I woke up this morning to the sound of birds chirping outside of my window. It seemed a little like a fairytale, but I was happy. I had met a great guy who I only knew his name and where he was from, but he was great. He was a great kisser and I almost didn’t want to turn my cell phone off when I went to work just incase he tries to call me. Then again, today is Sunday and it’s not a “real” work day.

I had to dress up to impress as my father would call it since I was going to show this new designer around today. I wore a black skirt that was come just above my knees and a nice white buttoned up short sleeved shirt that I tucked inside. It’s June in Los Angeles, I refuse to die from a heatstroke no matter who this new designer is.

My father is going to be here to introduce us and then he is heading out to play golf with some old college buddies of his who are still alive and kicking. I hate the fact that he was leaving this up to me but since I’ll probably be working hand and hand with this designer than I guess I do need to get to know them. Plus, it would be responsible of me and my father wants me to be responsible.

“Erin, where were you at last night?” my father asked as I stepped off the elevator. He was standing there like a guard dog, ready to attack. “I called your house five times and you never answered.”

“I went out with Lily and I got home around midnight,” I said, lying. He would have hated it if I told him I went out that late, alone, especially to a club. “I’m here aren’t I, Daddy? Now where’s this designer?”

“He’ll be here shortly,” my father said, looking at me. “You’re dressed nicely today.” I smiled. That was a compliment coming from him since he usually hates everything I wear. “Your mother wants you to come to the house tomorrow night for dinner.”

“Daddy, is Daniel going to be there?” I asked as he looked away. “Dad, I’m not going there if Daniel’s there. He doesn’t want to see me and it’s over with. Don’t you want me to focus on work here?”

I knew he wanted me to focus on my career more than my love life. I wanted to focus on my career, but I also wanted to weigh my options involving my love life, especially one tall cowboy from Texas. I came out of my thoughts when my father told me he was going downstairs to get the designer and that he wanted to talk to him first. I told him I would be in my office.

I walked into my office and I couldn’t stop smiling. Then I began thinking about my mother trying to trick me into coming for dinner when Daniel would be there made that smile fade away. I needed to pay her a little visit. She has no right meddling in my love life that way, especially if I’m not ready to get married.

My mother and I have a horrible relationship – we always have. She’s tried to raise me to be this little homemaker, much like my sister, and I rebelled. She wanted me to become a doctor so I went to school for fashion design so that I could work with my father. She wanted me to stop going to clubs when I first started college, and I went every night. I’ve always done the exact opposite of what she wants me to do because she thinks she knows what’s best for me. She thinks she knows what’s going to make me happy.

I took a deep breath, forcing the thoughts of my head when I heard my father’s voice. I looked down at a post it on my desk that reminded me I needed to pick up my birth control pills and thought that was a lovely note for my father to come in and see.

“Erin, this is one of our new head designers,” my father said as I looked up, freezing in my tracks. “This is Nickolas Carter, Nickolas this is my youngest daughter Erin who works here with me.”

I couldn’t breathe. It was Nick. It was my cowboy Nick from the club. He stared back at me, trying to play cool in front of my father. I wasn’t sure if I was doing such a good job. “It’s nice to meet you,” Nick said, reaching out to shake my hand. I shook it; looking at the really nice suit he had on and just stared at my father.

“Nice to meet you too,” I said, looking around nervously. I couldn’t believe that the guy I basically picked up in the club is the new designer here. I’m sure thoughts of him almost having sex with his new boss’s daughter in a restroom were running through his mind at the moment.

I stood there, listening to my father tell Nick about all of my achievements. I just dazed back at him, wondering if he knew all along who I was. Of course, with the look he had on his face when he walked in, it seemed like he didn’t have a clue. My father began talking about all of Nick’s achievements and how he graduated from Miami Institute of Art and Design with degrees in Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising and Marketing. He interned for Gucci while he was there. Then he worked at the Calvin Klein Miami offices, making a name or himself until my father was able to steal him away.

“How fortunate for us,” I replied, looking at my father.

“Well Nickolas, I will see you tomorrow when you come in. Just come on straight to my office and Erin, I will call you at home later tonight,” my father said, pointing at me. “You better be there.”

