Dave was working on a vision board when I walked into the office floor. I stopped by his desk and took in his state, his bow tie was on the desk with an unopened pack of mint gum and he looked scruffy as overnight stubble covered his jaw. I had never seen him this disheveled.

"Why are you still here?" I asked the obvious.

"Creating some magic," he said as he placed colourful message pads on the vision board. "How did your phone get stolen? By the way I have backups, like three. I don't joke with those kind of things."

"Thanks. I went out with Chike and got pick pocketed."

"Where did it happen?"

"A bar at mainland."

"The ghetto," he said mockingly. "Is Chike your 'nobody'?"

"He is." I walked to my desk trying to avoid Dave's questioning gaze and he trudged behind me.

"I thought it was a one-night thing. Why are you still hanging out with him?" he asked, waiting by my desk as I sat and turned on my computer.

I immediately sent mails to the various banks I had accounts in, informing them to block my mobile transactions. I turned to Dave in annoyance and answered his question.

"It's a fling now. Just sex, nothing more."

"You don't go out on dates with a fling. You guys are practically dating and you don't even know it."

"It wasn't a date," I snapped.

"But it was. Don't lie to me, Jade. Do you sleep over at his place?"

"I don't appreciate your tone, Dave," I stalled. "On some occasions, yea." All occasions actually but I didn't need to mention that. Dave was already making a big deal out of the whole situation.

"You're doing things wrongly, Jade. If it's just sex you shouldn't be sleeping over. You should never sleep over, it's the rule of thumb." He sighed. "That's how things get complicated."

"It gets complicated when you let it get complicated. Even he knows it's just sex."

"It gets complicated when feelings get involved and that happens when you're constantly in his company going on dates and whatnots then having sleepovers," Dave corrected.

"I hate sleeping alone and I'm only taking advantage of his presence. It will remain a fling until I want it to stop. Relax, I'm definitely never going to fall for him," I finalised to get me off the hook.

"And if he does for you?"

"He won't, have you seen him? Does he look like the type to fall in love with anyone? We're both in it for the sex."

I read the reply from the banks and breathed out in relief.

"I'll order you a new phone tomorrow morning," Dave said as if sensing I was done indulging the interference.

"Thanks. Why are you really here anyway? Don't you have a gorgeous body waiting for you back at home?"

"Not today, Phillip is attending a conference."

Dave looked away and that was all the sign I needed to sense that there was trouble in paradise. But unlike him I decided not to probe. 

"Let's see what you're working on. I got several ideas from going to the Shrine today."

"Hit me." Dave took the chair facing me and sat.

"What if we do an African print theme next?"

"The colors, my gosh. It's going to be great with that thing on your face too."

I'd totally forgotten I had paint on my face so I got wipes and removed it.

"Or better still, start a new clothing line. We've done so much styling, we should have a line by now. I can get a store somewhere around and we'll draw our designs then hire more tailors to bring this grand idea to life," I further explained.

"Gosh, I love your mind," Dave came around to peck me noisily on the cheek. I could see how much he was bubbling with excitement, "What will we call it? Bad bitch?"

I shuddered. "God no, Dave. Something more reserved."

"We can brainstorm on that later, let me get my notepad."

"And chips if there's any left. I only took soup and I'm famished."

"I'll check the kitchen." Dave screamed from his desk, "Coming right up."

I was now on the conference room floor with Dave because we needed more space to work. We had so many things in front of us like our laptops, drawing pads, notepad, chips, coloured highlighters and files. I was drawing a dress sketch on my drawing pad and Dave cleared his throat.

"What if?" Dave looked at me and dragged on.

"Spill."

"What if we don't limit it to clothes alone, I mean why not make accessories with African prints. Statement accessories! Imagine wearing African print shoes with a black bodycon dress."

"The contrast, I see where you're going with this and I love it!"

"I was certain you would."

"We need more space then."

"Girl, we can start small. We have sewing machines already, we only need to get more stylists and materials. We can draw all these ideas so we don't need a designer, you're a huge name already and we'll capitalize on that. This is good."

"Starting small is reasonable. I need to work on more designs then. What about funding?"

"We could fund it ourselves and go public when it gets really successful. I'm ready to invest anyway, I've some money just sitting in the bank."

"We can do this then." I jumped.

"We will."

Dave raised his hand and I took it, shaking him and we giggled like silly drunks before falling to the floor.

"I'm knackered," I said, staying on the floor.

It was morning already and we were still in the office. The interns would start to drop in from any moment.

"You go home. I'll stay here, hold the fort and shit." Dave sat up as did I.

"No way. You go, you've been here for hours. Someone will fill in for you, take the day off even," I said.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" Dave was starting to get emotional.

"You tell me every time," I replied quickly because I didn't want the water works to start.

"I'll go home now. Love you."

"Go, I'll tidy this place," I said to him as he starting picking the highlighters and notepads scattered around.

"Are you sure?"

"It's an order, go."

When he left, I stayed on the floor for a while before gathering all the littered items around me. I yawned as I walked to my office. The interns were already out and about and I said hi to them before closing my door. I used the tiny bathroom tucked secretly in my office to freshen up. I found some dry cleaned clothes and changed into them before going to my desk to resume sketching. When I raised my head from my drawings to see who came into my office, it was Lola one of the interns relieving Dave. 

"You have a delivery," she said.

I couldn't help but notice all she had on. I grimaced inwardly as I catalogued the yellow pinafore dress with green top underneath. Her sneakers were also multicoloured and I refrained from saying something mean.

"It must be the new phone Dave ordered," I said.

She handed me the wrapped package. I tore it and found a phone box as predicted.

"Leave it," I said when Lola picked the discarded paper wrap from the bin. "You don't have to do that."

"It's a reusable wrapper."

"Oh," I said as I understood what she meant.

Dave must be big on recycling. I called him from my office line when Lola left.

"I told you to take the day off, you could have gotten me the phone tomorrow," I said before he talked.

"That's what I'm going to do. I haven't ordered for a new one yet," Dave said in a raspy voice. I had apparently woken him from sleep.

"I just got a new phone delivered to me." I looked at the phone box to see if there was anything indicating the sender's information.

"I couldn't have done that since I've been sleeping all day. Must be one of your many admirers," Dave teased.

"No, you couldn't. I'll call you back," I said before hanging up.

I opened the box, picked up the phone and pressed the power button. I waited as a slightly bitten apple graced the screen before a picture of Chike popped up with a message accompanying it. I should have guessed.

"You can show your gratitude by sitting on this freshly groomed face later. My number is right in your contact saved as 'Daddy' of course, LOL.

I was surprised by the present but also perturbed that he'd spent so much getting a new phone. It wasn't his fault that mine got stolen and I surely didn't expect him to get a new one, an expensive one at that. It was probably costlier than his annual rent. Not to pocket watch but he definitely didn't get the funds from serving ice cream or wine. 

When I got all my files back after logging on iCloud, I texted Chike thanking him for the unexpected present. I went back to work when I didn't get a response immediately then  stopped abruptly to study the picture that accompanied the phone. His full hair was cut low and there was a hint of blond on some strands, his face was now clean shaven and I tried but failed to not think about the message that came with it.