Page 19 of Sweet Tooth
Something about being in his workspace, in his office, made my grip tighten on the bow-wrapped box.
“He can’t come down here?” I asked hopefully.
The woman delivered me a look that indicated in no uncertain terms, no.
“Fine,” I said, storming ahead already,
Might as well get it over with. With any luck I’d be wrong and it wouldn’t be Zane, but some lazy, demanding, balding dick of a boss.
The elevator up to the top floor moved too fast, tossing my worries up and around like corn kernels in a popcorn machine.
If Zane was there, what would I say? Ream him out in front of his entire staff? Just shove out the box and leave? Damn it, why was my foot tapping like I had ADHD?
Then the doors opened and my heart sank.
Smarty Pens, the proud sign over the receptionist desk said.
“May I help you?” the woman behind it asked as the elevator doors closed in front of me.
I jammed the “open door” button, and as it opened, walked out.
“Yes. I believe someone ordered some chocolates to be delivered. But the address comes up Systems Tech,” I said, hopeful that she would direct me down a hallway to another business.
“Oh yes.” She smiled a Crest Whitestrips smile. “That’s us. We haven’t changed all the labels and the address still comes up as them. But the order was for us.”
Great. Just my luck.
“Awesome,” I said, putting the box on the desk. “I can just leave this here.”
“The boss’ office is that way.” She pointed down a hallway, at the end of which were two clear glass doors.
“I really do have to run,” I said.
“It’s fine, Samantha,” a familiar voice said from behind me. “I can take it from here.”
He winked as he took the box of chocolates and patted it. “Don’t want someone else getting their hands on these first.”
Samantha gargled out a laugh like he was the funniest person alive.
Zane turned his impassive gaze my way. “Miss Hughes if you’ll just come to my office, I’ll get you your payment.”
“You can just e-transfer it to me,” I said quickly.
His gaze slid my way. Don’t.
I scowled, following him without a word. The things I did for forty dollars…
My mind scrambling around to think of what to do was pointless. Already I was in the all-wood interior of his office, like a rabbit in the den of a lion.
He went over to his wallet, which was on his hulk of a desk.
He had two twenties in his hand when he paused.
“Jess,” he started.
“Don’t.”
9
Zane
Her words were a contrast to her face, which seemed practiced in neutrality. And then there was her hot uniform, all brown, blue, and white stripes. Guess I’d been so bowled-over seeing her last time that I hadn’t noticed.
That wasn’t all I was noticing now. I noticed how she’d taken a step back, and her uncaring veneer was crumbling with every passing second.
“You didn’t look at my messages or my voicemail,” I realized, looking at her.
“We had a deal,” Jessica said without looking at me.
“Which you didn’t keep yourself,” I reminded her. “When I came out, you were gone.”
Jess’s glare went over my shoulder and out the window to the impressive view of the city. “I showed you a picture of my kid and you practically ran away. But you know what, it doesn’t matter.”
“I’ll admit that wasn’t my finest moment, but it’s not what you probably thought.”
She said nothing.
“Looking at your son, of course I was disappointed and sad – I’d always hoped it would be you and I having a kid together. The point is, I didn’t expect to feel like…” I paused. There was no way of saying it without it sounding ridiculous, even to my own ears.
“I’d like to meet him.”
Jessica stared at me like I’d sprouted a second head. Then, very clearly and slowly, she said, “No way.”
“Why not?”
“We’re not dating, is why not. We’re not even friends. I don’t introduce random people to my son.”
“But I’m not a random person,” I countered.
Her eyes met mine. “Close enough,” she said.
Letting out an exasperated sigh, she crossed her arms over her chest. “If there’s nothing else, I have to get going. I can’t keep the shop closed for too long.”
I nodded my head and held out the twenties. She snatched them and made for the door.
“Jess?” I called after her.
“What?”
“Can we really not even be friends?” I asked, my voice hopeful.
“Goodbye Zane.”
Her tone had a finality that made the door closing behind her unnecessary. For a good minute, I stood there, staring at the upward-sweep of its Cherrywood grain.
Winning Jess back was going to provide me with my biggest challenge to date.
—
Back at my place, I went through the motions. I threw something in the microwave and ate it, then responded to some emails.
And then the phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Why do you think we can be friends?”
