At the office:

We directly went to the meeting room after reaching the office. I was busy setting up the presentation and Prithvi was having a final look at the agenda. For the hundredth time. All our way to office from Shantivan he was busy doing just that. He must have been by hearting them.

"Sir everything is ready: I said after I was done with my work. He just hmmed.

Is he nervous? Well, I know this is a very important meeting. If we crack this deal, it would raise up the company skyhigh.

"Sir are you nervous?" I asked only to regret for asking. I know, you should never provoke someone's ego and for this man, his ego is everything.

"How do you know me so well?" he asked. What? Which means he is really nervous. Good Job Nivi!

"Sir I have known you for three years already" I said. I was not sure how he is going to take that. Was it too cheesy?

"You've a point" he said.

"How much time do we still have for the meeting to start?" he asked.

"Sir 15 minutes, but I think Mr. Khanna and his team will be here anytime" I replied.

"Can you get me a coffee?" he asked.

"Sure sir" I said and went to make him a coffee. I have read in many novels that these kind of bosses drink, bitter black coffee, but he is not like that. He likes to have a perfect blended sweet coffee with milk. That was one of the first things I noticed. I made him a coffee and went back to the meeting room.

"Sir your coffee" I said putting it on the table.

"Thank you" he said and picked up the mug.

"Refreshing" he said and leaned back on the chair closing his eyes.

"Sir, I know this is an important deal, but I don't think you need to take so much stress. You have never disappointed a client and I am sure you will never. So just breathe, we can do this" I said.

"Breathe how?" he asked.

"Like this" I said and took a deep breathe. He followed me. We were busy doing this when I heard the door knock. It was the manager. He came to tell us that the clients have reached.

"Good luck" I said and was about to leave the room, when I felt another hand over my wrist. I am going to pass out, if it is Him.

"Stay" he said, holding my hand.

"Sir?" I asked. I never stayed in meeting rooms as I had no work there. I was not into the technical side of the company or the deals they do. The next instant he left my hand, only after looking at our hands.

"Stay here" he said.

"Sir, I never stayed in the meetings and I guess I need to be there at the office to attend any important calls and messages" I said.

"Nothing is more important this moment, so stay here and yes, it's an order" he said.

Bosses are meant to order.

"Okay" I said.

Mr. Khanna and his team was here and now Prithvi was again back to the panic mode. Why is he taking so much stress?

We settled down and I set up the presentation. Prithvi stood up to walk up to the screen.

"Good luck sir" I said with a smile and took a deep breathe asking him to do the same.

The next moment he started presenting. I have always seen him practicing for one but never saw him presenting directly. I could clearly see him, looking at me between his talks and I always reciprocated with a smile. What's going on Nivi? Aankhon hi aankhon mein baathein!!

He was flawless all through the presentation and I clearly don't understand why he was so nervous. I could clearly see that expression of content in Mr. Khanna's face. After 15 minutes, he was done presenting. I was waiting for a response and so was he. And then, we heard a huge round of applause.

"Prithvi, I have heard many good things about you. And I also heard how seriously you took this meeting. All said and done, this deal is on and I don't have nothing else to say" Mr. Khanna said getting up from his chair.

"Thankyou Mr. Khanna" Prithvi replied with a hand shake.

"My manager will discuss the other details and I must say Prithvi, I am eager to start working with you on this deal" Mr. Khanna said.

"It's an honor for me and our company sir. I will not let you down" Prithvi said.

I was happy to see him back to the normal non-panic mode. He send Mr. Khanna and his team off and I went back to our office. I had a table, little away from his. We sit in the same office.

After 5 minutes, he was back to the office with a never ending smile on his face. I am very fond of chocolates and so I always had one in my bag. I took out the chocolate and went to his table.

"Congratulations sir" I said giving him the chocolate.

"Thank you very much Nivi" he said and I looked at him in shock.

"I mean Nivedita. Thankyou Nivedita" he said again.

"Chocolate?" he asked.

"we normally exchange sweets after receiving a good news and now this is the only sweet I have to celebrate with" I said. He took the chocolate, unwrapped it and made two halves.

"Thank you. I must say your coffee and the deep breathe technique worked. So you share equal credit with me in this success" he said and gave me the chocolate.

"I need to thank you for asking me to wait. Else I wouldn't have got a chance to see the presentation" I said taking the chocolate.

"Why were you so nervous when you had everything planned and prepared?" I asked him.

"Mr. Khanna is my dad's best friend. Dad undertook many contracts with him and never failed him. And this is the first time for me to work with him. I didn't want to break that record. I guess I had that tension and that's why I was so worked up" he said eating the chocolate.

"But I was sure you will do great" I replied.

"Good to know that" he replied.

"Sir, you don't have any more meetings today. It's pretty much all free. It's your birthday. I guess you can take a day off" I said.

"Excuse me" he said as his phone started buzzing.

"Di, you know I don't like all this" he said. What doesn't he like?

"Okay fine! Now stop this emotional blackmail" he said and disconnected.

"All well?" I asked.

"Yes and no" he replied. I gave a confused look.

"It was my sister, she has planned a party for my birthday. She very well knows that I don't like it. I mean I am 26 and who cuts cake at this age?" he said.

