Company Ink (21 page)

“Don’t touch me, friend,” Steve practically snarled as Ben’s hand hovered over his chest.

“First, I’m not your friend,” Ben replied. “Second, I’m not touching you. I’m letting you know it’s time to leave.”

Steve defiantly stepped into Ben’s space, his chest hitting Ben’s outstretched hand. “I’ll decide when it’s time to leave!”

Ben nudged Steve backward in response, and the air between them ignited. Violet was mid-sentence with the emergency operator when she spotted Steve’s right hand forming a fist as he drew his arm back.

“Steve, don’t!”

Ben easily blocked Steve’s punch, yanking his arm down to his side. Acting defensively, he spun Steve around to face the door. And, in a final move that Violet almost laughed at, he lifted one strong leg and kicked Steve square in the ass. Steve gave a violent jerk forward, stumbling into the hallway and slamming into the wall before falling to the tile in a heap. Ben grinned as Steve looked up, stunned.

“Again, time’s up,” Ben said. “If I see you here again, my foot will be going
in
. Understand?”

With that, Ben slammed the door shut.

Violet hung up. “The cops are on their way.”

“Hopefully they’ll snatch him up before he runs.”

“If they don’t, I’ve got his mother’s address,” she replied.

From the other side of the door, Steve began kicking. The door shook with every slam of his boot. Ben walked up to the door and banged on it with a closed fist.

“The cops are on the way,” he called out. “So, by all means, keep denting the door so we have more to put in the police report.”

Steve kicked the door three more times before yelling something inaudible and ceasing completely.

“Thank you,” she muttered. “I wouldn’t have been able to control him. I’m glad you’re here.”

Ben approached and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. “Did it hurt that much?”

Violet shook her head. “I’m just not used to needing help.”

“Don’t think of it that way,” he replied, kissing her forehead. “Think back to how you shut down Elena. This was no different—I just owed you one.”

• • •

It took ten days for life to finally begin to calm down. She got her order for protection effortlessly; not only was Steve headed back to Florida with his tail between his legs, but his mother went out of her way to call Violet to apologize for her son’s behavior.

Violet was sitting in the office, handling her usual afternoon production, when Ben burst into the room with a giddy grin and a spring in his step and tossed his bag onto his desk.

“Are you looking for me to ask why you’re so happy?” Violet stopped typing and spun in her chair.

Ben smiled. “You don’t have to ask, I’m just going to show you. Check this out … ” He reached into his messenger bag and pulled out a thick manila envelope, tossing it onto her desk.

“Is this what I think it is?”

Ben nodded. “Elena finally signed the damn papers. She walks away with nothing. I’m free.”

“I can’t even react big enough,” Violet said. “I’d jump into your arms, but, well … ”

“Right, the cameras.” Ben laughed. “I can’t even believe it. I never thought I’d be so happy to say this—I’m divorced!”

“Congratulations! This is actually the best news I’ve heard all day. I’m really happy you stuck it out instead of just giving her what she wanted.”

Ben dropped into his chair, heaving a sigh of relief. “You know how close I was. Tommy really came through.”

“He really did,” she agreed. “Let’s not forget the wild card in all of this: Ethan’s unexpected testimony. That must’ve blown Elena’s mind.”

“I’m sure she loved it.” Ben grinned, running a hand through his hair. “She must’ve figured she had all the control, and he completely turned on her.”

Violet shrugged. “She was her own undoing, in the end. So, are you going to celebrate with the boys tonight?”

“Actually, I thought you and I might celebrate at my place tonight,” Ben replied, his voice darkening playfully. “I was hoping to start my weekend off by not sleeping at all.”

Violet’s eyes fluttered closed. A cozy bed, Netflix, and Ben nestled naked between her thighs—could it
be
any better than that? “I’d be crazy to say no, wouldn’t I?”

“That’s up to you. I’m just saying I’d rather be inside of you than drinking with my buddies in—”

The door to the office opened. Ben froze mid-sentence, his mouth left slightly agape as Violet’s heart threatened to stop. They were facing each other, but both turned to the office’s entrance like they’d just been caught. Jay walked in with a bright smile that immediately dimmed when he caught what must have been guilty expressions on their faces.

