The Baker's Man

The Inevitable

Odette sighed miserably as she responded to the email Elijah had sent her. He had left two days ago to attend a conference with half of their department leaving the floor dead with activity. She couldn't deny it, she missed him. She touched her cheek remembering the feel of his warm hand against it. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts she returned to her work when there was a knock at her door. She looked up from her computer and wondered what Lana was doing in her office. Although they had never been formally introduced after their brief encounter surrounding the bakery Odette wanted to stay far away from the woman.

"Where's Eli?" she asked as she placed a pile of drafts on her desk.

"Out of town, how can I help you?"

"Never mind I'll just call him." She said waving at her dismissively. "File these drafts away." she said plopping the stack on Odette's desk.  Lana turned to leave but stopped in her tracks and glared at Odette. "I don't know how you did it, but I know you caused that fire."

"If you want to blame me for faulty wiring go ahead, I had nothing to do with that fire." Odette said wishing that the woman would just leave.

"Don't get too comfortable GRP is no place for arsonists." She snapped.

"I thought I saw your broom in the hallway." Victoria said standing in the doorway. "How about you hop back on it and fly out of here." She said pushing pass Lana as she rolled her eyes.

"It's nice to see you too Victoria." Lana said giving her fake smile before walking out of the office.

"I can't stand that woman. What did she want?"

"She was looking for Elijah."

"Figures, they have sex one time and she thinks she owns him." Victoria said before covering her mouth with her hands. "I shouldn't have told you that." She did not want to paint her brother as a serial dater or womanizer, although he was in a way.

"I assumed as much." Odette said as she stood up to gather her things, she and Victoria were having lunch with Gaby and she was a bit nervous. Gaby was the reason why she was hired, if she did something wrong during the lunch she would probably be let go.

"Is that what you're wearing?" Victoria said pointing at Odette trying not to look as offended as she felt by her outfit. Odette looked down at herself then back at Victoria, "What's wrong with my outfit?" She did not think there was anything wrong with the simple blue button down shirt she wore and black business pants.

"You poor clueless child." Victoria said with a dramatic sigh. "Not to worry we can pick up something on the way."

****

"Gaby do not scare the girl; you know how you can get." Nick warned over the phone, Gaby rolled her eyes as the waitress arrived with her drink.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I just want to have a nice lunch with my girls and get to know my future daughter-in-law."

"Gaby I'm serious, Odette and Elijah work well together and I don't want you scaring her off by trying to arrange a marriage."

"Okay I hear you Nicholas, don't you have a seminar to get to." she said trying to get him to end the call.

"It's not for another hour, but I got the hint. I'll call you when I'm in for the night. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Was that daddy?" Aaliyah asked as she sat down next to her mother.

"Yes it was."

"I'm still mad at him for not letting me go to the conference."