CHARGE

"I brought you coffee." Amira says as she enters my office. I tend to keep my door open, in an effort to signal availability. I'm not convinced it's working since Amira is basically the only one that enters my office. Apart from Daniel, my boss and the VP of American Publishing Company, APC, I have very few colleagues that I socialize with. Preferring to just focus on work and not company gossip I guess this is the consequence. Amira started as my assistant six months ago when the last one, Nora, went on maternity leave. Amira wasn't a shy, awkward person instead radiating confidence and warmth and we became thick as thieves at the office.

"You are a God send, I hope you know this." I thank her as I reach out to grab the mug she is offering. Amira picks up the mug I have finished not too long ago to bring back to the kitchen later and sits down in the armchair in front of my desk. She's a young woman, only 25 years old. Small built, fairly short with an olive complexion, catlike eyes and a mop of dark curly hair. Her parents originate from the Middle East but she was born and raised American with the added bonus of her knowing Arabic fluently. I envy second generation immigrants sometimes as I myself lack any real knowledge in anything other than english.

"I know." she says as she plops down. "Have you spoken to Daniel yet?" I squint my eyes at her over the rim of my cup. "No. Why would I?"

"Have you missed the fact that there is gossip going around about a merger with another company?" she looks at me baffled. I tend to keep a low profile and rarely keep up with the gossip. "George, how has this evaded you?"

I puff out a breath, slightly embarrassed that I am as always the last one to find out even though I am a senior editor at the firm. "I don't know, I come here to work Amira, not be part of some rumour mill."

"Well, if the rumors are correct, you might be in for some new competition if there are more senior editors coming in." she stands up and starts for the door. Amira turns before she exits "You should really talk to Daniel. And text me what you want for lunch."

What am I even supposed to do? It's not my company and not my decision. But maybe asking the question wouldn't hurt, I think to myself as I grab my phone and text Daniel.

What is this I hear about a merger? What have I missed and why do you never tell me anything?

There is an almost instant response from Daniel

Amira is really the stereotypical MENA woman, isn't she? Gossiping like no one other.

You're not denying it D. What's going on?

Let's grab a drink after work. I'll tell you then.

Sure. Come grab me before you go.

This time Daniel's response comes a few minutes after.

I'll already be out of the office by the time you finish. Meet me at Haven, I'll be there.

Daniel not being in the office is not an anomaly. He has business meetings with clients and printing companies all the time.

He was the one that hired me, straight out of college at the age of 22. I had started studying law but soon switched to English literature when I found the law awfully dull and books oh so intriguing. Daniel was a senior editor and apparently saw something in the slightly nerdy girl sitting in front of him at the interview because he took me under his wings and we stayed close friends throughout our careers. He was now the VP, having proven his talent and strong work ethics. Daniel might love books, but his brilliant mind was put to better use as the VP. Soon after his career advanced he appointed me senior editor even though I had only worked here for just under two years.

The gossip stemming from my new position was not lost on me. Everyone seemed to think I had slept my way to the job, since there were several other junior editors that had worked longer than me. My results spoke for themselves though, seeing as I had only picked books for publishing that went on to become successful and earned the company a hefty sum of money over the years.

Three of the books I had picked were made into movies on HBO and Netflix.

As I entered the restaurant that Daniel had picked for us to meet, I swept my eyes over the crowd of people eating and laughing. I did a double take, thinking I had recognized a man that had walked out into a hallway that I was assuming was to the bathrooms but had missed him the second time I tried to check who he was and why I recognized him.

"Good evening Miss, do you have a reservation?" the hostess asked politely. A blonde woman in her early twenties with a cute bob.

"I am here to meet Daniel Arby."

"Of course miss, please follow me." She didn't even check her tablet to see where he was sitting. He must be here often I guess. I followed her through the restaurant and we ended up in the back, a secluded area behind the bar where the loud noises from the patrons were subdued and the atmosphere a lot quieter. Black tablecloths and forest green chairs with golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

"George." Daniel stood up to greet me and give me a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey you, how are you? I haven't seen you in the office all week." I take off my coat and bag , and take a seat on the other side of the table.

"Can I take your drink orders?" the hostess asked.

