5. The Tea

KIKI POV

Nathan Montegomery, award-winning entrepreneur and founder of several thriving tech companies and startups.

What a boring profile, he had achieved remarkable good success in his career but that wasn’t what I wanted to know.

His spouses? Exes, his relationship status? Those dirty secrets that leak online about successful men?

Surprisingly so he had a clean record for someone who had acted like a call boy the night we met.

“Thirty-five years?” I blurted out without thinking. We had an eleven-year age difference. How did he look so young? Or was his profile wrong?

A soft knock sounded on the door, before I could even turn to look, a girl with burgundy hair stormed in.

“You are the new girl?” She asked with a sneer.

Wasn’t it obvious? Had she seen me around before? I didn’t ask that, no point returning her rudeness.

“I am,” I responded

“Well, before you fit into your role, you are on probation.” She explained. “Two weeks, so HR tests your character, competence and work ethic”

I almost rolled my eyes, I didn’t have the luxury of time to prove myself, I needed money to get Jordan off my neck.

“Do I get paid my salary?”

“Sure, the money in your employment clause may also get raised if HR and the CEO like your work,”

That should be easy, I needed money so I would be on my toes.

“And,” she stopped my thoughts to add something that seemed very important to say, “Don’t go around trying to flirt or seduce the CEO and HR, they don’t like plus-size girls like you,”

Flirting? Please I had enough problems to add that to my list. Also, do I get bullied about my size even in my new workplace?

I was going to correct her, to draw that fine line of boundary, my size should never be a topic of discussion.

But she turned around, making sure her burgundy hair flipped to that effect.

I just scoffed, blinking my eyes at the hell fire that just walked out of my tiny office.

With that attitude of hers, I knew she would unleash more so I had to put on a tough skin.

***

My attention was on my desktop computer, I was still reading my new work role when my phone buzzed with a call from Taylor.

One of the company rules prohibited personal calls during work hours but Taylor had been out drinking last night for her friend’s bridal shower and I needed to know she had gotten home safely.

I turned to the door, then scanned outside my glass office just to make sure no one could see before I answered the call.

“Hey, Taylor. How are you?”

“Hey. My head is splitting. I couldn't even show up at the boutique today.”

I could tell from her voice she was had a hangover. “Just try to sleep more and drink more water,”

“Thanks I will. How’s your new job?” she asked

I looked around again, “The call boy from that night is my boss,”

“What in heaven's name is such fate, that is good,” I could swear she was grinning at that moment.

“No, it isn’t” I blurted out, I squeezed my eyes shut as if it could clear the memory of how everything unfolded that night.

“That means he is your brother’s—”

“Yes, God damn it.”

“So what are you going to do? Quit on your first day?”

“Harry is going to be suspicious if I do, and you know I need money for the lawsuit,”

“You touched your boss dic-”

Before she could complete her sentence I heard the glass door go open, expecting it to be Miss burgundy but when I turned my head, standing by the door was Nathan, my boss.

I quickly stood to my feet, pulling the phone away from my ear, while my trembling fingers were tapping the screen to end the call.

But instead my fingers accidentally pressed the speakerphone.

“...dick?” Taylor’s voice filled the room, my eyes widened as I tried to end the call, again “You didn't only touch it, it was literally inside of you…”

My thumb hit the screen frantically but it didn’t respond. Shit, this wasn't my old phone I was used to.

I repeatedly pressed the end call button but it was still not responding.

“...did you like it?”

“Taylor, uhm I will…will call you later,” I stuttered, refusing to look up, I could feel Nathan’s eyes literally boring right through me.

“Girl spill the tea, hope you are not in love with him already, he is your—”

My phone finally responded and the call ended, thankfully before she could complete her sentence.

New model phones could be a headache, but what was my main headache was what Nathan had just seen and heard.

“I’m sorry Mr Montgomery, it was an emergency,” I managed to say

“Spill the tea,” he repeated like he was giving it a thought, “Bring me a cup of tea to my office, now”

Tea? Was that in my job description?

Before I could say a word, Nathan was already walking out, both hands in his trousers pockets.

I drew in a deep breath. Taylor could have put me in a big mess if Nathan had heard even half of what she was about to say.

As I walked out of my office, at the end of the hallway was a small group of workers shuffling away like they would rather be somewhere else than gossiping.

Oh great…

I walked to the break room to make the tea, even though I preferred coffee over tea. I knew how to make tea, I mean everyone knew how to, right?

But when I placed the saucer and mug on Nathan’s table, his jaw tightened, “It’s too hot,” he said without even touching the steaming cup. “Get me another iced tea”

I turned on my heels, walking back to the break room.

In the break room, I flushed the tea down the sink and made another one.

I could have thought I got it right this time but the moment Nathan took a sip, he smacked his lips like he had just tasted something bitter.

“Too cold,” he dropped the cup on the table, gesturing for me to take the mug away.

“Do yourself a favour, get the tea right this time,” His eyes were empty, like he was looking at a complete stranger. It was just one night, what do I expect?

I almost scoffed at his words even his words sounded calm, it was harmful to me, how dare he pretend like nothing ever happened between us?

In the break room, again, I heaved a sigh, being there for yet the third time just to make a damn tea. “I swear, I am not coming here again to make another tea,”

I pushed the door to Nathan’s office after knocking, walking in for the third time.

He narrowed his eyes on the tea, probably ready to reject it again

When he took a sip, I thought I knew his next words but I didn’t expect,“Too sugary.”

Great, now it wasn't the temperature.

He dropped the mug on the desk just like before so I would pick it up and walk back to the break room.

Fuck this.

This time, I moved my finger on the saucer pretending like I was picking it up but instead I let it slip from my finger so it spills perfectly on Nathan’s chest.

“What the fuck?” he thundered, his eyes filled with rage as his white shirt dripped with brown malty tea.