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The guys rounded on him. “What is your problem, asshole? Is the fat-ass barista your girlfriend?”
He rolled his eyes and turned his back, mutteringto his friend.
Garrett’s body flashed hot and cold, and he hid his hands behind his back because they were turning into fists without his volition. “I would take the free advice, buddy, unless you want someone to revisit your lease…”
He looked over the guy’s shoulder, reading and repeating the name of the accounting firm printed on the glass.
“Our lease?” The jerk blinked several times. “Are you fucking serious? Who the hell do you think you are?”
The other guy elbowed him, his eyes widening in recognition.
“He owns the building,” loser number two hissed at his red-faced companion.
“I’m also on the board ofDe Olla,” he added with the scariest smile he could summon—the one that made his subordinates run for cover on those rare occasions they screwed up. “Which means the employee you’re harassing works forme.”
“We’re sorry, man,” the skinny one said, backpedaling fast enough to leave tread marks on the floor.
But the first one wasn’t budging, so Garrett gave him a verbal push. “I don’t think you need any more coffee today.”
“Nah, man, not from here.” Baldy shrugged, rolling his shoulders and sniffing loudly. He jerked his head at his friend. “The coffee here sucks. Let’s go to Starbucks,” he said, heading to the elevator without waiting for his friend.
Garrett watched the offender go, his posture transforming the farther he went. By the time he reached the elevator, Baldy was swaggering, as if leaving had been his idea.
When he turned back, the barista was standing at the coffee cart, staring at him. But it wasn’t a woman. It was a skinny white kid with a protruding Adam’s apple.
The kid didn’t look old enough to shave, but he had to be in college at the least. Garrett had edited the employment contract so the coffee company didn’t hire underage workers at this location. Everyone had to have a high school diploma to work in his building—part of how he ensured quality service for his tenants.
Not that all of them deserved it.
“Hey, thanks for saying something to those men,” the kid said, that huge Adam’s apple bobbing distractingly. He was holding a package of disposable coffee cups in front of him like a shield.
“They had to change Em back to the café downstairs because of the jerks on this floor.”
“They did?” Man, he shouldn’t have let those two pervs go with a warning. No, this was shaping up to be a systemic problem.
De Ollawasn’t obligated to let the building’s management know about every little problem they were having. The way they handled issues like this was up to their discretion. But he prided himself on how his company treated female staff.
Next Chapter staff was forty-four percent women, but Garrett was determined to get it to half—and not just with the administrative staff. His analyst, legal, and accounting teams were equally well represented.
“I’ll look into it, Kyle,” he promised after clocking his name tag. “In the meantime, can I have a cappuccino?”
“You got it,” the kid said with a wide smile. “And thanks again. Em shouldn’t have to get moved because of guys like that. It’s much harder working in the main café. It’s so much busier.”
“I’ll speak to Hector as soon as I get a chance.”
De Ollawas a new company. Their contract with Next Chapter was one of their first supplying a major office building. Maybe Hector Ortiz, the founder and general manager, didn’t know how to handle issues that brought them conflict with other businesses yet.
Garrett was going to have to step in. He wasn’t about to let everyday sexual harassment turn the atmosphere around here to shit. Not in his own building.
Kyle took a little longer than Garrett would have liked on his drink, but the delay was worth it when he took the cup. The kid has somehow managed to put a Superman-styleSon the foam of his cappuccino.
Snorting lightly, he saluted. Vowing to contactDe Ollaafter his London call, he hustled back upstairs.
Unfortunately, his conference call ran long. It was well after six by the time he was done. He stopped by the café on the way out, but it was already closed, the ground floorspace dark.
Vowing to speak to Hector before he started his day tomorrow, he decided to take Fletcher’s advice and go home for the night.
Naturally, Garrett overslept.