"You know each other?" Maui asked, tilting her head between me and Daryl.
I laughed nervously, feeling the heat creep up my neck. "We just met a few days ago," I said, my gaze flitting between them.
Daryl's eyes, dark and intense, held mine. "And you've been avoiding me ever since," he stated, his voice a low rumble.
I choked, a cough escaping my lips. "I'm not avoiding you," I protested, shaking my head.
"Is that so?" Daryl challenged, his gaze unwavering. I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest.
Maui looked at me, her brow furrowed with confusion. "What's going on?" she asked. I couldn't believe it. This was too much of a coincidence.
"You should still give him your resume," Maui said, her voice firm as we stood outside Daryl's office. "I'll go now. Good luck on your new job."
"You're leaving now?" I asked, my voice laced with surprise. She nodded, her eyes filled with regret.
"I have a meeting at one. I can't be with you all day, I'm sorry," she explained. I shook my head, trying to hide my disappointment.
"It's fine. Thank you for coming with me," I said, my voice sincere. She patted my shoulder, a comforting gesture.
"Don't worry too much about Daryl. He's a kind person," she said, trying to lighten the mood. I smiled at her, grateful for her support.
"Yeah, thank you so much," I repeated, watching her disappear down the hallway.
My heart hammered against my ribs as I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It creaked open, revealing Daryl hunched over his computer, his brow furrowed in concentration.
"Maui said I should give you my resume," I said, my voice a little shaky. I started walking towards his desk, my footsteps echoing in the quiet office.
"You can put it here," he said, barely glancing up, his hand patting the surface of his desk.
I reached his desk and laid my resume down, my fingers brushing against his. I turned to leave, but a clearing of his throat stopped me in my tracks.
"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down my spine. I turned around, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Ahm... going home," I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. "You're going to call me, right?" I asked, my eyes searching his eyes. He smirked, a slow, knowing smile that sent a jolt of electricity through me. What? Did he just smirk at me?
"I already told you you're hired," he said, his gaze unwavering. "You can start working now." He pointed a finger towards the door, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
I followed his gaze and saw a vacant table just outside his office. My jaw dropped. This wasn't what I expected at all.
"You can use that table," he said, his voice almost a whisper. I nodded, my mind still reeling from the unexpected turn of events.
"Oh, okay," I said, my voice a little shaky. "Just call me if you need anything." I turned towards the door, my heart still pounding in my chest.
I stepped outside and gently closed the door behind me. Taking a deep breath, I turned and looked at the vacant table. It was a small, wooden table with a worn, leather chair. It seemed almost too simple for a place like this. But for me, it was a chance. A chance to start something new.
"I can't believe I have a job now," I breathed, a wave of disbelief washing over me. I walked towards my table, a sense of excitement mixed with nervousness bubbling in my stomach. I placed my bag on the surface and was about to sit down when a voice crackled through the intercom.
"I need you here, Ms. Sandoval," Daryl's voice boomed, sending a jolt through my system.
"I'll be right there!" I replied, my heart leaping into my throat. I turned and headed back towards his office. What now? I hadn't even had a chance to settle in. He'd called me back already.
I pushed open the door, careful not to make a sound, and walked towards his desk. He looked up, his gaze intense and unwavering.
"Go to the accounting department and get what I was requesting from them," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. I nodded, my mind racing.
"Accounting department? What floor is it?" I asked, my voice a little shaky. He looked at me, his expression a mixture of surprise and annoyance.
"Find it!" he snapped, his tone leaving no room for further questions. My shoulders slumped. What kind of answer was that?
I stood in front of the elevator, my phone clutched tightly in my hand. I tried calling Maui, but her calls went straight to voicemail. Frustration gnawed at me. I needed her help, but she was busy now.
"Okay, I can do this," I muttered to myself, taking a deep breath. I headed for the ground floor, my steps a little unsteady. Reaching the front desk, I was met with a pair of curious eyes.
"Hi! Can you tell me where I can find the accounting department?" I asked the woman behind the desk, my voice a little hesitant. She smiled warmly.
"It's on the twelfth floor," she replied. Relief flooded me. I smiled back, feeling a surge of gratitude.
"Thank you!" I exclaimed, turning towards the elevator, a sense of purpose filling me.
I pressed the button for the twelfth floor and waited for the elevator doors to close. Just as they were about to slide shut, a hand reached out and stopped them. A man stepped in, his smile warm and disarming.
"I'm sorry!" he said, his voice apologetic as he pressed the button for Daryl's floor.
"It's fine," I replied, trying to appear nonchalant as I averted my gaze. Maybe he was Daryl's friend.
"Are you new here? This is the first time I've seen someone gorgeous here," he said, his gaze lingering on me. I was caught off guard by his comment.
"Yeah, I'm new," I said, a blush creeping up my cheeks. "Thank you, by the way!" I added, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Which department are you in?" he asked, his curiosity evident. Should I tell him the truth?
I was about to tell him my position when the elevator doors slid open, revealing the bustling twelfth floor.
"Accounting department then," he said, his voice a little too loud as I stepped out of the elevator. I was about to correct him, but the doors closed before I could speak. I decided to let it go.
