ALLIE
“Double espresso with one sugar,”Ashton calls out as soon as I enter the doorway. No good morning. No hello. He doesn’t even look up from his computer. He fucking messaged me on the paper’s shared team platform a few minutes ago. Two words.
Ashton: My office.
It took every bit of my self-control not to rip the computer out of the wall, march to his office, and hurl it at him, but I decided against it. Jay, our IT guy, would have had to deal with the fallout of that, and he’s been surprisingly nice to me, even though I tripped over him and accidentally dumped pencils on his head yesterday.
Speaking of yesterday, Ashton didn’t speak to me for the rest of the day. Not until it was nearing five o’clock, and he walked over to my desk, uttering one word: “Well?”
“I’ll do it,” was all I replied, and he turned around and left without a second thought.
He’s changed. He’s not the same annoying puppy in humanform he was when we first met at that club last spring. Emory was going through something, and we were out blowing off some steam when he came out of nowhere. He had the audacity to tell me to leave Em alone when I was trying to haul her ass out of the club after she drank too much. Like he knew my best friend better than I did just because he went out on a fake date with her to appease his parents. I’d be lying if I said arguing with him that night didn’t do something to me, though. A small smile breaks through as I think about the drunken, dopey, lopsided grin plastered on his face as he made suggestive comments to me. Not the kind that assholes in bars usually make when they want to get in your pants. No, it was different—sweet, almost. I shut him down like I normally do with any man who makes the first move, but the look in his eyes told me he wasn’t going to give up. I still remember the faint smell of spearmint and whiskey on his breath when he leaned in and told me just that.
I don’t give up easily, Alexandra.
He did give up, eventually, and the man standing before me is not the same one from that club…or the times after. He still has the same upbeat energy, but his words are cold now. His jokes are cruel, meant to cut down and belittle. It may be my fault, but it doesn’t make me hate him any less.
“Did you hear me, Alexandra?” His voice breaks through my thoughts. “Or are you hungover again?”
“Excuse me?”
He puffs out a sardonic laugh. “You think I don’t know that you were hungover yesterday? Gotta hand it to you. You covered for yourself pretty well. Guess it comes with the territory of being a compulsive liar. But I could smell the alcohol on you from a mile away. ” He doesn’t even wait for my retort before issuing his next order. “Anyway, get me a list of vendors who have advertised with us in the past after you get my coffee.”
“We don’t have espresso here. Just plain drip coffee.” I adjust my glasses, which have slipped slightly down my nose.
Ashton exhales his annoyance. “I guess I am going to have to walk you through everything. Get into your car. Drive to The Roasted Bean and get me a double espresso.” No please. No thank you. Just an order issued as if I’m a five-year-old. He juts his chin toward a credit card sitting on the edge of his desk.
“Sure thing, boss.” I smile sweetly and widen my eyes just enough to appear devious before I snatch the card up. Am I going to poison his coffee or steal his money? Probably not, but he doesn’t know that.
After waiting in line at The Roasted Bean for almost a half hour, I walk out, juggling Ashton’s coffee as well as the iced mochas I got for myself and Skylar on Ashton’s dime. I figured she could use a pick-me-up and who doesn’t like an iced mocha? I’m almost to my car when I bump into a wall, nearly spilling all the drinks. I curse myself for not getting a carrier as I somehow manage to hang on to all of them, but then I look up and…Nope—not a wall. Craig Holder stands before me in all his tatted, muscled, chefy glory.
“Hey, Allie, right?”
“Yep. Chase?” I’m not getting caught off guard and appearing weak in front of him again.
“Craig,” he corrects me.
“Oh, sure. Good to see you, but I’ve got to go.” I glance toward the drinks that are starting to slip again.
“Can I help you to your car?” He reaches out to grab a coffee, but I back away before he can take it.
“I’m good,” I say as I start toward my car.
Thank God I got a spot right in front. I’m balancing all the drinks in one hand, attempting to open the door with the other when I feel his presence behind me. “Did you get the job?” he asks.
I finally manage to get it open, thanking all that is holy that it’s not cold enough to have gotten stuck, and put the drinks inthe cup holders, except for mine, which I take a sip of before answering Craig.
“Of course,” I say confidently, raking my eyes over him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do.”
I get in, slam my door, and pull out, leaving Craig looking surprised and a little intrigued.
It feels good to be back to myself. Between my awkward run-in with Craig the other day when I was vulnerable from the interview and now Ashton bossing me around, I’ve been worried I might be losing my edge.
Nope.
Just as badass as usual.
With my confidence now fully restored, I march into Ashton’s office as soon as I get back and slam his coffee on the desk. Some of it shoots up from the mouth of the lid, scattering little brown droplets onto the papers sitting beside his laptop.
