Chapter 4 - a not so bad mistake

Melanie stared out of the window at the dark grey clouds. It had kept raining all weekend and slowly the weather was getting to her mood.
»Morning, Mel!«
She held back a sigh. Malcolm again. She had tried to make clear to him, that she was not interested, but Malcolm seemed to take her hints as encouragement to try even harder to win her over. In spite of the chilly temperatures, he had opted for a skin-tight short-sleeve, accentuating his toned body.
»You should have come to my party at the weekend. It was tons of fun.«
He leaned on her desk, much too close for her to feel comfortable with.
»And I would have loved to introduce you to my friends.«
She looked down to hide how she rolled her eyes. As if she needed to know more people like Malcolm. Short-spoken, she replied, »I had a family thing.«
The truth was, that her younger sister Elsie had insisted she joined her and some friends for a night out because she was worried about her, spending another weekend lonely on the couch watching romantic comedies.
Malcolm nodded full of himself, obviously still convinced, that she was interested in him. Melanie was so frustrated, she was about to try again to make clear that she didn’t want to get to know him or anyone connected to him, when Rupert Pennington entered the room. Immediately, they both fell silent.
Melanie had always been a little scared of the company’s CEO and owner, with his square skull and cold grey eyes. Only a small band of thin, red-brown hair was left on the sides of his head and right now, he looked even more pissed than usual.
»Ms. Reed.«
She winced, giving up the hope that he could be here searching for Wesley or Giles. For once, she was relieved, Malcolm was present. It would be even scarier, if she had to face Mr. Pennington alone.
»Sir. I think I should better get going back to work. I will see you later, Melanie.«
Malcolm the cowardly bastard fled, leaving her alone. Her mind raced in search of what exactly could have caused the big boss to descend two flights of stairs to speak to her of all people.
Pennington came closer and though she was sure, he couldn’t be taller than herself with a frail frame hidden by a grayish suit with shoulder padding to give him a statelier appearance, he was intimidating.
»I heard from the solicitors that you missed the deadline to send the signed documents concerning the acquisition of the Forest River project. Now we have lost our right of first bid and will very probably lose our claim altogether. Do you know how much money that will cost me and the company?«
Melanie shook her head agitatedly. »The documents have been lost when transported with the courier the first time, but I prepared a second set, secured the signatures and send them again. It was later than usual, but by no means past the deadline.«
Pennington made another step towards her desk and she desperately wished for someone to appear. In that moment, even Giles or Malcolm would be most welcome.
»What is the matter here, Rupert?«
Wesley. Thank God. Pennington explained her alleged omission.
»And now we will lose the project. You know how important this is for us. For the company.« Pennington’s voice trembled with anger.
Melanie’s eyes wandered to Wesley, whose cheeks where slightly reddened, presumably from the cold outside and or the effort to walk up to the second floor from the parking lot next to the building.
»I know that Melanie has prepared a second set of documents, including the necessary signatures.«
Wesley even recollected the date and Melanie wondered whether this was, because it was the day after the disaster with Malcolm. Suddenly a chill crawled down her spine. She was missing something. The heart-shaped paper-clips. Malcolm. The stack of paperwork at the edge of her desk.
Wesley looked at her worriedly. »Melanie? Are you alright?«
Horrified, she leaned over her desk where a monstrous plant separated her desk from the glass wall. There, stuck between the light-grey pot and the glass was the envelope, already marked to be delivered by courier. She pulled it out and placed it quietly in the middle of her desk. »I don’t know what to say. When it was gone from my desk, I assumed Danny from mail service had taken it during my lunch break. I ...« She felt tears running down her cheeks. »I am so sorry.«
Pennington extended his hand and she winced again. Apparently, he only wanted to reach for the envelope, but quicker than she would have given him credit for, Wesley stood in front of her, blocking the other man.
