Falling Into You (Geek to Chic) (13 page)

Roni blushed
slightly at the knowledge that both Alex and Derek had spoken in regards to
her.
 
“That is very nice to hear.
 
Alex said you worked for his father before
him.”
 
Roni looked around to be sure that
neither Derek nor Alex were around before asking, “Will you tell me what they
were like when they were younger?”
 

Mrs.
Frostberry stiffened slightly than the sides of her lips turned up.
 
“Normally I would never gossip to another
assistant about the boys, but you are not just another assistant though are
you?” She looked like a mother begging for information about her son’s love
life.

Roni shook her
head.
 
“No, I guess not.
 
This job is temporary but I am hoping to
still be around after the job for other reasons.”

Mrs.
Frostberry took a moment to stare at Roni, assessing her for sincerity.
 
Roni’s blush grew and she started to fidget
under the assessing gleam on her counterparts face.
 
Mrs. Frostberry must have seen something she
liked because she began to talk to Roni as an old friend rather than another
assistant.
 
“Those boys have been joined
at the hip for as long as I can remember.
 
Where one went the other did. Along with their every present shadow,
Caroline.”
 
Mrs. Frostberry smiled at the
memories of the two alpha males being nothing more than children. “I remember
one weekend when Alice and George, Alex’s parents, went out of town.
 
They trusted the boys to stay alone believing
they would not do anything wrong.
 
Little
did they know, Alex had decided Derek needed to meet new people.
 
You see, Alex was always trying to get Derek
away from his computer and into the real word.
 
Anyway, Alex decided the best way to do this was to throw a party.
 
He must have invited the entire school.
 
Well, needless to say the cops showed up and
they were in a world of hurt.
 
Since
Derek’s parents were off on business and the Porters were hours away, they
called me when they were arrested.”

“They were
arrested?”
 
Roni was shocked.

“Yes, for a
multitude of offenses.
 
Including having
a concert in the backyard without a permit.
 
The funny thing was by the time the case went to court, most of the
records were lost in the system and a permit was suddenly produced.”
 

“How did
they…. oh you have to be kidding me?”

“Nope, all the
arrest records and tickets were computerized.
 
So Derek spent a few moments, and I am sure it only took him a few
moments, getting rid of the key pieces to the case, as well as creating a
backdated permit. The case was dropped.
 
However, they still ended up doing time in Porter Prison as they called
it.”
 

“I can’t
believe they did that.”

 
“Those boys were generally good kids, but when
they stepped in it, they did mess up to the nth degree.
 
Nothing truly bad, but I am sure I only know
about a third of what they actually did.”
 
Mrs.
 
Frostberry clearly loved
Alex and Derek as though they were her own.
 
“Even with all the pranks and teenager games they managed to become an
incredible success.
 
I am so proud of
them.
 
Anyway, enough about the past,
Alex gave me these examples of past estimates and costing for you to use as a
template for the Maddox file.”
 
She
handed the file to Roni. “I hope you do stick around after the job I think you
would be good for the workaholic in there.”
 
She nodded her head towards Derek’s door, her eyes lingering on the
passageway. “The boy has no confidence beyond the computer.
 
Sad really he has so much heart to offer the
right person.”
 
Mrs.
 
Frostberry turned to Roni. “Please be good to
Derek, he deserves to have someone finally care for him.”
 

Before Roni
could even respond, Mrs. Frostberry was on her way down the hall.
 
It was the last sentence that held Roni’s
attention.
 
Had no one ever cared for
Derek? Well, she was determined to be the first then.
 
She would make sure she showed him every day
how much she cared.
 

Derek looked
at his clock, his vision blurred from exhaustion. Rubbing his eyes, he saw it
was 2:00.
 
He barely even knew what day
it was, after all his time being spent in this building.
 
For all he knew the world outside had been
devastated by a nuclear disaster or a zombie apocalypse. He needed rest, he
also needed to get through his work.
 
He
reached for his faithful Dr. Pepper, only to find it empty.
 
Caffeine, he just needed a little more
caffeine and he would make it through the day.
 
Derek made his way over to his small office refrigerator, as he bent
down he heard footsteps.
 

“Love this
view.”
 

He grabbed his
soda and turned to see Roni smiling at him.
 
Did he say he needed caffeine?
 
He
was wrong, he only needed to see her million watt smile.
 
“I bet you do.”
 
He walked over to her, needing to touch her.
One small touch, ok, maybe he wanted to touch more than just a little bit of
her, would bring him back to life.
 
He
stood inches from her, noticing his office door was wide open. Instead of
devouring her like he had intended he settled for running his hand down her
arm.
 
They both shivered at the
contact.
 

