Kissing In A Tree 4.9
Yahooo! Weekend is nearly here!
~~~~~~
Gabe Sullivan sighed and shook his head as he looked at the ticking clock on the wall. It had been over an hour since he’d had to handle a maintenance call with a harried floor worker and set up a meeting to greet the people he would be working with. His bow tie was picked at as he worked until it became undone.
Unless Chloe had the bladder of a whale, she was out snooping again.
A gentle knock fell on his door. It had to be an employee, for his daughter threw open knobs and
asked questions, very embarrassing ones, later.
“Wait, I’m not decent.”
But the door opened before he work on his problem.
A vision appeared before him. It was a beautiful woman, one he would have liked to call an angel that had made a wrong turn somehow and ended up here instead of heaven. She had a mature angle to her features, and wore a casual business skirt and blouse with a motif around a soft blue, and small pearls around her neck. Her face was pale but still warm somehow. Her crowning achievement had to be the fiery red mane that went down her back. It was curly and had orange highlights. She turned her dark blue eyes to meet his.
“Not decent you say?” Her eyes laughed at him.
“My bow...t...t... tie got undone.” He started working on it frantically.
She smiled and walked right up to him, putting a file on his desk.
“Let me help.”
And her small hands worked on the strands until it was a perfect bow again.
“Thanks.” He squeaked.
“You’re welcome.”
He tried for conversation, still not knowing what to say to keep her from leaving.
“Have you worked here long?”
“No, actually. I moved here with my son a few months ago. We needed a fresh start.”
“Divorce? Wait, that’s too personal. I’m sorry I asked.” He had to fight the urge to tap his fingers or tug at his tie again.
“It’s fine. My husband placed work and other nefarious intentions I disapprove of above his family, and it became necessary to take action before it became something we could not escape.”
Gabe swallowed, and volunteered his own personal background.
“I’m new too. The plant manager.”
“I noticed those big block letters on the window.”
“Huh? Oh, yes. Gabe Sullivan, at your service. Ready to hold manure conference calls at the drop of a hat.” He relaxed a bit in his chair.
She hid a snort under well groomed hands.
“So what made you come out here?” She asked
She had not taken a step back since she had darn near glided over to him. Gabe was having trouble concentrating with such a lovely woman in his personal space. Which did not ever happen to him. They had usually run in the opposite direction right now, and had not stopped until they were out of the state.
Which led him to think of his pathetic dating life.
Ouch. Nevermind, let’s not.
“I came into town with my daughter yesterday. Her name is Chloe. My wife took a vacation suddenly one day when she was six, and still has not issued a forwarding address.”
“How old is she now?” The woman was truly interested.
“Eight. Going on twenty. Chole’s so smart it’s hard for me to keep up. Gonna be the next Pulitzer Prize winner for reporting if she keeps it up.” He said proudly.
“My son is the same age. Maybe they can be friends.”
“I don’t know. I love my girl, but her investigating streak usually drives potential friends away. She’s so driven at a young age.”
“Then they’ll definitely get along.”
Gabe remembered finally that Chole was out being driven while they were speaking. He got up from his chair a little too quickly and nearly bumped into the woman.
“I think she’s spent a little too much time in the restroom. I better start looking for her.”
“I’ll help. Maybe my son has seen her.”
“You work on this floor?” He had no idea which office she belonged to. She was dressed to well to be a secretary, but most of the heads of the other departments were male.
“Sure do. Tell me more about yourself and your daughter.” She smiled warmly at him.
He started opening doors in the hall as he explained about their life in metropolis, his desire to get away from bad memories, and Chloe’s incidents at school. He was just relating the undercover stuffed article as they moved to the CEO’s purple block print.
“Hello Janice.” The red head called.
A secretary snapped up from doing her nails and quickly started her typing.
“You have a meeting at four, miss.”
The woman nodded and started opening the door.
“Wait. Is my tie straight? I haven’t met the boss yet. What am I going to tell her? Sorry, but have you seen a precocious blonde girl hiding in your coat closet while reading your project files and planning a flaming expose?”
“The boss is very understanding. I wouldn’t worry.” She patted his shoulder.
They opened the door, to find their very driven children inside.
“Okay, so what was rich kids’ school like? Don’t hold back ‘cause I’m a girl.” His daughter was scribbling fiercely on her junior detective notepad.
“Where should I start?” A bald boy in purple asked from his sitting couch.
“Give me all the dirty goods!”
“Remember, I’m anyonymous. You didn’t hear it from me.”
“Promise! Now give!”
