Chapter 1: Introduction
Paul glanced around, making sure no one was watching. He seemed to have an endless list of tasks to complete today, but his focus was on the one sitting on the other side of the trailer.
Domonique.
From afar, she stood out like a juicy, ripe nectarine against an otherwise bland fruit basket. Paul couldn't help but stare. He'd seen plenty of beautiful women at work before, but there was something about her, something that made him want to see more.
He tousled his brown hair, attempting to look more presentable.
Sucking in a deep breath, he stepped inside the commissioning trailer, prepared to face the mystery that was Domonique. The trailer was quiet, save for the occasional scratching sound of a pencil sketching on a blueprint. It was a cramped, dimly-lit space, with just enough room for a table and a few chairs. Tools and blueprints were scattered about, a testament to the many hours Domonique had spent here, locked away, tinkering with whatever gadget she had her sights on next.
Her dark hair, pulled back into a sleek ponytail, tickled the edge of a technical manual, as her piercing green eyes scanned the page intently.
When Paul walked in, she barely looked up, her focus never wavering from the blueprints before her. It was the response Paul had come to expect from everyone he worked with. Most of the time, people didn't bother to acknowledge his presence. He was just another face in the crowd; nameless, faceless, and indistinguishable from the rest.
The commissioning trailer, a small fortress of solitude, was where Paul had always preferred to be, anyways. He preferred the quiet, methodic work that came with his job as a commissioning agent. There was a sense of satisfaction in making things work, finding the right combination of wires and machine parts to make the equipment hum to life.
Paul took a seat across from Domonique, who was still silently absorbed in her work. He cleared his throat and she glanced up, those emerald eyes cutting through him like a laser.