2. THE PARTY

“Good morning, Mr. Thompson.” Skylar greeted the boss the next morning in her office, her heart skipping a beat even when she had stayed up last night vowing not to fall for the boss.

“Good morning, Miss Evans,” Vino replied, smiling as he walked into her office with a hand inside the pocket of his trousers. He looked like he had just walked out of a magazine cover.

“I have a job for you; there's an art centre just out of town, and we've been given a contract to paint a mural and supply the centre with valuable artifacts. That will be your first assignment; Daniel will take you there, and you will find everything you'll need at the site. Any questions?”

“None, Mr. Thompson.”

“That will be all for now,” Vino said as he lingered in her office, trying to strike another conversation with her, but seeing that she was in her professional mood, he reluctantly walked out, closing the door quietly behind him.

Skylar heaved a sigh of relief when she saw him leave. She nearly begged him to stay, “What is it about him that put her on edge?” She wondered as she picked up her bag and walked out to meet Mr. Daniel, the company's driver.

True to his words, on getting to the site, everything was there, from the paint to the brushes, but she was left with the question of what to paint. Since it's an art centre, probably a tourist attraction, she decided to paint a mural about a young boy who has given up hope in life but, against all odds, strives to achieve success in life.

She was so happy when she got the inspiration. Mr. Daniel helped her fix the ladder and everything else she needed before he left her alone.

Finally, the painting is done, she couldn't believe that she has been painting for six hours, below the painting she wrote:

“People will find you, but they don't define you, you will find people who help redesign you, you are a work of art. You can't be perfect causes nobody’s perfect, darling. There's nobody in the world like you”

Then she arranges the different artifacts Linda the receptionist has given her that morning “I hope this is okay for the exhibition on Saturday, maybe I should call my boss to come check” she said as she got into her car and drove to the office.

***

It was late already when she got to the office, Linda was close for the day but she met the door to her boss's office slightly open, he was sketching something on a book as she raised her hand to knock.

“Yes. Come in” Vino called, dropping the pencil and closing the sketch book as he turned to look at Skylar as she walked in, she looked tired, he reprimanded himself for letting her work so late.

“I trust you met everything you needed at site” he raised an eyebrow at her as she was still standing at the door like she couldn't bear to be in his presence.

“Yes sir. I'm through with the work but I wanted you to check it before the exhibition day so that if there's any correction, I can change it before then”

“There will be no need for that. I trust your judgment and I believe you've done a good job”

“Thank you, sir,” Skylar replied smiling. That was the first time someone has complimented her except for her mom and has taken her work seriously. But the smile fell from her face immediately she saw Vino frowning and looking like he couldn't wait to get rid of her.

“I want you to stop calling me sir. My name is Vino, I thought I told you that when you came for the interview”

“Yes sir. Actually, Vino is a nice name” she visibly relaxed

He likes the way she rolls his name in her tongue before pronouncing it out.

“That will be all for now. And you know you will be requested to attend”.

“Me. Why?”

“Because you're the artist and I don't take credit for work I didn’t do. If you will excuse me, I have work to do”. That was Skylar's cue to leave as she closed the door loudly, her heels sounding on the floor as she walked faster to her car.

“If you will excuse me, I have work to do” she mimicked Vino's tone and rolled her eyes as she opened the door to her car and got in jamming the door angrily. She was so angry and she didn't even know why.

****

Skylar walked into the exhibition centre which was filled up with influential people, actors and actresses, Models, CEO, artists who were all putting on expensive dresses for tonight and even the men were not left out as they looked handsome in their tuxedo.

Skylar was glad she had chosen the red bare back gown with a black stiletto heel which was as expensive as the gown and almost cost her a lot. She knew she looked beautiful tonight. Everyone was admiring the artifacts which consist of jewelleries from different big organizations for the auction tonight and the mural which Skylar has painted.

“I think everyone loves your painting” Skylar froze, immediately she heard his breath on her bare back. She would recognize that voice anywhere in the world as she turned to greet him with a smile but the smell fell from her face when she noticed a beautiful woman on his arm.

“Really? I was kind of nervous before. But I can relax now knowing they all love it” she forced a smile on her face as she acknowledged the woman beside him with a nod. The woman barely glanced at her as all attention was on Vino.

“Don't be nervous, I love it,” Vino was saying to her as she broke her gaze from his woman to meet him. Her breath caught as she stared into his eyes, mesmerized by him. Vino breaks eye contact as he turns to whisper something to his companion and the latter blush badly.

“What makes you...........” Vino couldn't complete the sentence because he was called up to the stage. Leaving her with Camille his date for tonight.

