Forums » General Roleplay » Love is in the Air {CLOSED}

It was raining. The type of weather that made the day miserable and bleek. It was the type of weather that meant cars could easily splash dirty water on the front of your coat and just drive by. The type of weather that made you want to stay in bed with a hot drink. Evangeline would do nothing of the sort. Instead she was up at 7 and out the door at 8:45 wearing a purple blouse and black skirt under a Winter coat. On the way to Bartolo Towers, she stopped by her favourite cafe and picked up a freshly baked muffin and a takeaway coffee - she would have to eat at work. 

The brunette check the time on her phone before briskly making her way down Madison Avenue. 8:58 and she still had to wait and cross at a busy intersection. Great, she thought as the light changed green.

Evangeline finally made it to the office and made a beeline for the elevators...they would have to do for today. Stepping inside, she didn't realise who was already in them and to be honest she didn't want to talk to him...

Dante was already in the elevator, one hand in his pocket, sunglasses perched on his nose. He glanced at her, lifting a brow. "Running a bit late, PA?" PA, Personal Assistant. It seemed he hadn't bothered to remember her name. When the elevator reached their floor, he reached over and plucked the coffee cup from her hand, stepping out into the hallway. "Keep in mind tomorrow that I take my coffee black." he commented, drinking from the cup whether it was meant for him or not. Probably not.

"Running a bit late, PA?" Mr Bartolo asked Evangeline. She didn't even want to answer. She had heard all about Dante Bartolo from her colleagues down on at the Researching Department.

"Keep in mind tomorrow that I take my coffee black." He continued, carelessly taking the drink. She sighed, "Keep in mind that wasn't for you," she muttered as she got out of the elevator and onto the floor. A middle-aged lady with the name tag of Mrs. Mills hurried over and took Evangeline's bag and laptop case, surprising the personal assistant. The lady instructed Evangeline where everything was and what to do.

"I see you've already found out what coffee Me Bartolo likes," she smiled, "Hang in there - you'll get used to it," she said. Evangeline nodded and smiled. Yes, it would have some getting use to she thought before Mr Bartolo interrupted them.

Dante didn't care that they were talking. He interrupted anyway. "PA, set up my meeting for ten thirty, with Ms. Winston." He finished the coffee and put the empty cup in her hand. "And throw that out for me." He headed back into his office, the door closing behind him. Indeed, poor Evangeline had a rough road ahead of him. The intercom buzzed maybe two minutes later. "PA, are you set up on the computer yet?" His voice was harsh, as if she should already be completely settled in. "Show up late tomorrow and I might have to get a new PA."

"And throw that out for me," he continued. Of course, Evangeline thought - because you can't walk three steps to the bin. She had the urge to roll her eyes at him but didn't for the sake of her position. Instead she made her way to her office started the computer and sat down at her desk. As soon as the computer loaded the intercom buzzed, "PA, are you set up on the computer yet?" before she could reply, he had the audacity to say, "Show up late tomorrow and I might have to get a new PA."

Evangeline smirked, that would be his problem - or she did was show up a few minutes late, "Yes I'm set up," she replied over the intercom.

Dante didn't bother her for a while after that, until his appointment came. She was a news reporter, and absolutely gorgeous. She walked up to the desk. "Excuse me, I have an appointment with Mr. Bartolo." She smiled, adjusting her visitor pass so that she could see it better.

Once Evangeline let him know, Dante strode out of his office with a smile so charming that any bystanders' hearts would thump. "Hello, Ms. Winston. Please, come in." He gestured to the door and followed the reporter into his office, glancing back to Evangeline. "Unless the building is on fire, don't bother us." He closed the door behind them.

"Unless the building is on fire, don't bother us," Mr Bartolo said. Evangeline simply nodded and went back to filing some paperwork and reports. It was obvious to Evangeline that Mr Bartolo was a player and liked his fair share of women. But at the same time, Evangeline knew that the women in Bartolo's life could not influence her work and time at the company.

As she heard laughing and loud chatter in Mr Bartolo's office she simply smiled../she glad her boss was occupied with someone other than herself.

Dante would enjoy the company of this woman for an hour or so, then she left, adjusting the hem of her shirt slightly as she left. Dante leaned against the doorway and watched her leave, smirking. Satisfied with the interview, obviously. He glanced back over to Evangeline. "What's next on my schedule, PA?" He rubbed the back of his neck, frowning. "Did you even get anything done while I was gone?"

"What's next on my schedule, PA?" Mr Bartolo asked. Evangeline skimmed over the computer before replying, "You have a lunch with the mayor on some investments and then the afternoon free."

"Did you even get anything done while I was gone?" he asked frowning, Evangeline looked up,"Actually yes. I organized your reports and files. Your previous PA must have done nothing because they were all dumped into one heap" she said smoothly.

For a very brief moment, a shadow of a smirk touched Dante's face. "Organized, huh? Looks like there's brains behind that beauty after all." He turned to go back into his office. "Let me know when the mayor's here." he said casually, closing the door behind him. A moment later, the intercom beeped. "And bring me another coffee."
He settled into his desk, typing away on his keyboard to bring up her personnel file. He steepled his fingers, eyes flitting over her records. Truth be told, he'd mainly picked her because of her good looks. That old hag of a PA that was his last secretary was always horrible to look at. And she had a terrible nervous twitch (probably because of him). Evangeline had, in all honesty, been picked to be eyecandy. But it seemed there was a bit of a fire in her, and that intrigued him.
After having a good look-through of her fire, he went back to work. After all, he wasn't a total slacker. He successfully ran a multibillion-dollar company.

