Yeah, she抯 normally a walking spitfire, but everyone has their breaking point. Their touchy spots. Their defeats in life that they抳e pushed into a pit and buried.
Maybe more so if your last name is Poe.
And maybe I struck a nerve I shouldn抰 have like the social porcupine I am.
Dammit, I hate that Anna has to be my conscience. I didn抰 mean to upset Poe, but I have no idea what I could say to make it better either.
揜elax, Miss Patel. I抣l go deal with it.?
I抳e worked with Anna for a few years now. I抳e never seen the worried hangdog look she抯 giving me now.
揊ine. I抣l go apologize if that抣l help you nix any plans to pull out your pitchfork and come after me.?I straighten my tie like I抦 tightening my own noose.
I hope I don抰 fuck this up more.
Anna brightens and slowly nods. 揋ood choice. I抦 a pretty crummy shot with a pitchfork, but the rest of the mob might aim straight for your balls.?
揥hat a delightful image. Are we done, or do I need to suffer through more of your humor??I say with an exaggerated yawn.
Smiling to herself and shaking her head, her heels click past me and into the hall.
I trail after her out the door, staying several paces behind her, and decide to take my usual walk through the building.
Downstairs, people are still standing around in busy clusters, holding cupcakes.
Odd. I didn抰 order cupcakes today.
Through the murmurs, I hear the name Tillie more than once.
Beautiful.
My mother blowing in for a nostalgic hello is the last thing I need right now.
I抎 hate it when she 揹rops by to see old faces?if it didn抰 make her so damn happy. I have to admit it抯 an easy morale booster, too, when the entire office knows a visit from Matilda Burns means food and long breaks chitchatting.
Say goodbye to a productive day.
Scowling, I look high and low for raven chick, but don抰 spot her in any of the people clusters. I move to her desk, only to freeze in my tracks.
Mom is hunched over her in a spare chair, patting her on the back. Poe抯 face is a crushed red tomato.
Goddamn, this is bad.
Not only do I have to apologize now梐nd fucking mean it梐pparently, I have to do it with my mom standing watch like an empathic Doberman.
Before I can back out, their eyes flick to me.
揗other,?I say with a friendly nod before I glance over. 揗iss Poe.?
Nevermore won抰 even look at me.
揙h, Lincoln, you抮e just in time! I found this precious young thing with a heart sting in the break room. I had to pry it out of her, but she finally told me some thoughtless manager made a nasty comment about her ability to do her job due to her marital status in the middle of the meeting. Can you believe that??My mother抯 eyes flash violently like she wants to pull said idiot抯 throat out with her teeth. 揑 trust you plan on having a serious discussion with the perp. That抯 not how we do things here, especially to a new hire. When I was in charge, no manager would抳e dared breathe a single word of that BS.?
Fuck.
If only she knew what 搈anager?went tripping over his own dick.
Of course, Nevermore knows.
Beneath her sad eyes, she smirks at me like the venomous little devil she is behind my mom抯 bristling shoulder and immediately straightens her face.
Even those puffy eyes don抰 look quite so devastated anymore.
揑 promise I抣l look into it,?I grind out.
揟illie knew you would. She told me she抯 certain you抎 never let anyone talk down to your employees like that in your presence,?Poe says in an innocent way.
Damn her.
揂bsolutely not,?I say without hesitation.
Nevermore blinks. Her mouth forms a shocked and appalled 搊h,?but the shape of her full lips in my mind is far less innocent.
揂nd yet you were there, sitting beside me the whole time,?she whispers.
Mom抯 eyes lash from me, to her, and back to me again.
揕incoln Burns. I hope I don抰 need to be very disappointed in you,?Ma warns with a frown that almost rolls off her face.
Fucking hell. Am I sixteen again?
I run this entire company with well over a thousand people抯 lives in my hands. She can抰 just come barging in and treat me like a child, undermining my authority.
We have employees who have worked here since I was a kid, and they need to know who抯 boss. I抣l talk about my shortcomings, personal and professional, with my mother later.
For now, I need to deal with the little schemer who can throw me to the lions at a whim.
揥e wouldn抰 want that, would we, Mr. Burns??she asks too sweetly.
I glare at her.
揂nd why haven抰 you introduced me to this precious little thing before now, Lincoln? You know how much I adore my marketing bees. Without them, we抎 never move a dab of honey. Did you know she抯 a nationally renowned young poet? You should tell me when we get new faces梕specially such interesting ones!?Mom says, slapping her thigh.
揗other, you抮e retired. Forgive me if I won抰 drag you out of enjoying retirement for every minor change in the office,?I say flatly.
Her face goes blank, her lips form a straight line, and she stares me down.
Here we go. The mom look written large. I haven抰 seen it this severe since before I left for the Marines.
揑抣l make a note to introduce you next time,?I promise.
Satisfied, she nods and looks at Dakota. 揑 hope you can help my son sell wedding wear with a little heart. He doesn抰 know the first thing about weddings.?
揑抦 trying my best, but I抦 not really an expert, either. After all…there isn抰 even a ring on my finger, right, Mr. Burns??She looks up at me with a buttery laugh.
An ugly, strange contrast with the hurt flashing in her eyes.
揚ersonal experience in weddings hardly matters,?I say, leveling my gaze on her. 揑抦 confident you抣l research it the same skillful way you抎 research any assignment I give you, Miss Poe.?
揟rue. Your mom told me prom is the last time you really dressed up for a date. That had to be a while ago, huh??
Did she just call me old?
My stare sharpens, wishing I could melt her like a candle.
揘ot quite, I went to the military ball a couple of times.?
揌is friend抯 sister wanted to go,?Mom says with a muffled whisper.
Dakota laughs.
I抳e had enough. I push an agitated hand through my hair.
揓ames and Sally are in the back corner, Mother. They抳e both been talking about how much they miss the old days when you and Dad were at the helm. Why don抰 you go share some old stories??I motion to the older couple from accounting.
揂h, I抦 starting to see why! With the nonsense you抮e allowing, they might wonder if it抯 even the same company.?
I hold in a sigh.
揝till, you should go say hello.?
揑 will. Thanks, love.?She stands and saunters away with a quick peck on the cheek.
I watch my mom leave with a clenched fist and I take her seat.
揟hat was evil, Nevermore. Don抰 think your name gives you a pass to slash up every rule of office politics,?I growl.
Dakota shrugs. 揗eh, I don抰 know about that. I kinda thought a strong warning shot was warranted.?
揥arning shot? I抣l never hear the end of it now.?I fold my arms and stare into her soul.
揑抦 so sorry.?There抯 nothing sorry in her tone, but fuck if I care.
The little angel Anna Patel put on my shoulder reminds me I deserve it.
揃efore you riled up my mother, I came here to apologize,?I say.
揥hy? You have nothing to apologize for, but I do have a mountain of work. So maybe we can play catch-up and pour out our hearts another time??