Billie laughed again. It was a sweet, angelic sound and I found myself drawn to it. I wanted her to laugh again, but I couldn’t bear that it had happened because of something Peter had done. An unpleasant and bitter feeling rose inside me and I found my fists clenching at my sides. Not once before in my entire life had I felt jealous of Peter, but right then and there, I envied his ability to be so close to Billie and be unaffected by her charms.
“Oh, please tell me you got him out of it!” Billie exclaimed, clasping a hand over her mouth. “The poor guy!”
“Of course, I did. What kind of man do you—”
Before he could finish, I slammed my car keys down on the table, interrupting their conversation, and then threw myself down on the couch next to Peter grumpily. My jacket rumpled from the motion and I let out a huff before straightening it. My best friend looked over at me and laughed. With a glare in his direction, I reached over to pinch a couple of grapes from the lunch box he was eating out of.
“Nice of you to finally show up for work, Quentin,” Peter greeted with a laugh at my silly behavior. “How’s the little one doing?”
I nodded as I popped a grape in my mouth. “He’s better. He was able to keep his breakfast down for the first time today,” I told him. “He all but pushed me out the door this morning. I think he was missing his friends at kindergarten.” I smiled as I thought about my son and his adorable mannerisms. It was the only thing that could put a smile on my face after the little scene I’d just walked in on.
“That’s great,” Peter replied. “I’m happy for the little fella. It’s never nice seeing Linc sick.”
I nodded again and finally glanced over at the other person in the room who hadn’t said a word since I made my entrance. She was looking down at her coffee cup and tapping her fingers nervously against the ceramic. It was odd. Just a moment ago, she’d seemed right at home and now she was back to being a timid little rabbit. I didn’t like it.
I leaned forward and attempted to catch her eye, but I was unsuccessful. It was really beginning to rile me up. I couldn’t keep quiet any longer.
“So, Billie,” I began. Her head snapped up at the sound of her name and she looked over at me wide-eyed. “Do you like it better when I’m not here or something?” I teased with a smile.
Thankfully, my playful nature didn’t seem to put her off. If anything, she was drawn in by it. She blushed prettily and placed her cup down on the table between us before finally meeting my eyes. I liked the sight of her cheeks flushed more than I was willing to admit. Her dark brown eyes bore into my own green ones and electricity flickered between us for just a moment before she spoke.
“Um, I’d say you’re not so bad,” she began in a lilting tone. “You’re a bit like a bear, don’t you think so, Peter?” She glanced over at my friend once more and I could feel the ire rising in me again.
Look only at me, Billie. Just me.
“I haven’t got a clue what you mean, Billie,” Peter offered with a shrug. “I’ve called Quentin a lot of things in the years we’ve known each other, but I don’t think bear is one of them.” He chuckled and I punched him lightly in the arm.
“Well, Quentin’s all tough on the outside but gooey on the inside. Don’t you think? He acts like the big man around here, but really, he’s just as sweet as any of us. You can tell just from the way he talks about his son.” She giggled and smiled over at me after she finished.
It was like she’d known me for years instead of days. How could someone have such an astute insight into another person? I didn’t believe in magic or superstition, so I knew Billie had to be special. I couldn’t help myself. I smiled back at her and I knew I was stepping into dangerous territory. Peter had cautioned me against getting involved with an employee—again. I needed to stop this and I needed to do it sooner rather than later before it spiraled out of control. But I didn’t want to.
With a nod, I dusted my hands off and pushed myself to my feet. I didn’t respond to what Billie said. I didn’t think I could without flirting. Instead, I looked over at Peter and said, “Well, I’ve got to get back to the grind. Catch up on everything I’ve missed the last few days. I’ll see you both later.”
I couldn’t bring myself to look back over at Billie. I needed to distance myself as much as possible while remaining professional. Boundaries were important here, but I’d messed them up before. With every day that passed, it was seeming more and more hopeless. But I had to try.