"Organized, huh? Looks like there's brains behind that beauty after all," her boss said, Evangeline just smiled. "Let me know when the mayor's here," he continued and then added, "And bring me another coffee," she smirked at this and stood up to herself and her boss a coffee. She walked confidently down to the cafeteria and made two coffee, one a flat white and the other black. She also picked up two pastries for morning tea.

Evangeline walked back up to their offices and knocked on her boss' door before entering and placing the right cup and a pastry onto his desk. "I hope you like chocolate," she added sweetly before leaving.

An hour ticked by until the Mayor of New York came strolling through the doors of the company. Evangeline immediately informed Bartolo of the mayor's arrival through intercom.

Dante worked at his computer until she arrived, lifting a brow when she came in with a pastry. "..hmph." he grunted with a scowl. When she left, however, he'd eat the pastry leisurely with his black coffee. When the Mayor arrived, he went to greet him at the door to his office, strolling along to go have lunch with the man. Once more, he was all smiles, charming and pleasurable. He was obnoxious sometimes, but at least he knew when to be pleasing. Of course, to get this far in his company, such a skill absolutely had to be learned. He returned later after the lunch, sighing contently. "What's next on my list, PA?"

She had finished sorting out all of the files and started taking calls before Mr Bartolo came in,"What's next on my list, PA?" he asked.

She made him wait for a second with a client before looking up and saying, "You have nothing scheduled sir. But a client rang up to say you haven't responded to their invitation...I said you'd call them after lunch" she said before smirking, "It looks like I'm not the only one that's late"

Dante inwardly groaned as she mentioned not responding to an invitation. When she made her snide remark, however, his eyes went cold. He walked up to her desk, putting his hands on it firmly. "What client? When did they call? Did you get a number for them to be reached at?" His voice was cold. "Don't get cocky, PA. Giving me such a vague response shows major slacker qualities. There's only one place for slackers to go to learn how to step up; janitorial."
The dreaded janitorial position. Nobody wanted to be in that occupation for this company. The hours were long, the work was grueling, and the pay was abysmal. He was absolutely threatening to demote her to the worst position in the company.

Evangeline wanted to slap the man right then. Luckily, keeping cool was something the brunette was good at, "Mr Bartolo I forwarded their name and number to you by email at lunch. Why don't you give them a call now? If you excuse me I have some copying to do."

If Evangeline was going to be demoted to janitorial then she would probably leave the company at her own accord and go somewhere else; perhaps a firm that was competitive with the Bartolo's. Of course she wasn't going to tell Dante that but if was an idea she had if things became extreme.

She got up with a file in hand and walked out of the room to the print and copy room. Every women eyed Evangeline as she dismissed the presence of Mr Bartolo. As she printed copies of a manual for a meeting taking place the next week, she wondered why Dante had ever promoted her from researcher to PA.

Dante frowned outwardly as he was brushed off by the impertinent PA. "Then say that in the first place instead of giving such a simple answer!" he snapped back. He turned and walked back into the office. He contacted the client, but his mind was on the brunette outside his door. She was the first one to really stand up to him. All the others were easily subdued by his money. This one, though, she was interesting. She was...a challenge. And he was attracted to that.
Throughout the day he met up with a couple more clients, but then he packed up his things and was heading out for the night. "Don't be late tomorrow, PA." He walked into the elevator and headed home for the night.

Evangeline nodded as she packed her bag and turned off her computer in silence. Ms Mills had already gone home and Mr Bartolo was already making his way to the elevator. She checked her office and turned the lights off before stepping into the elevator. She would be lying if she said her boss wasn't attractive - he was just a little arrogant and rude Evangeline thought.

Time skip: the next morning
Evangeline was already seated in her office typing away before anyone had arrived. She had had an early night in her apartment which meant she could awake extra early. She sent an email to a client before the elevator doors opened...

The elevator doors opened, and Dante walked in. Whether it was meant for him or not, if there was a coffee cup on her desk, he would take it. " 'morning, PA. Email me my schedule for the day." He went into his office without saying anything else. He didn't come back out for a few hours. When lunchtime came around, the door to his office opened and he stepped out of the office. "I should have a client arriving any minute now. Make sure security lets them in." he instructed, glancing at his watch.
He seemed to be more subdued today; at least, he wasn't actively attacking her. So that was something, right?

Evangeline emailed Dante's schedule and let security know about the client. Today her boss seems more relaxed and on a certain schedule; she liked that...at least he wasn't in complaining or annoying her. 

On her lunch break, Evangeline stayed in her office, closed her door and decided to call her half-brother, Daniel. As they got talking, they side tracked to Mr Bartolo and her job. Evangeline made sure she reframed from saying anything negative about the company. The call lasted for half an hour, basically until Dante had finished with his client. 

Evangeline laughed loudly at one of Daniel's comments before hanging up.

Dante went off to his lunch, and when he came back he heard the noticeable laughter of Evangeline. He walked up to her desk, plopping a brown paper bag onto it. Leftovers, presumably. "Make sure my three o'clock is clear." was all he said, heading into his office. He didn't say anything about the bag, what was in it, or why he put it on her desk.
Soon enough, he was busy with meetings. The poor man practically had meeting after meeting, and it would be a struggle for Evangeline to keep that time clear for him like he'd asked. In fact, at 3:10 there was a client that showed up out of nowhere. A very important client, with no appointment, who insisted he had to see Mr. Bartolo because it was an urgent matter. Evangeline could either go knock on his door and risk disturbing his 3 o'clock peace, or send the client away and risk something bad going down with the business.