»Sorry? What am I to do with your apology? Do you know the cost of your stupidity? This was ...«
Melanie covered her face with her hands. She didn’t want to hear any more of this. The worst was, Rupert Pennington was right. She should have made sure; the documents had reached the solicitor in time. If only she hadn’t been so out of her mind because of how things had changed between her and Wesley. »You will have my resignation on your desk by the end of the hour, Sir.«
Wesley cleared his throat. »Ok. We will all calm down now. Melanie is working here for a little over five years and I can’t recollect to ever have been anything else than impressed with her work. She already said, she is sorry and it is my fault no less than hers. I should have checked with the solicitor as well, but it apparently escaped my mind.«
Slowly, he straightened himself, being easily one and a half heads taller than Mr. Pennington, who automatically took a step back.
»Rupert, I am afraid I have to insist on you apologizing to Melanie. Afterwards, we will see how to correct what happened. I already have something in mind.«
Melanie shook her head to signal, that she neither deserved nor insisted on an apology, while Mr. Pennington didn’t seem to be well-disposed to the suggestion either.
»Your choice, Rupert. You are agitated and therefore have crossed a line in terms of respect. It is either that, or you can search for a new company lawyer as well.«
With a look on his face as if he had eaten a lemon in whole, Rupert Pennington extended his hand. »I am sorry, Ms. Reed. I probably overreacted given the gravity of the consequences the loss of the documents could have on my life’s work.«
Melanie just nodded, not daring to make as much as a sound.
»Now, Rupert. Let’s go to my office and discuss, what can be done about the matter.«

Melanie occupied herself with writing her resignation anyway. The better part of three hours later, Rupert Pennington emerged from Wesley’s office, leaving the door gaping wide open. He glared at her with a scornful look, but otherwise remained silent, stomping away.
The moment he was gone, Melanie rose. Wesley was still talking on the phone when she entered his office and carefully closed the door. Silently, she stood in front of his desk and waited for him to end the call.
Wesley put down the phone and looked up to her tiredly, running one hand through his hair. Although Melanie had spent quite some time phrasing several versions of her apology right in that moment, she didn’t know what to say. The moment stretched and she just stood in front of him, her mind wiped clean.
»Apart from you always being such a sunshine in the grey, in this very moment you look rather horrible. Probably you should take off the rest of the day to recover from today’s events?«
He got up and flexed his back, thereby putting his paunch on display. The fabric of his white shirt with the blue stripes was stretched once again, although Melanie was sure, it was one of his new purchases. To her disappointment, she only got a glimpse on a white undershirt instead of the white soft skin of his flab.
Melanie stared at her feet. How could she even think about him that way right now? She had brought him into a situation that almost cost him his job. She felt his hand on her arm and looked up.
»Everything is going to be alright. I talked to the solicitor and the developer of the project and if we wire the payment today, he will act as if he got our offer in time. No one from external will be the wiser. Rupert will calm down eventually. You really don’t need to worry.«
He was about to withdraw his hand, when Melanie held it in place. To her own horror, tears started to stream down her cheeks again and she sobbed silently. Wesley tentatively came a step closer, causing Melanie to threw herself into his arms. »I am so sorry, Wesley. For everything. So sorry.« Words started to come incoherently out of her mouth, while Wesley held her in his arms and softly stroke her back.
At the same time, Melanie felt his body against hers for the first time. His bulky presence made her feel secure. She wanted nothing more, than to let her hands explore the pillowy flab that was starting to hang a little over his waistband. She wanted to feel the love handles hidden beneath the expensive material of his suit jacket. To give in to the urge to press herself against him harder. But how could she, given how things were between them now?
As if he had read her mind, Wesley withdrew a little. »I am sorry, Melanie, but I really need to prepare everything to wire the money. I would rather not have Rupert standing here a second time today. Go home. I have everything under control.«
Hesitantly, she let go of his hand. »If I come back to the office tomorrow, will you go for lunch with me?« She cursed inwardly. What a stupid thing to say. What the hell was wrong with her?
Wesley didn’t answer straight away. Only after a little while, the words came carefully chosen and with a quiet and collected voice from his lips. »That would be very nice, but I do not want to keep you from someone else.« He was too much of a gentleman to say Malcolm’s name aloud.
Melanie smiled and this time, she held the gaze of his light-blue eyes. »How can you not know how much I prefer your company over Malcolm’s. You would really be more like a rescue from another dull conversation.«
This earned her a small laugh. »I could never resist saving a damsel in distress. Tomorrow then.«
Relief washed over Melanie while her cheeks were still wet with tears.