Chapter 6: Plus-One Dilemma

AVA

When I got back to the office the Monday after, I found out there ~was~ an actual party planning committee made up of three other employees besides me.

I was glad, but it ~did~ make me wonder why I had been the only one staying late and being borderline harassed by our boss on Friday night.

Nobody else seemed to wonder though. They all complimented my decorating abilities and welcomed me to the committee without any further ado. We talked about the vision for the party and made a to-do list.

Since I’d already done all the decorating, all I had to do was find out how many people to expect, which just meant going around to each of the employees and asking if they were bringing a plus-one.

It didn’t seem like too big of a job, and I got to do it during working hours for a change. I printed out a list of all Brentstone and Sons Publishing employees, stuck it to a clipboard, and went on my way.

To my surprise, no one seemed to have a problem with the mandatory attendance part. They all appeared to be excited to come, actually. Maybe they really ~had~ wanted a Christmas party all those years.

I’d made my way through half the list before I got to Tobias’s desk.

“Are you coming to the Christmas party?” I asked him.

“I am.” He turned his chair to me and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you?”

I nodded, mumbling something about mandatory attendance. “Are you bringing a plus-one?”

Tobias leaned back a little and smirked. “Ava, is this your way of asking me out? How cute! Of course I’ll go with you.” He winked.

I immediately felt my face flush, and I couldn’t help but smile nervously. “Eh…so no plus-one, then?”

Tobias wiggled his eyebrows at me. “Depends on whether you want me to pick you up at home or meet you here.”

I laughed and playfully swatted at him. “I’m writing no plus-one,” I called out over my shoulder and walked to the next person.

“Come find me if you change your mind!”

A little while later I had checked off all but one: Mr. Brentstone. I was dreading seeing him after last Friday, since I was still unsure how to feel about him.

I was leaning more toward unkind feelings, though the weekend had allowed me to cool down a touch.

I took a deep breath, gathered all my courage, and forced myself toward his office.

Right before I had a chance to knock, the auburn-haired girl I’d seen him with earlier—who would turn out to be his PA, Martha—popped up beside me.

“Can I help you?” she sneered at me.

“I was about to ask Mr. Brentstone if he was bringing anyone to the holiday party. Or can you answer for him?”

I hoped she could. That would mean I wouldn’t have to talk to Mr. Brentstone directly.

Martha narrowed her eyes at me. “I don’t know.” She was clearly just as unhappy about that as I was.

“All right.” My shoulders slumped forward in defeat. I glanced around the office as if to look for my courage, and I found it in Ella, who was holding up her thumbs encouragingly.

I smiled at her and knocked on Mr. Brentstone’s door, much to Martha’s dismay.

“Yes,” he called out.

I opened the door just enough to stick my head around it. “Sorry to disturb,” I said.

“What is it, Ms. Mayweather?” He sounded genuinely interested, to my surprise.

“Eh, just wondering if you were bringing a plus-one to the Christmas party.”

“How is that any of your business?” he asked, back to his usual cold self again.

~Oh, so ~he’s~ allowed to have personal boundaries, but I’m not?~

I tried to keep a straight face. “I was just taking a guest count, but neverm—”

“Are you”—he locked his eyes with mine—“bringing anyone?”

I narrowed my eyes and let go of the door handle to cross my arms. I didn’t answer him, mostly because I was still deciding whether I should make a snarky comment, but then he spoke.

“No plus-one for me.” He still maintained eye contact. His face was a blank slate.

I turned to my clipboard and swiped the box behind his name. “Thank you.” I grabbed the door handle, ready to close the door again, but he didn’t let me.

“Are you?”

I suddenly felt very warm, and I shifted uncomfortably. “What’s the policy on workplace relationships?” I blurted out. ~WHAT?!~

Mr. Brentstone seemed a little caught off guard. “Who are you planning on asking out?” he asked suspiciously.

“Eh…maybe I’ll go with Tobias,” I said before I could stop myself. ~What is wrong with me today?~

Mr. Brentstone’s face turned dark again. “It’s frowned upon.”

I raised my eyebrows, suddenly feeling the need to challenge him. “But not forbidden?”

His face darkened even more, and he rolled his neck and loosened his tie a little. “Do as you wish, Ms. Mayweather. It’s Christmas. Now get back to work,” he barked at me, making me jump a little.

I closed the door, and I could have sworn I heard the crashing sound of something breaking behind it. I sped toward my office.

“Martha!” I heard Mr. Brentstone’s muffled voice call out from behind the closed door.

Martha practically ran into the office. She came out a couple of minutes later holding a trash can.

“What did you say to him?!” she mouthed angrily as she passed me.