[3] – Crush

Laura raised one slender eyebrow when Jeremy – again – walked down the stairs and into the studio for the children, walked around the room, sparing glances at Rory, the latter blushing furiously and trying to focus on watching the kids, before picking up some random file and making his way back up to his office. She covered her lips with a slender hand to hide her giggles but apparently, that didn’t help because Jeremy shot her a sharp glare despite the embarrassed flush that spread across his cheeks.

Laura giggled again and Jeremy only rolled his eyes and headed back upstairs to his office. It was so entertaining seeing Jeremy like this – seeing his obvious crush on the newbie. It made the matchmaker in her come to life. What made it even better was the fact that Rory had a crush on him too – his cheeks seemed to be permanently in that reddish hue whenever the boss was around.  

This had been going on for weeks now. It’s been a while since Rory had joined the company and so far, it was obvious to anyone who looked hard enough that the boss and Rory Lewis had chemistry that could set the ocean on fire. The sad part though, was that neither of them were doing anything about it. Laura would even call them oblivious.

“Can they be any more obvious?” Minnie whispered to Laura as she watched Jeremy heading into his office and Rory occasionally glancing at the door from the kids’ room, obviously waiting for the boss to re-appear. Minnie – just like her name – was like the mouse, with a cute button nose and lovely big brown eyes, always clothed in dresses with sashes, bows and ruffles, a ribbon in her hair to keep it in place. At sixteen, she was the youngest to work in Walker Design Studios – only there because of her talent and passion in art – she was truly outstanding which was why Jeremy had hired her.

Laura giggled, “I just want to lock them up in a room with condoms and aphrodisiac.”

The two girls heard an exaggerated gagging noise behind them and spun around to face Paul. He was one of the workers who tutored the adults, Minnie being the one that assisted him.

“They make me want to gag – I mean, if you think about it, they’re like cartoons making big heart-shaped eyes at each other from across the room,” Paul snorted, his disgust not meant to be insulting but amusing.

“I think we should do something about it,” Minnie suggested, hiding her laugh as Jeremy – for the millionth time – again, walked down the stairs. When he noticed the three people gathered around the middle of the exhibition room, he flushed and changed course from the kids’ tutoring studio and headed to the bathroom instead.

“Jesus,” Paul groaned while the two ladies laughed their hearts out.

“I have to say I agree with Minnie,” Laura chuckled, “if we don’t do something this will never end.”

“I’m only agreeing to this for that reason,” Paul said dryly, “seeing the boss like this honestly makes me feel embarrassed for him. He’s like a teenager on his first crush.”

“I think it’s amazing! Jeremy is always serious and all work and no play, but since Rory’s gotten here he’s been…wonderfully distracted,” Laura said, adding a wag of her eyebrows to the last two words, making Paul roll his eyes at her.

Minnie suddenly gasped, her eyebrows flying into the roof, “Oh my God, I’ve got the perfect plan!”

The other two turned to face her eagerly, “Spill the beans, mouse.”

Minnie grinned and raised a mischievous eyebrow, “we’ll have to let everyone in on this or it won’t work.”

“I’m already in. This sounds delicious.”

“We need to get back to work,” Minnie said, still smiling like she had a delectable secret, “I’ll send a mass text message to everyone but the victims.”

Laura winked and headed to the end of the exhibition room and started talking to the guests and visitors, asking if they needed help. Minnie and Paul headed back to the studio for the adults, the people there currently working on the individual projects Paul had handed out to them.

“I hope to God you know what you’re doing,” Paul whispered to Minnie as she brought out her iPhone and began typing rapidly.

“Oh trust me; this is going to be the best thing that has ever happened in the studio.”

“Amen to that.”

*~*~*

What the hell am I doing? Jeremy thought to himself as he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. You’re behaving like a love-struck baboon, that’s what you’re doing, his sub-conscious mind replied to him, making him groan and wipe a hand down his face. For the past few weeks Rory has been working here, Jeremy’s attraction to him had only grown. He’d never been so aware of anyone in his entire life before.

