Tea or Consequences

by KC Burn

  “Mon Dieu, Floriana. I was not slacking, I had a business lunch.”

  Floriana grimaced and faced her mother, her tone smoothing into something a great deal more syrupy and a thousand times more fake. “More important than the launch?”

  “Irrelevant. It needed to be taken care of, since I’ll be making a special announcement at the launch party.”

  “What announcement?” Floriana’s eyes widened. This was the first Riley had heard of an announcement, but he was surprised Floriana didn’t know what was going on.

  “You’ll hear it with everyone else Friday night.”

  Riley nearly laughed. He could practically hear Floriana’s teeth gnashing in frustration.

  “You can wait in my office, ma petite.” Gabrielle’s patronizing tone made Floriana’s nostrils flare.

  Nevertheless, she stomped into her mother’s office, effectively dismissed. Gabrielle patted Riley’s shoulder in a manner that was supposed to be comforting, but it was obvious she wasn’t particularly skilled at it.

  “Can you review the file for the launch party? Make sure everything is in order? I think a few confirmations need to be made with caterers and such. Aaron left it pretty well finished, I believe. If you could take it on, I’d appreciate it.”

  “I’d be happy to.”

  “And please feel free to bring a date Friday night if you’d like.”

  “Oh. I didn’t realize I was invited.” Temps and contractors so often were left out of celebrations as part of controlling costs.

  “Of course you are. You must show up. You’ve been absolutely indispensable these past two weeks.” Gabrielle gave him a cheeky grin that stripped decades from her face. “If you enjoy yourself, you might consider my offer to stay on permanently.”

  Riley laughed. He wasn’t surprised she had an ulterior motive, but it was the sort he didn’t mind at all. “I’ll be there.”

  “And a date?”

  “We’ll see.”

  Gabrielle winked and swanned into her office.

  Maybe he didn’t need a date, exactly. He slipped on his headset and called the front desk.

  “Gautier Cosmetics, how can I direct your call?” Alisha was every bit as perky on the phone as she was in person.

  “Hey, it’s Riley. Are you bringing a date to the launch party on Friday?”

  “Uh, no. I like my job and I want to keep it.”

  Riley snickered. “Wanna be my date?”

  “You don’t have some nice hunk of man you want to bring?”

  “Where am I going to find one of those in the next five days? My friend Shaun would be happy to come for free booze and munchies, but I’d feel bad if I had to leave him to fend for himself.”

  “Then consider me your date.”

  After Floriana left, a steady stream of people came in and out. Riley directed the flow in between digging into the party file.

  The file included a couple of minor errors, and an enormous one. Right before he cut out for the day, he took advantage of a fifteen-minute gap and stuck his head in Gabrielle’s office.

  “Oh, Riley. You should be on your way home.”

  He moved into her office, letting the door close behind him. “I’ll head out in a few minutes. Did you need me to order in dinner?”

  “Mais non. Merci. I’ll be heading home after this conference call.”

  Riley waved the party file. “We’re good on the party. I found a couple of typos, one of which was fairly significant, to the tune of twenty-five thousand dollars. The party isn’t quite as expensive as it looked at first glance.” Although he was pretty sure most people got married for less. Not that it was any of his business.

  “Again?”

  “Again?” Riley parroted.

  Gabrielle huffed. “Aaron has been getting sloppy. That’s the second typo of that nature recently.”

  Riley wasn’t about to bash the man he was temporarily replacing, but he wondered if illness had affected Aaron’s focus. “No harm done. We caught it in time.” Before any money was moved around. It wasn’t earmarked for any specific vendor, so it wasn’t like checks would be issued with bonus money. Probably the money would have sat in the party account until the next launch, and they’d wonder why there was twenty-five large just sitting around doing nothing.

  “It shouldn’t have gotten past François’s money monkeys either.”

  Riley had no response. Since this was a family-owned company, the Finance department might rubber-stamp certain expenses, no matter how ill-advised it might be. And he wasn’t pleased about discovering one of Aaron’s slipups. Ideally, he slid into a role, performed well, and slipped away again. He liked leaving a pleasant memory, not a gaping wound for a boss aggravated by the return of their regular assistant.

