Beca stumble-ran to her office to grab some things before she hauled ass to the elevator to get out of the building. As soon as she turned the corner, she saw the redhead exiting Posen's office heading for the same bank of elevators, so Beca made a sharp right out, slamming nearest fire exit door open with her shoulder, and started taking stairs two at a time until she got to the ground floor. She stood at the outside door breathing heavily after the exertion. Luckily the fire exit was on the side of the building towards where she lived, away from the front of the building where the redhead would probably be leaving. Why didn't I listen when Stacie told me I needed to do more cardio?
Beca cracked open the door to take a peek just in case. She stood there a bit longer allowing herself to catch her breath and to provide additional buffer so she wouldn't run in to the redhead. Once she felt sufficient time had passed, she pushed the heavy door open and took off in a jog towards her condo, arriving in record time.
After unlocking the door, entering, then relocking the door behind her, Beca slumped down on her couch and buried her head in her hands. Her mind was racing a million miles an hour with thoughts like – Oh. My. God, Posen is going to kill me. What the fuck, how did I miss that C is the redhead, FUCK, are they dating? The last thought was the one that stuck in her craw the most.
The adrenaline was slowly wearing off, revealing an ache in her shoulder where she busted through the upstairs fire door. Those bastards are heavy. She went to the kitchen, rummaged in the freezer for a bag of frozen peas for her shoulder and then pulled out a beer from the fridge before returning to the couch and propping her feet up on the coffee table. She savored her beer as the peas did their job numbing some of the pain in her shoulder.
Beca had been having dreams of the redhead, even sketching her in her Ambien-induced haze on the trip back from Guam. Her attraction to her boss's friend was obvious. Hell she was cute as a button, and now that Beca knew that she had a killer body, her mind wasn't going to let that rest. Then her thoughts went to the cleaning lady who she'd had an informal back and forth with since this project started. "C" was kind, adorable when she danced with the equipment, and funny as hell in her notes that she left Beca.
"Could it be," Beca said out loud, "that I like both of them – the redhead and the cleaning lady?" She then shook her head. "Oh gawd, Beca 'effin Mitchell, what are you saying? She's the same person." The project manager thought about things for a long time. She came to the conclusion that she already adored the cleaning lady's personality, and she apparently had a crush on the redhead since laying eyes on her. "So that's settled. Now I just have to find out two things – First is she gay? Second - If yes, is she dating Posen? If yes, then no, I'm golden!"
Chloe remained in her best friend's office long enough to finish getting dressed. She was still laughing at Beca Mitchell's reaction of walking in on her changing clothes. She'd never have imagined the project manager to be so shy. Then again most people didn't peg herself for being so confident and out-going. As she headed to the elevator, she heard running feet and the sound of the fire door slamming. She thought to herself that someone sure was going to get their exercise jogging down all those stairs.
As she walked to her church half a dozen blocks away, her mind replayed the woman's reaction to her. It's you. Chloe didn't think the project manager actually knew what she looked like. She'd try to stay fairly hidden, especially with the hideous flour sack of a uniform that housekeeping made her wear. "I can't believe I have to hide my body. That's my greatest asset." Chloe chuckled. "That… and my mad dancing skills… and my voice." The redhead often talked to herself, particularly when walking somewhere. It kept her entertained. She personally thought she was quite a funny person.
Anyway she didn't think "Ms. Mitchell" knew what she looked like because hell, she thought Chloe's eyes were green when everyone who had ever looked at her knew they were blue, so bright blue that they would shine across a room. Even strangers would stop her to comment on her entrancing eyes. "Green eyes? Pshaw, that's so stereotypical for redheads."
Chloe arrived at church quickly and sat all of her thoughts of the project manager aside as she went inside. There would be plenty of time for considering the mysteries of Beca Mitchell later.
