Page 14 of Semi Sweet (Working For Love #1)

A few days later, when there were no Quitteros lurking around the store, the front end was lit up with energy. Spirits were so high, people who normally ignored me or were critical of me acknowledged my presence.

"Come join us for the disco masquerade," I read with an eyebrow raised. "The cats will be away, so let's play."

Added to the quickly printed note were the words “and drink” with thick black sharpie.

"Interesting…" The flyer must have made its way through several departments, as it was creased and wrinkled. "What exactly is a disco masquerade?"

Several front end girls who usually kept to themselves decided to congregate by my courtesy desk.

Morale was definitely high because these were the girls that usually gossiped about me, rolled their eyes at me, and made rude comments.

I was too excited myself to be wary or depressed by this development.

As the flyer had stated, the Quitteros were about to leave for a five day business trip and were busy tying up loose ends at corporate. Even Russel was leaning against his podium several yards away, looking equally relaxed as the girls pondered what the strange party might be like.

"Everyone will probably wear masks and they'll play every ABBA and Bee Gees song that ever existed," Ariana guessed, before she whispered that she heard human resources and the department managers were probably hosting because they had to deal with the Quitteros more than the little underlings did.

This was not the first time a party like this had been planned when Evan's family was away. I’d worked at Cash Value Market for so long, I knew these celebrations happened at least twice a year.

They would move things around in the shipping and receiving warehouse in the back of the store so people could congregate and dance, and there was always an over the top theme.

I'd been to costume parties and ugly Christmas sweater celebrations, just to name a few.

I wondered if the Quitteros were oblivious to what their employees did behind their backs or if they found these wild parties to be a strange form of flattery.

"Olivia, you cannot go!" Meg, who was rude even on a good day, demanded. "You'll rat us out and ruin all of our fun."

Oof, so much for being included. I was almost offended when both girls giggled at my expense, but this was on the nicer side of jabs. They weren't talking about me behind my back. I tried to be tough, but it was so off base.

"Please," I replied, trying to seem strong to show they weren't getting to me. "No one is happier than me that Evan and his family are going to be away."

I meant every word. No judgement. No stuffy dinners.

No treating me like I was an ignorant child whose life hadn't started yet.

I also wanted to mention I'd been going to these parties before I was of the legal drinking age and probably before they were hired, but I figured it was pointless to argue.

"I want to believe you," Meg said, "but how can I? I mean, you share a bed with a Quittero. You are practically the enemy."

I felt my hackles rise, but never had a chance to bite back because someone cleared their throat behind me. I blushed when I realized someone had been standing at my counter without me realizing it.

It was Sean, without his hat or white work coat, holding a hundred dollar bill in his hand.

Typically one of his clerks would walk over to the front end to ask for change.

Had he been in one of the offices? Why was he currently standing in my territory?

I continued to be rattled by his presence.

I found it interesting how my pulse quickened at the sight of him.

He was wearing a white tee shirt with the logo of a well-known DJ underneath his open dress shirt. I wondered if he was into techno music if he liked the shirt enough to wear it at work.

"Need change?" I asked, voice catching.

"Yeah," he said with a curt nod.

I took the money and opened my drawer with a few taps to my touch screen, willing myself to have steady hands so the girls didn’t notice my nerves.

"Nice shirt." I was desperate to talk to anyone that wasn't judging me for a nanosecond.

Sean smiled, not a smirk, but a full-fledged grin that spread to his entire face. It added to the mischievous sparkle that was usually in his eyes. It was like he was radiating the sun and I needed that warmth around me more.

"Thanks."

I wanted to ask him more, like if he had seen them live or who else he liked, but Meg started talking and snapped me back to reality.

"Hey bakery guy," she called and I watched his smile turn to a glower.

"He has a name, you know," I said as I handed him an assortment of change for the bakery's register. I put my arm out to introduce him. "His name is Sean."

Meg heaved a sigh, apparently thinking this information was unnecessary. "Okay, Sean the bakery guy. Are you going to the disco masquerade?"

"Oh, that's right, this is the store that throws a rager every time the Quitteros go on a business trip."

"See!" I exclaimed. "If he knows that and came from another store, then I won't ruin anything!"

