Eve stared at the note in pure disbelief.

„Are those from an admirer?“ Nicole asked curiously, still standing next to her. 

Eve begun smiling all over her face. 

„No, um… they are from Justin.“

Nicole opened her eyes wide. 

„Okay, listen. You and I are having lunch today. And then you’ll explain to me why Justin is sending you flowers,“ Nicole requested. 

„Deal.“ Eve replied, being happy about Nicole’s offer spending their lunch break together.

„Can’t wait, see you later,“ Nicole said, before returning to the front desk. 

JC was watching the scene. He didn’t like the fact, that someone was sending Eve flowers. 

„Um, Richard?“ Eve said to get his attention. 

Again he flushed, looking back at her.

„Yes, Eve? You want me to help you with the laptop now?“

„This would be lovely. But first I need a vase for my flowers.“

„Oh um… maybe there’s one in the kitchen.“ 

„Would you mind to show me where to find the kitchen?“ 

„Ya, sure… of course,“ he stammered and stood up in the next moment. 

As they arrived, Richard hectically started opening all cupboards. Eve noticed she was making him nervous and smiled calmly.

„Um… here… you think this works?“ he asked, having a big empty jar in his hand. 

She took the jar, still smiling.

„Thank you.“ 

Then she filled it up with tap water. 

Richard used the free moment and switched on the coffee maker.

„You want some, as well?“ he asked shyly. 

„Yes, please.“ 

Both returned to their desks, when the coffee was ready. Eve put her flowers into the jar and smelled at them. 

„Justin sent them, you said?“ Richard dared asking. 

Eve smiled again. 

„Yes. I’m truly surprised about his gesture.“ 

„You’re friends or something?“

She shook her head.

„No, I just met him once. He helped me when I was here for my job interview.“

Richard nodded, taking a sip of his coffee.

Suddenly a man with black short hair and deep brown eyes appeared at their desks, with a bright smile in his face. Both looked at him.

„Good morning. You must be Jay’s assistant.“

„I’m Eve,“ she answered and stood up in the same moment. 

Both shook hands briefly. 

„I’m Eric, the vice president,“ he introduced himself. „I’m happy to learn more about you in our team meeting.“ 

„Sure.“ 

„Well, then. Have a good start. See you later.“

Eve thanked him and smiled. Eric continued walking. He entered JC’s office and closed the door. JC was engrossed in reading an email.

„Why you forgot to mention, that she’s hot as fuck?“ Eric blamed him. 

JC sighed and looked at his friend. 

„Is she?“ he talked back. 

„Do you need new glasses or are you just shitting me?“ 

„My glasses are fine.“

Eric crossed his arms and gave him a dirty grin. 

„You really wanna watch that ass all day long, without having it?“

JC rolled his eyes. 

„Why must you always be that low, Ricky?“

„I’m not low. I’m realistic. But why do I care? That ass is your problem, not mine.“ 

Eric’s office was next to JC’s. There was also a conference room, which was big enough to have team meetings with the whole staff. 

Short before 8:00 AM the open space area filled up with people. 

„It’s time for the team meeting,“ Richard said, sitting next to Eve.

He interrupted his work at her laptop and stood up. She did the same and followed him into the conference room. Some employees were curiously looking at Eve, as she took a seat at the long table. A moment later Nicole appeared and sat down at the free chair next her. Both girls smiled at each other. Eric and JC joined the group short after.

„Good morning.“ JC started talking. „As you noticed, we’re having a new colleague. Eve is my assistant. She will be involved in every current project. I expect all of you helping her working into the daily business quickly.“

Then he looked at her.

„You wanna say few words?“

„Sure,“ Eve replied.

She introduced herself firmly, talked about her prior job and thanked everybody in advance for helping with her onboarding. Her colleagues listened carefully and welcomed her in the team. She felt immediately accepted and was relieved, that everybody seemed being openminded and kind.   

After talking about current topics, the meeting was over. Everybody returned to their desks. Eric and JC stopped standing in the doorstep of JC’s office. 

„Hey listen, Jay. I need to go and take care for few things. The party, you know?“ Eve heard Eric saying. 

