„This was delicious,“ Eve said, as she finished eating. 

JC finished as well and smiled at her. 

„So… tell me more about the latest gossip.“

Eve smiled back, raising her eyebrows.

„You mean about Nic and Richy?“

JC nodded. Eve thought it was cute that he cared about those stuff. 

„There’s not much to tell at this point. But I’ll give you an update when I have details about their lunch date.“ 

„Is he having a serious chance?“ 

„Of course. He’s incredibly smart and has a great humor. If he manages showing his qualities, I bet she will fall for him head over heals.“

JC smiled again. He could see that she was serious about what she said about Richard. 

Eve checked her wristwatch. 

„I need to go back to the office.“

„Why? Your boss isn’t around,“ JC joked. 

„Still, he’s keeping me pretty busy.“

„Oh really? With what?“ 

„I need to represent him in a meeting with a potential new client this afternoon, although he knows I have no idea about music.“ 

„Interesting. Didn’t you claim in your job interview to be passionate about music?“ 

„I lied.“

„Also about Kurt?“ 

„Kurt was a giant freak.“

„I strongly disagree.“

„Did you see the video to heart shaped box? It’s more than just disturbing, don’t you think?“ 

„It was how he expressed his complex personality.“ 

„In my opinion he just expressed his complex drug problem.“ 

JC frowned.

„You’re really small minded concerning artistic freethinking.“ 

„I agree."

„But there must be a genre you’re interested in. I never met someone who dislikes music in general.“

„I like classic. No lyrics, just beautiful symphonies. Composing timeless masterpieces is what impresses me.“ 

JC looked at her for a moment. He also had a deep passion for classics. They continued talking about that topic. Time passed by quickly. Elena showed up at some point and said goodbye before finishing work. Eve checked her watch and panicked. 

„Jesus! When did it get that late? I need to go.“ 

„Nerd,“ JC teased. 

She gave him an outraged look. 

„Are you calling me names for being diligent?“

„Yes.“ 

„Who are you and what did you do to my fussy boss?“ 

„Fussy?“

„Yap.“ 

„You really think that?“ 

„Come one, don’t act surprised. You let me start work at seven for no reason.“

„That doesn’t make me fussy.“

Eve chuckled, enjoying their senseless argument. She wished she could stay longer, but she needed to be back in the office for the meeting. 

„It was nice chatting with you,“ she said, with the folder and her bag in her hands. 

He smiled at her.

„Thank you for coming by.“ 

„No big deal. See you tomorrow.“

He nodded and escorted her to the front door. She glanced at him and gave him another sheepish smile, before leaving. 

On her way back to the office Eve’s phone started ringing. She picked up. 

„Where the hell are you?!“ Eric hissed. 

„Relax. I was at JC’s place, bringing some documents.“ 

„Can you explain to me why the front desk is unoccupied?!“ 

Eve frowned.

„Nicole went for lunch with Richard. But she should be back by now.

„But she isn’t! Take care for it!“ 

Eric hung up. Eve wondered what must have happened and dialed Nicole’s private number. 

„Hey Evy,“ Nicole sighed. „Something happened…“

„I’m listening.“

„Richard got an allergic shock during lunch. Unfortunately he forgot to bring his emergency kit.“ 

„Oh no…“

„I needed to call ambulance. I’m still with him in the clinic.“

„Dear god… how is he doing?“

„Better. They gave him a big shot of cortisone. But they wanna keep him over night.“

„I’m on my way…“ 

Eve arrived at the clinic fifteen minutes later. She asked for Richard at the reception and hurried to his patient’s room. As she rushed inside, she saw Nicole sitting next to him at a chair, obviously still being worried about his condition.

„Richy… what did you do?“ Eve asked, coming closer. She sat down at the edge of his bed and grabbed his hand. 

„I’m fine. No need to worry,“ he replied. 

Luckily the cortisone worked quickly and his face wasn’t that swollen anymore. 

