Jane in New York Pt. 14

"Remember when you first got to Sunshine?" Camilla asked. Then, she mocked Veronica, saying, "My name's Veronica and I think it was a bad idea to take this job. Thanks for getting me this awesome job Camilla, but Jane hates me and will never get over it."

After a moment of silence, Veronica responded with a flat tone, "That wasn't the first time you've done an impression of me like that, was it?"

"Maybe once or twice, but that's not the point," Camilla answered before getting the conversation back on track.

"Ever since she got the promotion, she's been filled with self-doubt because she feels guilty about getting the position over me. That's what has been bothering her the last few weeks. It's her insecurities in herself, not you."

"I'm sorry, Veronica," she continued after a deep breath.

"Huh? Sorry for what?"

"I know she's taking it out on you," Camilla explained. "You expressed that to me when you first got here, and I should have taken your feelings into consideration. It's completely unfair to you and I'm sorry."

"It's okay..." Veronica responded, unable to hold back a smile. "I really appreciate you saying that."

"Just hang in there, okay? Try to be patient with her because this is a vital moment in her life. And if you think she's getting out of line and being too disrespectful towards you, then fuck it! You're in Puerto Rico because you deserve to be on this trip. You're a beautiful girl at a beautiful resort. Have a good time with or without her because you deserve it."

"Okay, Camilla... That was really sweet of you... I feel... much better now! Thank you!"

"No, problem. I need to get going, okay? Now go try to enjoy yourself."

"Okay, I think I'll do that."

Before Camilla could hang up, Veronica grabbed her attention one more time. "Oh, hey Camilla..."

"Yeah?"

"That was a terrible impression you did of me earlier."

The blonde just laughed at Veronica's cute come back. "Oh whatever! I don't need your sass. I have an important pizza party to get back to."

"So, you are having a pizza party!" Veronica replied. "I'm going to tell Jane."

"Ugh, fine! I won't do any more impressions of you. But I do have to go now. The other girls need me. They can't finish all that pizza without me."

"Okay, bye-bye," Veronica said, giggling.

"I'll talk to you later!"

After getting off the phone, Veronica had the boost of confidence she needed. She continued walking outside, getting a fresh breath of air.

Now that the sun had gone down, she had a chance to see all the attractions at night. This place is so beautiful, she thought. I really wish I could get Jane out of the room so we could enjoy this place together. That would definitely bring her out of her funk.

I still think a significant amount of her stress is because of me, but I never considered she might be insecure about the promotion. Then, with a smile on her face, she started to motivate herself. I can help her with her insecurities! I've done it once and I can do it again! I just have to be understanding and supportive. I can do this!

Unfortunately, when she got back to the room, her smile was immediately wiped when she found Jane sitting down, finishing a meal. "Oh... You went out and got food?"

Jane turned around and looked at her. "Oh, yeah. Sorry. Did you want to get food too?"

"It's not that... Well, kind of... But I already got you food, remember? I put it in the fridge."

"Oh, sorry about that," the young woman responded nonchalantly. "I just wanted to get out and grab something."

"Oh okay..." Veronica responded in a quiet voice. "So, you already went out?"

"Yeah, I was just working on this presentation for tomorrow, but I stepped out for a minute because I needed a break."

Veronica let out a sigh of defeat as she finally walked into the room. I guess I missed my opportunity, she thought to herself. And she didn't even bother to eat the food I got her. I guess she just doesn't appreciate me...

Jane shrugged her shoulders and asked, "Should I have waited for you?"

"No, it's fine... Do you plan on going back out when you finish your stuff?"

"No," the stressed woman answered, adding to Veronica's sadness. "I have an important presentation tomorrow and I'm really tired. I'm probably just going to go to bed now."

"Alright..." Veronica responded, finally admitting defeat to herself. Feeling as if she had been knocked down several times, she was too mentally exhausted to get back up. "I guess I'll go to bed too..."

After quickly putting her things away, Jane went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. As she finished up and changed into her comfortable clothes, she returned to the bed, where Veronica still sat in silence.

