~~~~~~~~~~~~~Oliver~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Did it work?" Claire popped the question as soon as I put the receiver down.

"Yes, it did", I replied still a bit disturbed by the thought of Sam working for someone else.

"Yeah, yippee! See I told you she would call, because she misses you too. Probably more than you do", she chuckled.

"Don't get too excited Claire. She just talked business and nothing else", I said.

"Well at least she talked. That's a progress, don't you think. I am sure she won't be able to hold her emotions back for long once you start working on this deal".

"I hope so", I said staring at Sam's picture on my desktop.

"Well then, we have got more plannings to do bro. So, buckle up for this roller coaster ride", she said rubbing her palms together.

I was happy to see my little sister being the darling she is and helping her big brother get out of this love hurt, but at the same time my heart sank everytime I thought about the way Sam spoke on the phone. There was sadness and distance in her voice. Would she ever let me get closer to her again. Have I lost her forever. I never knew at what moment she became so important to me. Important than my own life.

********

This was the first time in my life that I had reached good twenty minutes early for a meeting. I was known for being arrogant and cocky when it came to business deals. But this was no business deal for me. This was matter of my one true love and I was desperate.

"Gosh, stop it Ollie!" Claire hissed from the corner of my shoulder.

"What?" I asked.

"You have checked you watch for the fifteenth time on last one minute. If you think you staring at your watch will somehow make the clock move faster then I am sorry to disappoint you bro, coz it won't happen", she said in mockery.

"And please just stop staring at the door too. Believe me, you'll know when she'll be here", she said and the next moment a cold breeze engulfed the room with the fragrance of Sam's perfume and my eyes moved back at the door, which swung open with Sam  entering the room carrying her files, laptop and her bag, barely able to balance everything.

As soon as her eyes met mine, she dropped the files on the floor, just in time saving her laptop from falling too.

"Oh let me help you out", I said picking up her files from the floor as she sat down on her knees too.

"It's alright Mr. Taylor. I can manage it on my own", she said snatching the files from my hand and stood back up again.

I looked into her eyes which had lost all the spark which once used to twinkle in them.

"Umm I think I left a file in the car. I'll just go and grab it quickly", Claire announced breaking the long gaze I was giving to Sam and left the room leaving me and Sam alone in the room.

I stood up and moved a little closer to her and she moved few steps backwards. I could see the uneasiness in her body language.
"Does my presence bother you so much Sam that you could not even stand few inches closer to me?" I asked.

She gave her answer with a silence, moving her face away from me.

"Sam I am sorry. I really am. Please forgive me. Come back. Please." I pleaded.

"Mr. Taylor it would be better if we just focus on the business deal we are here for", she said glaring for a micro second before moving her gaze away.

"Sam I lo...." and then the entry door  flinged open stopping me from completing my sentence. And Mr. Richmond entered the room.

"Mr. Taylor, you are already here. I guess our excitement for this deal is mutual then", he said giving his hand for a handshake.

"Of course Mr. Richmond. It's a pleasure to work with you", I said greeting him.

"Pleasure is all mine, Mr. Taylor", he said unbuttoning his blazer.

"Call me Oliver" I said.

"Of course Oliver. I would prefer Jacob too. Let me introduce you to my personal assistant Miss Ryan. I am sure you must be knowing her better than me having worked with her for three years", he said placing his hands on Sam's shoulders.

My inner jealous, possessive lover couldn't take it. But I didn't want to repeat the mistakes I did in past so I just squeezed my hands in a strong fist to calm myself down and said, "believe me, I know Sam much better than you think I do. In fact I am very fond of her".

Sam glared at me and then her eyes fell on my fists and I immediately loosened them up. She knows me so well!.

As we were taking our seats , Claire entered the room unannounced and started speaking, "Sorry it took me so long. This stupid file was stuck between the two seats and I..." and she just stopped speaking as soon as her eyes met Jacob's.

"Claire.., Claire are you alright?" I asked.

"Eh Hun, ye... Yeah. Yes I am fine. Sorry guys I got stuck up. Anyways, I am Claire, Mr. Taylor's personal assistant", she stuttered.

"Very nice to meet you Miss Claire", Mr. Richmond said giving his hand for a handshake to her. Claire shook his hand as if he was the latest victim of a dangerous flu and she might catch it from him too.

I glared at her from the corner of my eyes and coming closer to me she muttered, "What? Stop making me nervous".

******

The meeting went well but behaviour of my little sister in the room really confused me. I had never seen her so out of place.

"What's the matter Claire?" I asked getting out of the elevator.

"Nothing!" She gave a short reply and went back into her thoughts.

"There is definitely something which you are not telling me!" I said looking at her.

"Ollie, stop it. It's nothing. I just got nervous. That's it." That made me smile. My little sister got a little nervous in her first big meeting. It filled my chest with pride.

"By the way, you really are a thing, I must say big brother", she said teasing me.

"What do you mean?"

"Asking Mr. Richmond to send Sam for finalizing the interior decor things was a brilliant idea".

"Isn't it? I am hoping to have a heart to heart conversation with her then", I said thinking about her.

"Ollie just don't rush into things. Give her some time. Make it slow. I am sure she'll catch the pace herself and move closer to you in no time", Claire said placing her hand on mine in reassurance.

"You know, you are the sweetest, cutest, loveliest sister in the whole wide world", I said pulling her cheeks with one hand.

"Auch! Ollie stop. Concentrate on your driving" she said and turned my gaze back at road.

Meeting Sam, and getting the chance of making things better had brought a new hope in me. And I could feel alive again after a very long time. I couldn't wait till the next day when I would be meeting her again. I had to make it special for her. Very special!!!

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