Chapter 2 - confession

Melanie watched two legs in suit trousers approach behind the frosted part of the glass front and smiled in anticipation. During the last few weeks, there had hardly been a day, she and Wesley didn`t spend lunch together and more often than not, she had brought him some baked treats to go with their shared coffee breaks. Melanie felt how she was falling big time for her boss. She even started to look forwards to mondays after the weekend to see Wesley again. For the hundredth time she wondered, whether she should make a step at the same time fearing the consequences that would might come with it.
»Good morning, Melanie.«
Wesley looked dashing. Blue suit, white shirt, no tie. He wore brown shoes and golden cufflinks gleamed at his wrists. »Someone has a new suit.« She found herself beaming at him.
Wesley returned her smile and spun around playfully. Melanie couldn`t but notice his wider frame. The trousers fit perfectly to his fuller behind while the bigger sized shirt provided space for his growing belly. Now he looked down at her with his light-blue boy’s eyes and Melanie felt the urge to embrace him. To finally lay hand on the love handles hidden by his suit jacket.
Instead, she handed him a small bag filled with cookies together with the message, that he should go right upstairs to the office of the company’s CFO.
Wesley frowned. »I hope I will be back for lunch.«
Melanie chuckled and observed how Wesley rounder face and the additional flab caused a double chin when he was looking down at her. »How about I will wait for you and we order something when you come back?«
»That sounds great. See you later.«
Melanie watched him stepping out of the door again, already shoving the first cookie into his mouth and felt a warm pang.

When Wesley came back from his meeting it was almost 2 o’clock and he was in an utterly bad mood. There was no sign of the cookie bag, so Melanie grabbed for a pack of Taco chips she had stashed in her desk and followed him into his office.
While Wesley explained that the top crowd was planning a reorganization turning every stone within the company, Melanie placed a food order on her mobile. Slowly her presence and the chips seemed to sooth Wesley.
»Sorry. I didn`t mean to twaddle. I am just convinced that this is not a good idea.« He took another handful of chips before pushing the bag a little further away from himself. »Thank you for being there for me.« He cleared his throat. »Listen, Melanie, I thought about this.«
Suddenly she felt as if the temperature in the room had fallen several degrees. She thought about THIS all the time, but she was not ready to go the next step. Not yet. »This?«
»Us getting along well.« He frowned. »I don't want to push. I never would. And I am afraid ...«
Melanie felt her heart swell inside her, watching him trying to be a gentleman.
»I don't want to exploit my position. I mean you kind of work for me and I don't want you to be afraid for your job or something if you told me you wouldn't want to spent time with me. Like lunch breaks and you know ... Just say the word and I will step back.«
She put her hand on his and smiled at him. »I assure you, this is not the case at all.«
When he was about to softly stroke her hand with his fingers, Melanie`s phone buzzed, signalling that the food order had arrived.

Melanie had ordered a feast. Spring rolls, noodles with chicken, samosas, fried squid rings, fried dumplings, fried rice.
They sat together at the meeting table and while she told Wesley about her sister who had graduated as an elementary school teacher lately and the rest of her family, he worked his way through every single one of the little plastic boxes.
In the meantime, she had learned to look at him more unobtrusively, watching him chew and swallow again and again. After a while she noticed beads of sweat on his forehead and how his breath started to come more strained. He downed a big glass of soda and leaned back in the office chair which responded with a small squeaking sound. He looked embarrassedly at his stuffed belly and tried to shift to a more comfortable position. In an attempt to give him some relief, Melanie rose and tentatively laid her hands on his shoulders. She freed Wesley from his suit jacket and started to massage his neck. She felt him relax instantly, leaning in to her.
»I am sorry, I made such a mess of myself.«
»Don`t be ridiculous. You just enjoy food. that`s not a bad thing.«
He tried to sit up, but gave the attempt up instantly. »We both know that is not true. I am getting fat and now I have reached a level, where I don't need Malcolm from IT to tell me so anymore.« He stared unhappily at the table scattered with empty food cans and shifted a little again. A belch escaped him and his cheeks turned slightly pinkish. He looked down at himself obviously humiliated about how he had lost control.
Melanie felt wretched. »I need to apologize. I feel, like I might have pushed you a little bit.« She didn`t know how to find the right words to express how in addition to his wit, humour and good heart his loss of control when it came to food physically attracted her to him . How could he want her in his life, if he knew?
He looked up at her and Melanie felt his hand on hers. »A little, hm?«
She softly stroked his chin with her free hand. Did he understand? Could he understand?
Her phone started ringing. Melanie hastily withdrew her hand feeling caught although they still were alone in Wesley`s office. She stared at the display. Of all times, the second company lawyer used exactly this moment to call her instead writing an E-Mail. Melanie grabbed the ringing phone and sighed »Hello Giles. How can I help you?«