9 - Felicity

Shawn is taking me with him to Switzerland? I can't believe my ears.

He's never brought me along on his business trips before. Why now? Why all of a sudden? If he was planning on bringing me along, he could have told me weeks ago. I've already made all the arrangements. He didn't think of it then, so why think of it now? What made him change his mind?

"I know it's a bit sudden," Shawn tells me. "But I've realized that this trip is even more important than I thought. I've never handled an acquisition this big. I want to be prepared for anything, so I need you there."

Perfectly understandable, but I still can't bring myself to believe it. My fingers clutch the edges of the tablet in my hands, afraid that like this dream come true I've just been handed, it might slip away and shatter.

Can this be real? Is it really alright for me to go to Switzerland with Shawn? I mean, we'll be traveling together and we might find ourselves alone together. What if I lose my composure again like I did last Friday? What if he notices that I'm attracted to him?

What if I make a mistake and embarrass him?

"Of course, if you don't want to come or if — "

"I want to come," I blurt out as I find my voice.

What's wrong with me? I've been waiting for an opportunity like this ever since I started working here. I've been wanting to travel to Europe ever since I can remember. Why am I hesitating now? What am I so afraid of? So what if Shawn and I are going to Switzerland together? It's a business trip. We'll be busy. If ever we're alone together, we'll be working. And I won't lose my composure again. I won't make any more mistakes.

I clear my throat and hold my chin high as I regain my bearings.

"I mean, if you need me there, then I'd be happy to go with you and help you in any way I can...Sir."

Outside, I'm trying my best to stay calm. Inside, I'm bursting with excitement. Fireworks have gone off in my head. My heart is leaping out of my chest, as if wanting to get to Switzerland ahead of me. My toes are curled inside my pumps. My feet are itching to propel my body off the floor, my shoulders yearning to do a little dance.

I can't wait to go to Switzerland.

"Good." Shawn leans back in his chair. "I trust you'll make the necessary changes."

"Yes, sir."

He nods. "That will be all for now."

I turn and walk out of the room even though I feel like skipping. As soon as I'm back at my desk, I sit down and clasp a hand over my mouth to hold back a scream. Then I do my dance in my chair, unable to contain myself any longer.

I'm going to Switzerland!

—

"I'm so happy for you!" Jess, my friend from marketing, sounds almost as excited as I am as she gives me a hug dring lunch. Beside her, my other friend, Randy the IT guy, is still gaping, speechless for the first time since I met him.

"Thank you," I say. "I really am thrilled."

I actually want to go home and start packing — I already have a list of all the stuff I'm bringing in mind — but I know I can't.

"I know you'll be there for work," Jess says. "But promise me you'll go around when you have the chance. I want to see nice pictures,"

"I will." I tell her. Hopefully, I can get some time for sightseeing.

"I don't care where you go," Randy says, finally getting his voice back. "Just make sure you don't come back here without a box of chocolates with my name on it."

Jess raises her hand. "Me, too, please."

"And remember, I don't like chocolates with nuts," Randy adds. "Or nougat. Raisins is fine, but nothing citrus. I don't like a coconut filling, either. But I love caramel. Also, I love white chocolate."

Jess snorts. "Talk about picky."

Randy's eyebrows furrow. "Which is wrong because?"

"White chocolate with raisins or dark chocolate with caramel filling," I speak up before they start arguing "Got it."

Randy rests his head on my shoulder. "You are such a good friend."

"I'm just glad you didn't ask me to pack a Swiss male model inside my suitcase," I tell him.

His eyebrows go up. "You can do that?"

Jess shakes her head. "Don't."

I was just kidding anyway.

"'Speaking of gorgeous males, you know why I'm so envious of you right now?" Randy asks me then answers, "Because you're traveling with Shawn Colby."

"Of course she is," Jess says. "She's his sidekick."

"I bet you'll be riding in his private jet," Randy says.

I pause a moment to think, "I think so."

That's why I didn't have to book tickets.

"And you'll be staying at the same hotel, right? Are you sharing a suite?"

"No," I tell him. "We're staying at the same hotel, but separate rooms."

Though they are right next to each other.

"I'm still envious, " Randy says.

"I mean, you're in the same hotel in a city far, far away where no one knows you. Anything could happen."

He gives me a broad wink.

"Oh, stop it," Jess tells him. "Felicity isn't like you."

"Yup," I agree. "Not gonna happen. You know Shawn is my boss. Our boss, actually."

"'So if he wasn't your boss, you'd let him fuck you?" Randy asks me.

The question takes me by surprise and I struggle to answer.

No. I know the answer. I just don't want to admit it.

"You're blushing," Randy points out. "Which means you would. Don't be bashful, I would too. For that matter, so would Jess."

"Hey, I'm not like you, either!" Jess complains.

"But he is our boss, which means I wouldn't," I say firmly.

End of topic.

"And I have to go," I add as I glance at my watch. "You know me. I have a ton of things to do."

"We know," they answer at the same time. I send them a smile before picking up my tray. I deposit it in the appropriate cart before heading to the elevator. After a quick stop at the restroom to freshen up, I go back to my desk.

I really do have a lot to do. I have to make adjustments to Shawn's schedule. I have to print out documents to bring with me.

I have to brush up on my French and German, too, and do some research on the best sights around Zurich. And the best chocolate shops.

But first, I have to go through all these papers on my desk. I don't want to go away knowing I've left a lot undone, or come back to find my desk buried under paperwork.

When I reach the bottom of the pile, I stop. My eyes fall on a familiar-looking notebook.

Very familiar.

Right. I left my journal on my desk. I was going to grab it and shove it inside my purse before anything else, but I got sidetracked with other stuff.

Then Shawn called me into his office, and after he told me he was bringing me to Switzerland, the journal completely slipped my mind.

I grab it now. Once it's safely inside my purse, I let out a breath of relief.

There. No harm done. Once I get home, I'm going to put it on my nightstand, never to leave my apartment again. Nope, I'm not bringing it to Switzerland.

Definitely not. After all, I'l have better things to do than scribble my thoughts in my journal. I'll just take mental snapshots of my trip and write them down when I come back.

A smile forms on my lips.

Last Friday, when I was writing in my journal, I felt so alone and lonely, like my life had no meaning, Now, I feel like my life has just begun.

I draw a deep breath as I stare at the wallpaper on my computer screen, which I've already changed to an image of the Matterhorn.

Switzerland, here I come.