"Right," Meg answered, not really paying attention. "Well, are you going? The old manager, Paul, was ancient and didn't do anything fun. You are young enough to still be cool."

Sean had a look on his face like he regretted coming up to the front end and should have sent one of his employees instead.

"Tough call," he mused. "See a bunch of dingbat girls and my employees get stupid drunk or stay home and watch TV with my dog?" He started to walk away. "Hmm..."

"Dingbats?" Meg said. "How rude."

"Nah, I heard the serious thing with him is all an act," Ariana contested. "I'm friends with one of the cleaning guys and he told me Sean has it bad for someone that works here. They overheard him asking his clerks about a girl's relationship status. Apparently someone up front."

The pair began to guess who it could possibly be and gossiped about Sean further.

They ultimately decided he had a handsome face, but he was far too tall to be hot.

I watched him walk back to his department and my face was warm as I tried to process things.

I couldn't picture him mixing business with pleasure.

I couldn't imagine him putting himself in a vulnerable situation by telling someone that he had feelings for a girl.

I tried to tell myself that Sean probably wasn't the pining or flirting type.

But then again, maybe I didn't know him.

He'd only been at the store for a couple of months.

***

I saw my name on the bakery box before anyone called out to me. I was anxious as I walked over, thinking of what I'd written, wondering if this was when the person I had been corresponding with finally gave up because it was too risky or weird or something.

I shouldn’t have been okay with this. I was nearly twenty-five, after all.

Evan told me almost everyday I was too old for games and life wasn't like the stories I wrote.

Despite this, my heart was beating twice as fast as it had been talking about Sean as I waited for today's clerk to see me and figure out why I was standing there.

Then I was moving to my booth and collecting myself as I tried to think of what my mystery person would have to say.

Today's cupcake was simple. It was the biggest one I’d received yet, with tasty white buttercream that I enjoyed after I snapped a photo.

I captioned it sweet and simple before I posted it to my Semi Sweet account.

Sure enough, there was another note folded inside.

I noticed that it was written by hand this time.

The handwriting was sloppy and hard to read, just as it had been with the first gift, and I tried to decipher the words.

I'll keep it simple.

I hope that's okay.

Do me a favor:

Listen to what I say.

I see the pain.

You don't hide it very well.

You don't love him;

It's easy to tell.

You deserve better,

And no, it doesn't have to be me.

I mean, I'd treat you like gold

But I just want you to see

That you matter,

That you're allowed to have a dream.

You should be happy

So don't take one for the team.

I can't expose my identity,

You'll have to settle for this tryst.

You asked if you have my heart–

Olivia, you've got it by the fist.

Underneath the poem was an additional line:

Are you going to the party?

I didn't know what was more shocking–what the contents of the poem had revealed or the fact that my vision was blurry and my cheeks were wet.

"Oh my God," I whispered. "Oh my God."

Here I thought I had my conflicted feelings about Evan under control and this person, whoever they were, was able to see right through it.

I tried to tell myself that I was strong, like a warrior, and yet I felt like someone caught me doing something dirty and scandalous.

I was going to be a Quittero, I should have been happy!

More so, I should have been disgusted by this note, but instead I found myself weeping over this person that had no face, or at least none I recognized.

How could someone who hid behind notes and gestures make me feel this way?

Was it desperation? Or was this the kind of love I had always wanted to feel but never had a chance to find because Evan sucked me in?

I looked at my phone and saw it was already time to go back. I tried to dry my eyes, but I had a feeling it would still be obvious I’d cried.

I made my way to the bakery and Sean was there, almost staring into space as I approached. I clenched my fists to give myself strength. I held up the note and saw his eyes grow wide at the sight of it. I was too busy trying to control my emotions to put much thought into what that meant.

"You," I said, and my voice cracked. "I don't have time to grill you for the details, but I know you're helping whoever this is. You have too much at stake to let this happen without knowing about it."

I bit my lip because he was starting to become a white blob. Damn me for crying right now. I hated seeming weak. It reminded me of all the dumb decisions that led me to the life I was currently living. I clenched my fists so hard my fingers hurt.

"Tell him yes."

I wasn't sure when I fully committed to my mystery gifter being male, but there was no taking it back once it was out.