I’ll be happy to call him something.
“Yes, Jacob. Mr. Mimir is here to meet with you.”
“Edgar’s there? Oh, send him in. He will want to hear the good news.”
She waved me forward and I opened the door. My brother’s office was big. The biggest in the building. When he first picked it out of all the rooms in the building I didn’t think much of it. It made sense that the president and founder of the company had the biggest office.
But now it seemed garish to me. The gold frames that held pictures of dignitaries and celebrities he had met just behind him on a table for all to see. It made sense now. He wanted everyone to know how big he was, how important he was. My brother wanted to intimidate them with his office.
The problem was, he never intimidated me. Not once in my life was I scared of my big brother. Even when he threw punches when we were kids and Mom wasn’t looking. I never cried. Because he was family and I knew he still loved me.
Now I wonder if he was capable of love? To put so many people at risk. His own workers lives just for some false power or dirty money.
My brother stood and walked around the desk with his arms stretched as I entered. “Edgar, have you heard the news?”
That you’re a common criminal? Yeah, I figured it out.
I shook my head.
“Henrik is getting married. Can you believe it? He finally realized how great having people to love really is.” My brother smiled, pulling both me and Henrik into a hug.
If anything would shock me into temporarily forgetting about my brother being a crook, it was news of Henrik getting married.
“Congratulations, Henrik.” I smiled and shook his hand after my brother let go of us.
My brother patted Henrik on the back. “We’ll throw an engagement party next week.”
“Okay, well I have to get going. Got to head back to work. Just wanted to stop by to tell you in person. You helped me so much when I needed it most, Jacob, that I wanted you to be the first one I told.” Henrik was unusually emotional.
Love changes a person.
They hugged before Henrik left. If anything, that upset me even more. Henrik looked at Jacob like a big brother too, and he had no idea how my brother had let him down.
I turned on him and dug my finger into his chest. “Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on.”
My brother’s eyes widened before they skated around the room looking for help but finding none.
He sighed and went to sit at his desk. “How long have you known?”
“I just figured it out. Jacob, how could you? This is your company.”
My brother shook his head. “I can’t tell you much, Edgar, because I don’t want to see you hurt. But know I am doing this for the people I love.”
FORTY-TWO
Evaleen
October 31, 5 Years Ago
Edgar held the door of the coffee shop open for me and ushered me outside.
The cool breeze was refreshing and everything felt electric. When I glanced at him he smiled but turned his head toward the street so that I wouldn’t notice his blush. But it was there. And it made me start to wonder, maybe I was too harsh on men.
Not all of them wanted to use me for some selfish reason. Some of them were sweet. I realized Edgar was kind when he went along pretending to be Thor for that little girl and then again for Chewie.
I couldn’t help but laugh thinking about it.
“What’s so funny?” he asked walking with me.
“Just back there. Your line about how you love some hammer.” The more I thought about it, the funnier it seemed.
I stopped walking as I tried to control my laughter. Edgar was chuckling too.
“So, I never did ask you. Is your interview close by?” He tucked his hands into his pockets and bit his bottom lip. It was cute, and I sensed he was a little nervous.
Normally I wouldn’t tell a guy I just met anything about me, but the way he helped that girl and her mother had me believing he wasn’t a bad guy.
I pointed to the building we were approaching. “Right here. I’m interviewing at Mimir.”
Edgar stopped and stared at the building. His hands left his pockets and he lifted his arm to rub the back of his neck. If he appeared a little anxious before, Edgar was on edge now.
“Really? You don’t say. Well, I guess this is where we part ways then. It was nice to meet you, Evaleen, and good luck.” He winked while smiling, producing killer dimples, and reached for my hand to shake.
In a matter of seconds, he made a complete one eighty from being freaked out to turning into a lady killer. For a moment, when he wouldn’t let go of my hand after I shook his, I thought he might drool on it.
I finally yanked it away and nodded. Perhaps it was best we part ways. For a moment, I thought he was friendly but then he turned creepy.
Once I was in the lobby, I noticed a few people stepping into the elevator so I raced toward it. I managed to make it before the doors slid closed. I took it as a good sign.
I smiled, something I rarely did in public. Since I was shoved against the side, I glanced around and was able to see the faces of my elevator companions clearly. Most of the people were facing forward, and that’s when I noticed him.
He was tall, with dark hair, and very handsome. His head lifted from his phone and he looked at me. A thought popped into my head—I should smile at him. For once give a man the benefit of the doubt.
The elevator stopped on the tenth floor, letting most of the people out. The dark-haired man frowned.
He rolled his eyes and I heard him mumble, “Great. Stuck in the elevator with the crazy one.”
So much for feeling positive.
No, you know what? I wasn’t letting the one asshole ruin it for me. I was about to interview with a great company for a job in my field. And I helped make a little girl happy today. That’s what I was going to focus on.
I lifted my chin and pushed out my chest. The doors slid open on the twenty-eighth floor. The asshole exited with me but luckily, he turned to the right where I went left. I glanced at the directions I was given over the phone yesterday and found the door to the HR department.
Stepping inside, I walked to the only office door in the whole department, as per the instructions. After knocking, I heard the woman inside yell for me to come in.