“See you later, Quentin,” Peter called as I walked out.
I didn’t look back.
7
Billie
What a mess! I thought to myself halfway through Friday morning. I was sat on the floor in my office which had soon become like a second home to me and I had emptied out a few of the filing cabinet drawers onto the floor in front of me. It was the end of my first week at my new job and I was still wading through all the chaos and confusion that the last accountant had left behind. Each different colored folder seemed to correspond to a different company or client, but that was about as much as I understood of the system here. As I scanned the notes on each account, it became clear that the man who had held the position before me clearly had his own way of doing things. His abbreviations for things didn’t seem to make any logical sense to me and I had spent most of the morning already trying to decipher what the hell was going on.
“How on Earth did we manage to pass audits with accounts like these?” I asked myself in a quiet voice. My delicate fingers reached out for a manilla folder in front of me and I lifted it to my face. I peered down at the smudged writing with a frown and narrowed my eyes, desperately trying to make out the writing and coming up short.
With a frustrated sigh, I slammed the folder back to the floor. “This is why everything should be electronic these days,” I declared to myself before moving onto the next folder and having even less luck with that one. “I’m going to have to start from scratch with all these files, but once I’m done, we’ll have the best damn system in place. I’ll make sure of it.”
The next file I looked at was just as bad as the first and I banged my head against it. It felt like an overwhelming mess, but I knew it needed to be done. Still, I was about to call it quits for lunch when I heard the door in front of me open. My hair was falling messily out of the updo I’d quickly created on the top of my head and brunette strands were dangling in my face as I looked up at my visitor. It was Peter smiling down at me and I blew a breath upward to push my hair back into place.
The man in front of me was dressed smartly and leaning in the doorway with an ease that said he belonged there. I had really been appreciating Peter taking care of me while Quentin was off with his unwell child, however, now that Quentin was back, I wanted to see more of him instead. Especially since Quentin had warmed up to me after our disastrous first meeting.
“We’re having lunch in the lounge. Now,” Peter told me in a serious voice which left no room for arguments.
“Yes, sir,” I answered quickly with a nod of my head. As fast as I could, I stood up, dusted off my knees, and straightened my skirt. I’d taken my heels off while I was working on the floor, so I slipped them back on, wobbling a little as I did so, before following Peter out the door.
“I apologize, I forgot to mention that on Fridays we have the restaurant downstairs to cater for us,” Peter informed me as we walked in a fast pace down the corridor. “At the boss’ expense, of course,” he added with a small smile in my direction.
Photographs of the vineyard throughout the years zoomed past us as we sped down the corridor and my jaw dropped at the new information. I’d never worked anywhere that provided a free lunch before!
“I see,” I said quietly as my mind ran away with me. My first impression of Quentin had changed so much over the course of the week. In spite of his standoffish exterior, it was clear that he was a sweet guy with a lot of love to give to those around him. I’d begun to picture him like a teddy bear in my head and the th
ought was so funny that I had to stifle a giggle before Peter noticed.
“After you, Billie,” Peter said with an outstretched arm as he held open the lounge door for me. Everyone I’d met at Wendall Winery had been so kind and considerate that I was seriously wondering if I’d been in a car accident on my way to Napa Valley and ended up in some kind of coma. If that was the case, I wasn’t sure I wanted to wake up.
“Thank you,” I said as I looked up at the man next to me. He was looking as handsome as ever in his black suit and tie, but I didn’t keep my focus on him for long.
When I stepped inside the stylishly decorated lounge, I was happy to bask in the warmth of the interior for a moment. It was a huge open-plan room with a lounge area upon entering, however, a small kitchenette was installed toward the back behind a dividing wall and to the left there were multiple huge tables for members of staff to eat lunch at. A few windows to the back overlooked the fields and gave a gorgeous view of the horizon. All in all, it was one of the best break areas I’d ever seen in a workplace. However, I didn’t dwell on the surroundings for very long because I was immediately confronted with a sight that drew all of my attention.
