Chapter Text
Abidin was working in his office when he heard a soft female voice in the room next to his.
"You're sure no one is available?"
Abidin dropped his pen, stunned by the resemblance. The stranger sounded just like her. He shook his head, pitying his own desillusion. She had no purpose to come here. She didn’t have his address and given he had changed his number right away after his departure, she surely didn’t have his number either.
And yet, Abidin couldn't help rising from the chair to get closer to the thin wall separating the two offices.
"I'm sorry, Ma'm, but our schedule is full for the next three weeks," the co-owner of his company, Mert, replied.
Abidin nodded, silently agreeing with his friend. He was after all the one managing the drivers' schedules and the business was flourishing, to say the least. Not like he was complaining: Abidin had created this company from scratch five years ago and success hadn't been immediate.
"I see…Well, it's unfortunate. If someone turns out to be available, would you mind calling me? My name is Suna Şanlı."
His heart almost stopped this time. So he hadn't hallucinated a few seconds earlier. It shouldn't come to a surprise: when it came down to Suna, he didn’t need to see her to feel her. Even after five years apart. She had haunted every dream of his—heck—every thought of his. There hadn't been a morning without him thinking of her.
Abidin didn’t know how, but his feet eventually dragged him to the corridor and suddenly he found himself on the threshold of the office, a hand on the door handle. Shivers ran down his spine. He was shaking, he realized.
"I'll make sure of it, Miss Şanlı. As you know, your fiancé is a good friend of mine. I'll escort you to the exit."
Fiancé. His shoulders slumped and Abidin dropped his hands to his sides. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to say her hello. No. It was surely a terrible idea. But after two steps backwards, the door opened In front of his eyes, making the collision inevitable.
Collision was the appropriate word as Suna’s body literally bumped into his and his arms impulsively caught hers so she wouldn’t fall. During the few seconds her head was staring down, Abidin took a look at her. Clad in a red knee-length dress, she hadn’t changed, except for the hair. They were a bit shorter, ending at the base of her neck. The examination came to an end as her head looked up, meeting his eyes. Her mouth made a little gasp, but well-mannered as she was, she quickly muffled the sound with one of her hands.
“Abidin?”
Confusion colored her face, and he wondered if he was wearing the same expression of surprise as her.
“Suna,” his tongue made her name roll on his tongue like he would call her in his dreams. “I mean, Miss Şanlı,” he quickly corrected himself while his colleague was giving him a weird look. He cleared his throat, before asking, “It’s still Miss, right?”
Her lips quickly pursed, indicating she wasn’t liking the question very much. He didn’t like it himself either, and he usually wouldn’t be so upfront with a customer - or her. On the contrary, during the short time they had spent together, Abidin had taken extra precaution when it came to her, scared that a misstep on his part would frighten her. And yet, Abidin needed to make sure he hadn’t misheard earlier.
“It is, although not for a very long time now,” Suna admitted, her eyes staring down.
Her answer tasted bittersweet in his mouth as he swallowed her words. His eyes still on her, he saw from the corner of his eyes his colleague give him a puzzled look. Abidin had never mentioned Suna to anyone from his new life. After all, there was no point in telling someone about a love story that had never started to begin with.
“Mert, I’ll take care of Miss Şanlı from now on.”
His friend frowned, but didn’t make a comment. Instead, Mert extended his hand to Suna, and they both shook hands. “Miss Şanlı, it’s been a pleasure.” He then walked back into his office, and closed the door behind him.
Suna made a little nod, and Abidin gestured her to walk into his office instead. Once inside the room, he also closed the door to give them more privacy.
“I didn’t know you were working here,” she said as she sat down on the chair facing his desk.
He also sat down on the other side of the desk, assessing the genuinity of her words.
“I’ve built this place from scratch, Suna. I’m literally the CEO.”
Her eyes widened, causing him to arch an eyebrow. She truly had no idea. He didn’t know if he should be glad or hurt that she hadn’t been searching for him. He guessed her indifference was justified - he had left on his own, without warning anyone, less her. Besides, he had been only the chauffeur. His lips twitched. It was a lie - he might have been the driver to the eyes of his employees, but with Suna, he had never been just the driver.