“You know man
cannot live on Dr. Pepper alone.
 
Grab
your jacket let’s go Boss Man.”
 
She
turned and started walking out the door without explaining where they were
going.
 
Curious, he locked his computer
and grabbed his jacket.
 
He jogged to
catch up to her.
 
Her purse in her hand,
they were heading for the elevators.
 
“You sir, need some fresh air and food before your meeting.”

“Meeting?”
 
Derek was really confused now.

Roni smiled at
him, laughing lightly and shaking her head. “Yes a meeting.
 
As in you have one. With the financial
team.
 
Remember, you had me set aside
time for you to meet with them?
 
I even
managed to put it in your stupid online calendar thing.”
 

“Oh,
that.”
 
No Derek didn’t remember anything
about it.

“You have no
idea what I am talking about do you?”
 
Roni asked with the biggest smile on her face.

Feeling like a
child caught with his hand in the cookie jar he answered her.
 
“To be honest with you, I have no clue what
you are talking about.”

“How on earth
does Jemma put up with you?
 
Is her title
CEO nanny?”
 
She teased.
  

“HA HA very
funny. I have no idea how she puts up with me.
 
She is very organized and makes sure I get to the places I need to be.”

“You have me
for the moment, so on top of getting you to meetings on time, I am going to
make sure you eat and rest a little.”
 
She seemed like a woman on a mission with her statement.
 

“What part of
your mission statement is this little field trip?” He hadn’t been paying
attention as they were talking, too tired to focus on more than his conversation.
 
They were now walking out of the office
building.

“To feed you
and let your eyes rest from the computer.”
 
She grabbed his hand, linking their fingers, and led him down the street
toward a little bistro.
 

They ordered
lunch, Roni insists that they eat at the restaurant instead of taking it back
to the office.
 
They once again sat
toward the back of the restaurant at a small circle table.
 

“How close are
you to having the project complete?” Roni asked.

“Close, the
hacker test last night was one of the final steps.
 
Now that I have fixed the problem and not
even the original hacker that made it through could crack it again, I think we
are looking good to present the full package to the client.”
 
Derek answered, taking a large drink of his
beloved Dr. Pepper.
 

“That’s
great.
 
Who do you present your product,
since this is a government contract?”
 

“High ranking
generals, senators, and the Director of Homeland Security.” He answered,
watching her jaw drop.

“Doesn’t that
make you nervous? Those people run our country.”
 
She sounded scared for him.

He shook his
head. “No, in business, I am never nervous.
 
I know that the package I am about to deliver is the top of the line. No
one could create what we have.”
 

She smiled at
him again.
 
“I like confident Derek.”
 

He smiled back
suddenly shyly.
 

“Since you
have been working on this one project for so long, do you plan on taking some
time off after it is completed?”
 
Roni
asked before taking a bite of her pasta.
 

“Nope, I will simply
move on to the next high level project.”

“High level?”

“I only handle
the large clients or top security contracts now.
 
I have other employees who manage the small
corporate accounts.”
 
He answered.

“That makes
sense, I guess. Have you heard from Jemma?”
 

He wondered
why she was asking so many work questions but decided to go with it for
now.
 
“Only a quick text telling me she
was planning on checking in this evening.
 
I hope her mom is ok.
 
Her mom is
the only family she has.”
 

“Did you ever
find out what happened?”

“No, I hope to
get more information tonight.
 
Are you ok
staying on if she needs more time?”
 
He
asked anxiously.
 

“Of
course.
 
At some point I will have to put
some effort into finding a real job, but I can stay on for a few weeks if you
need me too.
 
Is Jemma close to her mom?”

“Yes, she
is.
 
I think it was just the two of them
when Jemma was growing up.
 
She grew up
somewhere in Indiana.
 
Her mom still
lives there.” He reached across the table. “Thanks for staying while she is gone,
I know I am not easy to work for.”

“That’s the
thing you are easy to work for.
 
You stay
in your little bat cave, never demand anything and the task list Jemma left
isn’t so bad now that I have figured out her abbreviations.”
 
Roni replied with a wink.

Derek smiled.
“Bat cave?
 
I’m now a super hero?”

“Yes, let’s
look at the facts.
 
You’re handsome,
rich, and have some kick ass toys that the government wants to get their hands
on.
 
All traits of the modern day
superhero.”
 
She declared with a great
deal of enthusiasm.
 

“Those are the
requirements for a superhero?
 
What
happened to special powers like flying?”

“Nope the new
super heroes are super smart, super rich and look like a GQ model.”
 
She waved her hand toward him.
 
“All of which you are.”