“Yes daddy, have fun,” I said, watching Nick tell him goodbye. I practically grabbed his arm, shutting my office door only to see him laugh. “Did you know who I was?”

“I swear to God I had no idea,” he replied, putting his hands on top of his head. “I know who you are, I mean, I didn’t know last night or the night before when we met but I knew Mr. Davidson had a daughter named Erin. Your father said that his daughter Erin would be showing me around and last I saw a picture, she was brunette, or almost brunette and you –“

“I died my hair, but I’m blond. I’m a natural blond,” I replied, taking a deep breath. “This is not good.”

“Why not? It’s not like we knew who one another were,” he said, looking around my office.

“I’m sure my father will inform you of office policy tomorrow but it involves co-workers never being romantically involved,” I said, as he looked at me. “I mean, okay sure, maybe I’m jumping a head of myself and I just came out of a relationship but –“

“Yeah, I like you too,” he said, looking at me as he crossed his arms. “Just explain to him that we had already met.”

“No, because then he’ll bitch at me for not telling him that I knew you when he introduced us,” I replied, walking around my desk. I guess I should just show you around, Nickolas.”

“You can still call me Nick,” he said, following me out of my office. “You look nice all dressed up like a business lady. It’s a departure from your dress last night.”

“Okay Nick, we’re supposed to be business okay? Video cameras are all around these halls, thankfully there are none in my office so while we’re walking and talking here, my father can come back and see every little thing.”

I showed him throughout the entire building. I showed him the designing room where he would be working with the seamstresses in actually creating the designs. I showed him around the break area and where his office would be, which just happened to be next to mine. He liked the fact that we had adjoining doors on the inside. When I told him it was because we’d be working together a lot, a smile smeared across his face like a Chester cat.

He told me about how my father hired him, offering him more money and a better position if he came to work in Los Angeles. He could have stayed and worked in our small Miami offices but my father wanted him here. He wasn’t going to pass it up so his friend quit his job in Miami and they moved here together.

The whole time we walked around the building together, talking, I would look at him and see that behind that southern boy charm that he did seem pretty smart and knew a lot about the fashion industry. You wouldn’t have known it in what he wore last night and I mentioned that. He laughed at me and said that I met the real him, not the business savvy guy. All I knew is that I liked both of them, probably more than I really should.

“Now I know why you said your father told you that you should be a model last night,” Nick said as we walked out of the building a few hours later. “Don’t you think it’s kind of funny that we met before and almost, you know –“

I did find it funny, but weird at the same time. I told him that too and he just smiled, looking across the street. I was waiting for him to say something about getting together because I refused to be the one to insinuate it because after all, I am the one who knows the office policy and he hadn’t been informed yet.

“So what are you doing tonight?” he asked, taking his jacket off. He was obviously getting hot from the sun blaring down on us. “Big plans?”

“Nope, not really,” I replied, smiling. As much as I wanted to go home and use that extra pack of condoms that I had found in my cabinet in the bathroom, I knew that it would be wrong. “I would ask you if you wanted to come over but I’m not so sure that’s a good idea now.”

“Because of the office policy, right,” he whispered, looking into my eyes. He ran his fingers through his short, spiky, thick light brown hair and smiled. “But should it count if one of them is the boss’s daughter?”

“Nick, we didn’t have the policy until I started working here. It’s because I’m his daughter.”

“Well, I’m supposed to pick up my cell phone today so when I do I’ll call you and give you my number,” he said. I wanted to just jump and kiss him passionately but I knew there was no way that I could now.

“Okay, you know, because we work together.”

“Right.”

“Yeah,” I said, shaking his hand. “I guess I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
He smiled, telling me the same and started to walk away from me. I stood there, watching him walk away and for some odd reason, some part of me wanted to cry. I didn’t know why I wanted to cry but I did.

Maybe it’s because I felt some weird connection with him last night? Maybe it’s because he practically took my breath away the first time I saw him? Hell, for all I know maybe my mother worked up a deal with God to pay me back for not marrying Daniel.

Maybe for once, I don’t get what I want.