I wasn’t the kind of person that just gave out my number either.
But Jon was different.
He was…
“Hey, you,” I said as I walked around the counter.
“Can we talk?”
“Sure. What’s wrong?”
“I wanted to talk this morning. Before you left.”
“I know. But I was in a rush. You let me fall asleep on the couch.”
“I know I did.”
I playfully bit my lip. “I was hoping you’d carry me to bed. And then take advantage of me.”
I wiggled my eyebrows.
“Emily… just stop.”
“Stop? Stop what? What’s going on with you?”
“Can we go out front?” Jon asked.
“Out front? Why? You see how busy it is here, right? I can’t really walk away. Why don’t you grab an apron and help? I promise I won’t make you work with Ember. She’s vicious but nice. You just have to-”
“Emily!” Jon growled.
I stepped back.
A few people looked at us.
“What?” I asked.
“I’m trying to tell you something.”
“Tell me what?” I asked.
“I wanted to talk in private.”
“I’m just trying to be in a good mood here. What is… what’s going on?”
Jon looked around. “Can we talk in private?”
“No,” I said. “Just say it. What do you want?”
“I’m breaking up with you,” Jon said. Everyone heard him. “That’s what I wanted. I tried to talk to you last night but you fell asleep. You weren’t even listening to me. And then this morning you couldn’t even give me two minutes of your time. I didn’t want to come here and do this…”
Jon looked around and then stormed out of the bakery.
I stood there and processed what had just happened.
I felt everyone staring at me.
I swallowed hard.
Then I put a smile on my face.
“I guess he didn’t like his morning coffee, huh?”
Chapter Three
Liam
I walked into my office, took off my suit jacket and balled it up.
I danced around the floor a few steps and then launched it to a table that had a stack of books I would never in my life ever read.
Behind my desk, I looked down at all the work for the day.
I was in the middle of a pain in the ass patent suit.
I represented a tech company where the two founders split up, each starting their own companies to compete, and were now suing the hell out of each other over a patent they filed together.
In reality, I wished I could sit them down and explain how much time and money they were wasting in a useless fight.
They were better off working together and getting paid a ton of money for the technology. Even their new companies could pay the company they first started.
And if that didn’t work, they each needed a few shots of whiskey and needed to go outside and throw some punches.
To work the bullshit out like men.
I flipped the folder open and started to review some of the documents when I heard a knock at the door.
I looked up and smiled.
“The interns are here,” I said. “Did you bring your toothbrushes?”
“For what?” Maria asked with her gigantic smile and bright blue eyes.
I shook my head. “Never mind. I was going to joke about you cleaning my shoes with a toothbrush.”
“Will it get me a job here?” David asked.
He had snake eyes and I didn’t trust him for a second.
He was probably the only one who stood a chance at actually landing a job for that reason alone.
Jacob stood next to David, a half grin on his face.
He always looked like he was thinking a joke through before laughing at it.
“This patent case is a waste of time,” I said. “Anyone know why?”
“The first client is right,” Jacob said. “He was the one who brought the idea to the other party. It was his house they worked from. And it was his parents’ money that was borrowed to secure everything to start the company.”
“But it was the other client’s idea that launched the company,” Maria said.
“David?” I asked.
“I would talk to the first client and say the second one is ready to make a deal,” David said. “Tell him his old partner is about to release a campaign to show the truth of all their financials and what really happened in the beginning.”
“Which was?” I asked.
“Your first client stole everything possible to make the technology work,” David said. “Bits and pieces of other IP’s and it went unnoticed. Until now. If he wants to push forward, then the second client will push back with that. Meaning they need to both shut their fucking mouths and walk away.”
I nodded. “Then what happens to the patent?”
“Stays where it is,” Jacob said.
“Perfect,” I said. I shut the folder. “Now someone type all of that up for me. I want references, notations, and make it look like I’m half smart.” I pointed. “Just half smart though. Got it?”
“Yes, sir,” David said.
“Now get out of here,” I said. “Find something else to learn.”
The three hurried out of the office as I spotted Jackson walking toward my office.
He poked his head in. “I need a lawyer.”
“For what?” I asked.
“I’m being accused of theft.”
“Theft?”
“I stole Callie’s heart,” he said.
“Oh, fuck,” I said. I rolled my eyes. “You’re a prick, man.”
Jackson laughed. “What? Don’t be jealous of me.”
“I’m not.”
“Oh, I think you are,” Jackson said as he walked to my desk. “Want me to explain why?”
“Sure,” I said.
He put his hands to the desk and smiled. “I fucked my coworker. I fucked the woman I hated the most. I fucked my frenemy. I married her for money. I did everything wrong yet it all turned out perfectly fine. And the sex now? Some mornings I wake up and look at my dick and I swear the thing smiles back at me.”
“Your dick smiles back at you?”
“Yeah,” Jackson said. “The hole… it kind of curves and looks like a smile.”
“If your dick hole is curved, you need a doctor,” I said.
“I bet yours is a frown. Tired of shooting loads down the drain.