“Wow! Mr. Vino Thompson, you’ve done a really good job I must say, I love the mural the most. What makes you choose that theme.” Mr. Ernesto Cruz said to him. He was a Spanish business tycoon and the owner of the art centre in New York.

Skylar tunes out on them as she's turned to listen to what Camille was asking her.

“How do you know Vino?” Camille was asking her as Skylar looked at her uninterested but she answered anyway.

“I work for him and _____” she couldn't complete it because Camille cut her off

“What!!?” she shouted and sounded shocked “You work for him?” she smirked and laughed.

“For a second there, I thought there was something between you two because of the way you look at each other but he doesn't do employees. So, if you like him, I will advise you to look elsewhere cos Vino can never date you”

Skylar was sad when she heard that she and Vino can never date. She has started developing feelings for him and now to have her hope squashed. She turned to Camille who was smiling and smirking to herself, she thought of what she could do to get back at her.

“And how sure are you that he has not already taken me to bed?" Skylar said sweetly to her ear. She smiles proudly when she sees Camille's reactions.

“What?” Camille shouted looking at her like she was bluffing but when she saw the serious expression on Skylar's face. She stormed away angrily to the bar to get a drink.

“Drink to that Bitch” Skylar smiles proud of herself and turns to see Vino on the stage looking handsome as ever.

“Miss Skylar Evans” Mr. Ernesto Cruz called her while everyone applauded for her. Apparently, while she and Camille were talking, Vino had told everyone that she painted the mural and now they all wanted to know while she chose the theme.

Skylar was so nervous when she got to the stage. Vino gave her the mic and held her hand a little bit like he was telling her that he was there for her. Skylar smiles happily, nobody has ever cared for her like this before but when she remembers that he doesn't do employees, she frowns and walks away from him angrily.

***

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, the mural was painted by me and it tells the story of a young orphan boy who was alone in this world full of millions of people. This feeling made him lose hope and focus in life. But one day, a lady saw the potential in him and took him in, loved and nurtured him, taught him to believe in himself and he later became successful just because someone was there for him. The moral lesson of that story is that if you can't help someone, don't make them feel inferior and don't try to change how a person is because nobody is perfect and nobody is youer than you”

Everyone clapped for her as she stepped down from the stage, some were in tears. She walked back to stand alone, because Vino was with Camille and they were making out at the far corner of the hall where the light was dim.

“That was a very good mural, Miss Evans. I'm sure that every tourist that walks into this place will gain a thing or two from it” Mr. Ernesto Cruz said as the emcee started calling the auction product. Skylar nodded and excused herself to the garden. She sat on a swing in the corner gazing at the moon and stars as she tried to console her broken heart.

She didn't know that Vino followed her until he sat down beside her on the swing.

“That was a very good speech Miss Evans” he said as he turned to face her, he saw the tears in her eyes and tried to wipe it, making her freeze as his hand encountered her skin.

Electric current flows through her as he gazes down at her with lust in his eyes. And then he connected his lips with hers, sending butterflies to her stomach.

At first it was a slow kiss but it soon turned rough, his hands going to her boobs as she returned his kiss passionately.

The ringing of his phone brought them back to reality as Vino immediately stood up and left without any word from him. Skylar sat back down as she tried to calm her erratic beating heart to normal. With tears forming in my eyes, I stood up and went to where I parked my car and drove home.

***

Vino watches her as she walks to the stage. He could feel that she was nervous as he handed her the mic. He held onto her hand a little bit trying to let her know that he was there for her but she walked angrily away from him and he doesn’t even know why.

Immediately, he stepped away from the stage, Vino met Camille at the bar drinking.

“What's wrong with you Camille?” He scowls at her, she's always decent, he doesn’t know what has gotten into her.

“Why don't you ask your whore employee?" she screams back at Vino. He drags her to the far corner of the room where the light was dim, he notices Skylar's eyes on him, he turns to look at Skylar staring at him. He slammed his lips on Camille 's and she was ready for him to take her there. Vino broke the kiss and turned to see Skylar walking to the garden. He followed her after he had put Camille into the car and told her to wait for him.

On getting there, he met her sitting on a swing so he sat down beside her “That was a very good speech, Miss Evans' ' He had complimented her but he noticed she wasn't saying anything, he turned to look at her and froze.

She was crying. his heart bled for her as he raised his hand to wipe the tears, immediately his hand connected with her soft skin, he froze electric current was scorching through him as he glimpsed the vulnerability in her.

Vino connected his lips with her, just wanting to comfort her but the kiss soon turned heated as he ran his hands through her boobs and she kissed him back passionately. The ringing of his phone brought him back to the reality of what he nearly did. He walked away from her cause he didn't trust himself if he should stay another second in her presence.

Vino immediately went to his car; Camille was already sleeping as he drove them home.