Page 37 of Greed

The elevator couldn’t move fast enough. The doors opened, and some of the next shift was arriving for work. Penny stood amongst them. She locked eyes with Penny as they passed one another. She seemed to be her normal smiley self, her hair in the perfect bun. It only made her feel crazier.

“Hey girl, I’d stop and chat, but I’m running late. See you later, Minny. We need to catch up.” Penny smiled as the doors closed. Minetta stared at the doors until they opened again, and more people filed out. She’d expected to feel instant fear the next time she saw Penny, but instead, she felt…normal. What the hell was wrong with her?

Pushing Penny out of her mind, she pushed her way out the front doors and made her way around the corner.

It’s just coffee, don’t be weird.

She told herself as she pulled open the door to the busy, hip location where the music was too loud and the people more so. The smell was delightful, and she took a deep breath of the rich coffee scent that married perfectly with the hum of espresso machines hard at work. A few girls were leaning up against the island where you could doctor your beverage, but their drinks were untouched as they stared across the room.

Following their gaze, she found Michael sitting in the corner looking at his phone. His eyes lifted from the phone as if feeling her gaze and smiled wide, making her pulse race. She raised her hand in a dorky wave and then turned to face the front of the café as the line moved up.

So much for not acting weird.

“I’ve got it,” he said, from right behind her, making her jump.

“If anything, I’ve got it. I need to repay you for your kindness.”

“Nonsense. Now let’s see. You strike me as a chocolate, chai tea, latte, half sweetener but two cream kind of girl.”

Her mouth fell open as he said exactly what she was thinking of getting. “How did you do that?”

“I’m in negotiations, remember? I’m good at reading people. Your eyes were lingering on today’s special.” Michael gave her a wink and then leaned over to give the barista their orders. “Tell me about yourself, Minny. What do you like to do for fun,” Michael asked as they made their way over to the table he’d occupied earlier. It was shocking that no one had taken it in his absence.

“I’m not terribly exciting, I’m afraid. I like yoga and books. I love to take my dog for walks. Oh, and I help out as a volunteer at all sorts of events.”

“Like this one?” Michael turned his phone around, and it showed a picture of the fundraiser she’d volunteered at not too long ago.

“Yes, I was there, actually.”

“It was really nice of Avidity Enterprises to donate such a large amount of money to the cause.”

“Really? I didn’t know. I actually don’t even know what company that is.” She sipped the hot drink and moaned a little. There was a reason this was the most expensive and most popular café around.

“It’s that new tall black building with all the silver and reflective black glass,” Michael said and then sipped his cappuccino.

“I know the building, just nothing about the company.”

“Neither do I really, but they handed over two hundred thousand for the food bank.” She choked on the sip of her latte.

“Are you serious? That’s incredible. That will feed so many people.” She smiled wide, thinking of all the families they could help with that kind of donation.

“I know, which is why it makes it so terrible that no one has recognized the company for their generosity. Things like that can make a company not want to do it again in the future. You know they could feel like it wasn’t appreciated.”

“I hadn’t thought about that. Oh my.” Her face fell as she thought about such a generous donation not coming in again because someone had forgotten to thank the company.

“Anyway, enough about that, tell me more about yourself.” Michael sat back and seemed to hang on her every word. Whether he really wanted to or was just being polite, she couldn’t tell, but it was nice to have a conversation with a man that didn’t treat her like a personal maid.

“I grew up in a small town in the country but always wanted to come to the big city and fell in love with my job, and here we are.”

Michael’s phone dinged, and he looked at his watch. “Shoot, I have to get going. I have a late meeting tonight. I would love to pick this up where we left off, but how about over dinner? I have another meeting tomorrow, but how about Thursday evening?” He smiled again, and she was sure she heard every woman and some of the men sigh.

“I would like that.”

He walked her outside, but before he left, he took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. “I’m looking forward to Thursday, Minny. You don’t mind if I call you that do you?”

“No, feel free, all my friends….” She stopped herself from repeating it again like a broken record. “Yes, you can call me Minny.”

He wandered down the street, his business casual outfit hugging his ass and shoulders, giving her one hell of an amazing view.