Falling For My Playboy Boss
Chapter 43

Cora's POV

I picked up my dress last night and Mateo did not disappoint. It is a sleek copper-colored dress with a moderate V neckline, probably a little deeper than someone else will have there, but they already had the box of tape next to it and ready to go. I can tape myself up for Friday night. The straps went behind my neck to fasten like a halter top, leaving my back bare. It draped down my body in a silky waterfall to my feet, making sure that my a*s stood out as the focal point for my dress. Every step I took, the dress moved in a sensuous way and it was stunning. I am sure everyone there will be wearing black or red, so I will stand out already from the crowd. I actually hope that there will be some paparazzi there now so Mateo can get some notoriety from the gown. Eric was nice enough to call in a favor from a friend who is working in Paris right now, for him to come and do my hair and makeup and Catherine had given me the address so he could come and get me ready to go, as I have never had to do my hair or makeup for an event like this. Eric told him to go easy on the makeup, and that he should put my hair in a classic updo, to try to hide that I was Shae from Collin. If my hair were styled down and curled, he would probably know in an instant. I heard the elevator ding and saw Collin exit the elevator. I nodded at him and continued working.

Collin stops at my desk and says, "Good morning, Cora".

I didn't look up at him. I continued to type and said, "Good Morning".

"Did you remember to bring your clothes with you?" Collin asked.

"Yes, I hung my garment bag on your coat tree in your office, and my suitcase is on the floor next to it," I told him. I still don't look at him when I answer him.

Collin hesitates like he wanted to say something else to me, before he says " OK, good, Cora. We will leave right after the meeting today".

The day went by quickly and I skipped lunch, as I still wasn't hungry, but I grabbed another coffee to keep me awake.

Coleman was concerned, so he stopped by my desk. "Cora, are you OK? You have not been yourself this week and, frankly, I am worried about you?" Coleman said.

I smiled at him and told him, "I am fine Coleman, I have just had a difficult week. I will be back at lunch with you on Monday, as I am flying out with Collin for a meeting tomorrow and an awards banquet on Friday night. We will be back on Saturday morning from the trip", I told him.

At 1 pm, I heard the elevator ding to announce someone arriving, and at first, I thought it was going to be Coleman coming back from lunch, but it was actually the man that was supposed to be coming in for the 2 pm meeting, Mr. Ackerson.

I greeted him and escorted him to the conference room and got his coffee order, before heading back to knock on Collin's door to announce him. Collin was ready to go, and already on his jacket when I advised him that Mr. Ackerson was already in the conference

room.

"I am going to get his coffee now Collin, would you like one?" I asked Collin.

"No, I plan on getting through this meeting quickly, so after you get his coffee go ahead and get ready to leave. I am going to try to get the meeting done in 15 to 20 minutes", Collin told me.

I nodded to him and went to get Mr. Ackerson's coffee. I dropped it off with Mr. Ackerson and go to use the restroom and make sure that all my work is completed and filed. I heard the conference room door open and watched Collin escort Mr. Ackerson to the elevator and shook his hand. Mr. Ackerson nodded at me and got on the elevator. Collin entered his office to get his garment bag and duffel bag. I grabbed my purse from my drawers and locked them back and went to get my suitcase and garment bag from Collin's office and wait at the elevator for him to lock his office up.

The ride to the airfield was quiet in the limo. Collin stayed on his phone, and I just looked out the window and watched the scenery pass by. The jet had been pulled out of the hanger and apparently was ready to go an hour earlier than we were meant to leave. I am glad for the extra hour of sleep that I could potentially get after we arrive in Paris. That was probably who Collin was texting on the way here. We were greeted at the bottom of the stairs and a man stepped up and offered to carry my suitcase and garment bag for me up the stairs to the aircraft. I gladly handed them over to him and he went and stored them in the back of the aircraft for me. I waited for Collin to pick a seat and I went to the other side of the plane, and a row back from him, to put my purse down and get my book out. With it being a 6-hour flight, I may have to get another book for the trip back on Saturday. Collin looked at me funny for going to the other side of the plane and I could see the frown between his eyes as he looked at me. I just wanted some downtime. I may just try to get a nap too; I just brought the book to keep distance between us. I may read it, or I might not read it.

