Ch. 2
That was the last thing Haley thought Lucas would say to her.
"Umm..." If she told him the truth, he wouldn't remember her anyways. Besides the star basketball player wouldn't pay any attention to who most people referred to as "Tutor Girl."
"I...I don't think so." Haley allowed the lie to slip out her mouth. Haley James was lying and it wasn't just a small white lie. It was the mother of all lies. Hopefully he wouldn't remember her, which she highly doubted would happen.
"I'm probably mistaking you for someone else," Lucas replied. Still looking into her beautiful eyes, he asked, "Do you think you can sit up?"
"Yeah, I think so."
Lucas carefully helped her sit in a comfortable position on the couch. "Can I get you anything?"
"No thank you."
His genuine concern and kindness caused her to start falling for him all over again; something she vowed she would never do. As embarrassing as it was for her to admit, it took her about two years after she graduated from high school to forget about him. Of course there were times when she started thinking about him again because something would remind her of him, but it only occurred occasionally at the strangest times.
But she thought she was over this never ending cycle of liking him and not liking him. She thought she was over him, but apparently he was still able to stir up some feelings she never had felt for anyone else. It's been seven years since the last time she'd seen him and why was she even contemplating this? 'It's over. I'm over it. Yeah...if I keep telling myself this, it will happen. It has to because no matter what, he's my boss and there is no way he would even become interested in me romantically.'
By the time she sorted out her thoughts and made a promise to herself that she would keep her relationship with him strictly professional, she glanced up at a preoccupied Lucas, who once again was holding a manuscript. Relieved that he wasn't gawking at her zoning out into her own little world, she stood up. "Mr. Scott...I mean Lucas."
"Yes?" he smiled inwardly. She probably didn't realize that he did see her stare off into space in the corner of his eyes. She would definitely make his days more interesting.
Placing her hair behind an ear, she asked, "Do you have any tasks you want me to complete?" The sooner he assigns her some errands to run, the sooner she could get out of the room.
Laying down the manuscript, he opened a narrow drawer in his desk, pulling out a cell phone. Walking towards her, he handed her the phone. "Actually, I want you to take the day off. Here's a phone that I will contact you at whenever I need you."
Taking the phone from him, she replied, "But I can't take off on my first day of work."
"You can and you will." This is a good sign that she must be a reliable worker who has strong work ethics. "Besides, you just fainted. No assistant of mine is going to work until she is healthy and feeling well."
"But..." Haley trailed off.
"But nothing. You're going home and getting plenty of rest. By the way, do you know what caused you to faint?" Lucas asked wondering what in the world would cause her to do so the minute she stepped into the office.
"I'm not sure," she replied meekly, knowing full well that he was the very reason. But it wasn't possible for her to say, "You're the reason."
"It's doesn't matter as long as you feel better." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I forgot to mention that we're leaving tomorrow for California. I have a seminar to attend there so pack your bags for a three day stay."
Haley couldn't believe her ears. She just started the job and all of the sudden, she already had to leave the state the following day. "I'll send for a car to pick you up at 8:00AM."
"I'll see you then." Haley turned around, quickly leaving the room. When she was a few feet away from the door, she said, "I almost forgot to thank you for your help."
"You're welcome." His eyes stayed trained on her until she walked out the door.
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A driver rang the doorbell to a small, but modest apartment. Upon hearing the ring, Haley opened the door after looking through the peephole.
"Miss James. May I take your bags?" the proper middle-aged gentlemen questioned.
Haley pointed to the luggage next to the door, "Thank you."
"You're welcome mam," smiling, he picked up he suitcase and carried it to the car with Haley right behind him.
The driver placed the item in his hand on the floor and then opened the door for Haley before shutting it and putting the bag in the trunk of the black Mercedes.
Haley sat down, only to realize that her boss was sitting right next to her. "Oh...hi." After hearing how that sounded, she cringed.
"Don't sound too excited to see me," Lucas joked. 'I need to thank whoever hired her for me.'
"Sorry," Haley replied, feeling weird that she didn't have the strong urge to make fun of him back. Growing up in a large family brought out the witty side of her. If she didn't come up with smart comebacks her siblings would have eaten her alive.
"Look Haley. Can I be upfront with you?"
"Of course," nodding her head, her eyes drifted to her hands. She hated confrontations; especially if it was with someone she hardly knew.
The sight of her uneasiness made him say what he had to quickly, "I know that we just barely met, but you're my new personal assistant. We'll be working together all the time and I hope that you'll feel comfortable enough to be yourself around me. I mean, I don't scare you do I?" He hoped he wasn't the reason for her timid persona. Maybe she's the type of person who's shy when she first meets someone. Hoping that was the case, he anxiously awaited her reply.
As if she read his thoughts, she confirmed it. "I'm not scared of you." 'Well I am but not for the reason you think I am. Just don't remember who I am and I'll be fine.'
"Good. I was hoping I didn't. I'm glad that's settled." His huge grin caused Haley to smile as well.
Thinking that if she didn't start to relax around him, she wouldn't feel comfortable working for him. So that was what she decided to do. She would try to be herself as much as she can around him. It wasn't as if she was trying to hide who she was, but it took time to open up to people; for them to see her for the person she was. Not many people are able to be that patient. Hopefully he was willing to wait. And if he was lucky, he may see the side of her many people never see; the side where she would respond with a witty comeback so fast most people didn't see it coming or aren't able to respond. 'I guess only time will tell' she thought as she leaned back against the seat, enjoying the ride to the airport. She was glad her boss was once again preoccupied with yet another manuscript. Maybe the quietness and time to herself will allow her to relax a bit before they arrived at the airport and hopefully after the plane ride. 'If that was the case, maybe I'm not making a mistake in accepting this job.'
