Kate
Tuesday morning,I attempt to squeeze my way out of the crowded elevator in the building where my uncle’s company is located.
“Excuse me,” I say to the large man in a suit talking on his phone. He’s been arguing with the person on the other end ever since he stepped into the elevator.
He doesn’t budge.
I tap him on the back. “Excuse me.” Still no response.
The woman next to him steps to the side to let me through just as the doors are closing. I practically hurl myself through the opening…
And collide with a college-aged girl carrying a cardboard tray with Starbucks coffees.
Which are very hot.
And which I’m now wearing.
“Ohmigod, I’m so sorry,” she gushes, eyes wide.
“No, it was my fault.” Ignoring the burning liquid for a moment, I grab some money from my purse and hand it to her. “That should be enough to replace them. Could you tell me where the ladies’ room is?”
With her gaze still focused on my coffee-stained silk top, she points down the hallway. A fancy etched-glass door stands behind her, the doorway to my uncle’s company.
“Interesting look, cuz,” Troy says, approaching us from the direction she was just pointing. “I know you’re family, but you might have wanted to put a little more effort into your outfit.”
Coffee girl’s eyes widen some more and her face reddens, but I have a feeling that has nothing to do my newly stained outfit and everything to do with Troy.
I smirk at him. “You know me, always trying to put my best foot forward.”
“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” he says to me, then turns to Coffee Girl. “Grab one of my spare shirts in my desk and bring it to the restroom.”
Before either of us can say anything, he’s pushing me in the direction he came from. We duck into the ladies’ room.
“You do realize this isn’t the men’s room, right?” I say to him as we walk over to the sink. “And what’s with you and Coffee Girl?”
Yes, I’m full of questions this morning.
He grabs a bunch of paper towels from the dispenser and hands them to me. “Coffee Girl?”
I dab the stain with the towels. “Yes, the girl who was carrying coffee until I decided to repurpose my top.” I release a hard sigh. “This isn’t going to come out, is it?”
He shrugs. “Beats me. I don’t make it a habit of getting coffee dumped on me.”
“Okay, let’s get back to Coffee Girl. She obviously likes you.”
He lifts his shoulders in a shrug. “Not interested. She’s too young. Plus, I’ve got some other things in the works, so I’m definitely not interested.”
That gets my attention. “Do I know her? The thing that’s in the works?”
“It’s not that kind of thing.”
“So what is it?”
“Nothing you need to know about for now.”
The door opens and Coffee Girl enters, carrying a folded white shirt. She passes it to Troy, who takes it and practically dismisses her with a “Tell my father that Kate and I will be there in a minute.”
“Okay,” is all she says, face still flushed, before scurrying out of the room.
