This Is Where I Sleep by Tiffany Patterson Page B

energy and oil sector of the business. But that’s not where I was taking you. It’s our community relations and outreach sector I wanted to share with you. I’ll tell you more later. I’ve scheduled lunch at 1pm here in my office, and right afterward, we’ll leave,” I explained, once again sitting down behind my desk.
    Coral tossed me a confused, yet resigned look. “Okay, I’m heading down to Ron’s office now. I’ll be up in a few hours.”
    Those few hours seemed like they dragged on forever. I found myself constantly looking at the clock only to see ten minutes had passed. I was rarely this anxious at work. It took a lot to rile me up or get me flustered. The woman who was some ten stories down looking over camera footage was one of those things. When it was about ten after one and Coral still had yet to come to return, I called down to Ron’s office.
    “Hey boss,” he answered.
    “Ron, is Coral with you?” I asked, bypassing greetings.
    “She actually left two minutes ago. We’ve been looking at footage for hours. I’m not sure if anything was learned.” He sounded doubtful.
    “Alright. Thanks.” Just as I looked up, I saw Coral greeting Darlene outside my office. A sigh of relief escaped. “She’s here. I’ll ask her take on it.” I hung up quickly as Coral knocked on my door and entered.
    “You don’t have to knock, Coral. You’re free to enter my office whenever. I ordered your favorite, a honey-glazed salmon salad.”
    My chest expanded as she smiled in appreciation.
    “Thank you. Where are we going after lunch?” she asked as she slid onto the couch, grabbing a fork and the salad.
    I found my eyes wandering to toned legs encased in a pair of black leggings, and a pair of brown knee high boots. I watched as she crossed her legs and unfolded a napkin over her lap.
    “Li…”
    I’m caught.
    Our gazes collided, and I felt those odd sensations, that only she elicited, rise in the pit of my stomach. I could tell she felt something as well as she quickly removed her gaze from mine and peered down at her salad.
    I cleared my throat. “Did you have a question?” I asked, pulling up a chair closer to the low table in front of the couch.
    “You said we were going to see a community center? Tell me about it.”
    “Not yet,” I said uncapping a bottle of water and handing it to her. “I want you to see it before I reveal too much.”
    “Can you tell me how long you’ve been running it?”
    “A little over four and a half years now. It’s been around for more than twenty years, but it was in financial turmoil for some time before we took over. When I took over Bennett Industries, I wanted to strengthen our social responsibility to the community. Not just improving how we utilize environmental resources but how we treat the people in our community as well.”
    I noticed Coral pause in between bites to stare at me. I was unable to discern the look, but it sent a warm feeling spreading throughout my chest. We ate in a comfortable silence for the remainder of our lunch and a little before two pm we headed down to the building’s garage to take a town car to the community center. During the twenty-minute car ride, I watched Coral’s profile. I was struck by how beautiful she was and how it’d been so long since we were in each other’s presence. No other woman had dominated my thoughts the way this woman had for years. I knew from the first moment I saw her that she was going to play a pivotal role in my life, and as I sat there trying to discreetly observe her, I knew this to still be the truth. She was the reason for almost every decision I’d made in the last five years.
    “Looks like we’re here,” she said as we pulled up.
    I turned to look out the window and noticed we’d arrived at our destination. “So, we are. Come on,” I encouraged and pulled her by the hand helping her out of the car. I only released her hand after I felt her tugging for me to let go.
    She was already