The meeting ends

By the time the meeting resumes the two visitors are again wearing the almost comical "did-we-really-just-do-this" expressions. Although it hurts (quite a lot too) to sit down, you know this round is firmly yours. In fact, you are quite certain that Ms Stevens makes a couple of concessions towards the end to soften the overall effect of your side achieving virtually everything it aimed for and presumably protecting the duo from consequences from their own superiors.

After the two of you walk your guests to the reception with all business and pleasantries concluded (fortunately with no further damage inflicted upon your behind and your modesty already damaged beyond repair anyway), Ms Stevens tells you to wait for you in her office to have a quick post meeting chat but she needs to do a couple of other things first. You privately note that she clearly prefers to do these things clothed, but that is not really your concern either way so you with a "See you soon" you part ways.

You exchange brief greetings with the woman who helped you find the office in question the first time you headed that way. You enter the empty office...

... except, of course, it is not empty. Jack's seat in the outer office was empty, but that's because he is inside, typing away frantically, only pausing to even more frantically scan through a page or two of text on his screen a time. You watch him, naked in the doorway, for quite a while before he looks up, looking mildly startled. "Hey", he says, and for a moment he sounds exactly like he did when you'd join him in a study session all those years back and you cannot help but grin. "Hey", you say back and enter, closing the door behind you. "Busy?"

He makes a vague gesture, probably meaning "cannot you see for yourself" but without any particular sting behind it. He asks you how the meeting went and seems quite satisfied when you tell him it was a rout. There is a bit of small talk but you make sure not to distract him too much and keep it simple; whatever deadline he's on, it seems to be tight. You expect you will just need to wait until Ms Stevens returns and get your phone out, but a couple of minutes later Jack leans back and lets out a long sigh.

"Sorry", he says. "I needed to get the proposal today and the person getting it said she'll be leaving early but I wanted her to be able to glance through it at least. Phew".

"Ms Stevens seems to have a motivational effect on everyone? I don't think I've ever seen you type so fast, even on what's-his-name-in-second-year-economics tests", you say, leaning against a wall, preferring not to sit down just yet. That leaves your front entirely exposed of course, but that hardly matters. "You can say that", Jack chuckles. "But as you're obviously finding out, she's a very special boss. Anyone our age is incredibly lucky to have her around to show how it's done, and I'm saying that after losing that bonus I worked so hard for... And having like literally zero resentment for that". He pauses and then continues. "And I suspect you don't hold much resentment for being spanked in the meeting either..."

Before you can ask how did he know or guess about that, the door opens behind you, admitting Ms Stevens back into her office.