Bittersweet

Georgie stared at a large arrangement of flowers differing from peonies and daisies placed on her desk when she heard one of her coworkers muttering, “That’s the eighth one. Who’s the admirer?” The sly smirk she ignored as she shrugged and told everyone she didn’t know who it was from. Never will she tell people who they really were sent from; she had more than a hunch from who it is.

Adam has been sending her flowers every day this week and she swears that if this pace kept going, her office will be flooded like a funeral in no time. If Adam is to grovel he does it to the highest extent and Georgie forgot how dramatic he can be with his apologies considering she hasn’t been on the receiving end like this.

Usually she gets the small hug apologies that friends get when they bicker, but after that conversation with underlining of practically confessing that they have feelings for each other; Adam is giving her the boyfriend apology. A small smile crept on her lips at his stupidity when it comes to saying sorry; such a simple gesture is blown out and every single note attached to the flowers is different each time.

‘I’m sorry’ was first, then ‘You were right’ then came the compliments saying she was beautiful buttering her up before the newest addition to her bouquet sent butterflies in her stomach, ‘You mean the world to me’.

Yes, he has said those words to her plenty of times, but like she said knowing that it now as a slightly different meaning, those bitter feelings that she had harboring for a month started to fade. Things like this really could get her weak in the knees when she lets her guard down.

Tapping her heel on the floor as she concentrated on her paperwork, as much as she enjoyed being a lawyer there were days when she couldn’t stand paperwork. Everyone thought lawyers were in the court room twenty-four seven when in actuality it’s only ten percent of the work and ninety percent paperwork. With a pen between her teeth, she didn’t hear her boss entering her office, raising a brow at the eight vases decorating her vicinity.

“Should I be congratulating you or sending my condolences?” His baritone voice sent her looking up in shock, her pen dropping from her lips.

Clearing her throat, she pushed her keyboard away from her before saying, “Their, um just flowers—don’t know who it’s from.” That didn’t go well smoothly, grimacing at her epic fail of explaining. Cross her legs she asked what she could do for him.

Mr. Danes mostly is very to the point when he speaks to his employees and for the most part people cross their fingers they will get elected as partner once word got out that one of the senior partners is stepping down. Personally she thinks Mr. Carlisle is stepping down because he’s sick of everyone in this office, she can picture his permanent sour face finally breaking from one simple smile once he walks out of this place for good.

“It’s very distracting. Gives your office an eerie vibe. Has everything been okay with you? For the past month you’ve been handing in your work days late and now the flowers. What is going on?”

She doesn’t know what is really going on and not divulging it to her boss is one thing; the only thing she told him is that everything is fine and her work ethic is back to tip top shape. It won’t happen again. Mr. Danes frowned clearly not convinced as he gave the typical ‘we shall see’ remark.

Georgie found herself alone in the firm, one of the last ones to leave. Heels kicked off and nestled underneath her, slightly spinning side to side while her eyes hurting from the constant staring at the blaring light of the computer screen. Slowly breathing in, she exhaled rubbing her eyes profusely wondering why she is staying so late when her head was throbbing like no other.

Granted that her mind is already elsewhere, but she promised Mr. Danes that she will have the report on his desk tomorrow morning.

Giving her fingers time to flex, stretching the stiff digits that were screaming in pain, grimacing at the discomfort. Georgie let out a huff, mumbling to herself as the only sound in her office is her frantic typing. The young woman didn’t see Adam know at this time, Adam is strolling into the building, smiling at the receptionist that knows him a little too well from his visits, per say that he woos her a little.

Admits him access to the elevators, he presses the right floor, leaning on the handle, made it quickly to the level because of how empty it is. The singer blinked as the doors opened to the eerie silence of an almost barren office floor, the grey sleek floors shined under the lights, certain art pieces hanging around the walls. Georgie told him they are hanging there to give a little piece of mind to the clients; she scoffed at that idea if he remembered correctly. He did pass by an abandoned box of crayons and coloring book, guessing from the page still open, it was left there by accident.

His hazel eyes flickered around to each closed door, peering in the open ones, amused how he popped his head in only for the lawyers or whoever worked in a particular office paid him no mind like he didn’t exist. Their eyes glued to whatever device or document they had in their hands or desk.

