Laura: Aww! You’re so cute when you…

Dammit, I’m late!  It seems like when it’s raining every driver turns into my grandmother. Why is the traffic so freaking slow?

Finally! The taxi comes to a halt in front of my office building. I quickly pay the fare and get the hell out, opening my umbrella even though it’s not pouring anymore. There is just a drizzle, but I can’t take too many precautions. Today is an important day.

As I’m turning around to walk into the building, the taxi that had just left me there, speeds away and splashes me with muddy water from a puddle on the street.

I can’t believe my luck.

I try to swipe away most of the mud, but who am I kidding? This it is not coming off so easily. I’m so angry I want to yell at the bastard who did this to me, but the taxi is already gone.

With nothing else to do but sulk in my own misery, I walk angrily through the wide glass door into the building, cursing inwardly. The first thing I see in the lobby is a man sitting in a wheelchair blatantly laughing at me. Okay, he’s not laughing per se, it’s more like a chuckle. But he is looking at me with a derisive smile that lets me know that my poor luck is the cause off his amusement. What kind of immature childish person laughs at a someone they don’t know like that?

I step in front of him with a smug face and say in the most sarcastic tone, “Aww! You’re so cute when you’re making fun of a perfect stranger.”

I know what you’re thinking: Beth, don’t be such a bitch, can’t you see he’s disabled?

The truth is, I’m usually not such a moody bitch, but right now, I couldn’t care less that he’s disabled and that I’m being rude. First of all, I have a presentation in less than ten minutes and I’m going to be late. I’ve been recently promoted to the sales department and this is the first sales presentation I’m giving to a potential client. On top of that, I’m drenched in muddy water and my brand new Chanel pumps are ruined! These are the most expensive shoes I have ever bought, and now they are soaking in mud! I knew I shouldn’t have worn them today with all the rain, but this presentation is so important, I just wanted to look my best. Now I look like a dog that ran off while it was at mid-bath.

“I’m sorry,” he says sheepishly, trying to stifle a chuckle.

I turn around and walk towards the elevators mumbling, “I bet you are. Idiot.”

Once inside my office, I assess the situation. Thank goodness, I was wearing a coat. I take it off and I can see that my clothes are practically intact. I take off my beautiful expensive shoes and wipe them until they look almost normal. I guess the mud shower wasn’t that bad after all.

I hurriedly run to the meeting room and surprisingly, I’m on time. “Good morning!” I say with what I would call my killer smile. But that smile quickly falls as I see (yeah, you guessed it) “mocking man”, as I have named the man from the lobby, right there in the meeting room, along with my manager, and a couple of my coworkers.

Hmm, I wonder what the probability is that he’s my new client.

I’m screwed.

I introduce myself a little shyly, trying to shove away the feeling that my sales career has ended before it even started.

Turns out, “mocking man” is in fact, Mike Logan, the same guy I’ve been emailing back and forth for the past few weeks. He did seem like a nice approachable guy over his emails. Maybe the situation is not as bad as I think.

Oh god. I’m screwed.

I deliver the presentation to the best of my abilities, considering that I was somewhat intimidated by “mocking man’s” stern look throughout the whole thing.

When my presentation is over, he asks a few questions, which hopefully, I answer to his liking.

His expression has changed from stoic to pleased by now. I guess it went well after all. I inwardly pat myself on the back. I’m actually pretty good at presenting. If only I was able to control my damn temper.

After a few compliments from my coworkers, everybody but “mocking man”, leaves the meeting room. He rolls his wheelchair towards me and parks it when we are face to face. Well, it’s more like face to chest, because I have to look down to meet his eyes.

He’s actually a very handsome man. He looks just a bit older than me, and has a really sexy smile. I guess with all the anger and nervousness, I didn’t notice before.

“Thank you Miss. Suarez, it was a great presentation,” he says as he extends his hand for me to shake.

I shake his hand and say, “Oh no! Thank you for coming, Mr. Logan! I really appreciate your interest,” I say, getting nervous all over again.

“Call me Mike, please.”

“Okay Mike. You can call me Beth.” I pause for a moment, wondering if I should apologize or pretend that the lobby incident did not happen. I decide that it is in my company’s best interest to apologize. “Mike, I-I’m very sorry for my behavior out there. I was very stressed out because of the presentation and I took it out on you. I’m so sorry,” I muster to say.

“You don’t have to apologize. Actually, I think that you’re so cute when you’re angry and soaking wet.” He flashes me that sexy smile. Swiveling his wheelchair around, he says, “Bye Beth,” and wheels out.

I stand there staring at him in disbelief as he pushes his chair along the hallway.

I turn around to grab my belongings shaking my head. “I still think you’re an idiot,” I mumble with a vague grin on my face.