The Office Zone (The Zone Series Book 3) Read online

  The OFFICE Zone

  By

  TARRAH ANDERS

  A ZONE NOVEL

  Copyright

  ©2016 Tarrah Anders

  Published by: Tarrah Anders

  All Rights Reserved

  ISBN: 978-0-9981317-0-2

  All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without Author permission. This work is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to events to real life, or of characters to actual persons, is purely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademarked owners of various products references in this work of fiction

  Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support..

  I dedicate this…

  To those who have survived stressful situations which made you rethink your surroundings and relationships. To those who have survived harshness at the hands of someone you thought was to be trusted.

  Lukas

  My day started in the Emergency Room, no make that my evening started in the emergency room. I’ve been here a total of 6 hours and my date still has her finger attached, and the bleeding thankfully has stopped. She’s sitting on a hospital bed and I’m sitting in the chair beside her. I hate hospitals; ever since I was little I have detested them. They smell weird and there’s a stigma of depression all throughout the place.

  I try to avoid them at all costs, but I keep finding myself in them. Thankfully, not for myself, but for others either getting in car accidents or having a baby – which means that I’m here a lot more than I would like.

  I look over at my date, Becky. We’ve known each other for a few weeks, we’re not a couple and we hardly know another. I think that she thinks us hanging out is more than what it is, and I just don’t know how to tell her differently. She’s attractive, she’s sweet, but she’s too plain. She has big blue eyes, sandy blonde hair and light freckles speckled across her nose. She seems to have the year round San Diego tan since she’s an avid surfer, but she just doesn’t spark anything primal in me. I usually go for the women with a jaded past, or at least that’s what my exes would say about me. She’s relaxed and the golden color of her skin has returned, which means we could probably leave soon, or at least I hope.

  Rewind to earlier this evening, we were parking in the dirt lot for the Del Mar Fair and somehow when she got out of the passenger side of the car, she slammed her index and middle finger in the car door. Needless to say, we didn’t end up going to the fair, which was fine by me as I can’t stand the crowds there and now here we are at 1am waiting for the clearance for her to go home.

  “Becky, how are you feeling? Do you have any more dizziness?” The nurse asks with her tablet in her hand.

  “I think I’m good to go. How long before I can get back in the water?” She asks referring to surfing.

  “I would recommend that you wait until the stitches are out and your fingers are fully healed. You do not want to risk infection. The stitches will be removed in 12-14 days, I wouldn’t delay removing the sutures for that. Then you should be practically healed a few weeks later. Luckily, the bones weren’t separated and it was only flesh. You may have hyper sensitivity in your fingertips, and within time that will dissipate.” The nurse explains as she looks back and forth to Becky and then to me.

  “Thanks.” Becky mumbles.

  “I’ll be right back with the discharge papers. Keep those fingers clean, there will be instructions within the paperwork in regards to your aftercare.” The nurse moves quickly out of view and leaves Becky and I alone.

  “So, this was a fun date.” She laughs.

  I’m exhausted; my humor had left my body several hours ago.

  “It’s always a good opener for a joke.” I fake a smile.

  “Thanks for staying with me. I would have probably been bored without you here.” She smiles.

  “No problem.” I shrug indifferently. I’ve been bored, we’ve hardly talked the past few hours and I’ve been nodding off and on.

  “Looks like I can’t surf for a while, that blows. Feel like a sponge bath tonight?” She asks raising her eyebrow.

  We haven’t slept together, so the question takes me off balance. She’s hinted at wanting to get more physical, but I don’t care to string her along and create any expectations, by further involving myself.

  “I’m sure that you can shower, just don’t get your dressing and the stitches wet.” I offer.

  “You’re no fun.” She pouts.

  Thankfully, the nurse approaches us with her paperwork. I observe her as I have for the past few hours. She’s cute, she reminds me of a wholesome type of girl. She has chestnut hair with highlights and she seems like she’s shy, yet also not. A few times, her eyes have drifted to me in the seat and her cheeks would flush, in turn I would wink at her. She probably thinks I’m a douche since I’ve been hanging out in the hospital with Becky and I assume she thinks that I’m the boyfriend.

  “Becky, it’s been a privilege to assist you this evening, if you should need to call with any questions, please do so. My name is Kailey and I’m here most evenings aside from mid-week where I’m here mid-day.” Nurse Kailey reaches out her hand to shake Becky’s.

  In the car, Becky and I are silent. I’ve put my silver Mercedes s550 coupe into park and get out of the car. I round the corner to Becky’s side where she’s slowly getting out of the car. Together in silence, I walk her to her apartment door.

  “Get some rest. We’ll catch up later.” I smile, and kiss her on the cheek.

  Before she can invite me inside, I’m taking off jogging down the pathway and to my car. I slide into the driver’s seat and pull away to head home. Exhausted from the past several hours. Unsure as to why I stayed that long in the first place. Oh yeah, I’m a nice guy sometimes.

