Zac turned to the door when he heard it open, and he smiled when he saw Xavier.

”CEO, you know this attire is not professional at all. ” Zac said as he walked to where Xavier was. Xavier was wearing a casual summer shirt, tucked into white trousers, with a gold chain on his neck. He had a new hairstyle on, and if not that he was intelligent and very good in business, Zac would have thought that the only thing he was bothered about was his physical appearance.

Xavier patted Zac on the shoulders, ”I said everyone should dress casually today, didn’t I?” 

Xavier asked as he looked at the other employees and was surprised to see that they were all dressed professionally.

”We did not get the message; Sir. ” A lady with them said, and Xavier looked at Zac.

”Did you not relay the message?” Xavier asked, and Zac took out his phone. When he saw the message Xavier had sent the previous night, he exclaimed; ”Oh, I’m just seeing it now..” He chuckled and Xavier shook his head;

” We will leave in the next ten minutes. Please get everything ready.”

Ari’s eyes moved from Zac to Xavier and back to Zac.

To think she was almost becoming friends with Zac, who would have thought that he was friends with Xavier. Now she would have to stick with the other employees, that was if they would want to speak with her, a mere junior, who just entered the company, barely a month ago.

Ari glanced at them as she stood up and readied herself. There were three women, and then Zac and Xavier.

The two women other women were young and pretty, and they spoke to themselves, which made Ari feel they worked closely or they knew each other.

In the next thirty minutes, they were all seated on the jet.

Ari glanced at where Xavier sat chatting with Zac. She noticed he had barely cast her a glance since he walked through the door at the company. It was as though he did not even know her, and even now, he had totally ignored her.

She wondered what he was trying to pull this time, but she could not put her head around it.

Ari’s eyes stayed on him for a while. Zac had said something funny, and he laughed.

His laugh sounded good to the ears too, and his perfect set of white teeth…

He looked like some fantasy prince, just perfect.

Ari realized she was gawking at Xavier, and she quickly looked away before the others would catch her staring.

From their talks, Ari guessed they were close. She wondered if Xavier had told Zac about her, but she thought not. She was not that important.

Her eyes turned to Zac. He was handsome too, but Xavier was on another level of attractiveness. Something she liked about Zac was his confidence. He seemed like someone who went for what he wanted and didn’t have time to beat around the bush.

Just when she thought about him, Zac stood up and walked towards her. Ari’s eyes widened as she watched him approach. He was staring straight at her with a grin on his chin. Ari looked to her side to make sure he was really staring at her, and he was!

Zac stopped and sat on an empty chair in front of her; ”Can I sit?”

”You are already sitting, Zac. ” Ari said and Zac smiled; ”Oh, yes, I am. So do you want me to leave?” he asked and Ari shook her head;

”You can sit. It was empty anyway. ”

”Thank you, pretty. So where are you from, Maria?”

Even though Xavier was sitting far from her, she felt he was staring at her and so she looked up, and her eyes locked in his piercing ones instantly; and she glanced back at Zac, her heart beating fast.

”Call me Ari, Zac.” Ari smiled; easing the tension building up inside of her, ”I’m interracial, my mom is from here, and my dad is polish.”

”Mm, that explains the red hair. So what do you do for fun, Ari? ” Zac asked, calling her name a little endearingly.

Ari glanced to her side, and the other women were just looking at them. She could imagine what was going on in their minds at that moment, but she turned back to Zac, refusing to think about it.

”I love to watch movies, comedies, and romance, but sometimes crime documentaries.”

”Interesting, what else, Ari?”

”Road trips, skydiving, hiking.”

Zac’s eyes widened; ”skydiving! Really? You look too innocent for someone who could skydive. ” Zac exclaimed and Ari chuckled, ”Is it written on the face?”

”Not exactly, but you look delicate, not insulting, pretty, but like someone who can’t hurt a fly. ” Zac explained and Ari smiled;

”It seems I’m not delicate after all,” she said and glanced at Xavier, who was still staring at her.

Ari looked away, and this time making sure not to look at him again.

Xavier finally pulled his eyes from Ari and watched the clouds. After that night, he had not gotten her rejection out of his mind. He knew she was serious, but he could not bring himself to let her be. He had selected her for the trip because he wanted them to be in the same space for as long as they would be there.

He knew that if she was around him for long, she would like him, but he did not think Zac would take an interest in her.

And she was even laughing at his jokes!

Xavier wished he could yank Zac out of that seat, but he could not do a thing. He knew Zac well. He had a sweet tongue and was funny, which captured girls hearts. And Ari already hated him. There was nothing stopping her from being close to Zac.

Xavier gritted his teeth, as he turned to his phone, trying to distract himself;

Did he just create an avenue for them to meet?