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“Luke, I mean, Mr. Davenport, I have a Mr. Wilson here to see you.” Ashley, our receptionist, trilled.
My voice warmed. “Thanks, Ash. Could you show him into the meeting room and get him a coffee, please? I won’t be a minute.” I ended the call and stood, gathering my laptop and the files I needed for my meeting.
“Why can’t you talk to me that politely?” came a quiet voice behind me. Damn. I’d forgotten Payne was there.
“Because you don’t make me feel very polite, Payne,” I snapped.
“Why?” She stared at me with—no, that couldn’t be actual hurt in her eyes. This was Payne. She gave zero fucks what I thought of her, and she gave back just as good as she got.
“Not now, Payne, I have a meeting.” I brushed past her, ignoring her sharp intake of breath as she jumped out of my way.
Two hours later I shook Mr. Wilson’s hand and showed him out of the office. He was one of our newest clients, the head of a firm of solicitors that needed a complete overhaul of their website and a strong social media presence. He’d seemed impressed with the progress we’d made and had only requested a few minor changes to the structure of the new website. I grinned as I walked back to my desk. I loved this part of my job—meeting with the clients, showing them the ideas we’d come up with for them, seeing the reaction on their faces.
The grin was abruptly wiped off my face as I reached my desk and wiggled my mouse to wake up my computer. I’d forgotten to lock it, and instead of my usual desktop background, there was a fucking Hello Kitty waving at me. To add insult to injury, all the text on my screen was giant-sized, and my menu colour scheme had been changed to pink. Payne. I clenched my fists and opened up my office messenger app, wincing at the cerise background. Stabbing at my keyboard, I wrote “LEAVE MY SHIT ALONE, PAYNE” in block capitals.
A moment later the little “message read” notification popped up under my words, and I sat back in my office chair, waiting.
YOU SHOULDN’T LEAVE YOUR COMPUTER UNLOCKED. MAYBE IT’LL TEACH YOU A LESSON.
I growled in frustration. I needed to have a word with Payne. Pushing down on my desk, I rose from my chair, leaving it spinning behind me. Stalking towards her desk, I noticed the exact moment she registered my presence. Her eyes widened, and she let out a little squeak of fright.
“Eddie, help me,” she begged.
“Sorry, babes, I’m staying out of this.” He laughed, delight evident on his face. He lived for the drama, as long as it involved other people.
“Bastard,” she muttered.
I came to a stop right next to Payne’s chair and in one swift motion, lifted my foot and pressed it down on her chair lever.
Her chair sank to the floor instantly, and I smirked at her shocked face.
“How’s the view down there?” I asked sardonically.
“See for yourself.” She giggled and shot her foot out, sweeping my leg from under me. My other foot was still pressed on the chair lever, and I found myself falling flat on my back, smacking my head into the desk.
“Shit, Luke, are you okay?” Payne asked between giggles. “Let me take a look at it.”
She reached forward.
“No! Stay away from me, woman—you’re lethal.” I groaned, scrambling away from her and holding the back of my head.
“Eddie! Get Luke some ice,” Payne commanded. “Ed? Please?”
I looked up to see him doubled over in fits of silent laughter, helpless tears streaming down his face. He shook his head, unable to speak through his mirth.
Payne roll
ed her eyes and peeled herself off her chair, hurrying off to the kitchen.
“You okay, mate?” Jamie, resident IT guru, asked, peering over Payne’s computer screen, amusement evident in his tone.
“I’m fucking great,” I grunted.
“Uh…by the way, Luke, it was me that did the stuff to your computer,” he admitted, his expression sheepish.
“Roped you in to do her dirty work, did she?” I rolled my eyes. It didn’t surprise me in the slightest.
Payne hurried back with an ice-filled tea towel gripped in her hands.
