Just Business

One thing I noticed about Max is that he doesn’t know how to act around me. He tries really hard to get my attention and it baffles me. It’s like he didn’t know to genuinely build a relationship with someone. The night before, I yelled at him and I shouldn’t have. I felt bad afterwards because I had taken my frustration out on him. I was worried about my mom and other things, I didn’t mean to make him mad at me.

I got to Max’s apartment early and got ready in the spare bedroom. When I came out he was buttoning his cuff links. He looked up and gave a half smile.

“You look great.” He said grabbing his jacket.

“Thanks, not too shabby yourself.”

He grabbed his jacket and his eyes and I grabbed my shawl.

“Ready?” he asked.

I nodded and he opened the door for me and we drove down to the Marriot. He was really quiet, I’m pretty sure he was still mad at me.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yeah I’m fine.”

The ride was quiet his eyes stayed on the road at all times. Usually when Max drove, I would catch him looking at me from the corner of his eye. But this time he didn’t.

We pulled up to the front of the Marriot and gave the valet his key. He put his arm out for me still quiet and I slipped mine through his as we walked in silence.

There were so many people here and it made me nervous. I gripped Max’s arm a little tighter and he placed his hand on mine.

“Relax, you’ll be fine.”

His eyes were scanning the room anxiously until his gaze locked upon a man in a black suit.

“I’ll be right back, do you want a drink?” he asked looking down at me.

I shook my head no and he nodded leaving me to go talk to the man. I wandered around and spoke with a few people. Some of these people seemed nice and some not so much. I was a stranger to this world and I felt like an outcast.

Over the course of an hour and a half Max was nowhere to be found and I think I drank five glasses of champagne. By now my feet were killing me and all I wanted to do was sit. I found the entrance to the patio and sat down on the chair taking my feet out of my shoes.

I sat there for a while and pulled out my phone.

“There you are.”

I looked up to see Max walking towards me. “You okay?” He asked.

I nodded. “Yeah fine thanks.”

He sat down next to me. “Sorry I left you for so long. I got caught up talking to one of the bosses.”
“It’s fine.” I said with a small smile. “Listen, Max I..”

“Look I get it. We’re not friends you work for me, this is business.”

I bit the inside of my lip and looked down a little. I didn’t press the issue further and I just walked around with him for another hour as he spoke to people about work and business.

“Who’s your friend Maxwell, she hasn’t said a peep all night.”

I smiled. “Eloise. Eloise St. Claire.”

“So, how did you two meet?” She asked prying.

“She’s my new assistant.” He said quickly. “She’s going to be a great addition to the company.”

I just smile and play along, and by the time I knew it my stomach started growling. I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast this morning and I didn’t want to interrupt Max and his business so I excused myself and went on the hunt for some food.

I didn’t have any luck and then Max found me with a puzzled look on his face.

“Everything okay?” He asked.

“I’m starving. I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

He smiled and shook his head. “If you can hold out for a little longer we can pick up some pizza.”

Pizza sounded amazing.

I trooped it out the next hour and by the time I knew it. It was time go. We stopped at a pizza joint not too far from Max’s apartment and got a pie.

I never kicked off a pair shoes so quick in my life and I couldn’t get out of this dress quick enough. I struggled to get the zipper and Max came around.

“Here.”

He pulled the zipper down just enough for me to grab it and smiled a little.

“Thank you.”

I ran into the room and took the dress off putting on my gym shorts and a t shirt. Max had unbuttoned the buttons on his shirt and cuffs and got out some paper plates and water bottles.

I open the box of pizza and take a piece and start eating. Max laughs and takes a piece.

“Slow down before you choke.” He says passing me a water and a napkin.

“I can’t help it, I’m starving.” I said mumbling in between bites.

He just sat there in silence and smiled and watched me most of the time. I tried to pretend that I didn’t know he was staring at me but it was hard not to say anything.

“What? You’re staring.” I said.

He sighs and shakes his head. “Thank you.”

“What for?” I ask drinking my water.

“For being here, eating pizza at midnight with me in my kitchen.”

At first, I couldn’t understand why he was saying this. It was weird to me, but then I slowly started to realize that Max doesn’t have any real friends and this is a whole new world for him. So I just smiled and continued to eat my pizza. We ate in silence and when I finished it was twelve forty-five in the morning.

“Well, do you want me to drive you home?” he asked.

“It’s almost one in the morning. It’s fine I can just take a uber.” I stated.

I cleaned up and gathered my stuff together. He stood in the doorway his arms crossed.

“I have no problem taking you, I just want you to make it home okay.”

I didn’t press further and not to mention uber at this hour is super sketchy. He took my bag and I put my dress in the dress bag and threw it over my shoulder.
We drove twenty minutes to my apartment and he carried my bag up the steps for me as I got my key ready.

“Thanks for bringing me home.”

“No problem, thank you for tonight I’ll call you during the week.” He walked down the stairs and I went into the apartment quietly everyone was either asleep or out.
I went to sleep and the next morning there was a one-thousand-dollar direct deposit into my bank account.