CHAPTER 6: AN UNEVENTFUL AFTERNOON

There was a loud rap on the door. Flora looked up from the stack of papers on her desk. Through the glass wall and door, she saw Jessica’s assistant, Ed, waving at her. She gestured for him to enter.

“Flora, Jess is not in yet and I really need someone to authorise these documents here...” Ed started.

“Okay,” Flora smiled at him. “I’ll go through them and pass them back to you when I’m done.”

“Thanks,” Ed said as he placed them in front of her and left.

Just as she was about to put her head back down towards the papers, she spotted Hayden walking pass her office. She smiled mischieviously to herself as she picked up the phone on her desk and intercommed her secretary.

“Annie, could you please ask Hayden to come see me,” Flora spoke into the receiver.

“Now?” Annie asked.

“Yes. Now.”

“Okay.”

Less than 3 minutes later, there was another loud rap on her glass door. Not bothering to look up, Flora waved for whoever it was to enter.

“Err...you wanted to see me?” a male voice asked.

Flora looked up at her guest disinterestedly. “Hmm? Oh, it’s you,” she said nonchalently. “Have a seat.”

Hayden sat down and peered at Flora nervously, as if afraid that she was going to eat him up.

“I was just notified that one of our clients may be interested in signing you on as a model/spokesperson for their product,” Flora told him a matter-of-factly. “If you’re not doing anything today, I would like you to go with me and meet them.”

Hayden relaxed a little and brightened up when he heard what Flora told him. “Sure. I’m not doing anything.”

“Good. Get ready then. We leave in 15 minutes,” Flora stated firmly, indicating the end of their conversation.

Sensing he wasn’t needed anymore, Hayden excused himself and got up to leave only to bump into Jessica who burst into Flora’s office at that exact moment.

“Flo! We’ve got a lunch meeting today, haven't we?” Jessica exclaimed, while inconspiciously gesturing at the man who was chasing after her. She looked at Flora in desperate hope that her friend would play along with her.

Flora glanced at the guy behind Jessica and grinned to herself. “Lunch meeting? Hmm...” Flora pondered as she checked her diary. “Ah yes, there is a lunch meeting today, Jess.”

Jessica mouthed a thank you at her and turned around to face the guy. “See Julian, I really can’t have lunch with you today. Work,” she smiled sweetly at him.

“Oh,” said a disappointed Julian. “What time do you get off work today then? What about dinner tonight?”

“Look, why don’t I call you,” Jessica said as she half-pushed, half-led him towards the door. “In the meantime, I think you should really get back to work. I’m sure there are a lot of emergencies in the hospital waiting for you to attend to.”

As soon as Julian left, Flora let her friend have it. “That’s another one you owe me, girlfriend,” she grinned at Jessica.

Sighing, Jessica sat herself down on the sofa in Flora’s office. “He’s so cute. Good in bed too...but he’s so sticky! He’s been calling and hanging around me ever since that night!”

Flora laughed. “Oh oh, I think he’s probably fallen head over heels in love with our Jessica Lee.”

Jessica rolled her eyes at Flora’s comment. “Don’t they always?!”

“You’re so full of yourself,” Flora snorted. “Full of shit, that is.”

“Now, now. Don’t be jealous,” Jessica chuckled.

Flora shook her head and proceeded to pack up her stuff. “I’ve just wasted another 30 seconds of my life talking to you, Jessica Lee. I’ve got plans this afternoon. Bye!” she waved at her friend as she walked out of her office, leaving a grinning Jessica still sitting on the sofa.

“Are you ready? Let’s go,” Flora called out to Hayden as she walked pass him.

It was only when they were in the car that Flora told him about the slight change of plans.

“I need to pop by home first to get something before the meeting.”

“Huh?” he exclaimed in wide-eyed horror.

“We’re here,” Flora said as she brought the car to a stop and turned off the ignition. “C’mon up. I need you to help me with something.”

Hayden sat frozen in the car unable to move.

“Hay? Come on,” Flora called again impatiently.

Slowly and nervously, he got out of the car and followed her up.

“Make yourself at home,” Flora told him as they entered her apartment. “I’ll be out in a minute,” she said as she walked towards her bedroom.

Hayden merely stood there, glancing apprehensively around the place. Flora walked out a few minutes later, having changed into something more ‘comfortable’. He gulped at the sight of her. Before he knew it, Flora had wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her face up close towards his.

“I thought I’d told you to make yourself at home,” she cooed seductively and placed a light kiss on his lips.

Stunned by her actions, it was only a few seconds after that Hayden awoke from his stupor. “Err...Flora...” he stammered as he tried to wriggle his way out of her hands.

“Shhhss...” Flora told him as she moved in for another kiss.

This time, he managed to avoid it. “Urm...Flora, no...” he pleaded as he tried to shove her away.

But Flora wasn’t going to give up so easily. Taking advantage of the situation, she pushed at the off-balanced Hayden, causing him to fall backwards onto the sofa. Then she climbed on top of him as he desperately tried to get back up again. Since he was the stronger of the two, he managed to push Flora off him, causing her to fall onto the floor. He jumped back up on his feet and ran towards the door.

“Err...sorry...I can’t do this,” he mumbled an apology before slamming the door behind him, leaving an exasperated Flora sitting on the living room floor.

Then she heard the turn of the handle again. Flora perked up thinking that maybe he had decided to come back after all. But no, in walked Jessica instead.

Both of them stared at each other in surprise.

“What are you doing here?” they asked in unison.

Jessica looked at Flora, who was dressed in nothing but a camisole, and cocked her eyebrow. “Well, dunno about you but I came back for a nap ‘cos I was feeling tired,” she smirked.

“Let me guess...Hayden?” she continued with a chuckle.

Flora rolled her eyes. “I’m telling you, that guy is DEFINITELY gay!” she sighed.