My boss, Quentin, was sat on the couch with the cutest little boy I’d ever seen on his lap. Both of them had blond hair and green eyes. Quentin was looking just as attractive as I remembered, and it took all my strength not to start fantasizing about him right then and there. From their similar appearance, there was no doubt that this was the man’s son and the sight made my heart leap. There was nothing more attractive than seeing a man acting like a doting father. The two of them were snuggled close and chatting like best buddies. When Quentin spotted me, however, he leaned in to whisper something in his son’s ear. The child immediately perked up before leaping off of his father’s lap and all but sprinting in my direction.
For a moment, I thought the little guy might run straight into me, however, he came to a prompt stop just a foot or two away from me. He looked up at me with his bright green eyes and gave me a big toothy grin. He seemed to be pulsating with energy and was struggling to stand still. He looked the furthest thing from sick and I was glad he was in good spirits.
“Hi! Daddy says you’re new! I’m Lincoln, but you can call me Linc! Like that guy from Zelda! Have you ever played Zelda? It’s such a cool game!”
He spoke so fast and excitedly that it was hard to keep up, but thankfully, I just about managed. With a big smile on my face, I crouched down until I was only a tiny bit taller than him and I met his gaze. “It’s nice to meet you, Linc. My name is Wilhelmina, but you can call me Billie for short,” I told him. “And yes, I played Zelda once or twice when I was younger.”
The young boy had forgotten all about the game, however, after hearing me speak. “Wow!” Lincoln exclaimed happily. “You have a long name! Just like me!”
“That’s right,” I said with a laugh. “I think people with long names are extra special, don’t you?” I winked down at him and he nodded.
“Yu-huh! We’re the best. Nice to meet you, Miss Billie!”
As quickly as he’d arrived, Lincoln was off like a shot back toward his father again. The smile on my face didn’t falter as I watched him begin to talk Quentin’s ear off again, but I did stand up and smooth down my clothes again. The two of them looked so content and happy together that I couldn’t help but envy them. I was looking forward to starting a family of my own one day and I would have loved it if my child was as adorable, friendly, and chatty as Lincoln was.
My stomach growled and stopped me from staring openly at the father and son in front of me. After a quick sniff of the air, I could tell that the food had already been served and it smelled delicious. I headed in the direction of the large table near the kitchenette and I was greeted by the sight of an array of colorful dishes. There was a small dish of some kind of curry, a platter of fancy-looking sandwiches, cakes, slices of meat, breaded chicken bites, and much, much more. My mouth was practically watering as I took it all in.
I looked around at the few members of staff who were also here to grab their lunch and I followed their lead. I picked up a ceramic plate and began to make my way around the table until I reached someone who stood behind it and was serving ladles full of chicken noodle soup. She was taller than me, but her build was similar. She had a small waist but wide hips and sizeable breasts underneath her white apron.
“Hiya,” I greeted her with a smile. “This all looks amazing.”
The young woman smiled back, her blue eyes twinkling. “Thank you. You must be Billie, the new girl. I’m Tracy, I work down in the kitchen as a sous chef. We don’t get new people working here very often, so word gets around!” She laughed.
“I’m sure,” I agreed. “I heard that the boss pays for all this, is that right?”
Tracy nodded. “Yep, every Friday!”
“But, what about you guys in the kitchen? Do you not get to eat?” I questioned.
“Well, sure we do,” Tracy responded as she adjusted her hairnet over her thick brown hair. “Working with food means we never really get the same lunch time as everyone else, but Quentin makes sure we get a nice delivery of food in the afternoon when you guys are all finished.”
He even takes care of the restaurant staff, I thought to myself as my cheeks heated. The more I learned about my boss, the more I found myself getting attracted to him. It was becoming a serious problem and yet, I wanted to know more. My curiosity was getting the better of me.
“Quentin sure does seem like a nice guy,” I probed, leaning over the table a little. “Do you know him well?”
