Ashington

     "Come on!" Xyrus clapped the leather steering wheel as he stared up at the red light. He was late for a meeting where he would unveil the new products for the season. A man exiting a glass door caught his attention and he turned to see the small bakery he had never noticed before.

     Located between his house and his office, he was shocked that he had never noticed the posh café, and with another glance at the stubborn light, decided it could be just the sweet exchange he needed to make up for his tardiness. Tugging the wheel to the right, he pulled into a parking space and hopped out of his black Range Rover SUV.

"Hi! Welcome to A Slice of Suzeth!! How can I help you?" A sweet girl with red hair called from behind the counter. She was cheery and sweet, flashing a smile that made you feel at ease.

    Xy had barely noticed her though, because the brunette in the back had stolen his attention. He could tell she was naturally a blonde from her lightened roots, and he wondered what made her dye the hair so many wished they had.

     Usually, a few undisturbed seconds of staring was enough for a woman to know he was interested, and subsequently make their move to try their chances. Something was different about this girl, and it intrigued him.

"What could I get you today?" The cheery red head asked, drawing him back to reality.

"I'm sorry. I'd like a box of everything," Xyrus flashed a smile as he pointed to the glassed pastry display.

"No problem. We have a half or a full dozen variety box," she explained.

"Let's go for the whole dozen," Xy nodded, mentally calculating how many people would be in the meeting.

     He was going to reveal the newest line of accessories for large breed dogs. There was something about the lightheartedness of his clients that made him refuse to completely by in to corporate America. Most men in his position would wear a suit to the office every day, but Xyrus referred jeans and a white button-down shirt.

    Even his facial hair was less than formal, the thin layer of stubble covering his structured jawline. Xyrus Ashington wasn't the type of man to take himself too seriously, and his idea to bring a box of treats to a business meeting was a clear indication of that. While the cheery woman packed a powder pink box filled with donuts, danishes and muffins, Xyrus made his way around the counter, his eyes still focused on the brunette working in the back. She was at the steamer, making a cappuccino when he approached.

"If I would have known how well you made them, I would have gotten one of those," he joked, hoping to catch her attention.

    She barely flinched, keeping her eyes to the ground as she poured the warm milk over the espresso. Xyrus watched carefully, wondering if she had heard his attempt at sparking a conversation.

"Tina can add one to your order," the woman said, raising her eyes to meet Xyrus. 

    In an instant he was captivated by her icy blue eyes. She had a pureness about her that he just had to learn more about. Racking his brain for the right words to say, he watched as the window closed. She returned to making her list of drinks, and the other woman called for his attention.

     "That'll be one thousand four hundred ninety-one and twenty five cents," she announced, setting the box of goodies on the counter beside the register.

      Xyrus slpped his credit card to the reader, still watching the brunette. She appeared less than impressed by him, focusing on her job without so much as glancing in his direction.

"Thank you! Have a great day!" The cheery red head extended her thin arm as she offered the receipt.

"You too," Xy smiled.

    He wanted to go to the door and head back to his car. He knew it was the right thing to do, but still his feet walked around the counter instead, drawn to the woman who seemed to have no time or attention for him.

"Next time I'll be sure to order something especially from you," he smiled over the glass barrier. 

    A flicker of a smile flashed across her blushing face, but she didn't turn to face him. Xyrus is still satisfied with the accomplishment, deciding it best not to push it further.

     There was a boost of energy in his step as he made his way back to the SUV, setting the square pink box on the passenger seat before pulling back into traffic. The frequent red lights weren't as bothersome now that his thoughts continuously roamed back to the bakery, remembering the look in those big blue eyes that had stared back at him.

     Xyrus couldn't remember the last time he had been interested in a woman in this way. Typically, he met women at work events, because they understood who his first love would always be-his company. Xyrus generally preferred career women who didn't have time to expect much from relationships, but now all he could think about was learning more about the curvy barista.

    Rushed for time, he utilized the valet service at his office, leaping from the car before darting through the lobby. There was a special elevator reserved just for him, and a security officer held the door open until he was safely inside.

"Have a wonderful day, Mr. Ashington!" The husky security guard called.

"You too, Jerry!" Xyrus called back, always sure to learn the name of every employee.

    Unlike the average CEO, Xyrus had built his company from the ground up. He played an integral role in every aspect of the business-from hiring to product development. There wasn't any aspect he didn't understand, or any person he didn't know.

