Page 46 of Heartbreaker

Chapter 17

Jackson

Walking into the office the following day I'm surprised and happy to see Alex already there. He has his head bent over the computer I set up for him. I need to sort out an office space for him but for now I want him where I can keep an eye on him. He is keen, but this business can be tricky, and I don't want him to get in over his head and mess up all the hard work I’ve put in over the last eight years.

Sad as it may seem to some, but this is my baby, or at least it was until I met Tinkerbell. Now she is the one consuming my every thought. I grin as I walk to the coffee station and grab a cup. Lindy is walking out of the filing room and I smile at her. She scowls back, and I can't help it I laugh.

“What no coffee this morning?” she gives me the finger and harrumphs. I walk over and throw my arm around her tiny, bony shoulders. “Come on Lindy you know you love me. And I have a surprise for you!” I say and go to my rucksack and pull out the box of truffles with the Sweet Heaven logo on it.

Her head turns up to me and her eyes light up. “Is that what I think it is?” she asks with barely concealed glee.

“If you mean is it a large box of Irish Cream Truffles from Sweet Heaven? Then yes, it is what you think it is,” I say shaking the bag in front of her. She goes to grab it and I snatch it away. I'm dicing with death and I know it. Lindy narrows her eyes at me and folds her arms.

“I need a favour!” I state.

“I fucking knew it,” she spits.

I open the box and take out a Truffle popping it in my mouth. The flavour instantly hits my mouth. The sweet creamy taste of chocolate, with the slight alcoholic flavour of Irish Cream starts to melt on my tongue. I groan in pleasure and add a little over-exaggerate the sound.

The bag is snatched from my hand then and Lindy shoves a chocolate in her mouth, her eyes crossing in ecstasy.

“Fine. What do you want?” she asks around a mouthful of chocolate truffle.

I smirk, knowing that I’d won this round and I now have a secret weapon. Is there any part of my life that Tinkerbell won't improve? The thought makes me stop and I wonder at the speed at which she is coming to mean so much to me.

I am brought out of my reverie by the phone buzzing a text alert in my pocket. I look at Lindy who is now back at her desk, sorting the mail.

Striding over I sit on the corner of her desk and cut right to it. “I need you to be a practice breakup for Alex!”

She shakes her head in the negative. “No way.”

“Please Lindy,” I beg. “I can bring you more truffles,” I wheedle.

She looks at me over the top of her glasses. “How much more?” she demands, I feel a little like a drug dealer right now.

“Whatever you need,” I say with a smirk.

“Fine, but this is not going to be a regular thing.” I shake my head. “No not at all, I just need you to help me out. You know how much this place means to me and I don't want to put him out there until he is ready and doesn’t mess it up.”

Her face softens and an almost smile crosses her weathered face. Her hand reaches out to me and she grips my hand with surprising strength. “I’ll do it, but I have to tell you, Jackson, I have some serious reservations about Alex.”

I turn to face her fully, Lindy never gets involved with how I run my business and for her to say anything now, she must really feel strongly. “Okay talk to me,” I say but I stop as Alex walks out of the office.

“Morning boss!” he greets with a smile.

I give Lindy a final look before I leave. “I’ll talk to you at lunchtime.”

She waved her hand in the air. “Go on I have work to do,” she says, and she shoos us off.

I spend the rest of the morning going over a typical scenario with Alex and telling him about the venues I use and why. To me it is second nature, but I understand to others it might not be.

By lunchtime I am famished, so I walk out to the reception area and over to Lindy’s desk.

“Want to go to Mo’s Diner and get a wrap and coffee for lunch? We can discuss your review?” I say with a wink and grin as I motion to the door with a tilt of my head. As she always does, Lindy reads me like a book.

“Sure I can, if you’re buying,” she says and grabs her bag from her drawer and flicks the phone to my mobile.

We walk out into the sun and I lock up behind me. Alex has gone out for lunch and we should be back before he finishes.