Office Grump An Enemies to Lovers Romance - Nicole Snow Page 0,43
grin since I can’t shift back into my normal poker face. That’s a first, too, and I don’t like it one bit.
“Welcome to the land of the living,” I tell her.
“Um—hi,” she says, picking herself up from my shoulder, her eyes widening. “Oh, no. Sorry.”
“Quite alright,” I whisper.
Lies.
What’s still happening below my belt is the very definition of not alright.
The flight attendant returns and sets my coffee down next to my laptop. She leans past me and goes to Sabrina’s side.
“Hello, Miss. You were asleep when I came by for refreshments.”
“Oh, that would be great,” Sabrina says. “Can I get some water?”
She nods. “Would you like your pastry heated or cold?”
“Pastry? Is it in a fridge or at room temperature?”
“Room temperature,” the flight attendant says.
“Cold is fine.” Sabrina drops the blanket around her and pushes it back in the bag.
“Would you like coffee as well?”
Sabrina reclines in her overstuffed leather chair. “Yes, please. If you could put it in an IV that would be perfect.”
“I’m afraid this flight only serves drinks orally.” The attendant winks. “I have a dark roast Kona and a cinnamon latte today. What would you like?”
“Cinnamon latte, please.”
“Coming right up.” The flight attendant walks away.
I look over at Sabrina until she meets my eyes. “You know those sugary lattes are the reason you think you need a caffeine drip.”
“Coffee’s so bitter. I can’t handle it without the milk and sugar,” she says.
I take a long swallow of my drink.
“Coffee with sugar in it doesn’t even give me the same buzz.”
She laughs, flipping her brown hair back over her shoulder. “I’m not surprised the black coffee isn’t too bitter for you. Kind of seems like a perfect match.”
“Touché,” I say. Time to get serious now. We have a deal to close. “I sent you a list of things I need before the meeting this afternoon. We’re going to secure this brand if it kills us, because this could be the key to unlocking the entire fashion industry for HeronComm. I’ve been vying for an in there forever, but they tend to stick with old-school New York ad companies.”
She puts two fingers to her head and salutes me. “Yeah, I glanced at everything you sent over last night. I’ll have it done within the hour.”
She reaches down and pulls her laptop out of her messenger bag with a yawn.
Fine, I’m impressed. I didn’t expect her to read her emails before the flight. But does she have to be so snarky?
The flight attendant returns. “Here you are.”
Brina looks up and smiles. She takes the latte I had sealed in a thermos and the pastry from the flight attendant and sets them down before she sees the logo. “Oh my gosh! This is Sweeter Grind. How?”
Her smile rivals the sun, just as intense as the happy gleam in her eyes.
“I made a stop this morning,” I say flatly.
She needs to know it was nothing.
“Well, thank you for stocking the plane with my favorites.” She picks up the latte and takes a long gulp.
Her excitement disarms me so much I decide not to mention her crude taste in coffee.
She breaks off a piece of her pastry and stuffs it in her heart-shaped mouth, melting back in her seat with a grateful smile. I’m glad it perks her up and puts an extra jolt into her work for the remainder of the flight.
When we land, she struggles to pick her bag up again, so I carry hers and my own.
“Do you think I have time to order another coffee before the car comes?” she asks.
I look at my watch. “Make it fast.”
Sabrina saunters off and Ruby steps up beside me.
“I’m kind of jealous,” she says. “I’ve worked here for how many years? And I’ve never once had the boss carrying my luggage.”
I laugh it off with a shrug.
“She couldn’t pick it up. If I’d made her, she would’ve dropped it twenty times and it would take us all day to get out of here. This was easier.”
Ruby watches like a hawk while Sabrina exits and heads inside the airport. “She doesn’t have the usual bounce in her step. Poor girl. She’s exhausted.”
“She went for a coffee run, and she was well caffeinated during the flight. She’ll be back to normal in time for the meeting.”
“Let’s hope it’s the same for you,” Ruby grumbles.
But before I can pull her back to wonder what the hell she means, she’s gone, pulling her roller suitcase behind her.