The elevator closes and when it arrives on the ninth floor, it stops.
What the heck is going on on the ninth floor?
The door opens and Christian is standing there, out of breath.
He slips into the elevator and before it closes, I see the culprit behind the ninth floor mystery.
The security is standing in the hallway, smiling.
The bloody security. Is he in on this too?
Christian runs a palm through his dark hair, still out of breath.
I don't know why, but my mind goes into thinking that he looks hot doing the barest minimum,
like swiping his hair. What is wrong with me?
Have dinner with me, Hannah. I promise you, you won't regret it.
I pout.
I'm sorry, but I'm dating someone.
Who? Ryan? Fuck that guy.
How did you even...?
I seal my lips, remembering he'd been looking into my phone.
I can assure you, you'll regret that date.
No, I won't.
We arrive at the ground floor and before the door can open, he pushes the emergency button again.
Can we please talk?
No.
My phone buzzes with Ryan making me realize the time.
It's 20 past seven.
The bus ride to my apartment is at least 20 minutes.
I'm late. Super late.
Christian snatches my phone.
Hey!
You're not going on that date, Hannah.
Unlucky for me, my phone is unlocked and it's directly on Ryan's message.
I have no idea what Christian is writing, but he's texting something.
Christian.
He holds it high above his head, completes his message, and presses send.
I am fuming.
What did you just do?
I yell.
I did exactly what you wanted, but didn't have the guts to do.
I told him you couldn't make it to the dinner and it's not going to work out.
You fool. Why would you do that?
I actually wanted to go out on a date with him.
Christian scoffs like the conceited ass he is.
I snatch my phone away from him and check the message.
Yep. He definitely wrote what he said.
Ryan begins writing a message and stops.
Now he's offline. Jesus.
You just ruined my date.
I did not. I just did you a favor. Can we talk now?
No.
Was Christian always like this? Pushey and obnoxious?
You know this is harassment, right?
You're the one that swiped right on me, Hannah.
That was a mistake.
Now I'm really starting to regret my choices.
Was it? Was it really a mistake?
I have nothing to say to you. I'm going home.
Okay. Let me at least get my driver to drop you home.
He blocks the release button with his body.
Please?
I take a deep breath.
Even when he's trying to be charming, he's getting on my freaking nerves.
But seeing this side of Christian has me intrigued.
Hell. I'm confused.
No, Christian. I do not want you to drop me home.
I do not want to talk to you.
I just want to go home and have a nice bath
and not have to think about you in this stupid ass job.
Christian narrows his eyes.
You know I can fire you for saying that, right?
God, Jesus. Leave me alone.
I push him aside.
The elevator opens and he steps out, following me.
Hannah.
I whip around.
You treat me like shit every day.
You gave me tons of work and even when I broke up with my then-fiancee
who I was about to marry in two weeks,
you didn't give a fuck. You didn't care.
I did care. I was glad that you guys broke up.
Oh, wow. Wow.
I quicken my pace away from him.
Okay. I'm sorry to tell you, but it's the honest truth.
I didn't like that dude. He was too much.
I hated it when he visited you for lunch every day.
I hated seeing you laugh at his stale jokes.
Is he for real?
It's called love, Christian.
It's called being in a relationship.
But you wouldn't know that because you don't have relationships.
I don't know why you are wasting my time and declaring that you...
Oh, like me.
But I do like you, Hannah. I've always liked you.
I want to believe him, but I know him.
I know my boss.
He doesn't do relationships, so what's the point of all this?
I don't even know why I'm considering his pleas.
Am I that infatuated with him?
Gosh. Over the last two years,
not once have I seen Christians settle down with someone.
He's a certified man whore.
But yet, I want him.
What's wrong with me?
Christian waves his hand in front of my face.
Uh, hello? Earth to Hannah?
I walk away from him.
Can we please talk like adults?
We pass through the scanner and he stops me at the front door of the building.
Like adults?
Christian, you have been one of the worst supervisors I've ever had.
You do not like me. You hate me.
I don't hate you. I...uh...
I was just being an idiot because I didn't know how to channel my true feelings towards you.
True feelings? What is he?
Twelve? I've seen Christian with tons of women and none of them he had problems with.
So why with me? Had he been straight up with it?
I probably would have thrown him my vagina.
But now, I can't unsee how much of a punk he has been to me.