“Hello. I’m Evaleen Bechmann, here to interview for the human resources position. Are you Ms. Carol?” I moved inside but kept the door ajar.
A woman with thick gray hair and those 1950s cat’s eyes glasses looked up from her desk. She stood and swished at the mess of papers on her desk before pulling one out. “Yes, it’s nice to meet you. I was expecting you. Well, actually, I forgot about the interview, to tell the truth. Sorry, long morning. I apologize for the mess. Sort of been stuck here for a while.”
“It’s quite all right. You should have seen my bedroom floor when I left. I think I tried on every piece of clothing I own about two times—”
“No! Don’t shut that door,” she yelled and raced around the front.
I stopped and she pulled the door open.
“Actually, the door is broken and if you close it completely we will be stuck in here. I called Dan in maintenance, but he was on break. You saved me by coming in here.” She chuckled before waving me out of the room. “I tell you what. Why don’t we meet a few of the people on the floor so you can get a feel of the environment, and hopefully in that time Dan will have fixed the door? He did promise his break wouldn’t be long,” she grumbled the last sentence.
We made our way out of the department. Strolling through the cubicles, she introduced me to a few people who seemed very nice. She pointed out the kitchen area and finally, we made it to the opposite end of the floor.
“This is Mr. Jacob Mimir’s office. The president of the company.”
My eyes widened. “Would we actually be able to meet him?”
I never imagined I might meet the man who built this com
pany from scratch.
He was kind of a hero of mine. I knew him and his brother were raised by a single mom after his father passed away. He started this company in her garage in college.
I felt like I could relate being raised by a single mom too and not coming from much. It gave me hope that I could succeed despite my struggles in life.
“Hi, Kara, is Mr. Mimir available to meet a candidate for a few minutes?”
She held up a finger and lifted the phone. After a minute, Kara nodded and pointed to the door. My palms were slick and all I could hear was my heart beating wildly. Ms. Carol knocked and we heard a deep voice beckon us inside.
She opened the door to a large room with windows making up two of the walls. They overlooked skyscrapers, the lake, and a seemingly endless sky.
I saw him at his desk. He was a handsome man, much more so than the picture on the company website. A few of the executives didn’t have pictures of themselves, but Jacob Mimir did.
Even if I didn’t know him, I felt like he was proud of what he achieved and wanted everyone to know. His smile in his picture said it all.
“You must be Ms. Evaleen Bechmann. I have heard great things about you.” He rose and walked around his desk.
I nodded like a loon. My head bobbled so many times I thought it would roll right off. He held out his hand and I shook it, praying he didn’t notice the massive amount of sweat. I couldn’t believe he knew who I was.
“It’s such an honor to meet you, Mr. Mimir. I have to say I am a bit of an admirer of you and what you have done with Mimir.”
I sounded like an idiot. I was surprised he wasn’t frowning and telling me to leave. At that point, I might as well have been jumping up and down like a moron.
“That’s wonderful. You know I took a glance at your résumé and I have to say I’m impressed. Oh, have you met my brother yet? Edgar, don’t be rude.”
I finally let go of his hand and Jacob turned his head, narrowing his eyes at the man in the chair. His back was to me and I was so enamored of getting to meet Jacob and being in his office that I didn’t notice anyone else was there.
The man stood and turned.
My heart fell to the floor. It was Edgar. The man who, less than an hour ago, I molested in a coffee shop.
I took a deep breath and realized at that moment that I was a fool to trust a man. To trust Edgar Mimir.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Bechmann.” The smile that seemed so cute on the street suddenly appeared slimy.
He held out his hand, his eyes devoid of recognition, and I shook it. My fingers slipped into his and despite my anger, I felt the electricity searing up my arm.
Edgar was gorgeous and my body reacted, but I refused to ever respond to it. I told him I was interviewing here and he said nothing.
I firmed my grip and his eyes widened. Maybe I shouldn’t be crippling his fingers but he took advantage of my trust.
“Forgive my brother, Ms. Bechmann. Edgar, please let the woman’s hand go.”
I released his hand and smirked.
Fuck him.
“Well, Jacob, Ms. Carol, and Ms. Bechmann, if you would excuse me. I have some work to get to.” I watched Edgar’s sleazy eyes stay glued to the floor as he left.
Once the door closed I heard Mr. Mimir clear his throat. “Please don’t think the people here are like my brother. I love him and he helped me make Mimir what it is, but when it comes to women, he’s a bit of a flirt. If he ever makes you uncomfortable, you let me know. We take that sort of thing very seriously around here. That funny business just isn’t tolerated at Mimir.”
He waved me over to the chair by his desk before he took a seat.
Jacob chuckled as he sat on the other side of his desk. “I love my brother and this company is like my extended family. And like any family, you always have the one relative that will never settle down. My mom has given up hope of getting a grandchild from Edgar. He’s sweet to my young daughter but more than happy to leave the hard stuff to me.”
Jacob winked at me.
Edgar wasn’t just a slime ball but a ladies’ man on top of it. If I get this job I know who to stay away from.
FORTY-THREE
Edgar
Everyone I loved ran from me.