Gazing upon the cute Asian wearing a t-shirt and shorts, Veronica started thinking about all the nights they spent together in the past. This feels so different, she thought, trying not to stare at her new supervisor.

Then a random thought came across her mind. I guess she wears shorts to bed now... She used to sleep in her underwear, but I guess that isn't appropriate around me anymore.

Following suit, Veronica got ready for bed by putting on comfortable clothes, making sure not to wear anything inappropriate.

This is going to be awkward, she thought, returning from the restroom. I never thought I'd share a bed with her again... but things are different now. I wonder if I should just sleep on that little couch.

As soon as the Latina got to the bed, she noticed Jane was already fast asleep. She was relieved there wasn't another awkward moment between them, but no interaction also meant no progress.

Veronica simply turned off the lights and slipped into the large bed without disturbing her tired boss. Hopefully, she'll feel better when she wakes up, she thought while staring up at the ceiling. And hopefully I will too.

She lay in bed for hours, never coming close to falling asleep. In her mind, her shitty day technically didn't end until she woke up and a brand-new day began. Unfortunately, as her insecurities continued to plague her weary mind, she became less tired and more frustrated.

Finally, around two in the morning, she could no longer lie awake. Not wanting to disturb Jane, she quietly slipped out of bed and left for a walk.

Eventually, she found herself at the beach, where she sat down and stared at the waves. Hours passed by as the sight of the beautiful ocean making its way up and down the shoreline started to calm her soul. As the wind blew through her long black hair, she was able to take an honest dive into her own heart.

What has happened to me? Why am I like this all the time? It's like, ever since Jane left, I've had to rely on other people to make me happy.

First, Ashley had to help me. Maria and Monica helped too, of course. Then there was Vicky, who did an amazing job. And now, I've had to rely on Camilla, who probably doesn't even like me. They all helped me so much but... eventually I have to learn to help myself, right?

I can't just keep blaming the circumstances and people. I need to rely on myself for my own happiness, or else I don't even deserve to be with someone else. I would just bring them down.

Why would someone want to be with me? I've become the damsel in distress, always in need of someone to lift my spirits. But what do I provide? What would Jane get out of being with me?

As a big wave came in, she watched a flock of seagulls fly out of the way just in the nick of time. Then, I thought came to her mind, forcing her to take a different perspective.

But... what does she offer me anymore?

It's been a long time since she has been the source of my happiness. I'll always love her for the person she was and the relationship we had, but we no longer have that and... I don't even know if she's that person anymore...

She took a deep breath as she got up to her feet. I can't just sit around, hoping she turns back into the sweet woman she used to be. I need to take control of my own fate.

I need to be... who I used to be... The me that Jane loved so much... The me that... I loved so much...

Camilla was right... I need to have fun. I'm here in Puerto Rico on a paid vacation, and I haven't even let myself enjoy it. The circumstances aren't great and I may never win her back, but that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun. I deserve it!

I wasted so much time and energy focusing on others. I hated Camilla for so long, even though I didn't know anything about her. If anything, I should aspire to be like her.

When she came to offer me the job, she was a completely broken woman. I could tell by her eyes she was holding a lot of pain inside. And yet, she still managed to carry on and do things her way. She even had fun by toying with Vicky and asking me to take her to the zoo!

And as for Jane, I need to make her remember how great I actually am. And if she can't appreciate that... then she doesn't deserve me anyway.

As she watched the tide grow stronger, she demanded of herself, It's time to start having fun.

She suddenly had an urge to jump into the water and experience the ocean all over her body. How stupid am I? I'm at a freaking beach and I haven't even jumped in.

Not wanting to waste time going back to get a bathing suit, she stripped down to her blue sports bra and her lacey pink panties. Smiling from ear to ear, she rushed towards the water, but almost came to a stop as a large wave came crashing towards. After a quick deliberation in her head, she furrowed her eyebrows and took the wave head-on.

From head to toe, she became soaking wet from the chilly water. Goosebumps covered her skin, and she let out a squeal as the wave almost knocked her down. Quickly, she rushed back to her spot, giggling from the intense rush.