That doesn't account for the way you treat me all the time. It's uncalled for.
I'm sorry.
I can't help if I said that I always prefer your company.
So you make me work extra shifts because you prefer having me around?
Yes.
You are fucked up, Christian. Don't you think I have a life?
If you did, you would have left like you wanted to today.
I bite my bottom lip.
Or maybe you enjoyed my company too.
I pinch the bridge between my nose. I don't even answer him.
Weird. It's fucking weird. I sigh.
I'm tired.
He dips his head to meet my eyes.
Can I at least have my driver take you home?
There's no winning with Christian, so I just give in.
Yeah, whatever.
He smiles and opens the glass door.
Christian is handsome.
Why he would be interested in me is a puzzle.
He's short, pale, and has stringy hair that frizzes with every breeze.
I've seen the girls he dated, and I know the women he dates.
They are all over my calendar.
Trina, Sarah, Libby, Priya, Tanya.
So, why me?
Christian faces me as his driver pulls up.
Are you hungry?
I'm starving. I haven't eaten since lunchtime,
and all that work he gave me has given me holes in my stomach.
But having dinner with Christian might send him the wrong idea.
It might send my vagina the wrong idea.
She has a mind of her own, and I can't afford to be sidetracked by Christian's sexiness and manliness.
I shake my head.
No, I'm fine, I say.
But I know Christian. He doesn't take no for an answer.
It's kind of sweet and creepy at the same time.
Right, so I know this great place down the street.
We can get something to eat, and then I can take you home.
See? See what I'm saying?
He directly ignores everything I say.
How can I be with a guy like this?
We pull up at the eating place, and it's amazing.
I mean, the ambiance is nice.
We are underdressed, but this might be the first and last time Christian actually treats me with a little dignity.
So I'm all for it.
Christian speaks with the woman at the entrance, and then she directs us to the bar area.
Christian orders our drinks and then stares at me.
What? Do I have something on my face?
He shakes his head.
No.
Then why are you watching me like that?
Because this is the first time I can be with you without a heavy heart.
The bartender sets our drinks on the table, and I'm in love with the sweet and sour mix.
I shouldn't be drinking until I get something to eat, but it's like 10 minutes before we get the burgers,
and my mouth is dry from arguing with him.
I don't see how this is going to work.
I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this.
My boss has feelings for me.
Not every day this happens.
I know, but don't you at least feel something for me too?
I take another sip of my drink.
I don't want to lie, but I don't want to come off as if I had been drooling over him all the time.
Come on.
He teases.
I've seen you stealing glances in my office.
That's because I wanted to know if you were coming out soon so I can get out of your way.
Christian frowns.
Also, I say softly,
I kind of wanted to know what you were up to or what you were doing on your phone or PC.
He smiles.
But I must say,
I add,
all of this is weird.
Do you want to date me?
Why do I feel like I'm in high school all over again?
Christian is my boss, and we are both adults, and here we are like kids asking each other about our feelings.
But it's kind of cute, given the fact that I know Christian to be an uptight ass.
Right now, he's really chill, a bit shy to be honest, and I like seeing this side of him.
I'm not sure if that's a good idea.
Why?
Because you're my boss, Christian.
How is that going to work?
Let me handle that.
I sigh.
He sets his drink down.
So, do you want to date me?
I shrug.
You did swipe right on me, Hannah.
Yeah, no, I don't even know why I swiped right.
Maybe because you were looking good or something in the photo?
So, you like how I look, but you never thought about going out with me?
I shake my head, no.
Of course, I envisioned having a date with him, but I never expected him to swipe back on me.
I have been crushing on Christian ever since I knew he was my boss.
I nod.
You just gave me two opposite answers.
I...
I did think about dating you.
He grins.
Great.
But why are you even on a dating app?
You can find a date with ease.
What if I said I joined because I saw you swiping through it last Friday during lunch?
I blink at him.
I always wanted to find a way to talk to you without being an idiot.
And when I saw you on the app, I felt like it was a sign.
Oh, our burgers come and it smells so goddamn good.
I take a bite and moan.
Do you always make that sound when you're eating?
I roll my eyes at him and wipe away a bit of mayo on my lips.
I'm just hungry and I know good food when I see it.
Oh, so you were hungry.
I roll my eyes again.
Christian leans in.
What if I tell you that dating me is going to be like your first bite of that burger?
I stifle a smile.