JC rolled his eyes. 

„Do whatever you need to do,“ he replied.

It took a while until Eve’s laptop was ready. 

„Thank you, Richy,“ she said, as he finished his work. 

Richard raised his eyebrows, being surprised she was calling him that way. She noticed his confusion and smiled.

„Is it okay when I call you Richy?“

„Um, sure.“ 

Nicole showed up in the next moment.

„Ready for lunch?“ 

Eve checked her wristwatch and was surprised, that it was almost noon. Then she nodded and smiled. 

„What about you, Richy?“ Eve asked him. „You join us?“ 

Richard flushed, not expecting this question. 

„Um… no… I brought my own food. Thank you,“ he stammered. 

„He’s allergic to almost everything,“ Nicole teased and gave him an cheeky smile. 

Richard glanced at her and flushed even more. 

„Come on, Eve. I’m starving,“ Nicole rushed her.

JC watched the girls walking away. Short time later Richard left as well to eat his food in the kitchen. JC decided to make a short walk to the next food truck around the corner. As he passed Eve’s desk he gazed at her flowers and the card on top of them. 

„Don’t do that.“ He talked to himself in his thoughts. 

But then he ignored his conscience, took the note and read it. 

„Who’s J?“ he was thinking. 

There was a big cafeteria at the ground floor. Of course it was crowded at lunch time, but luckily the girls found a free table. Both decided having chicken salad.

„So…?“ Nicole asked eagerly with a big smile in her face. 

Eve smiled back.

„So what?“ 

„You and Justin?“ 

Eve chuckled. 

„It’s not what you think.“

„What am I thinking?“

„That something is going on.“

„Definitely something is going on. Now spill.“ 

Eve told her the whole story about her dirty shirt and what happened after her job interview. Nicole listened carefully and was shocked, that Eve didn’t recognized Justin’s face. She couldn’t stop herself from laughing. 

„I know. My friend Sandy was also outraged. But I really have trouble remembering faces.“ Eve tried to justify herself. 

„You’re unbelievable. But I must say, I love that story,“ Nicole replied. 

Eve just smiled. Nicole suddenly raised one eyebrow and gave her a dirty look. 

„Now tell what you think about our boss,“ she said next. 

„Actually, I understand now what you meant when you said, that he’s a little difficult,“ Eve answered. 

Nicole nodded. 

„I’m working at his firm from the beginning. But I can’t remember seeing him smile even once in the past two years.“ 

„Are you serious?“ Eve asked in disbelief. 

„I am. He’s super serious, never does any small talk and has pretty high expectations. But the team respects him. They learn a lot from his experiences in the music industry. He has incredible instincts, knowing from the beginning, if an artist has the potential to sell records or not. For some of those he even does songwriting and producing. You won’t find these kind of close cooperation at any other independent label. That’s why his firm has a great reputation at the market.“

Eve listened carefully and nodded. 

„And…“ Nicole added, grinning dirty again. 

„And what?““

"He’s abnormally hot.“ 

Eve smirked. 

„Ya, I noticed that little detail.“

One hour later the girls went back to work. Eve was glad, that she found a new friend in Nicole. Before she reached her desk, she heard JC calling for her. She stopped standing in his doorstep. He pierced her with his deep blue eyes.

„Yes, JC?“ she asked politely.

„Are you fit for work?“ 

„Um, I guess I am. Richard finished setting up my laptop before lunch.“ 

„Talking about lunch…“

Eve raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to move on.

„I expect you to inform me, when you do a break.“ 

„You want me to ask for permission to eat?“

She sounded more bitchy, than she intended to be. 

„I said, you have to inform me.“

Eve forced a smile. 

„Of course, boss. Is there anything else I can do for you?“ 

„Yes. Stop that cynical tone.“

Eve’s smile immediately disappeared. Then the turned around and returned to her desk. 

„Are you good?“ Richard asked, as she let herself fall at her chair.

„Honestly, I don’t understand why he hired me,“ she replied quietly.

Richard smiled. 

„You just have to get used to him. He may seem coldhearted, but he’s not a bad person.“