Page 54 of Not In The Contract

“Hello, dear,” she greeted warmly, offering me a chipper smile. “What can I get for you?”

“Um, I’d like a tall flat white with cinnamon and a chocolate croissant, please?” I said uncertainly.

“Will that be all, dear?”

I hesitated for a second. “Make it two, please,” I added.

She nodded with a smile and pottered about, making the drinks and then turning to pack two fluffy croissants into quaint little cardboard boxes. She packed both boxes into a brown paper bag and slotted the drinks into a holder.

“There you are,” she said, and I paid quickly, thanking her before jogging back to the car.

In the car, the smell of the coffee and croissants was heavenly, and my stomach grumbled. We pulled up to the office building a few minutes before nine, and I walked as quickly as I could with scalding coffee in my hands. When the elevator dinged open on Alex’s floor Katya’s head peeked around the wall, her long dark hair falling over her shoulder.

“Come on,” she whispered, waving me over furiously. “You made it right on time.”

“What do you mean?” I whispered back, making to hand over the food and coffee, but she shook her head.

“You take it to her,” she said with a conspiratorial smile. “It’s a peace offering; you can thank me later.”

“Can I just leave mine here for now?” I asked, too wired to ask why or even thank her then and there.

“Yeah, sure.”

I inhaled and forced my feet to move before my anxiety could convince me to tuck tail and run. The door to Alex’s office stood slightly ajar, and I nudged it open with my hip, knocking lightly.

“Come in.”

Alex didn’t look up as I walked in, and I didn’t speak either. I walked to her desk and set the coffee and plated croissant on her desk next to her.

She glanced down and her face lit up in delighted surprise. “Katya, how did you-”

She paused as she looked up at me, shock flashing in her eyes briefly before she schooled her face into a calmer expression. “Oh.”

18. On Second Thought

Alex

Theirritationscuttlingbeneathmy skin died the moment the scent of cinnamon coffee hit my nose. When I looked up I expected Katya’s teasing grin, maybe a, “You looked like you needed it.”

I hadnotexpected Devon to be standing in front of my desk, fingers laced in front of her and her gaze trained on the croissant. Without a word, she sat down in the only available chair and waited.

I glared at her, my mind working a mile a minute. Because, frankly, I should befuriouswith her. I’d left the house late because I’d stupidly waited for her, thinking she’d come bolting down the stairs at any moment, only to find myself staring at the vacant staircase.

My driver hadn’t said a word when I got in the car, my lip curled in distaste. And I’d barely said a single word more than necessary from the moment I’d stepped foot in the office. My anger boiled under the surface, threatening to explode the second someone else tried to disappoint me. It wasn’t fair, I was more than aware of that.

Some logical, quiet part of me acknowledged that Devon’s lack of an internal clock wasn’t what had me riled to the point of insanity. Before I could even thank her for picking up my favorite coffee, Jean scurried into the office, her eyes wide.

“What is it now?” I half groaned, ready to hang my head in defeat.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, her eyes flicking between Devon and me. “I just got a call from David, he says there’s been a bit of an emergency at the orphanage site.”

Devon’s head cocked almost imperceptibly but she kept her gaze lowered.

“Is it a forest fire?” I asked, and Jean lifted one shoulder in a half shrug.

“I wouldn’t say it’s aforestfire.” She winced. “More of a bonfire.”

“Good, then tell him to talk to Ronelle and keep me posted only if it becomes an actual forest fire.”