That was the most fun I've had since I got here... she said to herself, blowing a big sigh of relief. I think this is going to be a good vacation, after all...

**********************

After a rough first day, Jane was just happy to get a good night of sleep. Despite her awkward relationship with Veronica, there was a comforting feeling knowing she wasn't in bed alone.

She woke up and fell back asleep several times throughout the night. However, she never realized that Veronica had left sometime early in the morning. When she finally woke up for good, she turned and noticed she was alone.

I wonder where she is, she thought to herself. Maybe she went to get breakfast... Or maybe, she got sick of my attitude...

I know I should be nicer. She's a great employee, after all. It's just... I need to prove that I'm worthy of my Branch Director position. And having her here... just complicates things.

Suddenly, she was startled by the sound of the door opening. Her heart stopped as she watched Veronica enter the room, soaking wet.

The Latina wasn't wearing a shirt, showing off her nice body. Her nipples showed through her sports bra, and her underwear visible through her wet shorts.

"Oh, sorry!" Veronica said as gently tossed her shirt on the bed. "I thought you'd be awake by now, or I would have been much quieter."

Gazing upon Veronica's body for the first time left Jane speechless. Though the Latina had become a little skinnier, the cute Asian still found her stunning, with her nice breasts and voluptuous ass.

"That's okay... I was just getting out of bed. Did you... go for a swim or something?"

"I couldn't fall asleep for some reason," Veronica responded with a smile. "I wanted to sit on the beach, but the water looked so good, I just had to jump in!"

"Oh... that sounds..." Jane suddenly stopped mid-sentence, staring at Veronica's body again. "That sounds... nice..."

"I didn't bring my bathing-suit so I just jumped in, wearing my underwear."

"Oh...how... fun..."

"Any who... I just came back to grab my swimsuit." Veronica then grabbed her bag and quickly went into the restroom.

Without realizing it, Jane became more intrigued. She sat up from the bed and leaned towards the restroom. "Are you going back to the beach?"

"Not yet," Veronica called out from the restroom. Then, reappearing wearing a small black bikini with yellow and pink strings, she explained, "I'm going to grab a bite to eat from this tiki restaurant by the pool."

Jane became even more surprised and was unable to keep her eyes off Veronica's swimsuit. It was the same one she wore when they went to Maria's house and used the hot tub. Hot memories started to flood her mind, leaving her silent in her own thoughts.

"I'll see you later," Veronica said, snapping Jane out of her trance.

"You're going... dressed like that?"

"Umm, yeah..." Veronica answered innocently. "Did I mention it's a tiki bar by the pool?"

"Oh, yeah... I was just asking..."

"Okay, I'll see you later!"

As Veronica turn to grab the doorhandle, Jane fixed her eyes on her juicy tush. The bikini bottoms might as well have been a thong, the way they accentuated the Latina's nice ass.

"Veronica!" Jane called out, not even realizing she was doing it.

"Yeah?"

"I... I sent you the presentation I'm doing today. You'll be translating for me at the investors meeting, so can you go over it?"

"I already looked at it," Veronica responded, assuredly.

"Oh, good... Uhh, well can you look at it again? I just want to make sure you have all the information, and you can translate it."

A confused look came over the Latina. "You want to make sure I can translate it into my first language?"

"Umm, yeah..."

Still looking a little confused, Veronica gave a little smile before responding, "Okay... I'll take another look at it."

When she finally closed the door behind her, Jane remained in bed, wondering What... just happened?

Finally, the new supervisor was able to get herself out of bed so she could prepare for her day. However, as she got dressed, she couldn't help but think about the difference she saw in her employee's demeanor.

She sure seemed like she was in a better mood, today... And she looked... really nice... Jane then groaned and shook her head, trying to snap herself out of those thoughts. I need to focus but... this trip is going to be even harder than I thought...

She grabbed the food Veronica brought her the previous day and placed it in the microwave.

*********************************************

Being the Director of the new branch, Jane wanted to make a good impression to the other members of her company during her presentation. Though these types of projects were normally a strength of hers, her heart pounded as she entered the conference room.

