Chapter 3 - “I am a straight man tonight, I promise!”

Ella Stanford was beyond mad. She was nearly going to go back into his office and slap his face. Yet somehow, she had managed to calm herself down and by the time Javier Summers walked in front of her and bid her goodbye for the day, she had her usual polite smile plastered on her face as if nothing had happened. As if he had not just insulted her by thinking that the type of guys she could date were accountants and tax advisors! In other words, he had said that she was boring enough of a person to date the most boring type of people. 

“How dare he?!” said Ella as she unlocked her door and got inside. “Oh, just you wait, Javier Summers!” she vowed to herself as she placed her bag on the table and sat on the couch. 

Damon Matthews was hot as a sin. Ella would have fallen for him if not for the fact that he was only interested in the same sex. Either Damon or his boyfriend Tanner would suffice. Gay men could make the very best friends for a woman and she was both glad and grateful to have them both in her life. Long before she had known that Damon was gay, back in her high school days, they had been really good friends. He was kind and supportive and he always had her back. She knew Damon would agree in accompanying her to go to Javier's party. 

Ella sagged onto the couch as she recalled what had happened. Javier Summers had insulted her twice. First, he had that appalled look on his face when she informed him that her companion was indeed a guy. Had he suspected that she only had female friends? That perhaps she was a lesbian simply because she did not immediately fall to his feet at the mere sight of him? Outrageous! Second, that guess about her companion whether he was an accountant or a tax advisor. 

Taking a deep calming breath, Ella said decidedly, “I have to find a new job!”

It was eating her up every day to have to work and put up with Javier Summers, constantly seeing him switching partners as if they were underwear and not human beings. Perhaps she had been a little jealous. Whatever it was, it needed to stop. Especially when he was openly mocking her like he had done so this afternoon. 

Javier Summers would never see her as anything other than his professional secretary. No other men had drawn such physical attraction from her, not even Damon Matthews. It was not just physical things either after all, over the years she had admired other men with great bodies, some were even better than Javier's. No, there was something about him that seemed to draw her in and it was driving her to near insanity. 

She did not like the person she was becoming. Sometimes she felt like she did not really belong to herself anymore. She should move on. And move on she would. It seemed cruel to give him the resignation letter tomorrow especially only a mere two days before his birthday so she would hand it to him on Monday after his party on Sunday.

With more determination, Ella wrote her resignation letter and signed it. She would hand it in on Monday and put Javier Summers behind her. She would finally move on from all of this. 

* * *

Two days later,

Thankfully Damon had been at home when I walked out of my flat and took two strides to get to his door. “Ella mia Bella!” greeted Damon as he blew a kiss directly to her. “Are you ready?”

Ella had called Damon two nights ago, informing him about her plan. Luckily he was free for the weekend and would be more than willing to put Javier in shame. 

“I’m born ready,” answered Ella with a dazzling smile. 

“Let’s show him who is the boss, my love!” Damon’s eyes glinted with excitement. 

“Wear that red glittery tie Tanner bought you last summer! Oh, and a dark suit!” said Ella then as she walked into Damon and Tanner's flat, following her friend's footsteps, she added, “Don’t overdo your look though. I don’t want anyone to know that you are gay, especially my boss.”

“I’m a straight man tonight, I promise!”

Ella heaved a sigh to relieve all the pent-up feelings Javier Summers had caused her lately.  Not only had he spent the last two days teasing her about Damon and how hot he was, but today he had informed her that it was fine should she choose to come alone. It was so insulting! It was as if he’d suggested that she had been lying about Damon's existence and he was giving her leeway. How dare he?!

“I need to make him pay, Dee. I have to. He has been driving me nuts!”

Damon who was buttoning his suit glanced at her and gave her a consoling look. “What was it this time?”

“He implied that I was making this whole thing up, that you did not exist and I’ve been lying. He said it is fine for me to come by myself.”

“Ouch!” Damon shook his head. “This guy definitely needs some spanking, dearest!”

Once Damon was done with his attire for the night, he tilted his head and regarded Ella. “Hmm, I believe you’re in the wrong dress, Darling.”

“What do you mean?”

“Remember that red dress that I bought for you but you never wore, not even once?” Damon lifted his brows. “Go make me happy and wear that one.”

Ella immediately knew which dress he had been referring to. “No way! That dress is too sexy for someone like me!”

“That is where you’re wrong. Sexiness is more of the attitude rather than things. That dress made you feel confident, I can see it when you tried it on. Wear it and bring sexy back!”

“Yes, ma’am!” Ella laughed. “I honestly doubt he’ll notice, Dee.”

“He’ll notice alright. Trust me. Unless he’s blind or an idiot, he will." Damon wiggled his eyebrows in a teasing manner. “And I am not just saying this because I am your friend.”

“Okay, you got me. I will hand in my resignation letter on Monday anyway so what the hell, right?!” Ella laughed again. “I will go and put some make-up on.”

“Don’t forget the smoky eyes!” ordered Damon, to which she replied with another laugh. “I will bring a glass of wine to make you loosen up, darling.”

As she stared at her reflection in the mirror, Ella could not help feeling that the urge to act in an outrageously shocking way was indeed appealing. She was going to give him a night to remember. It did not matter if it would cause him to be angry seeing how she would loosely behave with Damon, after all, she would hand in her resignation letter tomorrow so it would be better for her to leave him and the company with no regrets.