Rules of Payne (Cake Love Book 1)

by Elizabeth Lynx

  I stood and walked her toward the door. “Morgana, what I was saying before Zooey came back was—”

  She placed her hand on my arm and gave a friendly squeeze. “It was nice to see you, Henrik. I’m sure we will see each other again sometime.”

  Before I could say anything, she was out the door.

  That was it. I pushed her away one too many times, and she finally had enough.

  Wasn’t this what I wanted for so long? To have sex with her and never see her again.

  Looks like I got my wish.

  THIRTY-FIVE

  Payne’s Rule

  Sometimes the devil can be your best ally.

  Something felt off.

  Everything looked the same. The conference room had the same black leather swivel chairs with one lengthy oblong table filling the room.

  Jacob and Edgar were their usual happy, relaxed selves. Jacob even threw in a silly joke that everyone laughed at like clockwork.

  Yet, as I gazed around the room while Zooey went over the points of our mission, I couldn’t help but sense something unusual. My eyes wandered, and I was so distracted that I almost didn’t see it.

  Satan herself.

  Evaleen Bechmann.

  She was nearly invisible in her frumpy burgundy pantsuit, seeming to blend into the carpeting. Bechmann wasn’t paying attention to Zooey, she was staring at me. Her eyes bore into mine as a wrinkle appeared on her brow. She looked like she was trying to figure something out or maybe it was just age lines.

  “What do you say, Henrik?” Jacob’s voice zapped me out of Bechmann’s voodoo gaze.

  “What?”

  “Giving Ms. Mayer a tour of the building. I have a feeling we are going to see a lot more of you two once we invest in your venture.”

  Jacob had somehow forgiven me for what I said about Morgana and how I tried to steal her idea. I had no idea why as I never explained to him that I did it so he would fire me. That I hoped he would consider Morgana for the Executive Development Program. I guess our history together helped him look past my indiscretions.

  “Please, Mr. Mimir, call me Zooey.”

  “Only if you call me Jacob. Now how about that tour?”

  Everyone got up but I remained seated and kept my eyes on Bechmann.

  “Do you mind if I sit this one out Jacob, as I already know the building? Besides, I have a question for Ms. Bechmann.”

  Bechmann stopped mid-rise from her seat and stared over at me.

  “Of course, Henrik. You two behave yourselves while I’m gone.” Jacob chuckled and I heard him mention to Zooey that Bechmann and I had a history of not playing nicely together as they left the room.

  He stated it much better than I would.

  “Bechmann.”

  “Payne.”

  “I guess I should thank you for this meeting. I hear you contacted Zooey about Mimir being interested in a new venture to invest in.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “I find it interesting that not only were they interested in the exact type of venture as R. Payne Works, but that you somehow knew to contact Zooey about it.”

  “It’s called Google, Payne. I guess I gave you too much credit and thought you knew how to use the Internet.”

  I nodded. “Of course. You just thought, ‘Hey, I’ll look up Payne’s new company and contact them about doing work with Mimir.’ Given all the soft fuzzy feelings we have for each other that makes total sense.”

  Evaleen began to shift in her seat like she had to take a terrible shit but couldn’t get up.

  “I’m not telling you a thing, Payne.”

  Evaleen Bechmann was smart. Probably the smartest woman I knew. If this were her idea, she wouldn’t have been so obvious about it. She had to know that it would get back to me that she contacted Zooey.

  “I think you will.”

  Evaleen stopped shifting. I guess the turd had traveled back up the canal, for now.

  “And what makes you think that? You don’t work here anymore, and if I’m not mistaken, there has been no contract signed with your company so I don’t have to say anything to you.”

  She began to stand, leaning over the table across from me. “I have been waiting for this day for years. Maybe that’s why I contacted Zooey. To get you in here so I could finally tell you what I think about you. Henrik Payne, you are the biggest piece of sh—”

  “You are blue eyes.”