„He scared the shit out of me,“ Nicole confessed. 

„I’m sorry,“ he apologized. „This is so embarrassing.“ 

„Don’t you dare saying that,“ Nicole disagreed. „It’s not your fault. You asked about the ingredients and they assured you, there were no peppers in the salad.“ 

Eve noticed that Nicole was truly concerned. 

„You really have to stay here over night?“

„It’s just precautional measure.“ Richard explained. 

„Is there anything I can do for you? Bringing some fresh clothes?“

„I’m fine. You should go back to work.“ 

Nicole checked the time.

„Oh boy, it’s really late.“ 

„Don’t worry about it. This was an emergency,“ Eve said. 

„I’m not needing any further assistance. You really should go now,“ Richard insisted. 

„Okay, let me just see the restroom first,“ Nicole replied and left the room in the next moment. 

Eve smiled at Richard and squeezed his hand. He looked away.

„Hey. Don’t make a big deal out of it,“ she said, knowing what was going on in his mind. 

„I’m such a loser…“ he almost whispered. 

„No, you’re not. I don’t wanna hear that ever again,“ she warned him. 

„I messed everything up.“

„Why would you say that?“

Richard gave her an outraged look.

„I just broke down in public because of a pepper! No one wants to be with someone like me!“ 

„This is the biggest nonsense I ever listened to!“ 

„You don’t know how it is not being perfect. You have no fucking idea, Eve!“ 

„I’m not perfect.“

„Yes you are! Men simply lie at your feet. Even JC!“

She frowned. 

„What the hell are you talking about?“ 

„Oh come one, don’t play the fool. Since you work for him he suddenly turned into a human being. He smiles, he jokes, he makes compliments… it’s surreal. No one ever made him behave like that.“

„Why you believe I have something to do with it?“ 

„Because I have eyes! I see how he looks at you through his glass wall all day long.“ 

Nicole returned in the next moment and interrupted their conversation. Both looked at her coming closer. She stopped standing in front of Richard’s bed, bent over and kissed his cheek gently. 

„Get well soon, honey.“ 

Eve and Richard stopped breathing for a moment and exchanged irritated glances.

„We really need to go. You have an appointment in less than thirty minutes,“ Nicole said next, looking at Eve.

She nodded and gave Richard a smugly grin, while he was processing Nicole’s unexpected kiss. 

When Eve and Nicole arrived back in the office, they saw Eric escorting the potential new client into the conference room.

„Damn, that guy is over punctual,“ Nicole said.

„Ya, let’s talk later, I need to go,“ Eve replied and hurried inside. 

She put her stuff at her desk and entered the conference room. Eric and the visitor looked at her. 

„Hi, my name is Eve. I’m representing JC Chasez…“ 

„That’s not necessary,“ Eric interrupted her. „I got this.“ 

Eve gave him a stern look. 

„May I talk to you for a minute?“ 

Eric didn’t like her attitude. But he agreed and escorted her outside. 

„Did you find Nicole?“ he asked, before she could say anything. 

„Yes.“

„Good. Tell her next time she leaves without explanation, I’ll fire her without warning.“ 

Eve turned upset. 

„There was an emergency.“

„I don’t give a shit.“

„You can’t be serious…“

„Stop waisting my time, Eve,“ he interrupted her again. „I need to do this meeting.“

„Actually, this is my meeting.“ 

Eric scoffed. 

„You have no qualification doing this and you know it.“ 

„What’s your qualification?“ she provoked him. 

Eric got furious. 

„Don’t you dare talking to me like this ever again.“ 

His warning left her unimpressed. 

„It was a simple question.“

„I run that fucking firm. You on the other hand are just an overpaid secretary.“

„Surprisingly I didn’t see you running anything since I work here.“ 

Again Eric scoffed. 

„You better watch out, princess. The only reason you work here is your pretty little ass. Sooner or later Jay will get bored from you and then it will be my biggest pleasure to show you the exit.“