Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Do not drop it.
Putting the plate down on her desk, she knocked on his door and opened it when he called out.
“Come in.”
Picking up the plate again, she slowly and carefully carried everything into his office, setting it down on his desk.
“I brought you a latte and a piece of banana bread.”
He was frowning at something on his computer. But he nodded and reached out without looking to grab the piece of banana bread.
Faith knew she should leave. Sure, it was a bit rude that he didn’t say thank you, but he didn’t seem the type to really worry about being polite.
It was fine. Everything was all fine. All she needed was to see his face as he got a taste of her famous banana bread.
She was on tiptoes as he took a large bite . . . his face scrunched up, his eyes practically popped out of his face, and his cheeks grew red.
What was it? What was wrong?
Oh God. Had she messed it up, somehow?
Scrambling around, he grabbed a garbage bin and spat it out.
Then he reached for his coffee. He took a large sip and his face started turning purple. What now? What was wrong?
He stood, looking down at the coffee. “What is this? And what is that?” He pointed at the banana bread.
“I . . . I . . . ”
Reuben narrowed his eyes at her. “Were you sent here to poison me?”
“No! I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong?” She wrung her hands together. “Are they no good?”
He ran his hand over his face, taking deep breaths. “I think you should leave.”
Leave where? Leave his office? Or leave as in she was fired?
Great. This was awesome. She hadn’t even worked a whole day!
“I’m so sorry. I thought you’d like it.” Feeling defeated, she left the room and walked back to the kitchen. She took a bite of the banana bread. It tasted fine to her.
After tidying up, she walked back to her desk to gather her things up.
She was walking to the elevator, when Reuben stepped out of the office. “Good, you’re going for coffee?”
“Oh, I, um . . . I can?”
“Take the company card.” He entered the office and came back out, holding it to her.
She took it, wondering what had happened.
He stood there for a moment before clearing his throat.
“Oh, and Ms. Blossom? Get yourself a coffee too. We have more work to do. Don’t want you getting tired again.”
So, she wasn’t fired?
Yay!
“Yes, sir.”
She wasn’t sure why he grimaced when he said that. But she decided that maybe that was just his personality. Perhaps he was like her Grandpa Jake.
Grouchy on the outside, but marshmallow on the inside.
Yes, perhaps that was it.
5
There was nothing marshmallow about Reuben Jones.
Faith now knew why all those other assistants had quit. No money was worth putting up with his grouchy ass.
Unless you were broke and desperate like she was.
Still, she was shocked she’d lasted the whole week.
He was demanding, he was bossy, and he was a perfectionist.
And the worst thing of all?
He had every right to be annoyed with her. Because she was terrible at this job. She couldn’t seem to get anything right.
Including making coffee.
“But today, Estelle, I’m determined to conquer you.” She glared at the coffee machine. “We’re not in gym class anymore, so you can’t make me do fifty sit-ups just because I failed to walk across the beam without falling. Nope. Now, I’m the boss of you!”
Yes, she’d named the coffee machine after her high school gym teacher.
She thought it was fitting since they were both sadistic and mean.
Pulling out the manual she’d found, she slid her thumb into her mouth as she read through it. When she realized what she was doing, she hastily drew it out.
Shit.
Sucking her thumb was something that had been happening more frequently lately. For some reason, her Little side kept sneaking out without her consent.
Which wasn’t cool. Her Little couldn’t go breaking the rules like that.
Bad Little. Bad!
She didn’t need to give Reuben an excuse to get rid of her.
She was pretty sure that Reuben had wanted to fire her at least once a day since she’d started. But for some reason, he was holding back.
Maybe he was a sadist like Estelle. Or was it masochist?
“Okay, Estelle, listen up, you . . . you turkey. You’re going to let me make a latte, and you’d better not spit or scream at me, understand?”
Estelle didn’t say anything.
She never did.
Rude.
Reuben stood in the doorway, watching her in shock.
Had she really named the coffee machine? And was she talking to it like she thought it might answer back?
Fuck. He should have gotten rid of her that first day when she tried to poison him. But after getting over the shock, he’d realized how hurt and upset she’d been.
He hadn’t actually meant to react like that. Sometimes, when he was deep in his work, he didn’t really pay attention to what was going on around him.