  She faltered. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed a few times before finally finding words, “Of course I have blue eyes. Don’t tell me you have gone blind as well as dumb?”

  The bitter act began to break. Instead of eyes that lashed out at me, they bounced around the room. Instead of a steeled edge to her words, they wobbled, never quite finding stability.

  “Of course, you have blue eyes, Bechmann. But I think you know what I’m talking about.”

  She sat back down to gather herself. “Maybe I do, but that doesn’t stop you from being an asshole. What? You thought you could just throw some nugget of information at me, something personal and I would melt like poor diluted Grace?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Her eyes narrowed and she raised her finger at me. “What are you playing at?”

  “I’m sorry for all the years I treated you poorly. All the times I called you names and yelled at you. For being a Payne to you.”

  For all her intelligence and hardened control, she didn’t expect me to say those words. Everything changed in her demeanor. Her face relaxed and for a moment, I got what men saw in her. She was beautiful. That edge softened, almost turned sweet, as her blue eyes shined up at me.

  “You are apologizing? That’s not supposed to happen. You are the jerk, making asinine comments and I give it right back to you. That’s how it has always been, well, almost always.”

  “About that. How did this all start? I know I’m not the most liked person here, but what did I do that had you singling me out? For the life of me, I don’t recall.”

  Evaleen twisted her head toward the door as if deciding that walking out of the room was the only answer to my question. After a moment, she turned back toward me. “It was about six years ago, I had just started at Mimir a few weeks earlier. It was someone’s birthday, so there was cake in the conference room on the executive floor. I stood near you and Edgar but wasn’t part of your conversation. I overheard Edgar saying, ‘She seemed really nice when I met her.’ I looked over at him and he was staring right at me. I figured you both were talking about me, the new hire. I admit, I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, but I was new and wanted to make sure I was making a good impression, especially with the people running the company.”

  She laughed a little before shaking her head. “That’s when you stated, ‘The Ice Queen wouldn’t know how to be nice if it came and gave her a nice kiss on the ass.’ I was floored at how you described me. I always tried to be serious and a hard worker but never had I once been described like that before. I set up a meeting with you to find out why you said that, and when I asked if I had done anything to offend you, you looked me straight in the eye and said yes. You described the tremendous amounts of errors in the HR paperwork and complained about the delays in various HR meetings. Obviously, someone was at fault so, and I quote, ‘It must be the new girl because who else would fuck up in this manner,’ end quote.”

  I didn’t remember any of this. I would never have called an employee Ice Queen. There was only one other person I ever described like that.

  “From that point on, I hated you. I set it upon myself to make your working life at the company a living hell. If I had a chance to make your job a little bit harder or make you work later, I did it.” Evaleen’s arms crossed over her chest, glaring at me. If what she said was true then I didn’t blame her for hating me all these years.

  “I’m so sorry, Evaleen. I don’t remember that specific conversation with Edgar, but I do know that the only person I ever called an Ice Queen was my mother. He must
have been discussing my family’s death, which I didn’t like to talk about. I was probably in a bad mood and wanted to end the conversation. Calling your dead mom an Ice Queen usually shuts people up.”

  I chuckled before continuing, “I never would have said that about an employee, especially a new hire. I didn’t know you. As for the way I treated you when you asked if you offended me, well that was all me. I was an asshole for a very long time. If it wasn’t already glaringly obvious, I have a lot of anger issues.” I tried my best to smile, but that seemed to cause Evaleen to frown.

  “For a long time, I thought the best way to deal with people was to just point out the mistakes, even if it wasn’t their fault. I am sure you weren’t responsible for the errors in the forms and meeting schedules. I know for a fact that you were too junior at the time to have any control in scheduling mishaps. You just happened to be in front of me at the time and made the mistake of asking me if I had a problem. I’m sorry. That was no way to treat you. I hope you can forgive me.”