Because of her job, the project manager was used to putting everything on paper, planning out things to the minute detail. Beca downed a few beers to settle her nerves, exchanged the thawed peas for corn, and tossed a frozen meal into the microwave. She then went to change clothes while her dinner heated up. Most of her clothes were way oversized because they were "comfier for lounging". She slipped on a large t-shirt, baggy sweats with a huge hole in the knee and big fluffy socks. Right when the timer for the microwave went off, she was pulling her hair back in a loose ponytail – totally slumming.
Beca retrieved her food, another beer along with a pad of paper and a pen before she settled cross-legged on the couch with a large lap tray so she could balance her food and write at the same time. After pondering what passed for food in the Styrofoam packaging from her freezer, she began to eat, drink, and write…
She started with a heading at the top. "What I Know About C"
1) She works in my office as a part of the cleaning crew.
2) She hates her job.
3) She has a great sense of humor.
4) She loves coffee.
5) She is kind.
6) She's going to college.
7) She attends church.
8) She has gorgeous red hair.
9) Her eyes are blue, not green. Beca made a mental note to try to fix that on her drawings.
She looked at the list then started another list on the bottom half of the page. "What I Don't Know About C"
1) Is she gay, straight, or…
2) Is she dating Posen? Beca shuddered at the thought as she wrote down this unknown.
3) What's her major?
4) How religious is she? She paused for a moment and looked at number four. For most people that would not be something to even consider. To each their own, right?
"Good morning everyone. We have someone new joining our Sunday School class this morning. This is Beca Mitchell."
"Hi Beca," some of the kids responded while others laughed at the girl who showed up at Sunday school in a black skirt and top with black converse shoes. She had huge ear spikes and heavier eye make-up than people normally wore at church.
"She is Dr. Mitchell's daughter and just moved here from out of state. I hope you will make her feel welcome and show her what a loving church home Grace Baptist is."
The sullen brunette pulled a chair away from the group and sat down with her arms crossed. She had already heard several of the "young adults" in the class snickering and making comments under their breath. They had already made up their mind that she wasn't welcome, and Beca knew she didn't want to be there either.
When the Sunday School teacher began the lesson today, she announced the scripture and asked if anyone knew what it was about. "2 Corinthians 4:7-9". None of the teens volunteered anything.
Beca quietly mumbled under her breath. "God has the power, not us."
The teacher smiled at her. "Thank you Beca, you are correct. We have hope in God, even in the tough times." She went on with the lesson about how sometimes everyone has one of those days when they want a "do-over". The longer the lesson went on, the more uncomfortable the small newcomer became. When time came for students to share a tough time they had recently had, Beca bolted out the door to keep the class from seeing the tears that started streaming down her face as soon as she got out of the room.
Later the teacher found her in the restroom, sitting in the corner with her head covered up with her hoodie. Beca shared that her mother had gotten into a car accident the month before and didn't make it. That was her do-over day, keeping her mom from getting in that car. Despite having graduated from high school, Beca had to move in with her dad since she didn't have any place to go until she decided what to do with her life.
Her father thought going to church might give Beca another support system. "But these 'young adults' are just mean kids. They judged me as soon as I came in today like I was back in high school. Just because of the way I look. Do you really think I can open up to them and share my deepest feelings? I don't think so."
The Sunday School teacher counseled with her a while, but Beca wouldn't budge. She had a difficult time trusting people anyway, and the other kids had blown their chances right off the bat. "Sorry ma'am. Thanks for talking to me, but I won't be back."
She helped Beca off the floor, and the brunette washed her face of the tears. As they walked out of the restroom, several of the students were in the hallway. Beca did her best to ignore their childish giggles and whispers as she walked out of the church.
Beca shook her head to clear her mind of those memories of a place that was supposed to be supportive and kind. Church wasn't a deal-breaker for her, but she would have to find out more about Chloe's involvement. She also refused to allow herself to pass any type of judgement since that's what turned her off of church back when she was only eighteen.
She read back over the lists and began to formulate a plan to find out whatever she could about the redhead. She ripped the first paper off the tablet and started a third list. The third list included everything she wanted to know about C. And she knew exactly who to go to in order to find some answers.