    He was just a sophomore in college when his girlfriend had bought a teacup Yorkie. That dog was the most spoiled and cherished pet in the world, so for Halloween, he decided to create a costume he knew his girlfriend would love. Turns out, more people on campus wanted princess outfits for their dogs. Before he knew it, Xyrus was taking custom orders and launching a website to take orders from across the country.

 

   Two decades later, he led the largest online shopping platform dedicated solely to canine family members. It was more than work for him, Xyrus  was passionate about everything he did.

"Good morning, Mr. Ashington," Calls greeted him as he exited the elevator. The entire floor was vibrant and alive, excited to share their ideas with the boss who kept an open-door policy.

     It didn't matter who you were, you could always discuss your problems and voice your concerns at Xyrus's company. Everyone from the head designer to the mail sorters know where to find him, and more than likely he knew their names and how long they had worked for the company.

    "There you are!" Akira greeted her boss as he made his way around the corner, handing her the box of breakfast treats.

"I got these to sweeten the deal," he teased.

    Akira  was flushed, stressing about her boss's punctuality. Xyrus never let his career stress him out. As far as he could tell, he was living a dream, so there was never a reason to make it more difficult than it needed to be.

"Everyone is already in the conference room," she spoke, out of breath as she followed him around the corner.

"Bring in some fresh squeezed orange juice, and put those on a platter," he instructed before walking into the room.

    Akira was stunned, always shocked by his supreme level of confidence. Nothing seemed to rattle him, and she wished she could have nerves even half as strong as his. Quickly, she moved about the office, ordering the receptionist to pour orange juice into a pitcher as she carefully placed the sticky sweets on a large yellow serving dish.

"So, we'll have to get these out before the Christmas season," Xyrus announced, as Akira walked through the door. 

     Setting the platter of sweets on the table, she watched as everyone's eyes doubled in size as they looked to the plate. She knew instantly that Xy had made the right decision in stopping to get the treats. Somehow he always knew what to do to make things better.

    It was perfect that he didn't stress about the business, because Akira stressed enough for the both of them. She had been one of the first people to encourage him to launch his own business, working side by side with him since the very beginning.

     Akira valued her opinion, and she admired his work ethic and charismatic ways. No one could ever stay mad at Xyrus for long, even when he was twenty minutes late to a meeting. Glancing around the room, she realized that everyone was captivated by him. As always, it had all worked out just as he had planned.

Xyrus subtly winked at Akiral as her face returned to the pale tone that was normal for her. He enjoyed getting her worked up because it was so easy to do. She watched in silence as he continued with his demonstration after offering everyone a breakfast roll.

 

      His presentation went off without a hitch, but that didn't mean he wasn't distracted. His mind still raced with ways to get the attention of the blonde from the bakery. No matter what else was happening around him, those blue eyes were never far from his mind.

"That sounds great!" One man announced with a smile, standing to his feet.

    The rest of the participants followed, each making their way to the end of the table to shake Xy's hand. His down to earth reputation preceded him, but it was still shocking for people to meet a CEO so involved with their business, yet still approachable with innovative ideas.

"I was wondering if we could get into talks with wholesalers," a woman suggested, as she approached him. She was tall and blonde, smiling a little too hard as she batted her eyes in Xyrus's direction.

     He was used to being hit on in a professional setting, so he continued with the harmless banter before shaking hands with the pretty executive, promising to look over a few reports she wanted to leave with him. 

"And how can I help you?" Xyrus smiled, moving on to the next person.

    His job was endless, but he loved every second of it. Sure, he could have any of his project leaders introduce his products in design meetings, but he preferred to be the face when people saw his company. While they did billions of dollars in annual sales, Xyrus liked to think that his company was still close knit and run like a small start-up.

     Many things remained from the launch of the business twenty years ago, including employees. It was his way of not getting a big head from so much success. Somehow, Xyrus had remained the same kid from his college days, and he liked to think it was by keeping people like Akira around him.

     She had been his friend from early childhood, and now she was more like a sister than anything else. Not much got done without Akira's approval, although her title said she was just Xy's assistant. She knew the inner workings of the company better than anyone, and he trusted her opinion more than most.

"Well, let's discuss that more in my office," Xyrus suggested, leading the last member of the meeting out of the conference room.

      The man had wanted to discuss the sales numbers in Canada, but because he didn't have the necessary documents, Xy decided to finish the conversation in his office, where the statistics would be readily available.

     The two men walked down the wide hallway to Xyrus's office, his home away from home that was actually more comfortable than his actual house. As a self-proclaimed workaholic, Xy had no problem admitting that he always preferred to be at work.