  As much as I didn’t get along with Evaleen, I would like her forgiveness. I admired her hard work and loyalty to the people she cared about. None of this was easy for me and based on the large pit stains I could feel on my shirt, I think Evaleen knew that too.

  If she wanted me to suffer over that, she was doing a good job. Her silence seemed to be her answer.

  I was about to get up to go find the others when I heard her. The words soft, barely audible and I wondered if I imagined it.

  “What?”

  “I said, I forgive you, Payne. Now don’t think I am going to give you hugs and send you a Christmas card or anything. But, I will tolerate you now. No more snarky comments. Unless the situation warrants it, then I can’t be held accountable for snark.”

  I smiled. Getting up I threw my arms open and walked toward her.

  “Come here,” I said.

  “What? I said no hugs. No hugs.”

  She jumped out of her seat and yelped, racing toward the door. I stopped and watched her as she struggled to get the door open. I was laughing by the time she had turned the handle.

  Evaleen stopped and turned toward me as she was halfway out the door. “It was Drake. She had me contact Zooey.”

  My laughter faded as the door closed behind her.

  THIRTY-SIX

  Morgana’s Problem

  Cake

  “I’m just saying we are both new execs here and should stick together. Bond. Maybe over dinner.”

  Jamie’s tongue flicked over his teeth after he finished talking. His leg was propped up on my desk next to me giving me a perfect eye-to-crotch view of him.

  My fingers slipped over to the phone’s intercom to buzz my assistant Lexi, but she wasn’t there. I noticed the time. 11:02 a.m. The Brooks Bomb.

  I was stuck here.

  Lexi had taken my advice when I hired her on Monday and made sure to go on break at eleven o’clock every day. Now I was helplessly trapped by Novak’s Nuts. He always managed to flash his bulge whenever he cornered women.

  The ladies in Accounting came up with the nickname. We had both been back for a couple weeks from New York and he already had a reputation.

  I knew what he was like from my time in New York as his roommate. Unfortunately for Jamie, I warned the ladies and a few men here of how he operated.

  “I have a meeting.”

  He leaned back undeterred. “You have a meeting at dinner? I haven’t even told you when we should get together.”

  “Let me check my calendar.” I reach over to pick up a blank pad of paper. “Yup, dinner meetings all week. And the weekend. Being an executive is a lot of work, Jamie.”

  “Don’t I know it.” He bent over flicking at a strand of my hair and curling it behind my ear.

  There was a buzzing sound and I glanced around for my phone lying on the desk. Jamie pulled his out of his pocket and held it up.

  “It’s me. Crap. I’ve got to go, Morgana, but just think about it. I give good dinner.” He backed away from me and placed his hand over his nose as he dashed out the door.

  “Close the door,” I yelled after him but he left it ajar.

  I groaned as I got up to close it. My tired legs made me wonder if I should have just wheeled myself over in my chair. It may be lazy but since I haven’t been sleeping well these past few days, I didn’t like using body parts if it wasn’t necessary.

  Returning to my desk, my phone buzzed. Lifting it, I saw a text from Aria.

  Road trip has commenced. Will miss you. Meet us in Vegas on Saturday.

  I smiled.

  Evaleen and Tiffany were going to Los Angeles with Aria. She and Alexander got into some fight and she was flying to LA to make up with him and then there was going to be a road trip back. Alexander ran away to LA or went there for some rich shut-in’s conference. I didn’t remember everything she told me, but he won’t speak to her.

  Aria was a little vague on the details. I promised I would fly out on the weekend.

  Vegas baby! I’ll be there but have to head back on Sunday for work. Will miss you. Have a good trip.

  Now that I thought about it, Vegas might be a good distraction. I could try to find Tiffany a man, especially for one night. Focusing on making her happy would be a good way to keep my mind off Henrik.

  Seeing him at Wake Up Joe’s really threw me. Not just being there next to him but how he defended me and helped me with Trevor. I wanted to hug him and curl up into his body, but I knew what would happen if I did that.

