chapter 28: the unexpected goat

Bose POV:

I woke up to the soft sounds of Chapa breathing beside me, her presence both a comfort and a reminder of the chaos of last night. I glanced at the clock, and my heart sank—it was much later than I'd planned. My mind immediately snapped into action, the warm haze of sleep replaced by the sharpness of urgency. I carefully slipped out of bed, trying not to wake her, and headed straight for the shower. There was no time to waste.

As I dressed, my thoughts raced through the day's tasks. There was no way around it—I was going to be late. I quickly scribbled a note for Chapa, letting her know I had to rush off to work. I wished I could stay longer, but the demands of my job waited for no one. Grabbing my keys, I made my way to the car, the familiar routine giving me a sense of control, however fleeting.

The drive to the office was a blur, a mix of speeding traffic and mental checklists. As I finally pulled into the parking lot, I could feel the tension in my shoulders. I'd barely made it through the front doors when Bridget intercepted me, her expression a mix of concern and impatience.

"You're late," she said, her tone almost accusing.

"I know," I replied, not slowing down as I walked toward my office. Bridget matched my pace, her heels clicking against the floor.

"But you're never this late," she pressed, clearly unsettled by the deviation from my usual punctuality.

"Yeah, I had something to deal with last night and I slept in," I said, hoping that would be the end of it. I pushed open the door to my office, and Bridget followed me inside.

"Well, today at 1 PM you have a meeting with all the department managers, and Andrew, Hailey, and Gabe. It's about the party your stepfather wants you to throw in two weeks. He moved up the date since we need to discuss the trip to Italy."

"Okay, great. Anything else?" I asked, already mentally shifting gears.

"Yeah, around 4 PM you have another meeting with the fashion organizers, teachers, and department manager for the fashion show on Tuesday."

"Thanks," I said, settling behind my desk. Before I could close the door, something else crossed my mind. "Oh, and make sure Lizzy Brown gets good assistance while working here on her first day as a cleaner."

"I will," Bridget said as she left, finally allowing me a moment to breathe.

I dove into the stack of student application files that Andrew usually handled. It was tedious work, and honestly, not something I'd normally be doing. But with the fashion show taking up most of Andrew's time, I had no choice. As I worked, I couldn't help but think about how close I'd come to not realizing Chapa would be attending school here. I wasn't sure if Andrew was even coming in today after everything that happened yesterday.

After approving a few applications and responding to emails, my phone rang. It was Chapa.

"Hey, are you awake?" I asked, smiling as I leaned back in my chair.

"No, I'm still sleeping," she joked, laughing.

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't help but grin. "Sorry I had to leave for work earlier. You can make yourself something to eat and use my bathroom and everything."

"Thanks, but I called because a package arrived for you," she said.

"Oh? I wasn't expecting anything. What is it?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"Well, it's an animal... a goat."

"You're messing with me," I said, not sure if I believed her.

"Bose, do you really think I'd call you at work just to joke about getting a goat in the mail?"

"Yeah, that's true. Does it say who it's from? It must be someone close since it's a goat—they're my favorite animals," I said, still wrapping my head around the idea.

"Yeah, I know, but it doesn't say who it's from," she replied.

"Oh, okay then. Well, text me if you need anything. I need to head back to work."

"I might come by later to work on my painting, so I can finish it and focus on my new job at George's," she said.

"All right, see you then maybe," I said before we hung up.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and Andrew walked in, practically buzzing with energy. "Hello, Bose!"

"Hey, you seem happy," I said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm still so excited, I have powers! That's insane!" he said, clearly still reeling from yesterday's events.

"Yeah, just don't talk about it like that in public. Besides, ShoutOut wants you in the Man's Nest around 6 PM," I said, trying to steer the conversation back to work.

"Mika? Why?" he asked, his excitement dimming a bit.

"Yeah, she wants to test your powers and talk with you about them. You know she's just like an investigator."

Andrew shifted uncomfortably. "I'm surprised she wants to see me."

"Why? Did you do something?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Maybe...sort of," he admitted.

"What did you do?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"It's complicated, and I won't tell her I know about her identity," he added quickly.

"Good," I said, though his vague answer didn't exactly ease my mind. "By the way, Mika's into fashion, right? Is she also into modeling?"

"I'm not sure, but she definitely could be. I do know for a fact that Chapa is obsessed with modeling. Why?"

"Oh, because I've only hired one extra model, and I need one more. I figured Mika would be perfect for the job if she has the time, but I don't dare to ask her for a favor like that. Could you ask her for the company? Don't say I'm the one who wants her for what job," Andrew said.

"Mika knows I won't just ask her to do something like that. There's a big chance she'll figure it out," I said.

"Then let it be so, and if she refuses, we can get Chapa for the job," Andrew said, seemingly content with the backup plan.

"Alright. Do you have any updates on our trip to Italy?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, I've booked our flight. It's two days after the fashion show. We're staying for five days and doing a lot of activities to get some inspiration. We'll choose three random students from each department to come with us. I've already booked their tickets as well," Andrew said, his enthusiasm back in full force.

"So, if I'm right, we'll have three students for each department, which totals 18 students, plus us two?" I asked, doing the math in my head.

"No, we'll bring every department manager too, so that's six more," Andrew corrected.

"We're not going to watch the students and be their guides. The department managers will help with that," he added.