  Chapter TWO

  THE IMPENDING launch party had infused the office with a festive atmosphere. Most of the employees had been given the option to leave a couple of hours early to go home, freshen up, and snag their dates before returning to the party. Those with long commutes simply dispersed to nearby pubs and bars to get a head start on the drinking, letting their dates trickle into the city and meet them there.

  Even with Gabrielle booked in back-to-back meetings, Riley’d had just enough time to get home, shower, and change. Alisha waited for him inside the building, but a reminder notification about his brother’s birthday made him pause outside.

  A few weeks ago, he’d suggested he and Jonathan go out for dinner or something to celebrate, but Jon’s wife, Meredith, had planned a weekend away. Although Riley wasn’t surprised Meredith would plan something special for Jon’s fortieth, it did make him a little sad to know there was yet another milestone they’d spend doing their own thing. With nine years between them, they’d had little in common growing up, even less so after their parents died and Jon got stuck raising him. By the time Riley had grown up enough to meet his brother on equal adult footing, Jon had married and was working on opening his fledgling plastic surgery practice.

  So often it felt like Jon didn’t give a shit whether Riley was around. Maybe Riley had been more of a trial than he’d realized, but Jon never gave him a chance to apologize, or make it up to him, or anything. He just never seemed to have any time for Riley.

  It wouldn’t hurt to call Jon and at least wish him happy birthday, even if it was only on his voicemail.

  “Hello?”

  Stunned that Jon actually answered, Riley lost his words for a moment. Jon repeated his greeting, prompting Riley to speak past his surprise.

  “Jon. Happy birthday.”

  “Thanks, Riley! I’m glad you called. I wish you’d been able to come over.” Loud background noise almost obscured Jon’s words.

  Come over? What did Jon mean by that? Riley didn’t get a chance to ask, because Meredith spoke loudly or close enough that Riley heard every word.

  “Jon, dear, please put your phone away.”

  “Of course, Merry.” The abbreviated form of her name brought a huff that even Riley could hear. Perhaps shortening her name was Jon’s only form of rebellion. “I’ll be right there.”

  “Hurry up. You’re being rude to your guests.”

  Guests? Riley gritted his teeth. Surely that didn’t mean what he thought it meant.

  “Jon?”

  “Yes, sorry, Riley. Wish you’d been able to make it to the party, but I know how busy you are. I appreciate the call.”

  Before Riley had a chance to say anything, Jon terminated the connection.

  That fucking bitch. She’d told Riley they had plans for Jon’s birthday. Plans that apparently included a birthday party Riley hadn’t been invited to. He gripped his phone until his knuckles whitened, trying desperately to control his upset to avoid throwing his phone or bursting into tears.

  As tempting as it would be to kick his professionalism to the curb and take full advantage of the open bar, he couldn’t let his brother and his harpy of a wife continue to get under his skin. He was an independent adult, and
maybe the time had come to stop trying to battle Meredith for tiny crumbs of Jon’s attention.

  Riley carefully tucked his phone into his pocket and scrubbed at his burning eyes with the backs of his hands. Jon hadn’t disowned him when he’d come out in high school, so things could be worse. Other people had it worse than Riley. It hurt, but he was okay. He’d be okay.

  He took a few calming breaths and strode into the building.

  Alisha waved at him from behind the enormous rubber plant that served as decoration at the northeast corner. The sight of a friendly face did wonders to help him let go of his upset.

  “Are you hiding?”

  She shrugged. “No. Well, maybe. Gary the lab tech can be a little creepy, and it gets worse when he drinks. When the lab techs showed up a few minutes ago, I thought I’d just take a phone call over here instead of waiting around in plain view.”

  “Yeah, I guess I can understand that. You look great. I didn’t think you were planning to go home.”

  Alisha gave him a very unladylike raspberry, completely at odds with her sleek red dress. “I keep a dress under the desk for emergencies such as this. Or last-minute dates.”