Letting his hand press against the corner of a wall, he swung around the box coordinated hallway to dart to Georgie’s door that is a few doors down. Peering in, she like the rest of this place had her eyes glued to something, rubbing her eyes, cursing lowly as her fingers ran across the bottom of her eye to get rid of any eyeliner that she smeared. Missing most of it, he smirked as she didn’t pay any mind to the mess she made on her face.

Frustration can do that to a woman or Georgie. Tapping his shoes, he expected some type of response from her to get none; the flowers did brighten up her office considering she didn’t have any thank you letters or drawings the kids she represented plastered on her wall, she had them at home if he can recall.

He found them not too long ago, wondering in her bedroom bored out of his mind while she took a shower. Adam did find a pleasurable toy in her nightstand, he smirked at the purple dildo not touching it because he didn’t know where it’s been whether on her or someone else; didn’t know what she did sexually to be honest. Then after snooping around, in her drawer, down at the bottom he found several notes, letters, and drawings, scribbles from kids from all ranges thanking her or some just had a simple drawing.

When he asked about it, Georgie didn’t shut down like she usually did. She smiled, softly and tenderly sharing that some kids just felt like giving her a present for no reason at all. He should have known, some of those drawings at a poorly drawn stick figure of her in a suit or whatever.

Puckering his lips, he stepped closer entering her office with shifty eyes and a childlike smile, he inched ever so closely until he knew that she could sense him. Georgie sighed, looking up at him with those dark brown eyes that he can bare his soul to. “What do I owe you this pleasure?”

“Nothin’, like the flowers?” He nodded towards the newest vase before plopping down on her comfy chair that did wonders for his ass.

Georgie’s lips broke into a smile; she couldn’t stop herself when she witnesses such a comical sight. His legs and arms overflowing onto the floor with his head propped in an odd angle, his chin rested on his chest giving him the illusion of no neck. Folding her hands underneath her chin, she shrugged, “It’s a bit much.”

That contracted a reaction from him as he turned his head, a thin layer of skin underneath his chin; she bit the inside of her cheek as he frowned. “A bit much? I’m trying to be apologetic woman. What I do is always a bit much with everyone.” He muttered the last part to himself. Georgie rather not say that the way he is professing his sincerity is what he does with girlfriends; their relationship or rather friendship is complicated.

She didn’t want to dwell on something like that, but how can she? When that anger quickly disappears, lying in bed or sitting in this chair rethinking the scenarios that happened between the three of them to realize it was stupid to be pissed off about for a long period of time. There is no reason that she should be mad, not for too long anyways; a wasted emotion because of jealousy, misunderstandings and feeling left out.

Maybe all those talks with Emerson are paying off, but she had to trade those talks with being around her unbearable mother that wants to be in the space of her only grandchild…for the moment. Elle has been pushing lately even more so and with Georgie’s words stating that she will encourage her future kids to call her grandmother, Elle stopped her prodding.

For the mean time and Emerson grinned telling her there is a reason why she is a lawyer.

“Because you’re a bit much.” Georgie retorted Adam’s wounded façade before he rolled off and hopped onto her desk. The woman stiffened hoping it wouldn’t give way like last time; the dumbass slammed his ass on the desk and broke a piece of her beloved desk that she had to pay out of her paycheck. Adam reimbursed her nonetheless, but she didn’t want to go through that whole ordeal.

Sighing in relief that the desk withstood his fat ass, she relaxed in her chair again. Adam laid stomach down on her desk, legs up in the air and crossed at the ankle, scoffing at her. “Am not. I’m adorable.” Cheek grin included.

“Adorably annoying.”

Their banters easily slipped in once Georgie dropped the pointless resentment, but the way they would brush up against each other or soft touches were still off limits. Overall it was too soon and they rather not confront that odd line of friendship they once had. Getting back to the thick of things, she said, “I have to get rid of most of these flowers. Boss says they are a distraction.”

“Boo!!” He wailed, “Your boss is such a dick, G.” Her hand slapped over his mouth earning himself a deadly glare as she told him to shut up. Other coworkers could overhear and her boss will have her head on a silver platter by tomorrow morning or better yet all her things will be neatly packed and given to the receptionist to give her once she walked through those doors.

Adam’s warm tongue flicked across her palm, he grinned until he grimaced in disgust when she swiped his face from the chin up with his own saliva. “That’s what you get.” She murmured. Grinning in victory as he took tissue and wiped the almost completely dried saliva from his face.