"Yes, red wine for the lady and a scotch for me please." He gave her a smile and the young girl blushed. Daniel was a very attractive man. I did have a major crush on him when I started but I was in my early twenties, he was ten years my senior and it became quickly apparent he did not harbor those types of feelings for me. I was his protegé and he often compared me to his younger sister Patricia, whom I have met and formed a friendship with as well.

"Stop flirting with the children D. It's unbecoming." I tease him. He flashes me a wide grin, the grays in his beard starting to make a debut. "What can I say, girls of all ages find me charming and handsome."

I snort at his comment. "Yeah that's until they get to know what a dick you are."

Daniel is a type A control freak at work. Works insane hours and never gives himself time to have a private life. He's been single off and on, but the relationships never lasted over a year or two.

"I have a dick, not am one. I thought that's why you called me D?" he grins wider and I laugh along. "Have you eaten already?" I ask to change the subject. "Yeah I had a business dinner, my dinner date just left actually."

"Mind if I order something?" I raise an eyebrow at him. Daniel knows I'm not joking about my food. "Please do."

Our drinks arrive and I order a few tapas dishes, knowing Daniel, he'll probably be picking at my food as well.

"So what's with all the buzz?"

He sighs and leans back in his chair, his toned arms behind his head, ruffling up his black slicked back hair. He's by all means a handsome man with the thick black hair, beard, toned body and his impressive height of 6 feet. Light brown and kind eyes framed by his impossibly thick lashes and his sense of fashion that has dramatically improved since he started as VP. He went from shirts with slipover knitted sweaters to tailored suits.

"We were offered to be bought up, but I managed to negotiate it into a merger instead. So yeah, the news breaks tomorrow. I wanted to be the one that told you." he says with serious eyes.

"Oh. Are there any changes to the organization that I need to be aware of?" I asked, stunned. This is some major news. Would I even have a job?

"Don't worry George. I'm staying on as VP, but we'll have a new CEO. So I'll have a boss now too instead of just the board to answer to. Changes will be made, you are perfectly safe though. You're our biggest asset G. They were especially interested in you staying onboard."

"Oh." is all I manage to say. Had we been emailing instead I'd have a ton of questions most certainly, my medium being the written language. "Who'll be your boss then?"

Daniels eyes flash a moment of uncertainty "I'm not allowed to say George. But he'll be there tomorrow. Don't worry about it, he's a powerful and successful man, he knows everything about the corporate world. It's just the publishing business he's not familiar with. I was assured that it's business as usual."

"Alright, I guess we'll see what happens." I was chewing on my lip, a telltale sign that I was being nervous about this. "Why didn't you just text me this instead?"

"I can't write it anywhere, I signed an NDA. I asked if I was allowed to at least tell you about it and he said ok, as long as I didn't disclose the name until tomorrow."

Our food arrived at that moment and Daniel flashed a flirty wink at the waitress who, of course, blushed and scurried off.

"And I missed you Piggy! We haven't had time to hang out and talk for a while now." he said as he turned to me.

"Don't call me that!" The nickname stemming from a drunk night out when I had ordered food to quench our impending hangover and also having the munchies after smoking for the first time. "Well it's your fault Mr VP, too busy to hang with us simple workers."

"I know it is." he grabs my hand over the table and squeezes it softly before grabbing a piece of my garlic bread and stuffing it in his mouth with a wink.

I point my fork at him "This is why I ordered extra food. I knew you'd steal mine."

Daniel laughs and steals an olive this time. "What can I say, you make eating so enticing."

"And yet you call me Piggy?" I shot back.

The next day is buzzing as soon as people start to file into the office. I am usually at the office between seven and eight in the morning, wanting to get an early start. And also not having much of a social life helps with going to bed early and getting up before ass crack of dawn.

I get a text from Amira saying the news about the merger is out and to check my email.

I scroll and click until I find the one from Daniel announcing the merger, my eyes scanning the text quickly to look for the name of the company we're merging with and the name of the CEO.

The world as I know it stops rotating for a full second and gravity stops existing as my head spins.

Oh no. No no. It can't be. I think as I read the email. Surely it can't be who I think it is.

My face must be showing the shock I'm feeling because I feel my mouth fall even further closer to the floor as I hear a knock on my office door and a man I didn't think I'd see ever again is leaning on the door frame, watching me with intense green eyes.

"Hello Georgia. It's been a while."

A/N:

If you enjoyed the first chapter please leve me a comment or press the little star.

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XX

PB