Valentine's Day

"Happy Valentine's day!!"

Claire peeped from her blanket to find her two best friends, smiling at her in their beautiful red dresses.

It was Valentine's day again, another period of torture for Claire, for she hated Valentine. It was on this particular day, her ex boyfriend Paul, broke her heart.

Her parents who are hopeless romantics themselves, did their best to make her celebrate Valentine's day this year, but she refused. They always make it a point of duty to go somewhere special, every Valentine's day. And this year they went to Paris, and should be having fun there by now. While she is here doing nothing, but sleeping her life away.

"Why are you looking all forlorn? It's Valentine's day" Julia said pulling off the duvet Claire covered herself with.

"If it's Valentine's day, so?" Claire asked, not quite understanding, why they were disturbing her beautiful sleep, when she had clearly told them, she wasn't interested in going anywhere on Valentine's day. If they wanted to go out putting on some red nonsense, and drowning themselves in alcohol and the stupid likes of it, all because they think they are celebrating Valentine's day, then that was on them. She was not going to take part in any of those. It was a weekend, and she was going to use it to rest.

"It's Valentine's day, so you have to get your depressed self out of bed, and stop looking like the Grinch who stole Christmas" Georgia yanked the duvet completely off Claire's body.

"I told you girls, I'm not going anywhere" Claire buried her head under a pillow, Georgia took the pillow and every other pillow out of the bed.

"You are going to get your depressed ass out of bed now" Georgia instructed in her usual commanding tone.

"Why?" Claire sat up on the bed, pouting.

"Because we have a party to attend tonight" Julia announced with so much excitement in her voice.

"Fine, I will get ready in the evening. Please just let me go back to sleep" Claire tried lying down, but Georgia was quick enough to stop her.

"And what time do you think it is?"

"Time for me to get back to sleep?"

"It's 7pm, and that means we only have an hour to get you ready, and to get to the party"

"It's 7pm already?" Claire didn't know time had gone that much.

"Yes, how time flies when you're wasting your time away doing nothing, now get up"

"Or we will down you with a bucket of water"

"Really.....cold one" Georgia emphasized.

Claire knowing the kind of friends she had, quickly ran into the bathroom, had her bath. And before she came out, her friends already brought out something for her to wear from her wardrobe, made sure not to bring out any dress that had red on it. They helped her to get dressed, and Julia helped do a light make up on her face.

An hour later, they were all in Georgia's car, driving to the party, with a loud hip-hop song blaring from it's speakers.

When they arrived, the party had already started. It was being held by one of Georgia's friend, he was hosting the party at his house, in Beverly hills.

Claire used to love coming to such parties, but that was when she was still with Paul, they always went to clubs and house parties together. Until he got tired of their relationship, and said he wanted more fun out of a relationship, and decided to leave Claire for a twenty-one year old college student. When he left her, Claire couldn't keep going out to clubs or parties without being reminded of Paul, so she decided to stop going altogether.

"Don't you think, we are too old for such parties?" Claire whispered into Julia's ears.

"Girl you are thirty-two, not fifty. Loosen up"

They all went to the bar to get their drinks, after which Georgia and Julia disappeared into the crowd of people at the party. Claire had a few more drinks, and she she started to crave the comfort of her bed. Seeing lovers kiss and profess their love to each other in public, made her sick to her stomach.

She knew her friends weren't going to have any of it, if she decided to leave early. So she decided to go out to the balcony and have some fresh air. As she passed some couple, who were smothering each other with kisses, she almost puked. "I give it three months, and they will both be tired of themselves" she muttered to herself.

The cool air, was soothing to her troubled soul, she knew she wasn't happy but she wasn't going to admit that to anyone. Anyone looking at her from a distance, would think she had it all. At age thirty-two, she was already a CEO of one of her father's companies, she has everything money can buy, but she lacked one thing, love. When she was younger, she tried falling in love severally, but ended up getting hurt, now all she has left, was a shattered heart, that couldn't be amended. Her bitterness has become so bad, it's affecting her relationship with her employees, everyone seems to fear and avoid her at work.

"A penny for your thoughts" came a deep baritone voice.

Claire turned to see a guy standing beside her at the balcony. She couldn't make out his face properly, but she could see he was black skinned. Probably not African American, for he had a different accent which wasn't American.

"If you are thinking of jumping, I suggest you don't, trust me it's not worth it"

Not only, does he not know how to mind his business, he also thinks she wants to commit suicide?

"I would be the last person to commit suicide, so please take your sermon else where" Claire responded in a very rude tone.

"I'm sorry, I just assumed that.."