His attention span is seemingly poor as usual, sitting in another chair one that rotates, spinning gleefully to get his mind off of the boredom that is looming over his features. Georgie continued working, disregarding him even when he rolled to her side of the room, snatched a couple of post-it’s and pens. Adam scribbled diligently on whatever he is working on, peeling it off the stack and slapping it on random places.

That process continued for a few minutes before the rhythm of his hands slapping against his thighs hit her ears, humming a recognizable tune of Sunday Morning. The unbearable grin crept on her lips finally getting her work done in the nick of time as she pressed print knowing his detail of having a hard copy along with a digital, quickly sending him the email version; she pushed off her chair and out of the office.

Adam trailed behind like a little duckling, still humming the tune and earning a few looks from coworkers, a subtle blush dusted on her cheeks as the printed hummed to life before shooting out the document. Pausing by the printer waiting for it to be done, Adam the curious man that he is glanced down at the number of pages, whistling.

“I am so glad I don’t have to write twenty plus pages for my job; I commend you, G. You are straight baller.”

She rolled her eyes, muttering, “Ever the word smith, Levine.” Plucking the warm sheets on the tray before shuffling back, placing them in a folder. Rechecking her pages, she did the same for her items, gathering the things she is going to take home, Adam taking a few post-its for pleasure. Georgie deadpanned when she saw the silly doodles around her office, taking them all down flustered by some of the passionate words that he wrote on the neon yellow and pink paper.

“Be useful and help me take these flowers out to my car.” Positioning two vases on each hip and he did the same.

“I still don’t know why you can’t keep them here.”

Georgie exhaled through her nose, “I rather have them at home anyways.” She told him. Not much is said when they walk out of the office, thankfully no one really had the urge to see whose leaving. Once she got to her car slammed the door shut with her vases secure, Adam casually told her that he will meet her at her place.

She didn’t think anything of it; him being a complete gentleman and her reminding him not to speed to her house. Her lecture-y like tone had the man grunt in response. Now standing in the middle of her driveway, bent over to collect some of the vases, a sharp pain suddenly rippled across her left cheek. Georgie yelped, reflexively attempting to look back only to smack her head on the roof of the car.

Pain from her ass and head, Adam’s voice didn’t show much concern, hints of laughter in his voice as he asked if she is okay. Grumbling under her breath, she grabbed a vase hauling into her arms, eye twitching, “Was that necessary?”

Throwing his hands up in the air, he shot back defensively, “It was called for, bent over like that. I just had to do it.” Luckily the sun has gone down and there is minimal light where they were standing hiding the obvious fact that Georgie is blushing. Those tumultuous thoughts coming forth of what all of this meant.

Digging her heel on the concrete, she pivot to her home with Adam in tow; she swung the door open with keys in hand and her instinct to turn on the lights were silenced. A dim glow emitted from the kitchen, the small hallway beckoned her to come closer. Blinking dumbly, she slowly walked, heels clicking loudly on the wooden floors forgetting to chuck them off when she entered her home.

Adam grinning devilishly behind her as she stared in awe at the fixed dinner on the table, he observed the woman in front of him, rechecking her atmosphere, “Am I in the right house?”

“Yes you are in the right house and yes I did do this for you. After a long hard day at work I thought I would put my cooking skills to the test and made a delicious pot roast simmered with gravy and vegetables along with mash sweet potatoes.

Georgie’s mouth salivated, her heart hammered in her chest and swelled when she thought that he remembered that she preferred sweet potato over a regular ol’ potato. Then she gave him a look, not believing that he actually made this meal. “Adam,” Her tone relentless and all knowing, his cheeky smile and childlike nature aren’t fazed. Narrowing her eyes a little bit more, he caved.

“Fine, I had a few people help, but seriously, G. Making a pot roast isn’t all that hard, just need to put it in the thingy.”

“It’s called a crock pot, genius. I doubt most of your cooking skills, but you do make fantastic cheesy eggs.” Giving him a smile. “And toast.”

Adam placed his hands on his belly letting out a fake laugh, “Ha-ha, such a comic, George.”

“I know I am, Addison.” There playful banter is muted as Adam pulled the chair out for her to sit; she complied giving him a look not to do anything stupid. He placed his hands on her shoulders, a tender kiss placed on top of her head, a sweet gesture, but odd. Then again this whole thing is odd if this is considered making it up to her when they were in the friend zone…or are they?

As she looked on to have him serve her a plateful of food; she wondered if they were ever friends to begin with.