“Ok, so if I
am the super hero in this scenario, what does that make you?” He leaned
forward, taking her hand in his, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.
 
Looking directly into her eyes.

She never
wavered when she answered.
 
“I am hoping
to play the part of the super hero’s love interest.”

“I think you
would be great for that part.”
 
Not being
able to help himself he leaned over and kissed her deeply.
 

“Well super
hero we need to get you back to your bat cave.
 
You have a meeting.” She kissed him briefly before rising to put on her
jacket.
 

They walked
back to the office hand in hand.
 

***

Roni worked on
the report for Alex while Derek met with the financial team.
 
Hearing his door click open she turned.
 
Seeing the financial team walk out, minus
Alex.
 

“The guy is a
total cyborg.” Finance guy one said.

“I know he has
no personality.
 
I guess when you’re that
brilliant it doesn’t matter if you can carry on a normal conversation or
not.”
 
Finance guy two replied as they
walked by her desk.
 

She couldn’t
help feeling bad for Derek.
 
She also
didn’t understand why he behaved like a robot at work.
 
The Derek she knew was funny and
outgoing.
 
The persona he portrayed at
work was barely human let alone friendly.
 
She never saw him say hi to any of his employees, or ask about their
weekends or life.
 
It was such a contrast
of personalities.
 

Maybe she
should move his beloved Dr. Pepper supply out of the fridge in the break room,
forcing him to leave his hidey hole.
 
Roni thought about her plan to get Derek to show his true personality to
the staff.
 
Deciding that he would most
likely forgo the Dr. Pepper fix rather than talk to his employees.
 
She couldn’t stand hearing people talk about someone
as kind and open as Derek as a cyborg.
 

“Can you please
get him to go home and rest?
 
He is
driving the staff nuts.”
 
Alex’s voice
boomed from behind her.

“I have tried
to convince him to go home after this meeting and sleep, but I am not sure my
pleading did any good.”
 
Roni answered
Alex as she turned around in her chair.
 
“Maybe you should invest in a tranquilizer gun or something.
 
That is the best idea I have at the moment.
“
 

“I might have
to do that.
 
I’m worried about him.
 
He is pushing himself too hard this
time.”
 
Roni studied Alex’s face.
 
His square jaw was set firmly.
 
“Maybe you could use your womanly charms to
get him in bed.”
 
He said completely
deadpanned.
 

Her jaw
dropped at the suggestion.
 
He remained
serious for a few more beats before a smile broke across his face.
 
She of course smacked him in the
stomach.
 
“Hey, you have been hanging out
with Izzy the Barbarian too long.”
 
He
grunted.
 

“Wimp.
 
And you are the only person I have ever seen
her hit.
 
Repeatedly.”
 
She smiled when he glared.
 

“Ok, so
womanly charm is clearly out.
 
How about
you trip him or knock him over somehow with your clumsy superpower so he hits
his head and passes out for a while?” He was smart enough to take a step back
from her as he makes the smart ass remark.
 

“HA HA I plan
to convince him to come over to watch a movie, ply him with food guaranteed to
make him tired and watch him pass out.
 
How does that plan sound?” She said crossing her arms across her chest,
feeling her plan was a good one.
 

“If that
doesn’t work, I’m buying a tranquilizer gun. .tonight!
 
And I am charging back to the company.”
 
With that Alex began to walk off.
 
He walked only a few steps before he stopped
and turned.
 
“Oh, tell the Barbarian I am
looking forward to her cooking for me this weekend.”
 
He winked at her and continued on his
way.
 

All Roni could
do was shake her head.
 
Rising, she let
herself into Derek’s office.
 
“Now that
your meetings for the day are complete and you have worked,” she pretended to
look at her watch, “oh, I don’t know the last million hours in a row, I think
it is time you closed up shop for the day.
 
We can go to my house, order in and watch a movie.”
 

She paused in
her stroll to his desk. Realizing he was not paying attention to her at
all.
 
She stayed where she was being sure
to be as quiet as she could as she studied him.
 
His hands were on the keyboard, yet still.
 
His head was down, but further down than it
would be if he was focusing on any of his monitors.
 
She slowly stepped closer to his desk. That
is when he let out a little snore.
 
She
had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
 
The big bad tech mogul was sleeping like a
baby at his desk.
 
She was half surprised
his fingers did not continue their incessant clickity clack on the keyboard,
despite his slumber state.
 

Now she had a
dilemma.
 
Let him sleep in the most
uncomfortable position she had ever seen or wake him and have to try to
convince him to go back to sleep. She bit her bottom lip as she debated her
choices.
 
“I can feel you watching
me.”
 
He spoke in a dry gravel voice that
made her jump.