  Riley lifted an eyebrow. “Really?”

  “Ha. As if. No, I changed my mind. Pregaming at a pub and then attending a work function doesn’t actually sound smart. At least not for me. I just know I’d say something awful. I’m super sunny when sober, but my sarcasm gene is activated when I add alcohol.”

  “You are a very wise woman.” Riley was rather looking forward to seeing other Gautier Cosmetics employees who weren’t as savvy as Alisha.

  “What about you, hot stuff? I thought you said you weren’t going home between work and the party.”

  Riley fought off a blush but suspected he failed. Objectively he knew he looked decent, but a part of him never reconciled his exterior changes with the awkward, gangly teenager he’d been. “My friend Shaun convinced me I had to go out with him tonight. It’s been a while, so I agreed. Which meant going home and changing.”

  “Friend?” Alisha wiggled her fingers in suggestive air quotes.

  “No, we’re not friends with benefits.” Riley’s laugh was only partially bitter. His life would be so much easier if he and Shaun could make a go of it, but it wasn’t ever going to happen. “Shall we go up? I should probably be there in case there are issues.”

  Alisha rolled her eyes but nodded, and they headed to the elevator. “Since we both look hot as shit, can I invite myself along tonight? Or is it boys’ night at the gay club?”

  It only took Riley a split second to decide. “Sure, come along. It’ll be fun.” More fun than fending off Shaun’s attempts to get him to fuck any halfway attractive man. In university, Shaun had helped him transform his look from nerdy and unremarkable to blond, twinkish, and slightly more remarkable. The dyed blond hair, blue contacts, and better sense of style contributed to Riley’s self-confidence, but Shaun still seemed to think, years later, that he needed to direct Riley’s social life.

  “Awesome.”

  They entered the elevator. Alisha pressed their floor, then slid her arm through his. “Since you’re the man of the hour, wanna tell me what this announcement is going to be?”

  “Ugh. I have no idea.” Riley had received no less than five invitations to join the preparty happy-hour festivities, all of which he’d declined. He’d like to think people were starting to warm up to him, but the more cynical side of him assumed everyone wanted the inside scoop. He didn’t resent Alisha asking, though. She hadn’t spent the past three weeks buttering him up.

  “Really? I’m a little surprised.”

  “Not even Floriana knows what it is.” He could impart that tidbit, at least.

  “No shit?”

  Riley snickered. Alisha truly was off the clock if she was swearing. “No shit.”

  “The rumors are rampant. Half the people think Gabrielle is closing the company down and letting us all go, a bunch think she’s moving the operation to Quebec or China or Mexico or wherever and letting us all go, and the rest think she’s expanding and there will be a slew of possible promotions.”

  Riley had wondered if it wasn’t something more personal. “Wouldn’t Floriana know about that?”

  Alisha shrugged. “Eh. Maybe, maybe not.”

  “What do you think it is?” Riley wasn’t really ready to share his own speculations, nor the fact that Gabrielle had been reviewing her will.

  “Well, you aren’t my only friend in this company. Heather—you know, the HR admin? We get pedicures together sometimes. She probably knows more than she’s saying, but from the hints she’s dropped, I think we’re getting a new VP.”

  No fucking way. “I can’t believe Gabrielle would let François or Floriana go easily.”

  “No, no. I mean an additional one. For a new department.”

  “Huh. Maybe that’s why she’s keeping it secret. Might put some noses out of joint bringing in a non–family member.”

  “You are as smart as you are hot, my friend.”

  Riley rolled his eyes but was saved from making a self-deprecating comment by the elevator doors opening.

  The first thing Riley did was check in with the catering staff. Then he returned to Alisha’s side and they inspected the canapé stations. A commotion at the other side of the room caught their attention.

  Gabrielle strode in, looking as glamorous as a Hollywood heyday actress. On her arm was a tanned, extremely good-looking blond man who had to be younger than Riley, if not by much.

  “Holy shit,” Riley whispered and yanked on Alisha’s arm. “Who the hell is with Gabrielle?”

