Company Ink Read Online Free PDF Page B

period.”
    “We see more people at this bakery in a day than any of your fine dining establishments see in a week. Eighty-sixing an item isn’t an option here. We’re ready for anything.”
    Violet stared at him pointedly, trying to convey the irritation that consumed her. Their eyes finally met, and a strained moment of silence extended between them. All around them customers and counter staff buzzed with life; to Violet, it felt like a tension-filled bubble had just expanded around them and cut them off from the rest of the bakery. She thought it might go on forever, but Ben stepped back.
    “You know what, there’s a couple of things I have to take care of downstairs. I’ll come back up in a little bit.”
    Violet nodded wordlessly and watched as he made his way past the beverage counter, then the cupcake counter, finally disappearing down the small hallway that led to the steps into the basement. She turned back to the counter with a groan—that didn’t go well. She grabbed a trio of chocolate cake layers and vanilla buttercream to ice her next order.
    Once she’d completed the orders on her list and it was time to set up the production schedules for the night and overnight bakers and icers, she was completely aware that Ben hadn’t returned. In her mind, he must have planned it that way—the situation got intense and he took off instead of dealing with it. She knew it was because she’d made sure he knew she was offended, and she wouldn’t apologize for that.
Well, Ben ol’ boy, now you have no choice but to face me
.
    She quickly straightened up her station and headed downstairs to the office. Ben was at his seat, facing the door. The receiver of his desk phone was pressed to his ear, and he looked one part mortified, two parts furious. The mix of intense emotion stopped Violet in her tracks. The door shut behind her with a
click
, and he finally noticed her presence.
    Violet caught the brunt of his infuriated gaze and, for one moment, she had no idea whether or not it was meant for her.
    “I’m gonna have to call you back.” His voice was dark, oddly matching his eyes as they had gone from clear blue to almost stormy.
    Ben blindly placed the receiver back onto its cradle while he continued to watch her, waiting for a reaction.
    “Is everything all right?” Violet’s brow furrowed in concern.
    His tense, rigid frame softened slightly. But the emotional wall he was holding up remained. He steadied himself as he prepared to answer, broadening his shoulders in a transparent attempt to get it together. The effect bordered on frightening; Violet’s lips parted as her breath silently hitched. Should she walk away?
    “I’m fine.” His voice remained dark as he turned toward his desk to reach for the apron beside his keyboard.
    Violet thought better of pushing the issue, opting simply to say, “Um, okay. I just came down to check in with you. I was hoping to be able to do production and—”
    “Okay, look,” he said. “It’s my second day, and I’ve got a lot to learn in terms of administration and operations alone. Do you think you could just handle production and let me do my job before throwing the entire store at me?”
    Violet blinked, stunned at the tone he’d taken. “I … I can, but production is just as important as the—”
    “It’s dessert, Violet. When all is said and done, it’s just cake. I’m sure the world won’t end if you press on without me.”
    She stared at him for a long moment while he very disrespectfully turned his back and threw the apron back on his desk. Dumbfounded, she swallowed a large lump of pride that had begun to swell in her throat. If she disliked anything, it was being spoken down to. But her job was worth much more than the satisfaction of hurling the insults currently threatening to escape her mouth, and she knew it.
    “Right.” Her face was stony. “Some other time. I’ll just go do this upstairs.”
    “Violet, wait … ”
    But she didn’t