Are you trying to sell yourself to me, Christian?
Is it working?
I hope it is.
I swallow my second bite.
Why me, Christian?
Why me of all people?
I'm just regular Hannah, not fashion model Tanya or Sarah.
Because I can actually see myself with you long term.
I feel open with you.
Despite what you think of me, you are the reason I get to work every day, Hannah.
I enjoy your company.
You mean you enjoy distressing me?
That wasn't on purpose.
Christian still hasn't touched his food and I'm almost finished with mine.
I'm sensing that he probably ate already and was just trying to get me here to feed me and talk.
He's just a lot to take in.
One minute you're giving me orders, making me angry and ignoring me,
and the next minute you're confessing that you have feelings for me.
It's hard to see you as anything else.
I guess that's my fault and I am truly sorry for making you feel that way.
And yes, I have been an ass.
A jerk wad.
Yes.
That.
He says, waving his hand.
But I'm willing to correct that.
I'm willing to make everything right between us.
I wasn't man enough to tell you how I really felt, but now I am.
I take the last bite of my burger.
If you don't think there's any chemistry between us, then I'll leave it alone.
But not until you go on at least two dates with me.
Does this count as one?
I hope not.
I may be skeptical about all of this, but I have been crushing on Christian since the beginning of time.
Yes, I had a boyfriend and fiance at the time, but Christian was what we would call Prince Charming Material.
He turns heads every time he enters a room.
It wouldn't hurt to see what this is about, right?
And Christian said it himself that he didn't know how to express himself.
Am I being too easy?
Fuck that.
A girl's got to live.
I'll just be a little conservative around him.
No.
A real date.
One where we can be ourselves and really learn about each other.
Two dates.
Hmm.
Sadly, my dried-up vagina has already agreed to this.
And if she agrees, then I must agree too.
Who knows, Christian might be the one.
So, is that a yes?
Christian asks.
I nod.
Yes.
Fuck yes.
I laugh.
This isn't the Christian I know.
The uptight one is gone, and I'm loving this relaxed and energetic one.
Christian finishes his second drink and rings for the bartender.
He asks for his burger to go, and then we head for the exit.
And since we are on that note, I say, pausing on the pavement,
Can you put in an order for my salary to jump a little bit more?
I'm sorry, but it's a bit pricey living in the city.
He smiles.
You know that's nepotism, right?
Well, I heard there are perks to dating your boss.
I can take care of you if we are together.
You know that, right?
Yeah.
But I prefer more money too.
Christian shakes his head and opens the car door.
And here, I thought little Ms. Peters was innocent.
We're not yet official, and she's already making demands.
Try again, Mr. Holt.
You have no idea what you're getting into.
Then his face gets serious.
If we do make this work, Hannah, HR may split us up.
I'm just giving you a heads up.
I sigh.
It's something I don't want to think about.
I love the work I do with Christian.
So having a new boss might be a challenge.
There's no telling how that person would be or what I'll be doing.
But I guess if Chris and I want this, sacrifices must be made.
When we arrive at my place, Christian exits the car and accompanies me up the apartment steps.
Even after a long day, his cologne still pops and has me in a daze.
I unlock my door and face him.
Good night, Christian.
And thanks for the dinner.
You're welcome.
I'll see you tomorrow.
I move to close the door, but Christian stops it with his hand.
He peers at me and I stare back at him.
This man is beautiful.
And for every second that passes, I tell myself that this is all a joke.
And he is going to tell me to get over myself and it's not real.
But instead, Christian reaches up and stops himself,
setting his hands back at his sides.
I really enjoyed tonight, Hannah.
I nod.
Me too.
I thought he was going to kiss me.
Why didn't he kiss me?
He takes a step back.
Good night, Hannah.
I wait patiently until I see the back of his head descend the stairs and then close the door.
I sigh.
Why? Why? Why?
How can a guy be a total womanizer and doesn't womanize me?
I wish he did something.
I wish he had pulled me in and kissed me.
Then I would have something to fantasize about tonight.
Ugh, damn.
I really must be lacking.
My phone buzzes and I quickly open the app thinking it's Christian,
but I'm disappointed when I see a message from Ryan.
Ryan, thanks for wasting my time, bitch.
Thank you for listening to My Jerk Boss, Part 2.
Stay tuned for the final part from Christian's point of view.
See you later, closet raiders.