Ella came rushing back into the kitchen. She was alone. She did not look pleased with him. “She left, thanks to you. What was that? We’ve all burned cupcakes before. Don’t you think you were a little hard on her?”
Donovan scrubbed his face with a shaky hand. The adrenaline driving his actions for the past few minutes seeped out of him like the air out of a popped balloon. “I screwed that up, didn’t I?”
She gave him the look all younger sisters and pseudo younger sisters gave older siblings when they realized they could screw up like everyone else. “Yep. Sure did.”
The excuses of the past few days, with the mounting evidence of slowing sales, the mounting evidence that he didn’t have everything under control in any aspect of his life, weren’t enough. He shouldn’t have lost his cool like that.
Concern about Jada’s well-being, an adrenaline rush all on its own, had consumed him. First, he entered the room full of smoke, unsure if the room was on fire. Then, Jada cried out in pain. The only way to control it was to focus on the task at hand. But then that task had come to an end. And he’d gotten worked up about something really inconsequential. So no, not his finest moment. As much as Jada drove him up the wall, she didn’t deserve that.
He offered up a half smile to Ella. “Love you too, kid.”
She didn’t look appeased by his admission. “What are you going to do to fix it?”
He sighed. “I’ll figure something out.”
He nodded to August, then made his way back to his office. He had to make this right. Somehow. He pulled up the email from Mrs. T’s assistant. Great, there it was. Jada’s cell number.
He dialed quickly, but she didn’t pick up.
That didn’t mean she was actively ducking his call. Donovan rolled his shoulders, seeking some relief from the guilt twisting his muscles into knots. A lot of people didn’t answer calls from strange numbers. He snapped his fingers. Texting. Yes!
What should he say? He tapped out a message.
Hey, it’s Donovan.
Not great, but it got the job done.
She left him on “read.”
He tried again.
I’d like to talk.
No response. Damn. What now?
Then it hit him. His fingers flew across the phone. He sent her a message that would undoubtedly get her to do his bidding.
“What’s with the evil smile?” Ella called out as she passed his open door.
Donovan’s grin widened. Evil genius more like it.
* * *
Be here tomorrow morning at 9 A.M. Or else.
Jada stared at her phone, willing the autocratic text message to change.
Or else?
What did that mean? How dare he? That uppity, starched-shirt principal! Nobody talked to her that way. Well, except for her parents, but she’d put distance between them. Everyone else got a piece of her mind. So she would give him a piece of her mind.
“Except he’s kinda your boss, so I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Olivia said after Jada ranted for a full ten minutes. She’d come over right after work after receiving Jada’s SOS text.
“I thought you were on my side,” Jada countered with a huff as she took another lap around her living room.
Olivia sent her a look. “I am on your side, which is why I’m telling you not to go full G.I. Jada on him.”
“But he’s so insufferable! Did you see his text?”
Her friend’s curls bounced as she nodded. “Yes, you’ve shown it to me approximately twenty times since I arrived. You also told me he took care of you after you burned yourself. Maybe he was worried about you and didn’t know how to express those emotions in a positive way.”
“Hmmph.” Would she be a terrible person if she ignored that logic and stayed mad? Jada crossed her arms, not really caring. “Why didn’t you tell me he played for my grandmother’s team?”
Olivia arched an eyebrow. “I was about to until you said your encounter with him was my fault and then I almost lost my cupcake and got distracted.”
Jada groaned, dropping her head into her free hand. “This is a disaster.”
“Well, at least you get to eat the product.”
Jada stopped pacing to side-eye her BFF. “Really?”
Olivia shrugged. “I’m trying to find the bright side.” She snapped her fingers. “Oh, wait. I thought of another one. You get to work for three fine-as-hell men, one of whom really wants to talk to you and knew exactly the right thing to say to catch your attention. Maybe you should listen.”