Lag (The Boys of RDA Book 2) (20 page)

“That’s kind of low.” Aspen cocks her head to the side, but then looks to me with a please in her eyes.

“Fine,” I respond. I’d already made up my mind to take the job later today, but if saying yes now means I get to hear the details of Marissa's failed first date back on the market, I’ll take it.

Marissa sits up straighter. “I want to see the evidence. Do it now. Text him.”

“Okay, but if he makes me give him a foot rub or buy flowers for a new girlfriend, I’m hunting you down.” I grab the phone from my pocket and open the previous text messages from Trey. We haven’t talked since he arranged the date Friday, but he’ll get it this way and it’s better than an actual call.

I send off the text quickly before I regret it more than I’ve already started to.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Yesterday morning when I agreed to take the job with Raven Digital Arts, I had no idea Trey would expect me to start today. Monday. As in within twenty-four hours. I thought I’d have more time to prep for this. A week to talk myself out of it. Find a better job. Like maybe one of those people who stand by the side of the road and wave the giant signs at passing cars. I could do that.

I was so excited to find out more about Marissa’s date that I didn’t think through my actions. Now I’m here. Here, as in the office of RDA. Sitting behind the big wooden desk in the lobby.

“Sit here and I’ll go grab you the new employee forms.” Finn sounds happier than I am about the fact I’m now his employee. He opens the door to the back where the offices are and I’m left alone in the white tiled room.

Not even Bonnie could get me out of starting today. She took the news well when I called her last night. There wasn’t a weekend or night shift available, but she put me on the standby list in case someone calls in.

No one passes through the front doors and I’m left to wonder how many employees live in the apartments on the next floor up. The glass doors are pulled open and the breeze flutters the leaves on the fake plant on top of the desk. At least I hope it’s fake, I don't have a great track record with green living things. I peek my head up to acknowledge my first visitor once I’ve made sure the plant won’t topple over.

“Simone! Good to see you again,” the loud voice echoes in the empty space, but with the sun rising behind him I can’t make out features. I squint at the mystery man as he takes a few more steps inside the building.

Before he reaches my new desk, his hand whips his sunglasses to his head and the light clears behind him allowing me a view. “Grant. Remember we met at my grandparents’ anniversary dinner?”

I stand and lean over the desk to shake his hand. His grey t-shirt covered by a light blue sport coat is an interesting wardrobe choice, but he’s kind of pulled it off.

“Of course I remember. How are your grandparents?”

He leans against the big circular desk with an elbow propped on the top. “Great. How’s the new job? I’ve heard so much about you."

I stop the nervous laugh right before it bubbles up. “Well, Finn and I just got here so I haven’t had time to mess anything up… yet."

“Did you get an apartment?” He points to the ceiling toward the employee housing floor.

“No, I’m staying with Aspen. The good part of living with the boss’ girl, if I’m late it’s his fault.”

Although, I feel like I’m encroaching on their time. I’m living with Aspen and now riding to work with her and Finn. I sat in the front seat this morning rather than climb over to the third row to give them a little privacy. If she's going to force me in the car, it’s the least I can do.

The front doors open again, and the new mystery person is also blocked by the glare. “Finn’s not a yeller anyway.” Grant looks up to the door and his smile grows. "Trey, it’s about time you got here. Simone and I have been having ourselves a nice chat.”

Trey squints his eyes at both of us as he walks farther into the building. Under his right arm, he carries a basket wrapped in clear cellophane. The short round wicker basket has two handles raised to the sides to help keep in the pile of fruit from spilling over the edge. The rich brown color of the basket contrasts against the brightly colored bananas, apples, and oranges inside the plastic wrap.

He slides the basket across the desk top to me. “A first day gift.”

“You brought her fruit?” Grant deadpans and lifts one eyebrow at Trey in question.

The three of us look to the basket together. “Yeah, it’s in a basket.”

“It’s a nice basket.” I pull the heavy piece toward me. “I love the color. Thank you,” I rush to express my gratitude. A guy has never given me fruit before. I have no idea what it means.

“Yeah, now you don’t need to leave your desk for lunch.” Grant pulls on the plastic wrap, but it doesn’t come undone. “Make sure and take this part off. You want to let it all breathe.”

I’m about to ask him why my fruit needs to breathe, thinking he’ll have some catchy reason, but Trey speaks first.

“She’s coming to lunch with me.”

“I am?”

He leans on the desk harder, angling his body closer to mine and our eyes lock. “Yes.” His command should piss me off. I know this. Yet, my body responds in places it shouldn’t with the simple word mixed with his tone of voice.

Grant laughs at our exchange and then pats Trey on the back. “Oh, my friend. So much to learn.” When Trey doesn’t move his eyes from our silent show down, Grant continues. "Remember, I’ll always be a loyal friend, unless your girlfriend makes the first move.”

Those words spur Trey to move his eyes from our staring contest and I silently congratulate myself for the win while he pushes off from the desk. With an outstretched finger he points to me. “Lunch, at noon.” And then his hand sways to Grant. "Stay away from Simone.”

Grant reaches out with a closed fist hitting Trey on the shoulder. It wasn’t hard since Trey’s body doesn’t sway from the move. Both of them are smiling by the time they walk through the lobby and enter the office section of the building. Boys.

**

“We don’t use IDs, but you’ll learn everyone eventually. There aren’t many of us.” Finn shuffles more of his papers and places one on the table in front of me. “Sign here.”

I sign my name for the sixtieth time today and he takes the paper back. Finn came back this morning and took me on a tour of the first floor offices. There aren’t cubical walls. Instead, the desks are staged in a sort of circle. Actually I’m not sure there's any kind of reason to the layout. I envision on move-in day everyone picked a random spot in the room they liked and set up shop. We met each of the guys and even a few girls and so far they all seem nice and happy to have a new receptionist. I hope I can live up to the hype Finn’s given everyone here.