Of course, the fact that Rory blushed so easily, that beautiful pale skin flushing an attractive shade of red – or the way he bit his lower lip when he was thinking or confused about something, or that stupidly cute laugh of his and how happy and eager he was when he was helping Simon tutor the kids.

God, everything about him was just…ugh.

“Get a grip on your emotions, Jeremy Walker,” Jeremy said sternly to himself and then laughed bitterly. How many times had he told himself that exact same sentence during the past few weeks? He switched on the taps to wash his hands just as the bathroom door came open.

He felt his heart literally pound into his ribcage when Rory walked into the bathroom.

“Oh,” he said softly in surprise, his cheeks gaining that red hue, “I thought you were upstairs.” Oh wow, Rory, just blurt the first silly thing that comes to your lips would you? Rory thought to himself in embarrassment.

“Yeah, taking a break, uh, don’t forget about the meeting we’re having after closing time, I’ll see you later,” Jeremy said and practically ran out of the bathroom.

Oh shit, I could have handled that better. Should I have asked him how he was doing? Ugh no, I already asked him that like five minutes ago! Maybe I should ask him if he wants to go to lunch in the restaurant across from the studio. No, that would be like a frigging date.

Jeremy smacked a hand on his forehead as he stalked up the stairs, what the hell am I doing?

Rory slapped some cold water onto his cheeks, cursing the gods for blessing him with such pale skin that turned red on every turn. He was like a blushing bride or something. He sighed, staring at his wet face. He really needed to stop crushing on the boss – it was obvious that the man thought nothing of him and he was wasting his time reading more into his reactions than what they really were.

But oh, he thought dreamily, Mr Walker…Jeremy, was just so…ugh.

He sighed again and willed his racing heart to slow down before exiting the bathroom, heading back into the studio for the kids.

“Uncle Rory! I did it!” one of the little girls called, her lazy red hair in two pigtails, bright yellow dress swishing around her legs as she approached Rory.

Turns out that Rory had a knack for teaching – it just came to him naturally and over the course of time he’d been working so far, the kids had fallen in love with him. The little girl waved her paper at him, her fingers stained with different mixes of paint.

Rory smiled and picked up the paper, noticing that the girl had used one of the techniques Simon was trying to teach them, the fingers stained one. It was supposed to help them get used to using their hands before they moved on to using pencils and on and on.

“This looks pretty amazing,” Rory grinned, turning the picture sideways, trying to decipher what it was, “is this a flying dog?”

The little girl immediately beamed and started bouncing on the balls of her feet, “Mhm!” she said excitedly, “I used only my fingers! No colour pencils,” she beamed proudly.

“Well you should be proud of yourself because this is one of the finest pieces I have ever seen,” Rory smiled down at her, handing her back her painting.

“You think so?” she asked with wide eyes, her happiness practically radiating from her like sun rays.

“Oh I don’t think so, Mary dear, I know so.”

Mary giggled and then ran back to the circle of kids in the middle of the room, crashing down on the floor beside them and then bragging about her painting. Rory laughed a little, watching her and the other children comparing their drawings and chattering noisily.

“You’re a natural,” Simon said as he approached Rory, his light Irish accent coming out in the unintentional way he emphasized his r’s when he spoke, “have I said that before?”

Rory beamed, a slight blush tinging his cheeks, “Only a billion times.”

“I can’t help it, I’m a little jealous.”

Rory raised an amused eyebrow and raised his arms in mock surrender, “there’s no need to be jealous, I honestly don’t even know what I’m doing half the time.”

“Lies,” Simon grinned, his glance wavering a bit to a spot behind Rory.

Rory turned around to glance at what Simon was looking at and immediately felt his heart skip a little at the sight of Mr Walker talking to Laura in the exhibition space, the place he stood in clear view of the children’s studio. Rory quickly tore his gaze away from the man’s attractive back before someone could catch him staring, already feeling his damning cheeks burning as evidence of his crush.