“Who, me?” Tracy asked and then shook her head. “Not really, no. I just see him every now and again at staff meetings. He always does seem nice though. He gives us all a pretty generous Christmas bonus too.”
I nodded, absorbing all the information Tracy could give me like a sponge. “I’ve never had such a nice boss before,” I divulged.
“You’re right, we certainly are lucky,” she agreed. “Anyway, if you ever get hungry, you should come down and eat at the restaurant! The food is much better when it’s not served like a buffet.”
With a nod, I told her, “That sounds great, Tracy. I’ll have to do that some time.”
I didn’t want to make it too obvious how much I was interested in Quentin, so I kept my mouth shut and Tracy began to tell me about all the different food options for lunch today and after much consideration, I settled on the soup. I thought that the smell of it was heavenly as I walked over to a small table where Peter was already sitting with a plate of sandwiches.
“Do you mind if I sit with you?” I asked.
“Not at all,” Peter replied and pulled out a chair for me. I gratefully sat down and began to spin my spoon around in the soup bowl.
Peter was talking to me about some conversation he’d had with his father, but I was only half paying attention. If I looked a little bit over his shoulder, I had a clear view of Quentin and Lincoln who were talking and playing on the couch still. I couldn’t help but watch them. My eyes were drawn to them and I was so enamored by their bond.
Oh, boy. I’m in trouble.
8
Quentin
Waking up late on the weekends had become my biggest guilty pleasure. Thankfully, unlike a lot of other toddlers, Lincoln enjoyed sleeping in the morning to a reasonable time—well, at least more reasonable than other kids. It meant that I got to wake up around nine instead of six like during the week. Peter helped out a lot by watching over the vineyard on the weekends and so, I actually had time to spend with my son instead of working all the time.
With a yawn, I rolled over and saw that Lincoln was already awake next to me. He didn’t usually sleep in my bed, but he’d run into my bedroom at 2am last night screaming and describing a nightmare to me. After that, he wouldn’t settle in his own bed and I happily cuddled and rocked him to sleep just like I had done when he was newborn.
“Mornin’, Linc,” I greeted with a smile.
“Morning, Daddy!” he cried with a big grin. “It’s morning time!”
“I know,” I told him with a laugh before reaching out to cuddle him. “Are you excited to spend some time with Daddy today?”
“Yes!” he exclaimed as he wriggled out of my grasp and up onto his feet. “Daddy, play! Daddy, play!” He repeated himself over and over as he bounced on the mattress excitedly.
“Okay, okay, Linc,” I said, shaking my head. “But you know the drill! You need to get dressed and eat something first, okay? What would you like this morning? Eggs? Corn flakes?”
Lincoln stood still for a moment as he contemplated his choice before erupting in a scream of “Eggs! Eggs!”
“Let’s get that empty tummy of yours fed then, shall we?” I said as I sat up and grabbed him around the waist.
“Daddy!” he protested, kicking his legs against me as I lifted him and climbed off the bed. “Put me down!”
“When you were a baby, I used to carry you everywhere, Linc,” I teased him as I headed toward the kitchen. “Don’t you want Daddy to carry you anymore?”
Lincoln shook his head violently. “I’m a big boy! I can walk!”
“Okay, okay, big boy,” I said as I let him down in the corridor. “Race you to the kitchen?”
Lincoln nodded his head before running at full speed toward the kitchen. I laughed at him for a moment before jogging behind him. Naturally, he reached the kitchen first and he screamed delightedly.
“I win! I win!” he cried as he jumped up and down.
“Yes, you did, my little champion.” I ruffled his hair affectionately before walking toward the fridge and opening it up. “Now, go sit at the table like a good boy and Daddy’ll make you the best scrambled eggs in the world, okay?”
Lincoln nodded. “Can I bring dino?” he asked as he darted toward the sofa and picked up one of his favorite stuffed animals.
Forbidden First Times: A Contemporary Romance Collection Page 43