Chapter 6 Be My Date Tonight

Violet started working in the company and her colleagues liked her alot except of course for Sandra and though Violet tried to make friends with her, Sandra continued to be cold and hostile towards her.

Clark showed that he was indeed a flirt like Violet had suspected but his flirting was harmless enough or so Violet thought until one day.

'Violet?' he started.

'Yes, Clark?'

'How about dinner tonight?'

Violet could not believe her ears but she thought it might be one of his harmless flirting and jokes but the smile that has started on her face as she planned to make a joke of her own froze when she saw the underlining seriousness underneath his flirtatious smile.

She decided to go ahead and make the joke.

'Are you short of girls to go out on a date with?' she said lightly, summoning a smile.

'Violet, I am serious', he said.

'I am not kidding as well. Did your numerous girlfriends all stand you up or you just want a new face to take on a date?' she asked still smiling.

'Violet, I know that you think that I have numerous girlfriends but I assure you, that is not the case', Clark began, 'I am intrigued by you and I want to get to know you better away from the work premises'.

Violet could no longer pretend that she could not see that he was serious.

'Oh Clark, I couldn't '.

' You couldn't or wouldn't? Do you not like me at all, then?'

'I do. I like you a lot and we ate friends and colleagues after all but I do have another date. I am not free tonight'.

'Okay, what about tomorrow night?'

'I have another date', Violet said thinking of how best to reject him without hurting his feelings.

'And the night after that?'

'Oh Clark. Do not do this. I do not want to go out on a date with you or with anyone else right now', she told him in a tone she hoped was apologetic enough.

'You don't have a boyfriend, that I know of, so with who do you have this date you are using as an excuse?'

'My father. I have a date to care for my father. It is just the two of us, you know?' she said and then, 'And how did you know there was no boyfriend? Have you been spying on me?'

'I made it my duty to find out once I grew interested in you'.

'Anyway, like I said, I like you. So it is not be ause it is you. It could have been anyone else and my response would still be the same'.

'It is okay. I know that when you are ready, you will let me know. I respect your decision but I do not think that your father would want to prohibit you from living your life because of him. But I realise that you are not ready and I respect that'.

'Thank you', she smiled at him and went back to her typing while he went back to his office.

As soon as the door shut behind him, Violet thought about his date proposition and did not feel any remorse for refusing him. Soon she forgot everything about his proposition as she became absorbed in her work. So absorbed that she did not hear her boss come in.

She started when she heard him say, ' Miss Johnson could you come to my office, I need to dictate some things to you and I need an update on the financial records of the manufacture and sales in the past week', he continued, 'I realise that it should be done monthly but I want to know just how we are faring'.

He went into his office after that and Violet could not understand why he disturbed her. His presence disturbed her alot though she tried to hide the fact.

What was it about him that made her so jittery? It was not as though she was afraid of him and neither did she like him. So probably, it was because he was her boss and because of their first meeting and the circumstances surrounding that and her employment at his company.

She wondered why he had not used the intercom but come to her office himself. He must have been passing by. Did he see Clark leave her office or overhear their conversation?

If he did, it was his business, she was old enough to go out with anyone she chose to go out with. She was not his sister not his girlfriend.

Violet went into Damien's office and sat down, positioning her PC to take down what he wanted to dictate.

She had already prepared a file of the financial update he requested and placed it before him.

'Sir, this is the update you asked for'.

He nodded. 'Sit down and take down this down'.

After typing all that he dictated, 'Is that all?' she asked.

'For now, Yes', he said looking at her speculatively.

'Do you have anything lined up for tonight?'

Violet could not believe her ears. Was today, a day for asking for dates and being refused?

'Why do you ask?' she was sure he must have overheard her conversation with Clark and was going to mock her in his arrogant way and she was preparing not to swallow any of his bad mouthing just then.

'Well you see, I have an important client joining me for dinner and it is a business dinner date and I want you to come with me and take down notes'.

'Oh', Violet said before she could stop herself.

'Oh, is that all you can say or did you think I was asking you out on a romantic date? Do not flatter yourself'.

Why, he was so infuriating.

'I didn't think it was any such thing but I was just taken aback by your question and that is all', she retorted, seething.

If he knew that she felt hurt to be so misunderstood, Damien gave no indication.

'And why must I told about the date now? I could have other appointments, you know?'

'But you don't. I called your dad to find out and he said you should go, since it was part of your work '.

Violet felt so angry with her boss that she could not utter another word. What gave him the right to ask her father when she was there? She could just refuse like she did Clark but her father had already given his consent.

'If there's no other thing, you can go back to your office and continue with what you were doing'.

She could not leave his presence fast enough. The guts! Must she keep enduring this from this man? The salary was good enough. Far more than she had anticipated but that was not the reason she should lose her right and freedom!

She would speak to her father. He must stop deciding certain things for her!