The next morning, Beca arrived at work early and made a delivery to the desk of her hopeful new secret agent friend. She took a page from C's book and found a cute potted flowering plant which the florist said would bloom year-round along with some of Jessica's favorite cookies. Beca chose to not leave a note but knew she'd be coming back when the coast was clear of the boss.
Since it was Thursday, Beca knew there wouldn't be anything waiting for her in her own office, not that there had been since she returned from Guam to find the adorable notes, but she could still be hopeful. Then realization hit Beca the events of the evening before. Seeing the custodian in nothing more than her underwear certainly would make it awkward for exchanging notes with the woman.
When the project manager was certain that Jessica was at her desk and the boss was holed up in her office, she grabbed a few bottles of pure coconut water from her mini-fridge and walked down the hall to Posen's secretary's desk. She grinned as she caught Jessica posing for a selfie with her new plant.
"Got you a new friend there Jessica?" The woman's face blushed. "Don't worry about it. That was cute. I also brought you some of your favorite coconut water but kept it in my office to make sure it stayed cold." Beca offered the two cardboard bottles. "Vita? Right?"
Jessica nodded and reached for the bottles. "You left this?" She motioned to the plant and cookies as she cracked open the plastic seal of one of the bottles. "And brought me coconut water? What do you want Mitchell?" Beca laughed and tried to give an innocent look. "No. Seriously Beca. What's up?"
"I don't know the price for information Jessica. Just know I'm willing to pay it."
The blonde took a long drink of the coconut water and recapped it. She stored both bottles in her own mini-fridge behind her desk. She turned back around and rested her elbows on her desk. "Depends."
"On."
"What information you want and how badly you want it." Jessica loved teasing with the project manager. She was so easy to get flustered but in all honestly, she had a very kind soul and would do just about anything for anybody as long as she thought that her bad-ass reputation was being upheld.
"Posen."
"Ooooooooooookay. What about her?"
"I know how anal she can be. In my mind's eye, I visualize a set of files in her office – a file for each of her employees, her friends, and especially her friends who are employees." Jessica eyed her but refused to confirm or deny. "Come on Jessica. Blink one for yes, twice for no."
Jessica burst out laughing. "Seriously? You just asked me if my boss keeps files on people."
"Yeah, of everything she needs to know about them. Employees like me for example – my date of birth, my date of hire, past projects, current projects, address, etc." Jessica cautiously nodded. "And her friends – birthdays, favorite colors, things they like, things they don't like, dating status." Now Jessica was fighting her giggles.
"You want information about one of Aubrey's friends." Beca looked up at the ceiling. "And you want me to sneak into my boss's files to get it?" Beca screwed her mouth sideways and looked back at the blonde. She gingerly nodded her head. "Crack Mitchell. You are on crack. Do you know what Posen will do to me if she catches me?"
"So she does keep files! I knew she would." The project manager grinned. "Name your price Jessica. I just need info. I'm willing to pay. At first I just have a few questions that you can probably answer without going into her files. Then if those things pan out, name your price, each tidbit is worth something."
The blonde secretary thought for a moment then rubbed her hands together gleefully. "You must be desperate Mitchell. But I'll play your game."
Beca pulled up the chair next to Jessica's desk. "Okay three questions. Do you know Posen's redhead friend? A little taller than me, piercing blue eyes?"
"That's easy – her name is Chloe."
"Khloe? Like Kardashian, Khloe?"
"No jack ass, C.H.L.O.E."
Beca mentally slapped herself. She knew the woman's name started with a C. It's how she signed all her notes. Jessica had taken the coconut water out of the fridge again and took a large swallow when Beca asked her next question. "Is Posen dating Chloe?" Suddenly the project manager was covered in milky white liquid. She quickly leaned backwards and began to laugh as she grabbed a tissue to wipe the drink from her face. The mouthful of coconut water Jessica had been drinking had come right through her nose.