My mother lived on the other side of the country in Florida, Jacob decided to go to the dark side, and now Evaleen took off to Vegas.
As much as I wanted my mom closer, she was happy in that state. She didn’t like the cold winters here and really, who could blame her?
As for my brother, I wasn’t speaking to him. The only reason I didn’t quit was to try and stop him. Maybe there was a way for me to earn his trust enough to tell me what was going on.
Evaleen took the most work. I had to hop on a plane and fly to Las Vegas.
It didn’t even occur to me not to go after her. I went because when you realize your heart has been captured, held hostage, you would race until your feet fell off to be with the person who held it. Not to ask for it back, but just to smile knowing your heart was where it belonged.
Something had scared Evaleen, and I worried that Damien had contacted her. Maybe it was something my brother told her. It was difficult knowing she might be in danger.
So when I saw a familiar face in the Vegas hotel lobby, I felt tremendous relief.
“Tiffany,” I yelled, my voice echoing in the marble and gilded room.
Her silky chestnut hair swayed as she turned her head in my direction. Her smile wide as she lifted her arm. “Edgar.”
I jogged over to her and she pulled me into a hug.
“What are you doing here? Did Aria recruit you too?”
I shook my head. “Aria’s here? Who else is here?”
My heart was so focused on getting to Evaleen that my brain never thought to get the reason she would come here.
“Morgana’s here too.”
I nodded. “Is it a bridal shower thing?”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t think it’s gotten to that point yet.” Tiffany leaned over, cupping her mouth to my ear. “Don’t tell anyone but we kidnapped someone.”
“Kidnapped?” My eyes darted around the room and that’s when I saw him.
The guy from the alley who kicked me in the nuts. Wearing a button-up shirt and a suit jacket, he didn’t look so much like a low-life this time. His eyes skimmed the crowd and found me.
Fuck, Evaleen was in danger. If that guy was here then maybe Damien was too.
He began to walk toward me and I was about to push Tiffany away. I didn’t want to put her in danger too, but someone called his name and he turned. He squinted his eyes at me but turned to go toward the voice.
Someone had called him Jagger.
I’ll remember that. If I found out his last name maybe I could have Mr. Marks look into him. So I could find him and kick him in the balls.
“Shh! Edgar, do you want people to hear.” Tiffany blushed.
“Listen, I need to find Evaleen. Can you tell me where she is?”
“Oh, yeah. She isn’t feeling good, so she has been in the hotel room the entire time. We’re room 880.”
I hugged her being so grateful I would finally be able to find her after days of nothing. After I said goodbye to Tiffany, I made my way over to the elevators. Taking one to the eighth floor, I got out, stepping onto the thick burgundy carpeting with an oriental design, and followed the signs for room numbers until I got to 880.
Taking a deep breath, I rapped my knuckles on the dark wood door a few times. Would she answer if she knew it was me?
Somehow, I doubted it.
“Who is it?” I heard her voice call out.
“Room service,” I lied.
I knew I should have told her the truth, but I wanted to make sure she answered the door. Even though I had no idea what made her run, I felt like I was involved in some way. That she wanted to get away from me.
“I didn’t order . . .” Opening the door her words trailed off as she saw me.
“Edgar, what are you doing here?”
“Can I come in?”
She hesitated but finally nodded. Her features softening. “Yes, of course.”
Evaleen stepped back and I moved inside. They had a suite so I took a seat on the couch beckoning her to come sit beside me. As she passed by me to sit, I smelled something terrible.
“Oh my God, what is that smell? Did room service forget to pick up your used plates?”
“No, uh, that would be me.” Evaleen frowned and I noticed her hair was tangled.
I glanced down at her body and realized there were large stains on her shirt.
“What’s wrong, Evaleen?”
Laughter fell from her lips but it wasn’t filled with joy. It felt bitter and sad.
“What isn’t wrong with me, Edgar? That should be your question. I came here to think. To come up with reasons as to why we shouldn’t be together.”
I sat up in my seat, and took her sweaty hand in mine. “What? No, Evaleen. Look, if things are too intense for you I can always back away. You don’t have to live with me. When we get home, I can help you and your mom find a place of your own.”
That’s what this was, us being together was too much for her. Even though I was still on edge with seeing Jagger in the lobby, I felt a little relief that her running to Vegas didn’t have to do with Damien contacting her.
“That’s not why I’m here. Well, that is a little why I’m here, but not in how you think.”
“Then tell me, Evaleen. Whatever it is I will do what you want. I love you. You have to understand that if you need time or space, I just want you to be happy. I love you too much to lose you.”
Her eyes widened and I noticed a tear escape. I lifted my thumb to catch it but thought better and leaned forward to kiss it away.
Evaleen let me kiss her but it only made her cry more. Her beautiful blue eyes shined up at me. “I’m pregnant, Edgar.”
My face tensed and I frowned. A million thoughts swirled around. Some of them ridiculous like we only had sex once without a condom, that couldn’t have been enough to get her pregnant. Some of them sobering, like will the baby be as beautiful as Evaleen?
The Attraction File (Cake Love Book 2) Page 21