"Sir, age doesn't matter. And I think 26 is not too old. I would love a celebration of that sort" I said.

"When is your birthday?" he asked.

"March 10th" I replied.

"Did you celebrate?" he asked.

"I would love to but unfortunately no" I replied.

"Can I ask why?" he said.

"That was the day I lost my mom" I replied.

"I am sorry" he said.

"No sir! You are fine. And yes, it's a request from my side too, birthdays are fun. so be happy that something so good is being planned" I said.

"That is all fine. But now I need to get a dress to wear for the party. And I hate shopping" he said.

"Your sister?" I asked.

"She's busy planning" he said.

"Would you like to join me?" he asked.

"Me? Sir I never shopped for a guy, I don't think I'll be the right person" I said.

"That's fine! I just need someone to help me. I can choose by myself" he said.

"Okay" I replied.

"Okay then, let's leave. A day off for the boss and his secretary" he said smilingly.

We headed to a nearby mall.

That was the first time I stepped into an all men's wear store. We were at the suits section. And as usual he was just looking for blue or black.

"It's your birthday" I reminded him.

"I know that Madam" he replied. Did I just blush?

"And you are again choosing black?" I asked and now he got my point.

"Excuse me, can I see some greys?" I asked the sales guy who was assisting us. He brought a light grey blazer which would look just perfect on him.

"Sir, can you try this?" I asked Prithvi.

"Sure" he said and put in on the white shirt he was wearing, it didn't match.

"Not this. Hang on" I said and went to the t-shirts section that was right next to the suits section. I found a light pink t-shirt. I know pink is not much of a boy's color. But I am sure it will look great on him.

"This" I said and gave him the t-shirt. He paired it up with a blued faded jeans and went to the changing room.

"This looks perfect" he said coming out of the changing room.

"Indeed" I replied. He went back to change.

"Pack this" he said giving it to the sales guy.

"See, it took less than 15 minutes" I said.

"Because you were there. Else I would have been in the store for the whole day and I finally end buying up a black suit. For sure" he said as we proceeded towards billing.

"Okay sir I will see you tomorrow" I said as we came out of the mall.

"Tomorrow?" he asked.

"Yes, you said that it's a day off for the boss and the secretary. Toh mein ghar jaa rahi hoon" I said.

"Let me give you a ride" he said.

"No no sir. It's okay. I can get a bus from here" I replied.

"No arguments Nivedita. Wait here till I get the car" he said and went away to the basement without waiting for my reply.

He was back in a while.

"Address please" he said and guided him.

"So you never had a boyfriend" he said as we were driving back to my place. Wasn't that too personal?

"No sir, I never had one" I replied

"Not interested in love and dating?" he asked.

"Well, Meena amma tried a few matches. She wanted to get me married. But no one was ready to accept an orphan. Also I didn't want to quit my job, which irked many of them" I said.

"I don't believe this? Are there people who still have such low ideologies?" he asked.

"There are many" I replied.

"What if you find someone who would let you be the way you are?" he asked. I didn't know where this conversation was heading to.

"I would just fly into his arms the next moment sir. But I know that's not going to happen any sooner. And some day, you need to find a new secretary when I compromise on my job" I said.

"I am never going to let you go" he said in a serious voice. ????????????????????????????????????????????? That was the status of my brain.

"I mean I would never let you leave the job. It's so difficult for me without you" he said.

"Really?" I asked

"You remember the day you took an off when you were sick? Rajiv was my temporary secretary for that day and that's when I relaxed how important you are for me have a peaceful day at work and at home" he said. I just loved hearing that from him.

"That's so good to know and at the same time, I am sorry" I said.

"It's not your fault. It's natural to fall sick" he said.

"Peaceful day at work, I get it. But what's with home?" I asked.

"Well, that day I wasn't able to finish my work at office and I had to work from home, the whole night" he said.

"And that's the reason the next day you were so zoned out the whole day" I asked

"Bingo" he said.

"Hmm, so it's your responsibility to convince my future husband to let me work for you" I said.

"Done! I would be the happiest person" he said. Hain?

"We are here" he said stopping in front of the gate.

"See you tonight at 7 PM, same place" he said getting down the car with me.

"What?" I asked.

"I will be there to pick you up for the party" he said.

"Is that an invite?" I asked.

"Well, I don't need to invite you. It's the duty of secretary to assist him all the time" he said.

"Sir, I believe that's a closed party. I mean just your family and friends. And I don't think I need to be there" I said.

"Aren't you a friend?" he asked. What? How many shocks in one single day?

"You are so unpredictable" I said and started walking towards the gate, only to be stopped after the second step. He held my hand and pulled me back, and thud I hit hid rock hard body.

"You didn't answer my question" he said still holding my hand.

"I will on one condition" I said and he turned me to face him.

"Oh! The secretary laying conditions for her boss" he said.

"Ahaan! A friend to a friend" I said doubtfully.

"Okay so what is your condition?" he asked.

"You are not going to drive all the way. I will take a cab" I said.

"But" he was about to say something,

"No changes, done deal. Say yes; I will be there, say no, then bye for now" I said.

"You are impossible. Okay! It's a yes" he said.

"I will see you in the evening... Friend" I said and quickly slipped off towards the gate.

Hope you enjoyed reading :)