  ***

  My alarm went off way too early this morning, I only had a few hours of sleep, but I could definitely sleep all day. I’m one of the newer partners in The Crawford Hunter Harris Group, an Architectural Engineering company, so it would be alright if I went into work later than usual, but I didn’t want to start to slack when I’m on top of my game. I started out here as a fill in guy once the company started getting bigger projects. My father and grandfather were in the construction business and I had grown up all around work sites, but I wanted my career separate from my family, I didn’t want any handouts, which is why I started my career here.

  After Max Hunter, another one of the partners and one of my now close friends got into a crazy car accident three years ago, I had stepped in for a lot of the stuff he was working on as well as keeping up with the projects handed to me and apparently I impressed them enough for them to offer me a partner spot. Knowing that I’m still fresh in the business and the company, I would rather not rock the boat too much, even if no one is keeping tabs. Plus, if I’m late into work, I miss my morning check-in’s with Melissa. I don’t want to deviate my the morning routine, as they are something that I look forward to on a daily basis.

  I park my car in my parking spot in front of our building and enter the front doors. Talia, our receptionist waves at me as I pass by her on my way into the office kitchen, which is always my first stop.

  I stop in the doorway and admire the view. Our accounting department director is bent at the waist searching the back of the fridge in a black knee length skirt. Her shapely ass is staring at me, just wanting to get spanked. Unfortunately, that would be an HR nightmare and I keep my sinful thoughts to myself. I can feel a tightening in my pants and I cautiously adjust myself as I walk into the kitchen and clear my throat.

  “Oh, hey Lukas.” She smiles after straightening with creamer in her hand.

  Her freckled skin blushes from my entrance. Her beautiful bright green eyes practically twinkle like a cartoon character at me as she smiles.

  “Hey Mel, how’s it today?” I smile, reaching into the cabinet beside her for a coffee mug.

  “It’s good so far, but it’s still early so there’s potential for something to go wrong.” She smiles and hands me the creamer as I prepared my cup of coffee.

  “Just think though, it’s Friday.” I smile taking a tentative sip of my coffee.

  I take my time relishing the sip of coffee, as I assess Melissa. Her fiery red hair today is worn up in some fancy up-do, her black skirt – now that we’re closer is pinstriped, and I can see through her white shirt. Her painted toes are peeking through her red shoes and her nail-polish on her fingers and toes match her lipstick, a muted red.

  “You have any exciting plans?” She asks me hesitantly as she stirs her coffee.

  “Not really, I was hoping for some R&R this weekend, maybe hit up the beach, do a whole lot of nothing. What about you?”

  “It’s a friend’s birthday tonight and our plans are to get more fucked up than a left-handed football bat! Then nurse the hangover all weekend.” She smiles.

  Her Texan accent is cute, sometimes she’ll say the most weird and random things and with her slight accent, it makes you want to kiss her. I keep these thoughts to myself, even though we flirt at times, I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t be interested in me.

  “Left-handed football bat?” I ask.
I don’t always understand her Texan or southern sayings.

  “I’ll be drunk.” She simplifies.

  “Did you know that there are places that sell left handed things, you know for people who are left handed?” I don’t know why I’m saying this.

  She has dazed off, staring at the cabinet in front of her, then she laughs and refreshes her coffee. “I should get my day started.”

  “I’ll see you later.” I smile at her as she retreats the kitchen shaking her head. I can’t help but to watch her hips sway with each step in that skirt.

  Melissa

  My heart was pounding as I walked into my office. When I mentioned a left-handed football, I started objectifying Lukas and picturing him dirty and sweaty playing football, then the thoughts turned into him naked and wet from a shower. My mind went off on its own tangent; I needed to get out of that kitchen. I then imagined him I’ve had a crush on Lukas Harris since the day he started working here about four years ago, and the majority of my brain is fine with those dirty thoughts, yet another part of me knows that he’s one of the bosses and crushing on him is just inappropriate. I usually am able to hide my infatuation with him by leaving the room or by saying something so ridiculous that he forgets what he’s saying and that generally works.

  I sat at my desk and started my computer when my cell phone signaled a text message. I ignored it for now, wanting to focus on work and getting my day started. When I started working here, I was the front desk receptionist, at the time we were in a different location, however as work got busier, the partners wanted to expand and since I was majoring in Accounting – it only made sense to them to move up from within. I’ve worked here since my first year of college, and now seven years later, I’m the accounting director. I have a small team of 3 accountants that work under me and I report directly to Dane Crawford, one of the partners. He’s the one who started my process of getting where I am today in the company.

  I am from Wimberley, Texas which is an hour away from Austin. My parents couldn’t afford to live in Austin, so we lived there and they commuted daily until they retired. The town was small; fewer than 3,000 people and we had only one stoplight when I lived there. It’s an artistic community surrounded by nature and compared to hustle and bustle of San Diego at times, I miss it. San Diego has its own artsy community, so when I feel homesick, I wander around Ray Street in North Park and pretend I’m home.