That was the last thing Haley thought Lucas would say to her.
"Umm..." If she told him the truth, he wouldn't remember her anyways. Besides the star basketball player wouldn't pay any attention to who most people referred to as "Tutor Girl."
"I...I don't think so." Haley allowed the lie to slip out her mouth. Haley James was lying and it wasn't just a small white lie. It was the mother of all lies. Hopefully he wouldn't remember her, which she highly doubted would happen.
"I'm probably mistaking you for someone else," Lucas replied. Still looking into her beautiful eyes, he asked, "Do you think you can sit up?"
"Yeah, I think so."
Lucas carefully helped her sit in a comfortable position on the couch. "Can I get you anything?"
"No thank you."
His genuine concern and kindness caused her to start falling for him all over again; something she vowed she would never do. As embarrassing as it was for her to admit, it took her about two years after she graduated from high school to forget about him. Of course there were times when she started thinking about him again because something would remind her of him, but it only occurred occasionally at the strangest times.
But she thought she was over this never ending cycle of liking him and not liking him. She thought she was over him, but apparently he was still able to stir up some feelings she never had felt for anyone else. It's been seven years since the last time she'd seen him and why was she even contemplating this? 'It's over. I'm over it. Yeah...if I keep telling myself this, it will happen. It has to because no matter what, he's my boss and there is no way he would even become interested in me romantically.'
By the time she sorted out her thoughts and made a promise to herself that she would keep her relationship with him strictly professional, she glanced up at a preoccupied Lucas, who once again was holding a manuscript. Relieved that he wasn't gawking at her zoning out into her own little world, she stood up. "Mr. Scott...I mean Lucas."
"Yes?" he smiled inwardly. She probably didn't realize that he did see her stare off into space in the corner of his eyes. She would definitely make his days more interesting.
Placing her hair behind an ear, she asked, "Do you have any tasks you want me to complete?" The sooner he assigns her some errands to run, the sooner she could get out of the room.
Laying down the manuscript, he opened a narrow drawer in his desk, pulling out a cell phone. Walking towards her, he handed her the phone. "Actually, I want you to take the day off. Here's a phone that I will contact you at whenever I need you."
Taking the phone from him, she replied, "But I can't take off on my first day of work."
"You can and you will." This is a good sign that she must be a reliable worker who has strong work ethics. "Besides, you just fainted. No assistant of mine is going to work until she is healthy and feeling well."
"But..." Haley trailed off.
"But nothing. You're going home and getting plenty of rest. By the way, do you know what caused you to faint?" Lucas asked wondering what in the world would cause her to do so the minute she stepped into the office.
"I'm not sure," she replied meekly, knowing full well that he was the very reason. But it wasn't possible for her to say, "You're the reason."
"It's doesn't matter as long as you feel better." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I forgot to mention that we're leaving tomorrow for California. I have a seminar to attend there so pack your bags for a three day stay."
Haley couldn't believe her ears. She just started the job and all of the sudden, she already had to leave the state the following day. "I'll send for a car to pick you up at 8:00AM."
"I'll see you then." Haley turned around, quickly leaving the room. When she was a few feet away from the door, she said, "I almost forgot to thank you for your help."
"You're welcome." His eyes stayed trained on her until she walked out the door.
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A driver rang the doorbell to a small, but modest apartment. Upon hearing the ring, Haley opened the door after looking through the peephole.
"Miss James. May I take your bags?" the proper middle-aged gentlemen questioned.
Haley pointed to the luggage next to the door, "Thank you."
"You're welcome mam," smiling, he picked up he suitcase and carried it to the car with Haley right behind him.
The driver placed the item in his hand on the floor and then opened the door for Haley before shutting it and putting the bag in the trunk of the black Mercedes.
Haley sat down, only to realize that her boss was sitting right next to her. "Oh...hi." After hearing how that sounded, she cringed.
"Don't sound too excited to see me," Lucas joked. 'I need to thank whoever hired her for me.'
"Sorry," Haley replied, feeling weird that she didn't have the strong urge to make fun of him back. Growing up in a large family brought out the witty side of her. If she didn't come up with smart comebacks her siblings would have eaten her alive.
"Look Haley. Can I be upfront with you?"
"Of course," nodding her head, her eyes drifted to her hands. She hated confrontations; especially if it was with someone she hardly knew.
The sight of her uneasiness made him say what he had to quickly, "I know that we just barely met, but you're my new personal assistant. We'll be working together all the time and I hope that you'll feel comfortable enough to be yourself around me. I mean, I don't scare you do I?" He hoped he wasn't the reason for her timid persona. Maybe she's the type of person who's shy when she first meets someone. Hoping that was the case, he anxiously awaited her reply.
As if she read his thoughts, she confirmed it. "I'm not scared of you." 'Well I am but not for the reason you think I am. Just don't remember who I am and I'll be fine.'
"Good. I was hoping I didn't. I'm glad that's settled." His huge grin caused Haley to smile as well.
Thinking that if she didn't start to relax around him, she wouldn't feel comfortable working for him. So that was what she decided to do. She would try to be herself as much as she can around him. It wasn't as if she was trying to hide who she was, but it took time to open up to people; for them to see her for the person she was. Not many people are able to be that patient. Hopefully he was willing to wait. And if he was lucky, he may see the side of her many people never see; the side where she would respond with a witty comeback so fast most people didn't see it coming or aren't able to respond. 'I guess only time will tell' she thought as she leaned back against the seat, enjoying the ride to the airport. She was glad her boss was once again preoccupied with yet another manuscript. Maybe the quietness and time to herself will allow her to relax a bit before they arrived at the airport and hopefully after the plane ride. 'If that was the case, maybe I'm not making a mistake in accepting this job.'