I walked towards a busy office, the sound of keyboards clicking and phones ringing filling the air. At the end of the room, I spotted the head accountant, her gaze fixed on me. I became acutely aware of my steps, my stomach twisting with a mixture of nervousness and excitement.
"Good morning! I'm here to pick up what Mr. Jimenez requested," I said, my voice a little shaky. The head accountant scrutinized me from head to toe, her expression unreadable.
"So, you're his new secretary?" she asked, her tone clipped. I nodded, my heart sinking a little.
"Yes, I'm Tyra Ralene Sando—" I began, but she cut me off.
"Stacey! Where's the paperwork?" she barked, her voice sharp and impatient. Okay, fine. They all had an attitude here, just like their boss. Who was also my boss! Dang!
A woman with large, round glasses approached and handed a stack of papers to the head accountant. The head accountant quickly scanned them, scribbling her signature before handing them to me.
"Give it back once he's signed them," she said, her voice curt. I nodded, my eyes catching the name "Mary Yves" placed on the top of her table.
"I will, thank you!" I said, feeling a little overwhelmed by the whole experience. I left their office, clutching the papers tightly in my hand.
I was just stepping onto the elevator when my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Tyler.
"Where are you?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
"Working," I replied, the elevator doors sliding open.
"You're already hired?" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief. I smirked, shaking my head.
"Of course! Talk to you later, I'm busy!" I said, ending the call and stepping out of the elevator, a wave of excitement washing over me.
I rapped my knuckles against the door before pushing it open and stepping inside Daryl's office. My eyes widened in surprise. The man from the elevator was still there, his presence filling the room with an unexpected tension.
"Wait, you're not from the accounting department?" the man from the elevator asked, his voice a mix of surprise and amusement.
"So, you already met her?" Daryl said, his gaze shifting from me to the man who was lounging on the couch.
"You didn't tell me you already had a new secretary," the man said, his eyes now fixed on me.
"Why should I? You're not working here," Daryl replied, his gaze returning to me. A wave of unease washed over me. This was definitely not the start I had envisioned.
I walked towards Daryl's desk, my heart pounding in my chest. I placed the papers on his desk.
"Just let me know when you're done signing them," I said, my voice barely a whisper. He continued to stare at me, his expression unreadable.
He finally reached for the papers, but he handed them back to me.
"Check them," he said, handing me another stack of papers. "These are the guidelines I want to see from them. Once you're done checking, give them back to me and I'll sign them." I almost cursed under my breath. This guy was already giving me a lot of work even though I just got hired. I took a deep breath and forced a smile.
"Yes, sir!" I replied, trying to sound confident as I walked away, clutching the papers in my hand.
I settled back into my chair, my attention focused on the stack of papers before me. Just as I was becoming absorbed in the details, the man from the elevator stepped out of Daryl's office.
"Is he giving you a hard time?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern. I quickly shook my head. "Nah, it's my job," I replied, my usual formality slipping away. 
Luther's eyes widened in surprise, his smile fading for a moment. 
"I'm sorry!" I apologized, feeling a blush creeping up my neck. He chuckled and said, "It's fine! I'm Luther, and you are?”
"I'm Tyra," I said, extending my hand. 
"Nice to meet you, Tyra," he replied, shaking it. 
"Nice to meet you too, sir Luther," I said, trying to maintain a professional distance. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then said, "Nah, don't call me sir. Just Luther." I nodded, relieved to drop the formality. 
"Okay, just Luther," I joked, and he laughed, a genuine, relaxed sound.
"Go back to your work, Ms. Sandoval," Daryl's voice echoed from the intercom. I winced, feeling a sudden wave of anxiety. 
"Oh, someone's jealous," Luther said with a playful grin, waving his hand dismissively. 
"Bye for now, Tyra!" he added, his voice full of warmth, and strode towards the elevator.
Daryl was oblivious to the world, lost in the glow of his computer screen. Lunchtime crept up on us, and I stood up to tell him I was heading out. I was reaching for the door, my hand hovering over the handle, when Daryl suddenly appeared, his face a mixture of surprise and annoyance.
"Let's go!" he said, his voice low and urgent.
"Huh? Where?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I grabbed my bag and followed him into the elevator. I decided to ask him again.
"Ahm—”
The elevator doors opened, cutting me off mid-sentence. Daryl emerged, and I found myself following him into the parking lot. He stopped in front of his car, and I felt my heart quicken as his eyes met mine.
"You want me to drive?" I asked, my voice a little shaky. He nodded, a playful glint in his eyes, and handed me his keys. I took them, my palms sweating slightly. I slid into the driver's seat, and he settled in the back. "This is surreal," I thought, starting the engine and turning to look at him.
"Where are we going, sir?" I asked, my voice a little breathless. Daryl turned to me, his gaze intense, and said, "You choose!" He looked away, leaving me with a lingering sense of anticipation. 
I rolled my eyes, a thrill running through me, and started driving. I decided on our usual restaurant, parked the car, and went outside, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nervousness.
"Let's go!" I said, my voice a little shaky. He nodded, his gaze intense, and we walked towards the restaurant. 
I felt a sudden chill run down my spine as I saw Tyler and Joana staring at me. 
"Tyra?" Tyler called out, his voice a low growl. I looked at Daryl, my eyes wide with apprehension. 
What are they doing here? My pulse quickened with a sense of foreboding.