Chapter 7: Her Insolence

"Good morning to you too," Calian said, sounding uninterested in whatever she had to say.

"Oh, don't be a killjoy," she snapped as she took her seat opposite him.

His eyes flickered to her chest. He willed himself to look her in the face. "I thought we were being professional?"

"Yes, we are. But that doesn't you have a right to take away the excitement of my job," she replied.

He quirked an eyebrow. "So I should dance for joy whenever you're excited?" he asked.

She frowned. "No, I don't care if you share my excitement or not. Just let me be happy in peace," she said.

'If only you had done the same thing,' he thought to himself.

"Anyway, I didn't come here to argue with you. I think your assistant is right about your client," she started. "From the recorded phone call, the woman loved the furniture when it all arrived but claimed it was too expensive. She gave the impression that it was overpriced, but she never complained about it."

"I thought we've established all this," Calian snapped, getting impatient.

The annoyance could be seen in Cassidy's when she looked up at him from her notes. "I can see you know it all, isn't it? Well, you can continue whatever you were doing before I came in." She began to pack her things. "I'll relay whatever information I come across to your assistant."

At first, it seemed like she was bluffing. Who would walk out on him? He was genuinely surprised when she actually left his office, not forgetting to slam the door behind her.

"Um, is everything okay, Ma'am?" Mirabella asked when she saw her come out so soon. The last time that happened, it didn't end well.

"I'm fine. I'll like your phone number or email. You'll be the one to work directly with me," Cassidy said angrily.

Still puzzled, Mirabella began to call out the phone number for her when Evan came in.

"Hey, Miss Bryan," he greeted cooly.

"Mr. Fox," she replied with a nod.

"Is he in?" Evan asked Mirabella.

"Yes sir," came the reply.

The door opened and Calian stepped out. "Good, you're still here," he said to Cassidy, ignoring everyone else.

"I was just leaving," she said with a tight-lipped smile. She took her bag and turned to leave.

Calian rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'm sorry for interrupting you," he said reluctantly.

Evan looked at him strangely, as if he had suddenly grown two heads while Mirabella had a big smile on her face.

"Apology accepted but I'd rather not be here right now. Maybe I'll be back later," she said. She walked to the exit and turned slightly. "And Mr. Woods, I'd say you should learn to be less of a killjoy."

With that, she was gone.

Calian hissed and went into his office, Evan following close behind.

"Wow, what was that?!" Evan exclaimed like someone who just watched an epic movie.

"Can you not?" Calian pleaded.

"Of course not. Did you see that, Woody?" Evan responded as he fell into his seat.

"Please shut up. You sound like a teenager right now."

Evan sniggered. "But on a more serious note, Woody, did you see that?"

"Yes, I saw her disrespect me. I think I'll need to have another talk with her about her mouth," Calian said, angrily facing his laptop.

Evan facepalmed. "Are you being serious? I mean the chemistry, Calian Woods! Did you not see the chemistry between you two?"

"All I saw was an insolent woman."

"You probably deserved it," Evan whispered.

"Oh, so you're taking her side now?!" Calian asked in disbelief.

"Nope, I'm not. Look, I know you guys are having it rough having to see each other regularly but I've met that woman before. She wouldn't behave like that during business hours if you did something to deserve it."

"Why are you here?" Calian asked. He was fed up with Evan and he just wanted him out of his office.

"I came to know how it's been going with her."

"I guess you've gotten your answer. Why don't you leave? I already have lots of work to do and they don't include babysitting you," Calian snapped.

Evan shrugged. "Alright but listen to me, you can't keep running from your problems," he said before leaving.

~~`~

Cassidy was back to Oakwood by afternoon. "Your boss is in?" she asked Mirabella.

"He's in a meeting, Ma'am," the assistant answered.

"I'll wait then." She was about to leave for the waiting area when Mirabella called her back.

"Um, I don't mean to intrude, Ma'am but I'd like to say something." Cassidy nodded. "I know he may not seem like it but my boss is actually a very nice person. I'm saying this because...well, it seems like the two of you tend to fall out. And I really want you to do this job for us, please."

Cassidy studied her and smiled. "What's your name?"

"My name's Mirabella," she replied, confused.

"Okay, Mirabella. You like him, don't you?" The younger woman's eyes widened in shock. "It's easy to see. But unlike most women, you want to bring out the best in him. That's a good thing though. As for what you've said, I'll keep it in mind."

Leaving the stunned assistant, she went into the waiting area and continued to think about the case. She checked the file Calian gave her concerning that case to check the first hearing date. 'March sixteen? What the fuck?' she said in thought.

It didn't take long for Calian to come back from his meeting. She could hear his brisk footsteps as he came.

"Good afternoon, sir. Miss Bryan is here to see you," came the sweet voice of Mirabella.

"Oh. Give me ten minutes then you can tell her to come in," he said and went in.

Ten minutes rolled by quite fast and soon, Mirabella came to accompany her to his door.

"Mirabella? Don't worry, I understand what you said earlier and maybe I'll try to see what good you see in him," Cassidy said. Mirabella smiled.

"I see you decided to come back," Calian said after she took her seat.

She laid out her notes. "Perhaps if you don't want to hear what I have to say, you can see it instead," she said, tossing him her notebook as she leaned in her chair.