While I completed the first batch of paperwork, Finn taught me the phone system and rules for running the desk… there aren’t any. He promised if I used common sense on the job I’d be fine, but I worry. If it’s that easy, why couldn’t keep someone in this position?

The largest part of my new job appears to be ordering the employees’ lunches by ten on a daily basis. There are cards they drop off with what they’d like for the day and then I call it in. Snacks are dropped off each morning on a rotating basis between doughnuts and bagels and I have to set them up on a table in the office area. It doesn’t seem hard. I don’t see how I can screw it up.

“All right, we’re done. I’ll give Trey all your papers and leave you here. Remember, if you need anything Trey’s number one and I’m two on the phone. Call one of us and we’ll help out.” Finn taps the stack of employment forms I signed on the desktop and wanders to the back without another glance.

The door latches behind him and the sudden quiet is too loud in the cavernous space. At least my desk chair is comfortable. I pull myself to the desk and open the email client to see my empty inbox.

Five minutes later when the front doors open, I almost clap my hands in anticipation. The thought of having a conversation with another human, regardless of how brief, is the most excitement I’ve had all morning. That is until I recognize the other human.

Mari, with bright red heels, a black business suit, and matching purse struts into the lobby and heads to the office doors. For a second I’m torn. Her confident walk says she’s done this a thousand times and I shouldn’t question it, but it goes against what Finn said earlier about calling back first. Plus, I hate her a small bit for wanting to marry Trey for convenience. He’s not mine, but he’s worth more than a marriage for looks.

I decide it’s best to follow procedure on this one, and if she is allowed to tromp through the halls, I’ll blame it on first day jitters and ignorance. “Can I help you?"

My words stall her in line with my desk about halfway to the door. The hard gaze on her face as she stops warns of what’s to come for someone who stands in her way. “I’m here to take my Trey to lunch.”

She acts like she doesn’t recognize me, and maybe she doesn’t. We’ve met before but never had an official introduction. It reminds me that in this scenario I'm the other woman, and I experience a moment of anger at myself. Stupid Trey and his stupid lies.

“I’ll buzz him and let him know you’ve arrived.” I try my best to sound innocent and naive, but when she doesn’t look away or soften her face I panic. “Would you like an apple?” I ask as I wave my hand over the now unwrapped fruit basket on the top of my desk.

She steps closer. “Is it organic?”

My eyes widen at her unexpected question and I gape at the apple in question. “Um… well, it comes from a tree.”

She scoffs at my answer and steps away from the basket, perhaps worried the apple might reach out and grab her with its GMO arms. She takes a seat in one of the black lobby chairs along the side wall and slides a phone from her purse.

“Well, will you buzz him or should I call him myself?”

I grab the phone receiver and hold it up to indicate I’m calling, and she puts her phone down but glares at me in a “hurry it up” fashion. Is it organic? What kind of person asks about organic apples? She couldn’t politely refuse like any other sane person on the planet?

Trey answers on the first ring. “Is everything okay? Do you need help?”

“No, but Mari is here to see you.” I notice my slip of tongue by using her first name when her bright blue eyes flare. Shit.

“What?” He sighs over the line. “Fine, send her back.”

It isn’t until she’s already through the door that I register her words. She said she was taking her Trey out to lunch.
Her
Trey. What was all his talk at Bonnie's?

The front doors open again and I’m thankful this time they help put an end my little freak out. Two younger guys in white jackets and black pants come in carrying three large plastic sacks each. The smell of fresh pasta and sauce with garlic trails behind them. The bags are set on the desk and the taller of the two passes me a long receipt.

“You’re new,” he states the obvious. “Have fun with this." The second person chuckles and quickly turns around to hide it.

They’re headed to the door before I get the chance to question his words. “See you next week, New Girl,” the taller one waves as he walks out the behind the other. "If you make it that long.”

“Ah, lunch.” My head spins to the side as Finn walks to my desk. “I’ll help you pass it all out.” He takes three bags from the counter and I follow him to the door.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Finn and I set up the large dishes of various pasta noodles and sauce containers for those employees who will eat in the building for today’s buffet style lunch. Finn places the final custom ordered dish on an empty desk and leaves them with extra napkins.

“You’ll learn everyone’s needs once you start placing the lunch orders.” His words sound innocent, but he stresses the word needs a bit longer, and it leaves me worried there’s more to his casual comment.

I crumple up the now empty bag and walk it to the large trash can on the side wall. Above the table a clock like you find in every high school classroom ticks away the seconds past 12:15. We didn’t deliver a meal to Trey’s office although Finn pointed it out as we walked by. The wooden door was sealed shut and the blinds tightly closed over the big window beside it. Grant never walked out my way this morning and Mari hasn’t either. I check his still closed door again and tell my brain I don’t care who’s in there with him.

“Are you planning to eat with us today?” Finn startles me with his question.

I should stay and eat with everyone else so I get to know people, but Trey and I were supposed to go somewhere fifteen minutes ago. The fact he hasn’t left his office or looked for me bruises my ego more than I want to admit to anyone this afternoon, let alone his best friend. I’d rather run and hide somewhere I’m not faced with Trey’s closed door three feet away.

“Um.” My eyes drift to Trey’s door one last time. “I plan to run down the street and grab a sandwich. I’ll eat here tomorrow for sure,” I promise Finn and walk back to the lobby where I stored my purse earlier.

Two blocks down is a cute bakery with cupcakes and cookies in the window. I’ve stepped to the side and found a spot at the end of the line on the street before my mind registers the choice. I could use some chocolate right about now.