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[authorbiancawilcox]

Kyle's POV

My Favourite What If: A Short Story. Free on Amazon.com, with Kindle Unlimited.

[authorbiancawilcox]

Kyle's POV

My Favourite What If: A Short Story. Free on Amazon.com, with Kindle Unlimited.

[authorbiancawilcox]

My Favourite What If (Chapter 1)

Falling in love with your brother’s best friend is a big no-no, but that’s not why I’m panicking right now.

I’m panicking because not only is Kyle Johnson my brother’s best friend, but he’s also my new boss. I look down at my phone in my hands, feeling like I might faint if I don’t sit down.

It had never been a problem, my crush on Kyle. Of course, it made it awkward hanging out with my brother if he was there too, and it did lead to some embarrassing moments when I would get flustered seeing him shirtless when he stayed over, but those were small things. 

The message is from my brother, Andy, who I love, but sometimes he gets me in trouble when I could do without it. Andy is away right now, at university studying to become a dentist. Unlike him, I hadn’t wanted to do any other schooling after I graduated. Which he somehow thought I needed help with, since I hadn’t been able to get a job for the past few months.

Hey Hanna, Kyle said he has a position as his secretary…

Why does he always have to do this? I skim my eyes over the rest of the message, and it’s even worse than I thought. He actually told Kyle I needed the job, and that I would be happy to do it. Well, I guess I’m screwed. I don’t bother answering him; he can’t be stuck in left on read jail, and I instead open my messages with Kyle. Or lack thereof. 

I nibble my lip and look at our bare message history. The exchanges we have had were along the lines of talking about Andy or asking for the wifi password. I’m only two years younger, but we don’t talk. Maybe if we had, this wouldn’t be so awkward. 

I decided to bite the bullet and send him a message. It’s 8 AM on a Sunday, so I’m not sure if I’ll get a response anytime soon. I put my phone on silent and finish my bowl of soggy cereal. Mum has already left for her job at the daycare down the road, so really I can just lounge around all day.

I check my phone, and my heart drops. No response from Kyle, and it’s been ten minutes. I can lounge around all day, maybe watch some TV, but I can’t. Instead, I shower and dress in a comfy sundress, tying my brown hair into a bun. I start in the kitchen and work my way out until four hours later, the house is clean.

I grab myself a cold glass of pink lemonade and flop onto the couch. It’s only then that I remember Kyle, and I check my phone. My heart skips a beat when I see his text.

***

I hadn’t had a job before, but my mother made sure I was prepared to go to interviews. 

I walk into the glass doors of the tall building, dressed in a slim pencil skirt, a dark pink blouse, and professional but still cute flats. I look the part, if only I could feel it. I swallow around the scream that wants to escape my throat and walk up to the front desk. A lady is seated behind it, maybe a few years older than me. When she sees me, she smiles, and I feel myself break into a sweat. I don’t know if I can do this, work underneath him.

Kyle isn’t the owner of Liceno Hills Paper, but his father is. If I do anything wrong, if I get fired from this job, not only will I burn a bridge with Kyle, but I will with one of the most important people in Liceno Hills. No pressure, right?

“Hi, I’m here for my first day? Hanna Jones.” The words don’t sound right coming from my mouth, and she shoots me a sympathetic smile. So it’s not just me feeling like I’m dropping the ball on this, am I? She writes on a sticky note the floor, and tells me it’s the door at the end of the hall. Kyle’s office, where I’ll meet him and he’ll talk me over my job. Surely being a secretary won’t be too difficult, right?

I fold the note and tuck it in my purse, and thank her. The elevators are on the left, and I hop inside. I press the third floor. I didn’t need the paper, but it’s nice to have anyway. The ride up isn’t long enough to get rid of all my nerves, but it helps to get rid of most. The hall that the elevator door opens on is short and void of any doors besides the one at the end. I frown and think back on the receptionist’s instructions. I hope I don’t look as helpless as I apparently seem, especially in front of Kyle.

I walk down the hall, feeling myself tremble a little, and knock on the thick, oak door. At first, there’s nothing, and I check my watch. 9 AM on the dot, and from Kyle’s messages, even a little after 9 was fine on my first day, in case I had gotten lost. I knock again, and this time, there’s an answer. The door swings open, and in the doorway, dressed in a suit and tie stands Kyle. I’ve only ever seen him in sweats and loose tees, and years ago in a school uniform. Seeing him in a well-fitted suit, with his hair combed back and face clean-shaven, it’s almost impossible not to swoon. I get myself under control and smile up at him.

Be professional, he is helping you out.

“Hi, Hanna.” He steps out of the door and waves me in. His office is large enough for two desks and a few comfortable-looking chairs against the wall, but other than that, it’s bare. Even Kyle’s desk is bare, with only a monitor on top. No picture frame, no bit of personality. I flick my eyes back to my brother’s best friend and feel myself color as I catch his eyes, already staring at me. Being professional is going to be a lot harder than I thought.

I can hardly concentrate on what Kyle, Mr. Johnson, tells me, but I get the gist of it. For today, answer calls, answer emails, and rearrange his work calendar around said emails. Later on, he says as he leans over my shoulder and types something on my new keyboard, I’ll have a hand in the harder stuff. I breathe in his cologne, and dangerous thoughts fill my head.

I turn to him, and he’s so close that I can count the smattering of freckles over his nose. He goes to say something, and I wait for it. He looks away, and then must decide on something else. Standing straight, Kyle moves out of my space and back over to his desk. I miss his warmth, but I’m also thankful that I didn’t make a fool out of myself.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Johnson.” I give him a shaky smile and toy with the edge of my pencil skirt. There’s a moment of silence between us before he nods and sits down.

I blow out a slow sigh and turn to start reading emails.

-

Read the whole short story for free on Amazon.com