Chapter 5. Fix This

Olivia Barnett POV

Morning seemed to pass by in  a blur. The office was quite busy, but Josh’s door remained closed with no hint of activity inside. 

Lunch soon arrived and everyone had gone on their breaks except me. 

I was not hungry. I was more tired, actually. My body feels like a bus ran over it, but I couldn't tell that to Lucy when she invited me for lunch. Instead, I just told her that I was waiting for a delivery. It’s the truth anyway. My one million dollar purchase is arriving anytime today. 

Lucy did not argue. When she got back from lunch, she had some very juicy information for me. I did not realize that the grapevine had been working full time during the lull hours. 

“Did you hear?” Lucy asked when she sidled up to my table right after lunch break to place a wrapped sandwich on the corner and a bottle of milk. I smiled inwardly. Lucy had a way of looking out for me without being obvious.

I pretended not to hear her, and continued typing. 

Lucy went right ahead in informing me. “Mr. Sterling and his girlfriend broke up.” Her voice held a little bit of mischief. 

She was waiting for my reaction. I could feel her stare boring on the top of my head, but I refused to give her one. Besides, it’s stale news. Josh already said as much last night, I wouldn’t be doing the deed with him if he was with Daisy. 

At least last night, we both got what we wanted. He got his fix, and I got my job back. The imminent clash between him and his grandfather had been mitigated. Problem solved. 

I looked back on the document I was reading, pretending the news did not affect me. 

Without getting any response from me, Lucy’s fun fizzled out. She was about to leave when an idea hit her. She leaned close to me and whispered. 

“Do you think it was because I mistakenly sent him the wrong folder?” Her brow arched at her own speculation, but she did not look troubled. In fact, she looked quite pleased.

Daisy has quite a reputation at the office. In front of Josh, she was the demure, and well-mannered girlfriend, but out of his sight? She terrorizes everyone. 

No one said a thing, though. No one wanted to antagonize the boss’ girlfriend because Josh will never believe it. In his eyes, Daisy is the most perfect human being in this world. She had no malicious bones in her body, and the epitome of a perfect girlfriend. 

“Lucy.” I warned her and she immediately caught herself. She tapped her mouth to signal that she was not going to say any more incriminating words against Daisy, and then she walked away. 

I watched her sit on her desk, picked her office tumbler and sipped. 

Thirty minutes later, Josh’s office door opened, the same time the elevator pinged, signaling an arrival. 

My jaw dropped when I saw two men in overalls and work gloves carrying between them a golden giant eggplant in a pot about four-feet tall. 

My jaw slackened as I stared at the monstrosity. On the website, it did not look this big. It looked cute, but now it does not look so cute anymore. It looked massive and …. I tried to grope for words but felt at a loss. 

A hush fell onto us when a third man in a suit walked right up to the receptionist, looked into his clipboard to ask for a Josh Morgan Sterling, claiming that the delivery was for him.

The receptionist pointed at him, and we all looked in his direction while the man in the suit walked up to him. 

The comical look on Josh’s face as he stared dumbfoundedly at the giant golden eggplant made me want to crack up. It was so funny to see how crimson crawled up to his cheeks and neck and up to his ears, especially when the man in the suit told him in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear that it was a gift “to remind him about how big and tall a man he is.” 

I wanted to erupt in laughter, but one look at Josh and the laughter was pushed back on my throat.

He glared at me before focusing his attention back to the delivery men.

The man in the suit handed him the clip board. “You need to sign here, sir.” He told him. Josh’s upper body became rigid.. He stepped back, arms crossed over as if he was protecting himself from bad elements. The cringe was very visible in his stance. 

“I don’t want that!” He cried, eyes almost popping out of their sockets. 

This is the first time I saw him looking so dazed and shocked. I covered my face because I was so near to bursting in laughter when the man in suit explained that the gift was already paid for. And they are not giving refunds. 

“It’s one million dollars, sir.” His announcement caused a simultaneous gasp from all around us. 

By now,  the color on Josh’s face quickly drained. He became pale so suddenly. 

He looked at my direction sharply. Index finger pointed in my direction.

“You!” He yelled.

But before he could blurt out to the whole office my connection to that humongous golden eggplant, a booming voice butted in.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Simultaneously, our attention was diverted to Jonathan Sterling, the chairman emeritus of the Sterling conglomerate. He walked slowly, cane in hand, while his eyes never left the golden eggplant. 

The three delivery men, understanding the office hierarchy and recognizing the power behind the aged Jonathan promptly explained. They even showed him the card accompanying the gift. My breath hitched when I caught sight of it. 

I watched Jonathan in bated breath while he read what was on the card. At the same time, I was thankful for the last-minute decision to specifically ask the seller to  leave the sender’s name blank.

My apprehension was clearly shattered when, to my amazement, Grandpa Jonathan did what I had been wanting to do since I caught sight of the giant eggplant. 

He roared in laughter, clutching at his chest. 

We all stared at Grandpa Jonathan in awe for a few seconds. We wanted to join in. I specifically wanted to laugh my heart out in abandon, but the sight of Josh Morgan Sterling’s face prevented me from showing my amusement. Instead, I kept my head bent, but my shoulders are giving me away. They were shaking uncontrollably. 

“Ms. Barnett.” Josh’s voice was full of warning. 

“Whoever sent you this got my respect. I love her wit and humor.” Grandpa Jonathan’s voice cut in.

Josh arched a brow.

“How did you know it was a girl?” He asked his grandfather testily. 

Grandpa Jonathan shrugged, and walked toward me, squeezing the ball of one shoulder. I leaned in a little, loving the comfort of grandpa’s nearness while Josh watched us with disdain. 

“I just knew. No man in his right mind would send another man a very clear, and definitive message like that.” 

Josh smirked. 

“Right!” He said in a voice dripped with sarcasm. Then, he speared me a pointed glance before walking ahead of his grandfather.

When he passed by me, he ordered, “Deal with that. I am holding you accountable.” 

Grandpa tapped my shoulder, following Josh out of the office. And then, all of us erupted into fits of laughter. 

“That was hilarious.” Lucy said. 

I left her to follow the boss’ order, and directed the delivery men to Josh’s office. 

He told me to fix the mess, so I am giving him the full honors for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.