Espresso and Gist! Heels, Envelopes & Enemies: Lara's Office Diaries. (Ep. 4)

If someone had told Lara she’d be having skin contact with her boss before the end of her first week, she would have laughed, choked on her garri, and blocked the person.

But there she was yesterday—thumb in his hand, cheeks on fire, and her heartbeat definitely way more than 72 beats per minute as supposed to be for normal adults. Biologically. And as if that wasn’t enough embarrassment for the week, Sarah just had to walk with a rose like it was Valentine’s Day and Mr. Adeyemi was Cupid.

“I’ll just drop this,” Sarah had said with a fake giggle, placing the rose in a vase on his desk like she was in some kind of fairy princess in a fairy story.

Lara had smiled. Well, she tried to. But her face twitched like the smile came with extra baggage.

Fast-forward to today.

The intercom buzzed again. “Come in,” he said.

She was almost used to it now. The authority. The cold voice. The fact that she always, always wanted to roll her eyes but had to settle for internal screaming. And unintentional flutterings from the butterflies in her stomach.

She stepped in. No coffee request today.

Just one long look from him, like he was trying to read the fine print of her soul.

“We have a board meeting at eleven. You’ll be joining.”

Wait. What?

Lara blinked. “Me?”

“You. Wear something decent.”

Something decent?

So basically he was saying all her fits before now were… raggedy? Okay wow.

She returned to her desk and Tope immediately leaned in like a spy.

“Did he ask you to make another coffee?”

“No. Worse. He asked me to sit in a board meeting. Me. With people that have houses in Banana Island.”

Tope gasped. “Did you wear deodorant?”

“Tope!”

By ten-thirty, she was trying to give “decent executive assistant” in the mirror. Bun up. Minimal gloss. And a blazer that made her look like she meant business, even though all she really wanted to do was sit down and finish the TikTok FYP that got interrupted by espresso duties yesterday.

The boardroom was cold. And full. And the seat next to Mr. Adeyemi? Empty.

She took it. Tried not to make eye contact. Failed.

“Nice jacket,” he whispered just before the meeting started, his lips forming a lop-sided smile.

Wait. Was that a compliment? From him?

She was still processing when Sarah walked in, heels click-clacking, green dress tight at the bust and hips like she came to fight and flirt. And of course, she sat directly opposite them, like she was in a staring contest with Lara’s existence.

An hour later, the meeting ended. They stood up and before making it out of the boardroom, he stopped and turned to her who was trying to grab her stuff from the desk.

“Follow me,” he said to Lara.

She followed.

Into his office.

Doors closed.

And then he said the wildest thing she’d heard all week.

“We have a work dinner tonight. You’ll come with me.”

Just like that.

No please. No ask. Just you’ll come.

'As in, boss, abeg.' She thought to herself internally rolling her eyes.

“Do I have a say in this?”

“No.”

Typical.

He handed her an envelope. “There’s a dress inside. Pick it up at 4 p.m.”

Excuse you?

Just then, the door opened again.

Guess who?

“Sorry—” Sarah froze, eyes darting between them again.

"I'll see you soon.” Lara said to Mr Adeyemi, smiling just a little too wide.

Sarah walked out slowly, suspiciously, and definitely annoyed, clamping her lips together.

And Lara?

Well…

Let’s just say tonight better not end with another shattered coffee cup. Or worse, shattered common sense.

Tbc..