“Well, there was the illegal twinkie ring...”
~~~~~~
Gabe Sullivan sighed and shook his head as he looked at the ticking clock on the wall. It had been over an hour since he’d had to handle a maintenance call with a harried floor worker and set up a meeting to greet the people he would be working with. His bow tie was picked at as he worked until it became undone.
Unless Chloe had the bladder of a whale, she was out snooping again.
A gentle knock fell on his door. It had to be an employee, for his daughter threw open knobs and
asked questions, very embarrassing ones, later.
“Wait, I’m not decent.”
But the door opened before he work on his problem.
A vision appeared before him. It was a beautiful woman, one he would have liked to call an angel that had made a wrong turn somehow and ended up here instead of heaven. She had a mature angle to her features, and wore a casual business skirt and blouse with a motif around a soft blue, and small pearls around her neck. Her face was pale but still warm somehow. Her crowning achievement had to be the fiery red mane that went down her back. It was curly and had orange highlights. She turned her dark blue eyes to meet his.
“Not decent you say?” Her eyes laughed at him.
“My bow...t...t... tie got undone.” He started working on it frantically.
She smiled and walked right up to him, putting a file on his desk.
“Let me help.”
And her small hands worked on the strands until it was a perfect bow again.
“Thanks.” He squeaked.
“You’re welcome.”
He tried for conversation, still not knowing what to say to keep her from leaving.
“Have you worked here long?”
“No, actually. I moved here with my son a few months ago. We needed a fresh start.”
“Divorce? Wait, that’s too personal. I’m sorry I asked.” He had to fight the urge to tap his fingers or tug at his tie again.
“It’s fine. My husband placed work and other nefarious intentions I disapprove of above his family, and it became necessary to take action before it became something we could not escape.”
Gabe swallowed, and volunteered his own personal background.
“I’m new too. The plant manager.”
“I noticed those big block letters on the window.”
“Huh? Oh, yes. Gabe Sullivan, at your service. Ready to hold manure conference calls at the drop of a hat.” He relaxed a bit in his chair.
She hid a snort under well groomed hands.
“So what made you come out here?” She asked
She had not taken a step back since she had darn near glided over to him. Gabe was having trouble concentrating with such a lovely woman in his personal space. Which did not ever happen to him. They had usually run in the opposite direction right now, and had not stopped until they were out of the state.
Which led him to think of his pathetic dating life.
Ouch. Nevermind, let’s not.
“I came into town with my daughter yesterday. Her name is Chloe. My wife took a vacation suddenly one day when she was six, and still has not issued a forwarding address.”
“How old is she now?” The woman was truly interested.
“Eight. Going on twenty. Chole’s so smart it’s hard for me to keep up. Gonna be the next Pulitzer Prize winner for reporting if she keeps it up.” He said proudly.
“My son is the same age. Maybe they can be friends.”
“I don’t know. I love my girl, but her investigating streak usually drives potential friends away. She’s so driven at a young age.”
“Then they’ll definitely get along.”
Gabe remembered finally that Chole was out being driven while they were speaking. He got up from his chair a little too quickly and nearly bumped into the woman.
“I think she’s spent a little too much time in the restroom. I better start looking for her.”
“I’ll help. Maybe my son has seen her.”
“You work on this floor?” He had no idea which office she belonged to. She was dressed to well to be a secretary, but most of the heads of the other departments were male.
“Sure do. Tell me more about yourself and your daughter.” She smiled warmly at him.
He started opening doors in the hall as he explained about their life in metropolis, his desire to get away from bad memories, and Chloe’s incidents at school. He was just relating the undercover stuffed article as they moved to the CEO’s purple block print.
“Hello Janice.” The red head called.
A secretary snapped up from doing her nails and quickly started her typing.
“You have a meeting at four, miss.”
The woman nodded and started opening the door.
“Wait. Is my tie straight? I haven’t met the boss yet. What am I going to tell her? Sorry, but have you seen a precocious blonde girl hiding in your coat closet while reading your project files and planning a flaming expose?”
“The boss is very understanding. I wouldn’t worry.” She patted his shoulder.
They opened the door, to find their very driven children inside.
“Okay, so what was rich kids’ school like? Don’t hold back ‘cause I’m a girl.” His daughter was scribbling fiercely on her junior detective notepad.
“Where should I start?” A bald boy in purple asked from his sitting couch.
“Give me all the dirty goods!”
“Remember, I’m anyonymous. You didn’t hear it from me.”
“Promise! Now give!”
“Well, there was the illegal twinkie ring...”