His eyes moved from Ben to Violet, his expression both amused and suspicious. “What did I just walk in on?”

Violet blinked, shaking her head. “Oh! Uh, I was talking to him about a variation I made to the cranberry apple muffins last night. I was thinking of bringing it to Wynne.”

“Well, aren’t we industrious,” Jay replied, his smile returning as he took a seat next to Violet. He nodded to the manila envelope on her keyboard. “Is that the recipe?”

She swept it up quickly and shoved it into her backpack. “No, no. That’s the—the order of protection. Court docs, you know.”

“Oh, right. I’m glad that’s over with. Are you okay now?”

“I’m good,” she answered brightly. “I’m still not icing yet, but I can do production and be the designated order-taker in the meantime. See? Still wrapped.” She displayed her wrist, held steady with the brace from her night at the ER. She continued, “I’m seeing the doctor in two days to see what’s next.”

Jay nodded. “I hope it all goes well. We miss having your gorgeous cakes on the floor!”

Violet chuckled. “Stop it. All the cakes are gorgeous.”

“Yeah, but no one’s got your swirl,” Jay teased, elbowing her with a laugh.

Ben stood as she and Jay shared a friendly chuckle. “I’ve gotta get upstairs and update the night manager before I leave. Are you all set with your stuff, Violet?”

“Yup,” she replied, keeping her eyes trained on the screen as she did her best to look as casual as possible. “Thanks for letting me know about that last-minute order. I’ll add it in.”

From the corner of her eye, she spotted Jay watching Ben as he left. It made her wonder briefly if Jay had an ulterior motive for showing up this afternoon. Sure enough, the moment she heard the door close, Jay leaned closer.

“Vi, we’ve gotta chat.”

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat as discreetly as possible. “We do?”

He paused, taking a deep breath. “There’s been some talk.”

Violet’s eyes closed as she did her best to stomach Jay’s trademark flair for the dramatic. “Who’s been talking about what?”

“Some people around here have been talking about you and Ben,” he replied. “They’re saying you’re using your relationship with him to get ahead in the company.”

Some people
. It took Violet less than three seconds to add up all of Jay’s inquisitive conversation over the last few weeks and realize he’d been
looking
for something to say. A voice in her head cursed. She knew the rules, but broke them anyway, and here Jay was actually questioning what she thought she’d hidden well. “Does anyone remember I started here before him? And that Wynne trained me personally? How can I possibly be using Ben to get ahead in the company?”

“See, that’s what I thought,” Jay said, sounding like a Scooby-Doo cartoon when the case was about to be cracked. “But there’s something between you and Ben that I can’t explain. And that’s what worries me more than anything.”

Her tummy churned unpleasantly. “What are you saying, Jay?”

“I’m not
saying
anything. What I’m
asking
you is whether or not there’s something going on between you and Ben.”

She sighed deeply. “What makes you think there’s something going on with me and Ben?”

She kept her face trained on the computer screen and perused a couple of orders, doing her best to look uninterested in the accusation placed in front of her. She could feel Jay’s eyes on her like they had some sort of invisible heat beam. How long could he possibly need to watch her for a reaction?

“Well, for example, in the beginning, Wynne and I were concerned that you two would have to be separated because of all the head-bumping. And in a matter of weeks, you two are suddenly friends. Staff says the two of you stay in the office for hours, doing God knows what.”

“I spend the last two and a half hours of my shift in the office doing administrative work for the store. If I tried to do it at my station, I’d never get anything done. And that’s been going on since way before Ben was hired. So, what else is the staff saying?” It was a legitimate reason, there was no denying that. She kept herself calm and even, despite the fact that the panic alarm had been going off in her head for more than twenty-four hours. Getting upset would only be an admission of guilt, and Jay would be looking for that.

“A few people have spotted you talking amongst yourselves in different areas of the store, and it apparently looks like you’re hiding something.”

“I’m sorry, but do you realize how ridiculous this all sounds? I interact with Ben Preston as part of my job. And yes, we bumped heads for quite a while. But, like I told Wynne, we came to an understanding. Would you rather we fight all the time?”