  I talk to my parents regularly, probably a few times a month. I have an older sister who lives in Austin, that keeps me abridged to any on-goings. She’s married, with three crazy and rambunctious kids. I also have a younger brother who doesn’t take the term younger to heart with me, especially since he’s taller. He goes to Texas A&M University, two and a half hours away from our hometown. He and I are close, since our age is only two years apart and we talk weekly. He’s coming to San Diego this afternoon for the next week and I couldn’t be more excited.

  I’ve been reviewing the financial projections for a project that Lukas acquired last week for the past few days, making notes in the margins so I will be ready for our meeting during our working-lunch today. I have another meeting with one of the junior accountants in a few minutes, so I take a moment to relish in the silence of my Friday morning, the calm before the storm.

  I reach for my cell phone as someone knocks on my window outside my door. And now, officially my day starts.

  ***

  My eyes have gone crossed and everyone sounds like the adults in Charlie Brown. It isn’t until it’s quiet and I feel everyone’s gazes on me that I come back to reality.

  “Already planning your weekend?” Max, one of the partners grins.

  “Sorry, I’ve had a busy morning, still processing the payroll meeting before this. What did you say?” I ask the table avoiding Lukas’s eyes.

  “Luk told us that he forwarded you the new project projections and I was hoping that you could give us a run-down of your thoughts and how this will look for us?” Max asks.

  “Yeah, sure no problem. If you could please turn to page 25, section one, part b.” I held for everyone to get to the spot where I started with my notes.

  The next thirty minutes went by quickly as I discussed how the project would be beneficial to our outcomes. We had finished up as Talia rushed into the conference room out of breath.

  “Oh good, you’re finished. Melissa, you have a… guest.” She waggles her eyebrows.

  I look at my watch and stand while gathering my paperwork and notebook and follow the group out.

  Lukas is in front of me and I don’t make it a secret that I am oogling his butt, since he can’t see me. His worn jeans fit his ass perfectly I notice as I lick my lips. My gaze has me distracted as I slam into Lukas’s solid back since he abruptly stops. I peek over his shoulder and I see my brother, waiting against the high reception desk. He’s got everyone in the offices attention, even if he doesn’t know it.

  I round Lukas and run into my brother arms. He’s got a good two feet of height on me and he’s solid muscle. By the reaction of a few of the female staff poking their heads out of their cubicles and Talia, I would say that my brother is attractive. He squeezes me to the point where I have to tap out and then he pulls back and keeps me at arm’s length.

  My brother had strawberry blonde hair, deep brown eyes and a golden complexion from hours of practice for the Texas A&M baseball team

  “I didn’t know you would be here so early?” I gush.

  “Didn’t you get my text this morning? I had texted as soon as I crossed the California border.” He smiles, his accent is thicker than mine.

  Lukas is still standing beside us, as he clears his throat, waiting for an introduction. I look around and Lukas is the only male around. Dane and Max had met my brother a few years ago, they didn’t need the introduction.

  “Oh sorry! Lukas I would like you to meet Jamie, Jamie please meet Lukas.” I motion between the two.

  Lukas eagerly took hold of Jamie’s extended hand, it looked like a pretty tight grasp.

  “Nice to meet you buddy. Mel has mentioned you a time or two, I reckon. Right sis?” Jamie hip checks me and winks.

  “Sis? This is your brother? You have a brother? How come I didn’t know this?” Lukas asks me.

  “You never asked. But yes, this is my little brother. ” I confirm. I can see Lukas looking relieved, which I found odd.

  “You didn’t mention your brother coming into town this weekend.”

  “I forget who I’ve told and who I haven’t.” I shrug. “He’ll be here all week.”

  “If you want to go out for drinks or whatever while you’re in town, let me know. Melissa has my info.” He offers as he walks to the elevators.

  My brother looks at me and laughs.

  “He wants to get the dirt on ya.” He says.

  I hit him and then pull him toward my office. He sits down at the chair in front of my desk and puts his feet up.

  “I’m sorry, I have been busy this morning. Meeting after meeting and I thought that you’d be coming in later. Every time I went to check my phone, something else happened.” I explain.

  “Do you have more stuff for today, or can you take off?” He asks.

  “Let me just reply to a few emails and then we can scoot.” I offer.

  “Sure, where’s the bathroom?” He asks.

  I direct him to the first floor bathroom and finish what was on my desktop, fire off a few emails and set my away message since I have Monday off. When Jamie reappears, I am pulling my arm through the strap of my purse.

  “Ready?” I ask him.

  “As ready as can be.”

  ***

  It’s rare that I go to a nightclub, and it’s even rarer when I drink when I’m out. Since Jamie is in town, I made sure to pack the first night with plans and then space out the rest. I figured, being the attractive baseball player that he is, he could find himself a cleat chaser to keep him company. However, he’s being attentive to me right now, which isn’t working in my favor as any of the guys in this club probably think we’re together.

  Gross!