Chapter three

CHAPTER THREE

Cassie POV

I arrive at the office within the hour, rather not give Mr Dean any more of a chance to be mad at me and run up the stone steps to the Publishing House doors. I see Amy on the reception desk popping her gum again, hope Jericho doesn’t see her, and head straight to my desk to drop my stuff off. I’m just about to turn to go to Jericho’s office, when I see that he is already at the door waiting for me, “I’m screwed,” I tell myself. I walk over to him with a polite “Morning Sir,” which he doesn’t respond to, he turns and retreats into the office as I follow closely behind him.

He walks round to his gigantic yet stylish desk and sits down. I wait for him to tell me why he’s called me in on my weekend off, but he’s just sitting there looking at me. Another moment goes by, which feels like forever by the way, he finally stands and tells me to take a seat, I do so while he turns to look out of his office window, like he is in deep thought, or just making a dramatic statement, either way I’m still waiting for him to say something. “Do you know why I have called you in this morning, on your weekend off which you so politely reminded me?” I was done for, he knew I was late yesterday, somebody ratted me out, I bet it was Amy, she acts all sweet and innocent, but I bet it was her, she sees everything. I still haven’t answered, it doesn’t matter though because he answers for me, “I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that after great consideration on my part, I have decided to keep you on full time after your time at Berkley is over,” I’m speechless, I for sure thought he knew, and I was done for. I mentally scrutinize myself for even thinking Amy ratted me out. “Erm, thankyou Mr Dean, I don’t know what to say”, “No need for thanks I give reward where rewards due and you Miss Knox, have done nothing but remarkable work since you have been interning here, I know that hasn’t been long, but you deserve it.”

I’m absolutely shocked, I cannot believe that he’s offering me a permanent position after I finish Berkley. In that moment all I can think about is Mrs Adams question, “where do you see yourself after Berkley Miss Knox?”, the question I couldn’t quite answer, because interning at Jericho’s office was more than a dream come true for me, now I can answer her question without making something up. Jericho has now turned and is staring directly at me, I hadn’t noticed that he turned around, I was deep in thought about Mrs Adams question. I finally look up and lock gazes with Jericho, it’s strange, but I feel like he’s seeing more of me than he had before, no! ‘That’s just your wishful thinking Cassie,’ my annoying inner voice replies to me, but it’s not, I’m not imagining it, I see him looking at me, in a way I’ve never seen before. He catches me looking at him, looking at me, and diverts his gaze back to the window, I am now sitting there searching around the office with my eyes for the secret door. Nowhere in sight,” What the hell,” I mutter under my breath. “That will be all Cassandra, thank you.” “Fuck”

did he hear me? No way.

I get up from my chair and leave his office, in a daze, Jericho has never called me Cassandra before, all I can envision at this moment whilst heading towards my desk is the dream, I had of him and me last night.

“This can’t be happening, is he feeling the same way that I’m feeling?” No, he can’t be, it’s my mind again, playing tricks on me, making me feel and think things that aren’t there, but this time it’s not going to work, I hope.

I’m at my desk finishing the last manuscript Jericho had me working on, when I realise it’s starting to get dark outside, I look at my phone to see the time, ‘crap’, I told Alexis I would meet her at her house around 5 pm, it’s now 6, she’s going to be so pissed with me. I hustle to get my stuff together and get out the door, I whiz past Amy, “Bye Cass,” I run down the steps of the publishing house when “Miss Knox”, ‘oh no not again’, I sigh to myself, what is with everybody wanting to talk to me when I’ve got to be somewhere. I quickly turn on my heels, “Yes Jeri, I mean Mr Dean,” the surprise on his face when he realised, I was about to call him by his first name was a picture, “Urm, yes, Miss Knox, in a hurry, you didn’t come into the office to let me know you were leaving!” “I know, sorry, I’m just so late, I’m housesitting for my friend, she has a flight to catch, I didn’t realise what time it was,” I’m rambling by this point, and I can see Jericho smirking, at me, I stop. He catches himself, then his face is back to all business as usual, “Well yes, go to your friend, I’ll see you after the Winter break.” He turns suddenly to go back into the building, I shout after him, “If there’s anything you need, I’ll be on my cell,” he carries on walking as if he never heard me, but I know he did. I carry on to my car, I get in, buckle up, and make my journey towards Alexis’s.