"Funny Mitchell. Are you serious? God no." Beca let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Chloe is Aubrey's best friend. Plus, Chloe works here, and Aubrey's kind of her boss or at least her boss's boss. So no, they aren't dating. God." Jessica took a while to clear the liquid from her nostrils and to clean up her desk.
"Okay, last question about Chloe. What's her favorite color?"
"Easy – yellow. Now if you are done, I have work to do." Despite trying to act annoyed, Jessica was secretly amused by the project manager asking these questions about their boss's best friend. Something definitely was up. She knew Beca had some good connections. So Jessica knew she could milk this … a lot.
"Jessica?"
"Yes Beca?" She avoided meeting the project manager's gaze."
"That file folder that has everything about Chloe? What's your price?"
Jessica gasped like she was shocked. "That's so wrong Mitchell." She looked at the project manager whose eyes were now pleading.
"I don't have to have the file. Just give me the highlights – you know. Her birthday, her favorites, likes, dislikes."
"That's a big ask Mitchell."
"Name your price."
The secretary already knew what she was going to ask for but stretched it out. "La Bohème. Two seats. Grand Tier or better."
"Ouch."
"That's for me to get into Posen's files. Upon delivery – a pair of Knicks tickets – anywhere but the nosebleed section." Beca's mouth dropped open. "You said to name my price. Well Mitchell, that's my price."
"You know I have connections at The Met and you know I have season Knicks tickets. So you know what Jessica, you have a deal." She extended her hand towards the blonde to shake. "I'll have your La Bohème tickets tomorrow."
Jessica did a quick fist pump as Beca turned to walk off. Getting information about Chloe for the project manager would be easy. Jessica just scored two sets of awesome tickets, mostly for procuring information she already knew. Little did Beca know that Jessica was friends with Chloe, too.
Beca trotted back to the flower shop she had visited earlier in the morning to get Jessica's plant. The joy of living in New York City was the ability to find just about any type of store open at any time of the day or night. As soon as she stepped inside, her head was on a swivel looking for an arrangement of yellow flowers or a yellow plant.
"You're back so soon?" The same woman who had helped her earlier that morning approached her. "Did your friend like her plant?"
"It was perfect Mrs. Alfonsi. You did an excellent job. So good that now I need something else. This time for a friend whose favorite color is yellow. All things yellow."
The florist thought for a moment. "Does it need to be a plant? Or would your friend mind fresh cut flowers?"
Beca shrugged. Honestly she didn't really know what Chloe would like as the only thing she knew about her was that she liked plants and yellow and corny jokes. Surely she wouldn't mind cut flowers. What woman doesn't like flowers?
The florist disappeared into the back and soon came out with the most adorable yellow vase with a huge smiley face chock full of yellow and white flowers, more yellow than white but well balanced. There was a bright yellow ribbon with sparkles tied around the neck of the vase. "Daisies."
"Mrs. Alfonsi you are amazing. They are darling as can be which is exactly what I need." Beca handed her a credit card, finished the transaction then gave the florist a big hug before grabbing the bouquet and rushing back to the office.
Back in her office, Beca thought long and hard about what to write to Chloe. She had several mis-starts before finally finishing a note she was satisfied with. She left the note and flowers on her desk along with a quick note on the janitor's closet door before heading home.
Hi Chloe (I bribed Mrs. Posen's secretary for your name):
I wanted to apologize for barging in on you yesterday. I obviously had no idea you were in Ms. Posen's office. Please find it in your heart to forgive me. I hope these flowers will make your daisy.
Beca
P.S.
What do you get when you cross Lassie with a daisy?
A collie-flower!
Chloe re-read the note several time as she sat in Beca's chair. That was her favorite place to sit because it made her feel closer to the mysterious project manager. She grinned as she recalled Beca's awkward reaction the day before when she walked in on her changing clothes. In all honesty, Chloe was shocked as well but hadn't wanted to show it, instead putting on her brave – 'I'm pretty confident about all this' bit. Aubrey had always warned her that her boldness might get in trouble someday to which she always replied that it could also bring her something good. In this situation, Chloe chose to think she'd been brought something good.