There had been a spark between them. There was still a spark. He had felt it as soon as he heard her from his desk. His heart had quickened at the sound of her voice, his mouth had turned dry and like a sailor bewitched by the singing of a siren, he had been drawn to her.
And yet, like five years ago, he wouldn’t make a thing about it. She was engaged. Five years ago it felt too soon, while now, it felt too late.
“I’ve been recommended this place.”
“By whom?”
Her eyes lit up as she replied. “Seyran. My sister is great at googling stuff…I guess she forgot to mention to me you were the owner. Maybe she didn’t notice either.”
He saw her wince. She was obviously lying to herself. Seyran probably did know he was running the place.
“Would it have changed anything?”
His eyes widened at his own question. it was the second time the words had come out of his mouth. She didn’t reply, toying with the shoulder of her bag instead; giving him an indication of what her answer might be. She wouldn’t have come if she had known. Her cheeks had now fully turned red and he decided to not push the matter further. Her silent admission already hurt his pride enough like that.
Leaning forward, he whispered his next question: “Why are you here, Suna?”
He shouldn’t be saying her first name. Given the context of their encounter, it wasn’t the professional thing to do. But he loved saying her name out loud. He thought their paths would never cross again.
Her eyes met his. “I’m in need of a driver. Ours is on sick leave for the next three weeks. With the…wedding preparations, it would make things easier. But I guess I can manage on my own. I have my driving license now, but driving scares me a lot with all this traffic.” Her gaze lowered on his lips before sliding away, but he caught her. He always had. “But your co-worker told me you didn’t have anyone available.”
Abidin nodded. "Mert was right. We’re full…”
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” she mumbled without meeting his gaze and shot out of her chair.
He caught up with her easily, and he reached the door before her. They were back facing each other, although with the desk between them gone, the distance had thinned. “As I was saying, my employees have their schedules packed, but mine isn’t. I’ll do the job.”
“You don’t have to do that. I-I-I can find someone else. I-I-I..”
He cut her off, his voice gentle as he told her, “Suna, I'm not letting anyone else take this job. I’ll be at your home tomorrow morning.” He took his phone out of the trouser pocket. “Write down your address and number.”
She delicately seized the phone and when their fingers briefly touched, it was like electricity was running through them.
“Let’s not tell my husband-to-be we know each other”, she demanded as she typed the information Abidin had asked her to.
“Why not?”
She shrugged. “It would be awkward.”
“Why?”
She handed back his phone and he put it back in his pocket, his eyes still studying her.
“Abidin, you know exactly why.”
He gulped down and it took him all his strength not to pursue this discussion. But it would be pointless to have that conversation now, given he was about to work for her. “I won’t say a word. I abide by the clients' rules. If it’s your wish..”
Her eyes stared at him. “It’s my wish.”
He nodded and after some paperwork, he escorted her downstairs. As they parted, he noticed she was wearing the red thread, the one she had gifted him once and that he had dropped when he had decided to leave. He pretended to not see it, because Suna’s expectation regarding their relationship had been crystal clear - she was the client, he would be the employee and that would be it. Just like five years ago.
Back upstairs, Mert was waiting for him in his room and Abidin rolled his eyes.
“I don’t have time for an interrogation.” He dropped on his chair. “Just for your information, I’ll be the driver of Miss Şanlı for the next three weeks. She signed the paperworks. Will you be okay on your own here?”
His friend nodded, his arms crossed against his chest. “Sure, I’ll manage. But Abidin, you’ve stopped taking clients in a very long time. Why the change of heart?”
Abidin pondered his next words carefully. If he confessed his history - or rather his lack of history - with Suna, Mert might be inclined to cancel the whole thing. That surely would be the reasonable thing to do. There were other drivers' agencies with available drivers. Yet, Abidin couldn’t have let go of her. Not this time.
"Well, let’s say she is the exception."