Jay shook his head. “Look, I understand why you’d be offended or upset. If I were being accused of—”

“It’s not even that, Jay. What offends me most is that the staff is talking behind my back. Would it have hurt anyone to just come to me or Ben personally? And the fact that people seem to think I’m making my way through Wynne’s Kitchen on anything other than my culinary degree and talent hurts.”

“I get it, Vi. Just answer me honestly. Is there something going on between you and Ben?”

Violet took a deep breath. “No.”

His lips were pressed together as he stared at the computer; Violet couldn’t get a read on his reaction. Finally, he seemed to snap out of it. “Okay. If you say there’s nothing going on, I believe you. But you know Wynne’s stance on fraternization.”

“I do,” she answered, her heart growing heavy.

After a brief pause, they said in unison, “Don’t do it.’”

“Exactly,” Jay finished, patting her on the shoulder. “Give me a call if you need me.”

And with that, he was gone. Violet slumped in her seat. She’d known this particular stretch of peace was too good to be true. She knew she had no business being upset or bitter about it; she had gotten herself into this situation. And as far as Jay confronting her, she was right not to trust him. He was a nice guy, but he was out for number one. Violet knew Wynne’s Kitchen meant something to him but for different reasons. He wanted power and recognition, and she wouldn’t put it past him to be the kind of guy to blow something like this out of the water for his own benefit.

Violet was closer than ever to having to make a decision—Ben or a lengthy career with the bakery? The thought of choosing hurt; she didn’t want to pick one or the other. She loved being at The Rock, and that included working with the very people who were currently talking behind her back. But, unfortunately, she’d fallen head over heels for Ben. She knew she’d brought this on herself. If she’d just listened to that little voice in her head and not gotten involved, she wouldn’t be on the cusp of facing some serious consequences.

• • •

Later that night, Ben sat with Tommy and Ethan at Crif Dogs, a gastropub with some of the greatest hot dogs known to man, located on St. Mark’s Avenue in the lower part of Manhattan. Violet had promised to meet him at his place at midnight—and now, like a lovesick pup, he found himself sitting in front of a beer and one of the most insane, bacon-wrapped hot dogs he’d ever laid eyes on, counting down the minutes until he could be in a cab headed home.

Tommy gave Ethan a playful elbow. “Look at this guy. He’s got a hot dog wrapped in bacon in front of him, and he still can’t stop thinking about his lady.”

“Easy, I’m just wondering how to start this damn thing,” Ben said.

“Humph.” Tommy sipped his beer. “How does it feel to be a free man?”

“I gotta say, it feels awesome,” Ben replied, holding up his beer bottle in salute. “And I owe it to you and Ethan.”

“Are you gonna be ring shopping for Violet now that the ink on the divorce papers is dry?” Tommy asked with a wink.

Ben laughed. “Hey now, one step at a time. I’m not rushing anything with her. I’d like this relationship to actually work out.”

“So everything’s good with you guys, then?” Ethan managed to get a word in edgewise.

“For sure,” Ben answered. “Everything’s falling into place, it’s finally quiet, and we’ll just focus on each other.”

“Don’t be so sure,” Tommy remarked. “What are you going to do about the work situation?”

“What work situation? Nothing’s gotten in the way of us doing our jobs, and we’ve kept our personal lives separate, as far as I can tell.”

“He’s talking about the company’s fraternization policy. Or do they not have one?” Ethan asked.

Ben rolled his eyes. “Of course they have one. I just … yeah, I ignored it.”

Tommy laughed. “Well, now that you’ve blatantly admitted to breaking policy on purpose, I have to ask—do you see this going somewhere beyond this? I know you don’t want to rush, but if you had to, would you rush with her?”

Ben put his beer down, sat back, and folded his arms. “Okay, what’s this actually about?”

Tommy slapped his hands on the table, pushing his chair back and standing. “It’s about me, the consummate bachelor, being the voice of reason in your life …
again
. From the way Violet talks about that bakery, she’s there for the long run. It’s where she wants to be right now. And your secret may be safe for now, but what about tomorrow? Or next week? It all comes out in the wash, pal. And you’re putting your girl at risk.”

“The only other time you were the voice of reason in my life was to tell me to either step up or break up. Do you actually want me to leave her?”

Tommy dropped his head. “If that’s what you took away from what I just said, then I can’t help you.”