Collin advised the captain he could take off and then looked over at me and told me to go ahead and fasten my seatbelt. I got it fastened, and at the end of the runway, I realized my mistake. Maybe I should have sat next to Collin for this as I have never flown before, and I have been a little lightheaded the last few days. I was so busy trying to avoid him, that I kind of messed it up for myself as I am scared of heights. I should have sat closer to Collin. I try to think back on the last time I ate. I had lunch last Friday. I had lunch on Saturday after the show. I skipped brunch on Sunday because I was sad and had some coffee and water, and had coffees on Monday, yesterday, and today. So, I haven't eaten anything since Saturday at home, after the show, before I went to bed early. I am now worried, because as we rise in the air, I am scared, and I am really getting dizzy. I just recline my seat back and close my eyes and that is the last thing I remember.

I felt someone lightly tapping my cheek and calling my name and I slowly opened my eyes. I saw Colling kneeling over me, and he looked worried. I try to sit up, but I get dizzy again and lay back and that is when I realize that my chair has been laid out into a bed. I went to speak, and the male flight attendant, the same one who was nice enough to carry my luggage onto the plane for me, came up with a cold rag for my head and a bottle of water. Collin gets up from the floor and lets the attendant get where he was, but sits across the aisle and watches our interaction.

"Cora, my name is Adam. Do you remember where you are?" He asks me.

"We are going to Paris. Collin and I, for work", I tell him.

"Excellent, Cora. Do you know why you are lightheaded?" Adam asked me.

"Um, this is my first flight, but I was a little dizzy already this week," I told him.

"Why were you dizzy, Cora? Do you know how we can fix the problem?" Adam asked me.

"I haven't been eating lately. I have been a little upset and I am just not hungry", I told him.

"OK, I will go and make you a turkey sandwich. Will you be able to eat it?" Adam asked me.

"I will try to eat some of it," I told him.

Adam gets up and heads for the galley at the back of the plane. I see Collin looking at me, before finally asking me, "When was the last time you ate, Cora?".

"Saturday afternoon after the show," I told him.

"What! Why are you not eating, Cora? What is going on with you?" Collin said.

And I burst out crying. Great, I am crying in front of my a*****e boss. He doesn't care. He is the one who broke us up, so why in the world would he care that I am depressed right now? Collin looks shocked at me crying, probably because he has been meaner to me before, and I didn't cry, but I am so sad right now, I can't keep the tears from falling down. I am not pretty crying either, I am ugly crying, where I am having to dig tissue from my purse for my nose which is now running, and I am making sobbing noises. I just can't deal with him yelling at me when it was just an accident. I was not hungry, so I didn't eat. That was also why my dress was a little loose at the waist when I tried it on. Mateo kind of looked at it, but I wasn't paying attention when I tried it on and the room was quieter than it usually was around me, probably because everyone was walking on eggshells around me.

Adam walks up and looks at me crying and then over at Collin. Adam just puts my plate down and then sits my seat back up with me in it. He sits in the seat next to me and then holds my hand and rubs his thumb on the back of my hand until I calm down. Adam then tells me he is getting a drink for me and places the plate on the table in front of me. Adam glances at Collin before he leaves to go get a drink. He comes back with my soda and again sits down next to me.

Adam makes small talk to me about living in New York and I replace out that he lives about 3 blocks from me. We talked about our favorite things to do in New York and the next thing I knew I had finished the whole sandwich, but I never opened the chips. I smiled at him and thanked him. He tells me that I should probably lay down and sleep for the rest of the trip and that he will wake me when we land. I go to sleep and the next thing I know, Adam is waking me to let me know it is time to deplane.