"That because, I'm standing at the balcony all alone, when every other person out there is with their supposed lover. Then I want to commit suicide?"

"I am sorry, I never meant it that way"

"I'm sure you didn't, you only meant it in a way of pity, because..."

"Because I have seen someone close to me jump off a balcony once" the guy said, cutting her short.

Claire was silent for a while, ashamed of her unnecessary outburst. "I'm sorry, I didn't know"

"It's okay, I'm sorry for assuming wrongly"

There was something about his voice, that makes Claire want to hear him speak more. It was soothing in a very wrong way, but it was soothing still. She decided to say something, just so he could speak again.

"Claire" she introduced herself, stretching out her right hand for a handshake. But instead, he took her hand, and brought it to his lips, and kissed it.

"Joshua"

Claire smiled to herself, it was a good thing, the light at the balcony wasn't so bright, if not he would have been able to notice she was blushing.

"Mind if I asked why you're out here, and not inside enjoying the party like everyone else?" Joshua asked.

"I came out to clear my head, you?"

"Same"

Claire and Joshua sat down on a chair at the balcony, and talked about everything in their lives, places they've visited, their best wine, food, exes, and including sex.

Claire felt so free discussing with this stranger. It was as if she was loading off her worries on a therapist she was never going to see again.

He was such an amazing listener, he didn't interrupt her, or yawn like most guys do when they thought she was beginning to get boring. He kept making her laugh with his jokes, and stories from Africa. She later got to discover he was from Nigeria, but had migrated to the U.S with his sister and her husband ten years ago. She was having so much fun, that she felt disappointed when he told her; it was time for him to leave.

"Why so soon? the night is still young"

"I have an interview to prepare for tomorrow"

"Oh, best of luck then"

"Thank you" he got up to leave, Claire stood up as well.

"Would it be out of place if I hugged you?" He asked.

"No, it won't" Claire hugged him, and was shocked to find out, his arms felt so strong and solid under his shirt.

"What if I kissed you? Would that be out of place too?"

Claire didn't say anything, instead she stood on her toes, and kissed him. His lips felt so soft against hers, she could taste the wine they just had on his lips. Blame it on the wine, but Claire was already getting wet from just kissing this stranger.

"We could take this somewhere else, if you want?" He said against her mouth.

"What about your interview?"

"I will sort myself out"

Claire followed Joshua, as he held her hands out of the party to the street where they got a cab, that took them to a nearby hotel, she had texted her friends while in the cab, that she wouldn't be going home with them.

He got them a room at the hotel, and as they were in the elevator to their room, they kept making out. When they arrived their room, They made love, and had sex all night, into the wee hours of the morning, before they both slept off.

The next morning, Claire woke up to the sound of her alarm. She opened her eyes to find herself still at the hotel. She looked around and found out Joshua was already gone. He left a note for her by the bedside.

I'm sorry, I couldn't stay until morning, last night was awesome. I will settle the bill on my way out.

See you, when I see you.

Claire smiled after reading the note, she wasn't surprised he didn't drop his cell number, after all, it was a one night stand. She quickly got dressed, and left the hotel, she needed to go home, and freshen up, and then be at work by 9.

"Good morning Miss Claire" her HR greeted her, as she stepped out of the elevator.

"Please tell me, you already got me a personal assistant? otherwise consider yourself fired" Claire fired her previous personal assistant, for lack of competence, and ever since then, the HR is yet to get her a suitable replacement.

"I already did ma'am" the stout man panted as he tried to keep up with Claire's long strides, she wasn't sorry for him, if he didn't want to keep fit, then that was his problem.

"Good, hope she is competent and equal to the task?"

"Yes ma'am, and it's actually.."

"That's enough, send her to my office immediately" Claire walked into her office, shutting the door in the HR's face.

She was going through her itinerary for the day, when a soft knock came on her door.

"Come in" she called out.

The door opened, and the same guy who fucked the hell out of Claire's mind, the previous night, walked in.

The moment she saw him, her heart skipped, what was he doing here? How did he find her? She can't remember saying anything about where she works, in their discussion last night. Or did she? This is why she hates drinking too much, it always messes with her head. Even if she told him where she works, why would he come looking for her?

"What are you doing here?" Claire asked, trying her best not to stutter.

Joshua was surprised to find her in the office, when he was told by the HR after his interview, that he had gotten the job, and was required to start immediately, he was happy. But what he didn't see coming was that the same woman he had a one nightstand with last night, was going to be his new boss.

"Go..od morning ma'am" Joshua had to pause and swallow hard, for his mouth suddenly became dry. "My name is Joshua, your new personal assistant" he tried his best to sound professional.

"What the hell?"