Why?
揇ad? Who抯 she??a kid who looks like she might be nine or ten asks.
She抯 talking to Derek.
I drop my arms and stumble back, the blood draining from my face. My eyes trace from Derek to the kid who has his eyes and back to him.
揙h… You didn抰 tell me you had a daughter.?I抦 careful to keep my voice steady.
I抦 understanding and open-minded. He should have just told me.
Then a tall blonde holding a baby arrives at his side, her lips pursed in a razor-sharp line. 揇erek? Who抯 this??
His voice is arctic. 揈liza Angelo. She…she works with me. Huge surprise seeing her here.?
揑 do??It comes out so dry I almost choke.
What can I say? I抦 slow. It hasn抰 fully hit me yet like an avalanche.
揈liza, say hello to my lovely wife, Darlene.?He motions to the blonde with a look that says, say hello, and if you say anything else, I will slit your throat.
I have no idea what he says after that.
I抦 too blinded by stinging tears, frantically pushing through the thick crowd, my heart shattered like blown glass and already beginning to cut me to pieces.
Present
The aroma of fire-roasted coffee mixed with fresh coconut shavings and decadent chocolate snaps me back to the present.
Jesus. I抦 such a ghastly moron.
How could I ever let myself get close to an older rich man again?
I know their game.
Rich boys think they own the world. Women are just play things, easy and expendable.
Then. Now. Forever.
That抯 just the way of this pathetic world and all you can do is build a bunker around your heart. But I don抰 have time to mope around thanks to Derek or Cole or anything else.
I have a big coffee tasting coming up, and the timer just dinged for my taste batch. I just need to pack it up and get to the conference room.
I pull in a lady from the house staff and ask for a coffee urn.
She brings in the fanciest silver container I抳e ever seen. I transfer the coffee from the open pot I brewed it in.
揅an I please get some cups, too? And any chance you could put them in the conference room for me??I抦 not used to giving orders.
She nods respectfully. 揑 can do that. Do you think you can carry this? There抯 plenty of auxiliary staff standing by if you can抰， per Mr. Lancaster抯 instructions. He抯 always very helpful.?
I blink.
揕ancaster helps the help??I wonder out loud.
Whatever.
He抯 still a rich man with a past, and you抎 do well to remember it, a voice groans in the back of my head. You saw how he was practically drooling at you in your bikini. You抎 be his toy. Nothing more.
She smiles and nods. 揗y family has worked here for generations. The Lancasters are good people.?
揟hanks, but I抳e got it.?I manage to haul the heavy container to the conference room one baby step at a time.
By the time I make it there ten minutes later, they already have the cups set out.
Cole桵r. Lancaster, and I really should go back to calling him that梥ends a man to take the urn from me and set it up in the middle of the table. Not long after, people start filing in for the meeting.
Ugh. How do I get through this?
It抯 my first encounter with Lump since it happened. The jackass avoids making eye contact until he抯 finished his daily briefing.
He looks at me without a whisper of tension. He just smiles warmly and says, 揈liza, do you want to do the honors? This is your creation, after all.?
揑t抯 self-serve,?I say coldly.
揂nd you should take the credit. It already smells divine.?The bright twinkle in his eye hints that he doesn抰 just mean the coffee.
It takes major effort to keep the butterflies at bay. But I get up, take a paper cup, and start dispensing the coffee.
Once it抯 half full of black liquid, I pass it to the bosshole.
He brings the small cup to his lips and takes a slow sip. 揇elicious. The peaberry抯 natural sweetness stands on its own, even with the added undertones.?
I keep my face neutral.
It feels like it might crack.
揥ho knew R & D girls still played barista??I joke.
Curiosity flashes across his face as he tilts his head, but he quickly snuffs it out.
揊orm a line, people. That also means you, household staff,?he tells the crowd gathered in the room. 揈veryone should come taste this brilliance.?
Awesome. Now I抦 stuck playing barista for twenty people, but Cole helps, standing by to help pass out filled cups.
Everyone stops by later to tell me how delicious it is, how creative and hardworking I must be to have mastered this otherworldly beverage.
For my part, I stare at the floor, waiting for this meeting to be dismissed the same way you want a bad cold to end.
If Cole Lancaster wants to keep this strictly professional after kissing out my soul, fine.