Apparently, Simon noticed because he started laughing like a person who’d lost their mind.

“Ugh, shut up,” Rory blushed furiously, stalking away from Simon and not bothering to deny what Simon was probably thinking. He moved over to the glass doors and ceiling length windows on one side of the studio, looking out at the garden that was made especially for the children. It was equipped with swings and jungle gyms and other playground necessities to keep the kids occupied during lunch time and other breaks. Sometimes they even had their sessions there when the day was looking good.

Simon’s phone went off, signalling that he had a text and his laughter only seemed to worsen at whatever he’d read. Rory eyed him suspiciously but then rolled his eyes, glancing at the clock. It was soon going to be lunch time.

Simon noticed too and started telling the children to get cleaned up.

“Lunch is in a few minutes, my lovelies! Quickly, get your paintings up on the wall and yourselves cleaned.”

The kids got up from the floor and quickly stuck their drawings and paintings to the wall with blue tack, before rushing to the sinks by the side of the room beside the windows and thoroughly washing their hands, their chatter and excitement increasing because it was nearly lunch time. Rory watched them with a small smile on his face. He heard loud chatter coming from the main hall and glanced out of the doors, noticing then that the adults had been let out for lunch.

“Hey Rory!” Laura suddenly called, her heels clicking on the tiled floor as she made her way to the entrance of the studio, resting her hip against the doorjamb, “Minnie, Paul and I were going to go to the restaurant across the street for lunch, do you fancy joining us?”

“Uhm…” Rory began indecisively, wringing his hands.

“Don’t tell me…you have a tuna and mayo sandwich stashed in your bag somewhere,” Laura said dryly and Rory laughed, blushing guiltily.

“Actually, I forgot my sandwich today,” he lied smoothly, “and the restaurant sounds like a good change. I’ll just get my jacket.”

“See you after lunch,” Simon waved after overhearing their conversation, “come on kids, get your lunch boxes out and go out to the garden if you want to.”

Rory normally ate lunch in the studio with Simon and the children – he made sure to pack himself a sandwich at home before coming to work so he didn’t have to go to lunch with the others. He’d been invited out a few times by them but he’d still been trying to fit in with the employees then and wasn’t too comfortable sharing lunch time just yet.

But now, he’d come to learn that everyone here was amazing and he thought what could be so bad about sharing lunch with them? He slipped on his jean jacket, patting the pocket to make sure he had his wallet before heading to the entrance where Laura was still waiting for him.

“Oh shoot, something came up,” Minnie said as the two of them approached, staring worriedly into her phone, “I’ll have to bail on lunch at the restaurant. I’ll see you guys in a bit!”

“Okay,” Rory said, watching her with concern as she left the studio, still glaring into her phone.  He turned around in search for Paul.

“Looks like Paul must have gone on without us,” Laura said, “let’s catch up before he finishes all the food.”

Rory managed a soft laugh at that and they exited the Studio, making their way to the zebra crossing. They crossed the road quickly and if Rory was paying attention, he would have noticed the way Laura kept glancing back at the studio and how her steps had slowed down a bit. When he looked up, wondering what was the hold up; Laura was frowning into her phone.

Rory frowned and stopped walking, “is everything okay?”

Laura sighed, “I’m sorry but Minnie says she needs my help with this urgently. Do you think you can join Paul and apologize to him for us?”

Rory beamed, “yeah, sure no problem. Just…I hope nothing horrible has happened.”

Laura beamed and quickly reassured him, “oh it’s nothing to bad, no need to worry – just some trivial issue. I’m really sorry we’re bailing out! I really wanted you to have lunch with us!”

“It’s okay,” Rory grinned, “There’s always Monday, right?”

Laura beamed and flicked her pointer fingers at him, winking, “that’s the spirit! We normally sit at table thirteen which is somewhere near the back windows – you can’t miss it!”

“Okay, thanks, I’ll see you in a bit,” Rory laughed, waving a little as Laura began to walk away. Laura waved back at him and he turned, walking over to the restaurant.