"Good. So 26 people? That's a lot. We'll all stay at the same hotel, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, but you and I will get more luxurious rooms. The students will have to share their rooms with their fellow department members. Bridget will email every student to inform them, and those who reply back with interest will get a chance," Andrew explained.

"Oh, okay," I said, processing the logistics.

"We'll discuss this later at our meeting with the department managers, Hailey, and Gabe," Andrew said. "But I've got to go now. See you later."

After Andrew left, I shifted my focus back to the tasks at hand. Hailey and Gabe, the general organizers for our company, were essential for keeping things running smoothly, especially for the upcoming party my stepfather had sprung on us. The meeting at 1 PM would be critical for ensuring everything was on track.

When I looked at my watch, it was almost time for the meeting. I gathered my notes and walked down the hallway to one of the meeting rooms. Most of the attendees were already seated when I arrived. We discussed the party plans and the trip to Italy in detail, finalizing the student selection process and confirming the itinerary. Hailey and Gabe would take the lead on many tasks, especially when Andrew and I weren't available.

The meeting ran longer than expected, and I was in dire need of a coffee break. I made my way to the café, and on my way back, I noticed Chapa entering the building.

"Hey, Bose," she said, smiling when she saw me.

"Hey, you're here," I said, pleasantly surprised.

"Yeah, I'm going to start working on my painting. I'll see you later, okay?" she said.

"Yeah, that's fine," I replied, and we went our separate ways.

A few hours later, after another tedious but necessary meeting for the fashion show, I finally wrapped up my work for the day. As I grabbed my bag and prepared to leave, I noticed Chapa sitting in the lobby, clearly waiting for me.

"Thanks for waiting for me," I said, genuinely appreciative.

"That way I don't have to pay for the bus," she said with a smirk.

"Of course," I replied, smiling back.

"Just kidding. Let's go somewhere to eat," she suggested, and I readily agreed.

We ended up at a fancy restaurant, and Chapa didn't hold back, ordering a variety of dishes. Once the waiter left, I told her about the trip to Italy.

"No way, that's so cool," she said, her eyes lighting up.

"Right? Oh, and are you maybe free on Tuesday to be a backup model for our fashion show? Andrew doesn't have enough models," I asked.

"As much as I want to, I can't. I have to work on Tuesdays at George's. Besides, there are plenty of girls who would be up for this," Chapa said, sounding genuinely regretful.

"Yeah, there are, but none of them are quite what Andrew's looking for. He wants someone like you or Mika. His first option is Mika, but I doubt she'll say yes," I replied, trying not to sound too disappointed.

"Oh, okay. Well, I can't cancel my first day at George's, sorry," she said, her expression sympathetic.

"It's okay," I said, waving off the issue as the waiter arrived with our food.

As we dug into our meals, the conversation shifted, becoming more lighthearted. But then Chapa surprised me with a sudden question, her voice playful yet curious.

"By the way, there's really something going on between Andrew and Mika, isn't there?"

I chuckled, nodding slightly. "That's what I was thinking. He's all over her."

"He's all over her? She's all over him!" Chapa countered, laughing. "Mika over him? I doubt that. Andrew told me this morning it was complicated between them, and he looked like he was caught in a bad crime drama. But for some reason, he's still into her," I said, thinking back to Andrew's conflicted expression earlier.

"I don't know about him, but when I told Mika how annoying he was, she agreed—then went on this weird, almost obsessive rant about him. She could describe every part of him perfectly. It was scary," Chapa said, her eyes wide with mock horror.

"Those two definitely like like each other," I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Agreed," Chapa said with a grin, leaning back in her chair.

Just then, the waiter returned, a bit starstruck. "Hey, aren't you Bose O'Brien?"

"Uh, yeah. How'd you know?" I asked, though by now, I was used to the recognition.

"You're very famous. Can I take a selfie with you?" the waiter asked, clearly trying to keep it cool.

"Yeah, of course," I said, smiling as I posed for the photo.

"Okay, thank you so much! Sorry for bothering you. Have a nice evening," the waiter said, beaming.

"No problem, you too," I replied, turning back to Chapa as the waiter walked away.

"So, is this your life?" Chapa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sadly, yes. But I can't complain," I said with a shrug, though the constant attention could be tiring.

"If this keeps happening, I might have to lock you up in your house forever to keep you all to myself," Chapa teased, her tone playful yet carrying a hint of something deeper.

"You're being creepy," I said with a smile, though part of me was touched by the sentiment.

"Does that surprise you?" she asked, grinning mischievously.

"Not at all," I replied, shaking my head with a laugh.

"That's what I thought," she said, looking satisfied as she took another bite of her food.

As the night went on, we continued to chat, the conversation flowing easily between us. Despite the busy day, sitting here with Chapa made everything feel a little more manageable. She had that effect on me—grounding me when I felt like I was spinning out of control.

When we finally finished our meal, we walked out of the restaurant into the cool evening air. Chapa slipped her arm through mine as we headed back to the car, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. Amidst all the chaos of work, meetings, and unexpected goats, moments like this made it all worth it.

"Where to next?" I asked as we reached the car.

"Home, I think. It's been a long day," Chapa said, stifling a yawn.

"Yeah, it has," I agreed, starting the engine. The drive back was quiet, the kind of silence that's comfortable and easy.