when I got the money for it," Mercedes answered.
"With a view like this I would find it hard to leave," Sam said as he looked down at Mercedes.
"Yeah," Mercedes said, "The view is lovely all the colors conforming into something beautiful."
"I wasn't talking about that view," Sam answered. He pulled Mercedes in close and gave her a gentle kiss on her lips and deepened the kiss. He pushed her up against the window and toyed with the zipper on her dresser as Mercedes pulled down his jacket. Sam pulled away and looked at Mercedes.
"We can stop if you want," Sam whispered. Mercedes gently shook her head no and pulled Sam back in for another kiss. And I guess you could say that the two did satisfy each other's appetite.
The next morning Mercedes went to work as usual earlier than everyone else. She cleaned up the mess she and Sam made and jumped right into her work. When she opened her email it was from Jalen's attorney asking for a meeting concerning the matter of Jalen getting paid. Frustrated already without her morning coffee Mercedes dialed Jalen's phone number.
"What the hell are you trying to do?" Mercedes gritted out when the line picked up.
"I told you I wanted my money. Look, Mercedes, I have a family that I need to think about, and I want my money." Jalen said calmly.
"Jalen, I bought you out of your five percent of this business which if I remember correctly was more than what you initially invested and more than the interest that you would have originally gotten. Now I know that you are a smart man, so you explain to me why I have to be responsible for that bitch you are marrying and that little brat that she is carrying."
"Mercedes I am not one of your clients, so you will not talk to me as such. Look I know I made some mistakes-"
"Mistake. Jalen you screwed her in our bed in our home for a year, and the only reason I even found out was because of the tabloids. I immediately bought your partnership out of the company because I knew that I never wanted to have any more ties with you. So again, I say what the hell are you trying to do? I am not sitting down to speak with your attorney over money that I refuse to give to you."
"You still love me."
"What did you say?"
"Don't you? You still love me, that is why you are still fighting me about this, that is why you haven't given me what I want because we both know the minute that you just give me what you owe me that I'll be out of your life forever. I'll be with my family, and you will be alone with nothing but that company of yours. Tell me does owning that business keep you warm at night."
"Go. To. Hell." Mercedes hissed into the phone as she hung up. She rubbed her hands over her face before going back to work. She worked herself to the bone, when Tasha came in and gave her morning coffee with a strawberry cream cheese bagel she barely glanced at the food, she simply drank the coffee. As she continued working she received a phone call from her personal phone.
"Mercedes Jones of Jones Management how may I help you?" She answered sweetly.
"Eat," Sam said simply on the phone.
"What?" Mercedes said looking at the phone as if it had grown two heads.
"Your assistant I am sure came into your office and gave you your morning coffee and she even picked you up something to eat. You have neglected to eat it and we both know that you refuse to eat, so I am calling you and telling you to eat." Sam answered honestly.
"And what happens if I don't choose to eat," Mercedes questioned as she started her work again.
"Then, Mercedes Jones of Jones Management, I'll have to make sure you learn a very important lesson."
Mercedes nearly dropped her phone at Sam's words.
"Eat, babygirl," Sam replied before hanging up the phone. Mercedes looked at the phone and scoffed before grabbing the bagel and reluctantly eating it. She ate the bagel and she had to admit it did feel good to actually eat something for breakfast instead of going through coffee until she actually felt like eating. Once she was finished with the bulk of her desk work she headed into her meeting with Kurt. In actuality, that meeting with Kurt was Kurt coming into Mercedes's office to show her the new outfits he had planned for her upcoming events.
Kurt shuttled into the office with a rack of dresses ranging from style to color.
"I loathe yellow, pink, and purple, so all those dresses you have for me are an automatic no." Mercedes replied as she leaned back against her desk.
"OK, for one, you barely gave them a look, and two I am the stylist here. Now I already pulled three dresses of your signature colors, red, black, and white. However, I am leaning towards this emerald number. The red dress as you can say is everything you want it to be a thigh-high slit, with lace sleeves that wrap around your middle finger and it also has lace near the chest area but it covers it up artfully. The black is the signature little black dress it comes off the shoulders and cinches your waist, and the white is a simple mid-length dress. Now, this emerald number is basically the same as the red. The only difference is that it has a long train behind it." Kurt explained as he showed Mercedes the dresses.
"Tasha run down through the events I have this week," Mercedes commanded.
"Tuesday album release party for a singer, Wednesday networking event, Thursday you have an interview with Entertainment Tonight, and Friday is the night of the Grammys," Tasha replied.
"Tuesday I wear the white dress, Wednesday the little black dress, Thursday I need you to show me something else, and Friday I will wear the emerald green dress," Mercedes answered as she looked at Kurt.
"Alright, I have this blue number. It is a blue lace shirt with a matching pencil skirt, and blazer." Kurt explained as he showed her the outfit.
"Perfect,"
"Hey, Mercedes a Mr. Sam Evans is requesting that you leave your calendar empty this Saturday coming up," Tasha said.
"Sam Evans as in the Sam Evans you screwed after the party," Kurt said as he looked at Mercedes wide-eyed.
"Kurt hush, Tasha tell Mr. Evans that I work late on Saturdays and that I will be in the office all day."
"I tried Merce, but he is very persistent, I'll transfer him to line one," Tasha replied. Mercedes rolled her eyes and gestured for Kurt to keep his mouth shut before picking up the work phone.
"First I am getting harassed to eat, and now you are demanding that I take time off on Saturday," Mercedes said as she talked on the phone.
"I wouldn't call it harassing and I wouldn't call it demanding. Simply making sure you do as I say without any force." Sam replied.
"I think I should get you a dictionary one day Sam."
"You saying my name last night sounded a lot better than it did right now, tell me did you get flashbacks when you walked into your office today."
"Wouldn't you love to know the answer," Mercedes said.
"I'll see you later Mercedes, bye." Sam then hung up the phone.
"So I am thinking I design you a hot ass outfit for Saturday, tell me what color are his eyes?" Kurt began.
"Why does that matter, Kurt," Mercedes said as she sat back down at her desk.
"Because you like him, you would never let a man leave you flabbergasted like that, let alone speechless, and not to mention you wouldn't let him call the shots. But something about this Sam Evans is making you change Ms. Jones. So while you keep reminiscing about getting your back blown out in this office I will start working on this design with Jane for your Saturday outfit. Toodles," Kurt said as he grabbed his stuff and left the office. Mercedes rolled her eyes at his antics and went back to work until her phone dinged with a message. She took a look and let out a smile.
"Take a break" xoxo-Sam