Beca got home and immediately went to change into her jeans and a sweatshirt. She picked up her phone to text her best friend.
To Legs: Thursday night follies?
To Shorty: Hell yeah.
To Shorty: Same bat time?
To Legs: Same bat channel!
Although she perhaps would never admit it to her best friend, the shorter brunette trusted Stacie probably more that anyone in her life. Ever. After Beca's mother passed away, the teen's life began to crumble. Eighteen quickly turned into nineteen, and her father only gave her the rest of the semester following her mother's death to grieve before giving her an ultimatum of working to pay her part of the rent or starting college in the Spring semester. Grudgingly she chose college because she knew that's what her mother would have wanted.
Her senior year of college, she landed an amazing internship which lead to her current position. Because her father taught at the university she attended, she hadn't had to pay tuition. Because she'd never really lived with her dad, she felt obligated to live at home with him, her step-mother, and step-sister. All of this allowed her to graduate debt free. She had spent little to none of her mom's life insurance monies and none of her inheritance. Being thrifty along with having a good head on her shoulders allowed her to live in New York City without a roommate while her best friend lived in a small flat with two other Pilates instructors.
But meeting Stacie right after she arrived in the city was the best thing that had ever happened to her – someone that was not connected to Beca's past, only knew what Beca chose to share, and respectful of the boundaries Beca put around her. Plus, her best friend was damned funny and hella sexy.
When Beca noted the time, she realized she need to kick things into high gear to beat Stacie to the bar. Thursday rules were that the last to arrive bought the first three rounds. The bar wasn't far from her place; in fact, it was about halfway between her and Stacie's which is one of the reasons they always went that. That, and Stacie had the hots for one of the Thursday bartenders.
Beca barely slid into their booth, beating Stacie by less than a minute. "Blue Moon Legs. Ice cold, no glass." Beca chuckled since she could tell Stacie had run to try to beat her. As the taller brunette brought the first round of drinks to the table along with a bowl of snacks, she slid in across from her friend. "Soooo, how's kelaguen girl?" Beca grinned as she sipped her beer.
"Mostly just texts so far. We have our first date tomorrow. She wanted to get together tonight, but I told her my wife always demanded Thursday's." Beca dipped her hand into the snack bowl and threw a pretzel at her friend.
"Damned right!"
"So how's your first week back been? Seen the girl from your dreams or should I say your dream girl?" Beca struggled to not spew out the mouthful of beer she had been about to swallow. "I take that as a yes."
"Whatever makes you think that?" Beca couldn't look at her friend.
"Ummm the bright red shade of skin on your face, perhaps?"
Beca had already decided to simply lay out the full story for Stacie – about the cleaning lady, Chloe being Aubrey's best friend, seeing Chloe almost naked – everything. She needed an objective opinion about the situation – as objective as Stacie could be about anything involving women of interest. She drained her beer and send her friend to get round two.
When Stacie returned, Beca was nowhere to be found. "Beca?" A hissing noise came from beneath the table. "Becs?" Stacie was looking around the bar for her friend who had been sitting at the booth only minutes ago.
"Stace, hush. I'm down here."
Stacie bent down to look under the table. "Beca, what the fuck?"
"Shut up. Sit down and act normal." Even though Beca was whispering, she sounded frantic, panicky almost. "She's here."
"Who's here?"
"Ugh. Chloe dumbass. My dream girl."
"Where?"
"I can tell you are being obvious looking around. STOP. They just came in and took a table against the other wall."
Stacie gave a low wolf whistle. "Damn Mitchell. I see why you are hiding. She's a hottie." Beca pinched Stacie's calf. "Ouch! But she is Becs. You've got yourself some competition."
"Huh?" Beca was obviously confused.
"That blonde she's with is smokin'. How are you going to beat that? Her date is f.i.n.e."
"Fuck you Stacie. That's not her date. That's her best friend. My boss."
Stacie paused and let out an audible swallow. "That's Posen? Wow!"
"Yeah, and the redhead – that's Chloe."