Unfortunately, no amount of preparation could make her confident for this moment. And to make matters worse, having Veronica present only added to the anxiety she was already experiencing.

Veronica had always proven herself to be a fantastic employee. However, her supervisor was also aware that she had been known to just wing projects from time to time.

Jane was also nervous about the outfit her employee chose the wear. Instead of wearing a business jacket, the Latina went with a small dress. Though Veronica looked stunning, the new supervisor was afraid it was a bit inappropriate for such an occasion.

There was tension in the air as all the attendees could sense the nervousness in the young Director's demeanor. Her shoulders were slumped over, her eyes remained on the screen to avoid eye-contact, and her voice was quiet.

It was a difficult situation for her, knowing some of the room couldn't understand her, anyway. In her mind, she kept thinking things would have been better if Camilla were doing the presentation instead of her. Not only would she not need a translator, but she would also have done a better job on the project too, she thought to herself.

Fortunately, she had Veronica there, whose biggest strength was building a rapport with her clients. The black-haired Latina didn't just read from the presentation, she spoke with confidence to her audience.

Much to Jane's surprise, once the presentation was over, everyone was left clapping and showing appreciation for her work and her ideas. She was able to blow a sigh of relief before looking over at Veronica and sharing a smile.

The cute Branch Director then started fielding questions, answering a couple from English speakers first. She gained more confidence knowing she was able to provide them the information about Sunshine Industries' plans and products.

Her heart started to race again as the first question in Spanish came in. Veronica looked over to her and translated the question into English, while wearing a big smile the entire time.

When Jane would give an answer, she noticed the crowd would laugh and smile once her employee translated the answer. The young Asian woman became confused, thinking her answers were not intended to be funny. However, Veronica and the different members of the audience kept talking back and forth, exchanging pleasantries and laughs with every response.

As more questions came in, Jane noticed a similar pattern where Veronica would give a much longer answer in Spanish than was given English. Every single time, the other Spanish speakers would laugh with her as they got into longer and more positive sounding exchanges.

By the time the questions were done, the entire room seem to be in a light-hearted mood. Everyone had smiles on their faces as they got to their feet and started making their way out. Several people came by to shake hands with Jane and thank her for her presentation. However, even more people approached Veronica to compliment her on doing such a great job.

Suddenly, Jane heard a familiar voice say, "Hey stranger." As she turned around, her eyes lit up at the site of her former supervisor.

"Miranda!" she exclaimed with a big smile.

Her former Branch Director placed a hand on her shoulder. "You did a fantastic job!"

"You really think so? I was so nervous!"

"I could tell you were nervous," Miranda responded with a comforting tone. "But your material is always well prepared. And your employee did a great job too!"

"Oh... yeah..." Jane said, looking over at Veronica, who was still talking with others. "She worked with me at my last company."

"Well, it looks like you made a great decision to bring her along."

"More like Camilla made a great decision..." the new Director mumbled. "By the way, what was she saying during my presentation? It felt like her answers were much longer than mine."

"She did a great job answering the questions," Miranda explained. "She already knows so much about our company."

"Oh great... Well, why was everyone laughing?"

With a smile, Miranda answered, "I don't remember everything she said, but she was just being cute and funny the entire time."

Jane was unable to take her eyes off her pretty employee. "Cute, huh?"

"I don't know her but she seems great!"

"Yeah..." Jane said, staring at Veronica with a smile. "She's great..."

***************************************

After the presentation, Jane and Veronica attended a dinner party, hosted by the company. By the time they got out there, the sun had begun to set, leaving a beautiful atmosphere along the outdoor restaurant.

Despite a successful presentation, the two ladies sat awkwardly at their table. Neither knew what to say to the other. However, both women were in a better mood after such a successful meeting.

Several people came by to greet Jane and to congratulate her on the new position, but even more people came to introduce themselves to Veronica. Much to the supervisor's surprise, several Sunshine members were glowing with compliments for Veronica's dress, the same one Jane feared was too unprofessional.