Monique arrived at her new place of business twenty minutes early, as it had been instilled in her to always show up early on your first day at a new job to make a good impression. She was nervous as she approached the front door and worried that she may have shown up a little too early. The inside of the shop was still sort of dark. Nikki had informed her to wear very casual clothes, something she didn’t mind getting dirty, in preparation for the opening ceremony. She had chosen a pair of form fitting stretch denim jeans that had seen better days but were still fairly presentable, an old community college t-shirt and the only pair of sneakers she owned. She was confused as to why Nikki had asked her to dress so casually but she didn’t question her for fear of over stepping her bounds.
She used her hands as binoculars making sure not to actually touch the glass as she peered in through the large window painted with the shop’s name. She was impressed by the lobby and how well designed it was. There was a large reception area with very plush soft leather chairs placed neatly against the walls. There were beautiful potted trees in various corners of the room. There were also beautiful mahogany furnishings scattered around the room, including a mahogany bookcase filled with books and what appeared to be magazines. The only thing that seemed to be out of place was one bare white wall that stood out next to the other pecan tan painted walls. Monique speculated that the painter’s would be in to finish the last wall sometime before the customers arrived.
While she stood there scanning the scenery of the room, out of what seemed like nowhere a very handsome well built man appeared and asked through the glass door, “Can I help you?”
“Yeah, my name is Monique. I’m supposed to start here today.” Monique replied not really looking at the guy unlocking the door for her. He unlocked the door and held it open so that she could enter. Monique, still paying no attention to the person who’d let her in, was mesmerized by how nice the shop really was on the inside. The smell of vanilla filled the room, which made her smile knowing that soon the smell would be replace with the smell of chemicals. Once inside she could see a small pond with a waterfall running into it, which was creating a very serene relaxing atmosphere complete with the soothing sound of trickling water. A small stream wound it’s way through the shop and she could see Koi fish swimming in the pond. “That is so beautiful…and relaxing.” She said as she ignored her present company and walked over towards the pond to further investigate.
“Glad you like it.” The gentleman replied, “I’m LaVelle Williams, by the way, but you can call me Velle. Everyone else does.”
His reply made Monique remember her manners, so she quickly spun around and said, “I’m sorry. Where are my manners? I’m Monique Willis. I’m one of the new stylist.” She extended her hand to him as she introduced herself. At first glance, she figured that he must be one of the painters or something because of the way he was dressed. It was only then that she took a good look at this person and realized that it was Nikki’s twin brother, whose actual name was Nicholas LaVelle Williams.
“I know who you are.” Velle smiled looking at her hand as if it were an insult that she would offer him a handshake as a friendly gesture. He continued, “Don’t come in here and try to shake my hand. You better give me a hug or something.” He then grabbed her hand and used it to pull her close enough to give her what he deemed a proper hug. He hugged her like someone who’d been missing her for a long time, at one point lifting her completely off the ground. He released his grip on her and continued; “I haven’t seen you since forever. How’ve you been?”
“I’ve been good and you.” Monique made the usual pleasantries completely surprised by the warm reception she had just received. True, that she knew him from high school, but only because he had hung around her older cousins, Ross and Sterling. He had also given her, what she considered, a special moment, but surely nothing he probably even remembered. She could feel herself starting to blush as she thought about how he had been the first boy to give her a real kiss. She had kept that bit of information private and she fully intended to keep it that way, as she knew her cousins wouldn’t look lightly on knowing that one of their friends had actually put his lips on their baby cousin.
“I’m good.” He said looking at her with a different smile from any of previous years. It was definitely not the mischievous smile of a sixteen year old who was planning to tie the sleeves of her sweatshirt behind her back or hold her book bag just over her head out of her reach. No, this was the smile a man gives a woman when he is impressed by her physical appearance. He stared at her making no attempt to hide his approval of her how she looked he added, “I’m looking for a wife so…you’re right on time.”
Monique was stunned by his bluntness at first, but she quickly remembered that he was always one to say whatever was on his mind. A trait she felt he could really do without sometimes. She was also aware that he was quite the ladies man and women loved him just as much as he loved them. She blew off his comments as him just testing out his player lines and responded, “You ain’t changed a bit. Where’s Nikki?”
“You have definitely changed!” He said still amazed by the new body she had grown in to. His eyes finally made there way to hers and he continued, “You used to just be cute, but now...” his word faded as he again returned to surveying her body. He was amazed at how this once straight up and down, beanpole of a girl had developed into such a voluptuous woman with ample breast and curvy hips, neither of which she had in high school. She was definitely a big girl now he thought to himself, as he remembered how he’d kissed her in her cousin’s pantry. He wondered if he’d be able to take that kiss a little further now since they were both adults.
“Velle,” Monique sighed in response to his inappropriate but secretly appreciated compliment. She had once had such a crush on him and to have him drooling over her now was better than fat-free chocolate. Not to mention, the fact that he seemed to have aged to perfection. It was obvious by the muscles swelling under his wife beater t-shirt that he still worked out regularly. His facial features were more defined making him more of a handsome man than the cute boy he used to be. He still towered over her short stature but his height was more seductive than looming now. She held back her true flattery of his flirting by saying, “Stop playing.” For a second, she lost herself in his almond eyes with their sensual stare as her mind drifted to the place it had no business going. The silence of the moment intensified by the lust between them made her snap back to the reality of where she was at and what she was there for. She cleared her throat before asking again, “Is Nikki here?”
As if coming out of a daze of his own, Velle managed to say, “Huh?...What?...No…no, not yet.” Then he looked at his watch and continued, “But you are like, twenty minutes early.”
“I know, but I like to make a good impression on my first day. You know, gotta impress the boss.” She responded pushing the hair dangling over her eye securely behind her ear.
“Well…consider me impressed.” He said and looked around the room as if deciding what to do next. Then he said, “Well, since you’re early you can have the first official tour of the building.”