  “You don’t know?” Alisha whispered back and led him off to the side for as much privacy as possible. “That’s Gabrielle’s latest flavor of the month. Cody Rosenberg.”

  He grimaced. “Crude. But I didn’t know she had a… boyfriend.”

  Alisha’s laugh was evil and gleeful at the same time. “He’s younger than either of her kids, he’s stuck around longer than most of Gabrielle’s ‘man friends,’ and Flo and Frank just despise him.”

  Riley stared thoughtfully at the couple. Yet another dimension to the puzzle of Gabrielle asking him about love at first sight. They certainly seemed happy together, even if Gabrielle could be Cody’s mother.

  François and his wife, Bethany, strolled in a few minutes later, closely followed by Floriana, apparently solo. When François and Floriana looked at Cody, they grimaced like they’d swallowed rotten oysters. Bethany’s face had the dead plastic look of a recent Botox treatment, so Riley couldn’t be sure if she cared about Cody’s presence.

  As soon as Gabrielle noticed and waved them over, her children pasted on smiles. They weren’t particularly successful. Considering how they treated Riley and other admins, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of uncharitable delight at their discomfiture.

  While Gabrielle and her entourage made their way through the throng, greeting everyone and stopping to chat here and there, Alisha dragged Riley to meet a few people, and Riley quickly lost interest in watching the royal family of Gautier Cosmetics.

  ABOUT HALF an hour into the party, Riley excused himself from Alisha’s side to take a quick tour. Being nominally in charge of ensuring there were no snags made it difficult to enjoy himself. Each food station he visited, he checked to make sure they were filled rather than eating anything himself. He had a personal rule about limiting the amount of alcohol he drank at work functions—like Alisha, he didn’t want to say or do anything stupid—so he’d probably be nursing one glass of champagne for the rest of the night.

  Going out with Shaun after this would actually be quite welcome. After the painful conversation with his brother, he could use a drink. And with Alisha along, Shaun might dial down his attempts to get Riley to pick up random men. Tonight might end up being one of the best nights he’d had in a long time. Anything was possible.

  “Bonsoir, Riley.”

  He knew who was speaking without
taking his eyes off the canapés. Turning, he smiled at his boss. “Good evening, Gabrielle. It’s a lovely party, thank you.”

  Gabrielle gave him a tiny nod, still managing to look like a queen while carrying a plate of munchies, and Riley tried desperately not to stare at Cody. Cody wasn’t Riley’s type, but since he was straight, that hardly mattered. Nevertheless, Cody had the kind of good looks that belonged on a magazine. Gabrielle was a beautiful woman too, but Riley was surprised he hadn’t heard much about Cody.

  “Cody, let me introduce you to my new assistant. This is Riley. He’s been taking over since Aaron left.”

  She’d made it sound as though Aaron was no longer with the company and Riley was filling the role permanently. However, it wasn’t like she’d said anything wrong. “Nice to meet you, Cody.”

  Cody’s handshake was firm, without any macho posturing. “Same, Riley.”

  “Cody is a marketing director at Treyhorn Associates.”

  Riley blinked. Treyhorn Associates was the company Gabrielle had contracted to take care of marketing and promotions for Gautier Cosmetics, since Gautier didn’t have its own marketing department. “I didn’t realize you were associated with Gautier. Do you work on their account?”

  “He does. That’s how we met, in fact.” Gabrielle smiled at Cody like she was sharing a secret, and he returned that smile. “I’m going to be giving him plenty more work soon.”

  Riley made a noise in his throat, not sure he was supposed to understand the undercurrent in their words, and he hoped desperately they were actually talking about work and not fucking. He applauded Gabrielle for landing a sexy man like Cody Rosenberg, but he did not want to think about his boss fucking. That was out of the scope of his job requirements.

  The pair stood close, almost giggling. He certainly understood why François and Floriana wouldn’t approve, but Gabrielle had a glow about her. Whether or not she’d been referring to herself when she’d asked Riley about love at first sight, she cared deeply for Cody, and her feelings were returned.