  We would go to his place and have sex and then at some point, he would walk away. Making up some excuse as to why we couldn’t be together. I just don’t think my heart can take that anymore.

  I loved him and was so proud that he was doing something he cared about that helped so many, but I also loved my heart too.

  “Aww. Thanks, Morgana. I love you too. But I love Henrik as well. I was willing to risk a little heartache for some more time with him.” Heart sighed wistfully while glancing out the window.

  “Me too, Morgana. I would have put up with a lot of ache for more time with Henrik,” Vagina added her two cents.

  “You know Morgana, his idea for his company was a smart investment, not just as a business venture for Mimir but how it helps people. I never thought I would say this, but I was starting to like him.” Brain caused everyone, even Vagina, to stare at her.

  I know you all mean well, but I don’t think our relationship was meant to be. We were like a shaken pop bottle, ready to explode at any time. I need something less volatile in my life. A man who is ready to settle down and do what it takes to win me over.

  I could hear them sigh, but they nodded their heads in agreement with what I said.

  Glancing around the room, I realized how different it was just over six months ago. I was sitting in that chair on the other side of the desk nervously answering Henrik’s question during my interview with him.

  A smile crept up my lips, laughing at what a fool I made of myself. Fainting. I had worked myself up so much, thinking that was my one chance to make it in the world, and now here I sat.

  I thought all this would make me happy. To an extent it has, but now I walk out the lobby door at night and head home to an empty apartment. Will I be happy then? All my friends seem to have lives that involve me less and less, except Evaleen. I don’t think she would truly let anyone into her life. She kept her friendship at a distance.

  Maybe I should take a class. Maybe auto mechanics. I don’t own a car, but I make enough now I could go buy one. That’s what I’ll do, become a grease monkey on the side.

  Or maybe I’ll just take up gardening.

  “Ms. Drake, there is a man here to see you.” Lexi’s static voice came through the phone intercom. The Brooks Bomb must have dissipated.

  I pressed the button. “Send him in.”

  I had a lunch meeting with the Denton people. Noticing it’s only eleven thirty I suspected they were early.

  The door opened an
d so did my mouth. The silver of his hair caught the fluorescent light to appear a lime color.

  “Winston. What are you doing here?”

  He was carrying a square basket with a flat lid. Winston came to a stop on the other side of my desk. I got up, but he held up his hand to stop me.

  “To serve you your tea cake, Miss.”

  Having spent a week in London, I learned tea was served in the middle of the afternoon, not at lunchtime. But I wasn’t about to argue with him. He was British after all. If he wanted to serve me tea cake in the morning, then I would happily take it in the morning.

  The lid opened as he got to work removing items from the basket. “Your carrot ginger tea cake.” He placed a small white saucer in front of me with a slice of orange cake slathered in white icing.

  “Utensil.” A silver fork was placed perfectly beside the plate.

  He removed a beautiful teacup with matching saucer. They were white, trimmed in gold with a design of blue branches and birds. Placing them catty-corner to my cake plate and taking out a silver thermos, he poured what looked like tea into the cup.

  He finished everything off with a silver dish filled with white cubes of sugar and a tiny silver pitcher of cream. Once he was done, he took out a white linen napkin and with a flick of his wrist unfolded it.

  Winston came around to my side. “May I?”

  I pushed my seat out as he placed the napkin in my lap. Before I could ask anything, he grabbed the basket and left.

  What was that about?

  Maybe he heard I took over Henrik’s old job and this was his way to impress me. I might have to look into my budget to see if I could afford a butler because this was everything. I may have to cut back a little to pay him. I could go without my morning lattes; maybe even drop Netflix. Also, did I really need three meals a day?

  I scooted forward and felt something poke me in my hip. Looking down I noticed a white envelope in my lap. Winston must have left it there with the napkin. It was probably his résumé.