The place was busy because of the time and Rory made his way through bustling waiters and people screaming orders at the counters, trying to make his way to table thirteen. When he finally spotted the table at the end of the row in the far corner of the restaurant by the windows, he froze and felt his heart give an involuntary lurch.

Why, those sour popsicles! Rory thought, cheeks flushing brightly.

As if they could read his mind, he instantly got a text from Minnie: Have fun! :) xoxox.

He licked his lips and considered his options. He could make a run for it before the boss noticed. Yeah, that was exactly what he was going to do!

Don’t look up, just turn around and make your way to the exit. Don’t. Don’t do it, Rory Lewis. Don’t you dare look up.

His eyes drifted up, shaded by his eyelashes and instantly locked with Jeremy’s from across the room.

Aw cheese balls!

Mr Walker smiled tentatively and waved a little. Rory swallowed his nervousness and made his way across the people to the table, heart in his throat.

Jeremy was more than surprised to see Rory here. Didn’t he normally have lunch with Simon in the studio? It was the first time he was seeing him in the restaurant and he couldn’t deny how good it made him feel inside. His heart was racing at the thought that they were alone for the first time in a long time since Rory had started working for him.

Oh my God, Jeremy get your mind out of the gutter!

“Hey,” he said in greeting as Rory slid into the seat opposite him, “I didn’t know you wanted to come out today, I would have asked you to join me.” Oh shit, did that sound too forward?

Rory blushed a little, “actually, Laura asked me to join her, Minnie and Paul for lunch here today.”

Jeremy frowned curiously, “That’s funny, I could’ve sworn that they always had lunch in the McDonald’s five minutes away from here.”

“Yep, isn’t that just hilarious,” Rory muttered under his breath in obvious sarcasm, the words sounding forced because he was currently grinding his teeth. Oh, I am SO going to murder them, he thought furiously to himself.

Jeremy picked up one of the menus and handed it over to Rory, “here, when you’re done we can order together…if you want,” Jeremy quickly added, mentally giving himself a face-palm. You are not being smooth right now, Jeremy Walker.

“That sounds nice,” Rory said distractedly, picking up the menu, “I think I might go for a burger or something. I need something to chew on.”

Jeremy laughed and it seemed to remind Rory of who exactly he was with and where. A bright flush spread across his cheeks and he forced his gaze to remain on the menu, not wanting the boss to notice his reaction to the circumstances. After dilly-dallying with the menu for nearly five minutes, he finally looked up and nodded, signalling that he was ready to order.

Jeremy walked him to the counter and they placed their order. The young man behind the counter gave them a device and told them it would ring when their order was up; they just had to come back to the counter to collect it. Jeremy nodded, already well-known with the protocol and him and Rory headed back to their table.

“So, how’s it –”

“So, what’s the –”

They’d spoken at the same time and both men flushed lightly, glancing away from each other awkwardly. Jeremy cleared his throat, “so, are you enjoying the job so far?” Lame, Jeremy, lame.

Rory shrugged, shoving his hands through the thick bleached strands of his hair, “it’s pretty amazing if I have to admit.”

“That’s great, I’m glad.”

An awkward silence stretched between them until the shrill ringing of the device on the table brought them out of it.

“I’ll get it,” Jeremy said as he quickly jumped up, picking up the phone-like mechanism and heading over to the counter to get their food.

Rory groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. Here he was with the man he’d been crushing on for the past few weeks and he couldn’t even form a coherent sentence – fudge, he couldn’t even think in the man’s presence!

Jeremy was about to kick himself. God, why did he feel like a teenager on his first date? Why on earth did every single thought fly out of his mind the minute those intensely dark eyes settled on him? He felt a flutter in his stomach as he picked up the two trays holding their food and headed back to their table. He exchanged a smile with the younger man, the flutter of butterflies in his stomach intensifying at Rory’s silent ‘thank you’ as he took his tray.

