Chapter 1 - Reunion

»I will send the files later today. The solicitor should have them tomorrow around lunch-time.« Melanie wrote a note on a Post-It.
»Now that you mention it. Tomorrow is the big day. First time live at the office again. I will be in meetings most of the morning, but can I pick you up for lunch at the cafeteria?«
She chuckled at Wesley`s initials in a light-green bubble on the screen. »Sure. I will wait for my knight in shining armour at my desk.«
»I really look forward to see you, Melanie.« With that, the bubble vanished and gave way to a dull Excel-File.
She and Wesley worked together for a little over three years. Wesley was one of the two Corporate Lawyers at their company and she worked as their shared Assistant. They always had a great work relationship, but Melanie made it a principle to never get romantically involved at her workplace. Moreover, though they got along splendidly, Wesley failed to attract her physically and she couldn`t put a finger on why.
He was tall, with brown hair and light-blue eyes. slim, but not trained. So far so good. However, she didn`t feel it and he was too much a gentleman to push. So work remained work until Coronavirus forced them to solely work from home for the last five months.
Reduced to virtual meetings, where all she could see of Wesley were his initials in differently coloured bubbles, Melanie learned to appreciate his deep voice and witty remarks, both of which she found equally sexy. Since weeks, they talked daily and she was almost sure, Wesley was as reluctant as herself, every time they had to end a call.
She sighed. A part of her didn`t want to return to the office where Wesley`s esteem for her and their amazing conversations would be outweighed by the lack of her physical attraction to him. She stared unhappily at the screen and sighed. It probably just wasn`t meant to be.

The next day, autumn presented itself grey and rainy. Melanie opted for a long sleeve dress in cognac with black tights. When she arrived at her desk after mingling a while with colleagues from other departments in the coffee kitchen, Wesley had already left for his morning meeting before the two of them had a chance to talk to each other.
The next few hours she was busy with a research project she did for Giles, the other lawyer and only after the older man set off for a lunch meeting, Melanie wondered whether Wesley had forgotten about their appointment, as it was past the time, they usually went to the cafeteria.
»There you are. You look radiant.« As if realizing what he had said, Wesley frowned. »I apologise. I didn`t mean to be inappropriate. I am just happy to see you.«
Melanie had to force her eyes off the screen and on Wesley`s face, so much did she want everything to stay as it was, meaning in particular hearing his sexy voice and otherwise only seeing his initials. But it couldn`t be helped. She sighed and met his gaze.
Wesley seemed to have not only delayed their meeting, but the one with his hairdresser as well. The full brown hair definitely needed a trim. At the same time, the untidiness made him look more boyish and less stiff. An involuntary smile eased away her inner tension. »Wesley. How nice to see you.« She raised and stepped towards him whereupon he awkwardly gave her a kiss to the cheek.
»Shall we?«
She grabbed her key card and they went for the elevator. Contrary to her fears, their conversation did not lack any of the spirit it had when being restricted to a headset. On the contrary, Wesley’s facial expressions contributed to the animated way he told stories. Again and again, Melanie found herself laughing and captivated by their conversation.
Something else had changed too, tough she could only put her finger on it when Wesley`s Pizza arrived at their table. His face was a little rounder and his lips fuller. When he nodded, she almost meant to recognize first signs of a double chin. And now that he was sitting, Melanie couldn`t else but stare on his midsection. Wesley had always been slim in an untrained way, but now, she observed a little flab pressing against the fabric of his shirt. It was by no means that he was fat, but there was no negating him being ... well, more. Considerably more.
Wesley managed to keep up talking while at the same time tucking in a whole pizza in their limited lunchtime. Melanie herself had ordered a couscous bowl. But instead of eating she mostly watched Wesley shoving down fork after fork of food. It was a sight to behold. His forehead glistened a little because they sat near the pizza oven emanating heat and because of him eating so fast. Melanie meant to see the little flab expand until it undeniably stretched Wesley`s shirt so she could see a little glimpse of white belly between the lower two buttons.
Suddenly she felt hot too. It was the oven, right? Or could it be ...?

That night, Melanie baked brownies. If anything, to proof to herself, that the strange tingle deep inside her when watching Wesley eat had been nothing but her imagination.
When she entered his office to discuss a work project the next morning, she presented him with a plate loaded with five heavenly chunky chocolate brownies. »Hi Wesley. Are you ready or should I come back later?«
He looked up from some paper and eyed the treats. »Morning, sunshine. You do know it`s not my birthday today?«
She smiled broadly. »I made a plate to test for my sisters graduation next week. It would be a shame if they had to go to waste and I can`t eat them all on my own.«
»They look delicious! Thank you, Melanie.«
They seated themselves at the meeting table next to the window. As soon as they started to discuss her thoughts concerning the project, Wesley seized for the first brownie. She could see how much he savoured the desert and before long, he reached out for the next one. Melanie found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on her report while watching Wesley stuffing himself.
He noticed her staring at him and pulled back his hand from grabbing a third brownie. »I know, I probably should contain myself, but they really are delicious. I never knew you are such a good baker.«
»It is one of my favourite hobbies but for me alone it doesn`t really pay off.« She pushed the plate in his direction. »Please enjoy. They are all for you anyway.«
»If I have one more, I can`t possibly eat lunch and that would deprive me of the possibility to spend additional time with you. Will you go for lunch with me?«
Melanie couldn`t else but smile. »Of course.« She placed the plate on Wesley`s desk. »For later. As desert.«

This day, the cafeteria offered roast pork with dumplings and gravy and it didn`t take much persuasion for Wesley to pick this over the second menu of beetroot salad with goat cheese.
They were discussing a sitcom they both watched, when out of the blue, Wesley went serious. »You know, maybe I shouldn't say this, but I was a bit nervous about seeing you in person again.«
Melanie still chuckled from his remark on one of the main protagonists. »Why?«
»It’s a stupid thing to say, but talking to you was kind of the highlight of my day for the last five months and I felt like we really grew closer. At least to me.«
Melanie felt exactly the same way, but should she admit? She was saved by their food arriving. The two brownies he had during their meeting didn`t seem to have diminished his appetite in any way. Melanie tried to stare more discreetly. She even meant to discern the moment Wesley was full, but instead of stopping, he forced down the second dumpling nonetheless. And the more, he stuffed himself, the more she felt heat welling up inside her.
Back at her desk, she spent the rest of the Afternoon trying to get over the fact, that she finally felt attracted to Wesley because he was gaining weight. She burned with shame, but there was no denying it. Before leaving, she knocked on his door.
»Come in!«
»Hey there. I just wanted to say, that I did really appreciate our conversations as well.« The sparkle in his light-blue eyes as reaction to her comment made Melanie`s heart jump.
»You did, hm? And do you still or is your joy in talking to me a thing of the past?«
»Silly you. I am not going to reward that with an answer.« Her eyes fell on the untouched plate on his desk. She frowned. »Did you not like them?«
»Of course, I do. It’s just I ran into Malcolm from Controlling earlier and he meant I look like I spent home office in a Fast Food outlet.« He raised and looked unhappily at his rounder midsection. »Did I really gain that much weight? I didn`t realize ...«
She hurried to dissipate his concerns. »Not at all. To be honest, I think it becomes you to have a little more meat to the bone. Malcolm should keep his comments to himself.« With that, she pushed the plate a little more in Wesley`s direction.
He smiled at her and instantly grabbed for one of the remaining brownies.
»See you tomorrow then.«
»Good night, Melanie.«