As they began to eat in silence, Rory felt the awkwardness slowly seep away and he finally relaxed, only then realizing that he’d been sitting stiffly in his chair. Jeremy had also relaxed a bit, the silence going from awkward to comfortable in a matter of seconds.

Jeremy watched in amusement as Rory picked out the tomatoes from his burger and he grinned, “Do you mind if I had those then?”

Rory blushed and shook his head, “help yourself.”

Jeremy picked up the tomatoes and put them in his own burger and they began to eat in companionable silence. Jeremy couldn’t help watching the way Rory ate. He took little bites out of his burger, occasionally taking a few chips out of his plate. He noticed that Rory didn’t really like ketchup, only barely swiping the chips in the red substance – well, he obviously didn’t like tomatoes so that was a given.

His gaze involuntarily dropped to Rory’s full pale pink lips and he felt his stomach tighten with desire, watching the way Rory wetted his lips before taking a sip from his bottle of Sprite.

For God’s sake, Jeremy, stop staring!

Jeremy coughed and focused on his own food, determined not to be a creep.

Rory couldn’t even make himself look at Jeremy. He tried to act as normal as possible as he ate and then inwardly snorted to himself – you’re eating, Rory, how abnormal could you really get?

They finished at nearly the same time, standing up together and then exiting the restaurant. Rory’s sensual blush was back and Jeremy tried to ignore what it was doing to his already fluttering stomach as they headed back to the studio. The comfortable silence ended as they entered the main hall and the awkwardness was back.

“Well, uh, see you at the meeting,” Jeremy said and nodded.

“Right, yeah, later,” Rory replied and they both parted ways, Jeremy heading upstairs to his office and Rory heading to his studio.

He sank against the wall when he got there, placing a hand over his chest as if to stop his heart from slamming out of his ribcage. Simon was still in the garden with the children. He was sitting underneath the tree, his eyes closed as he rocked back and forth on the chair he was in, the kids running and playing around him. Rory quickly got out his phone and texted Minnie.

You evil creatures!

His phone pinged a second later.

We did it because we love you :D How did it go? Xoxox

Please don’t put me through that torture again, thank you very much!

He replied and then ignored his phone the next time it pinged, deciding to focus on work for now. He couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed about lunch, wondering if he should have done something to show the boss that he was interested – and then he quickly shook those thoughts away, reminding himself that the boss wasn’t interested in him that way. Unknown to him, Jeremy was also thinking the exact same thing.

*~*~*

Another successful day was over and the studio was cleared out, only the employees remaining. They were currently seated around in Jeremy’s office, discussing trivial issues, the most important being an exhibition taking place the following weekend.

“This is really important for us guys,” Jeremy was saying to them, “Harry Goldberg is going to be there.”

There were collective gasps around the room.

“The Harry Goldberg?” Laura gasped, “That’s amazing!”

Jeremy beamed, “yes, so we need to get our best works and be on our best behaviour. The exhibition is going to be held at the Manchester Museum in Piccadilly next Saturday at ten o’clock. Numerous artists are going to be there all day and this is a chance for us to get one of them to exhibit their works in our studio. Remember, the more artists we get, the more popular our studio becomes and the more money goes into our pockets.”

Everyone snickered and Jeremy managed a grin, “So prepare your minds for then. We can talk more next Friday, pick out the work we’re going to exhibit but for now, I just wanted you all to think about it and mark your calendars early. Cancel your dates and barbeques because it’s going to be a busy day! Meeting adjourned, see you all on Monday!”

Jeremy abruptly got up and walked over to his desk, arranging his files. Rory felt his heart sink. The man hadn’t even glanced at him once. He forced a smile to his face and turned around, making his way back downstairs. He really, really needed to get over this crush. God, he hated crushes with a passion.

Minnie walked quickly up to Laura after witnessing the exchange, “it didn’t work – I think now, they’re even worse off than before.”

“Serves you right for meddling!” Paul said, sticking his tongue out childishly at them.

Minnie rolled her eyes at him and Laura smiled mischievously, “then my dears, it’s onto plan B.”