Not Playing by the rules

Chapter 10

Athena knocked the door of the cabin of Jaques Rodriguez who said,” Come in,” as she opened the door and went inside to find him working at his laptop on hi table. It was not much of a cabin or an office. It was really a cramped little space with a table and a chair and some office supplies like a printer and a scanner and the air-conditioner was running at full blast.

“Ah there you are…. Woman of the day..My goodness I never knew that you can change the sales charts of our restaurant in a single day and that too in a segment which is considered luxury, have a seat,” said Jaques, visibly excited.

“Well a recent study shows that desserts are a segment which cater to the cravings of heart and mouth of any person which might lead them to think with their hearts and not brains, causing them to be more impulsive,” said Athena taking seat close to Jaques.

The room was itself so small, and they were both sitting together at a very close proximity and making Athena uncomfortable at the prospect but it did not deter or affect Jaques by any chance.

“So tell me Athena, I have already noted down all the flavours of cupcakes which might give you an insight that how you want to place the dessert section in tonight’s menu,” said Jaques.

“Jaques, before we go on with that I would like to know what are the current desserts that are being served now at the restaurant with lunches or dinners?” asked Athena trying to sit back farther in the chair, as far it was possible.

“You are the only one who calls me by my real name apart from my dear grand-mother,” said Jaques with a smile looking in Athena’s eyes.

“I am sure you started using the name Jake so that it would be easier to blend in with the American crowd but at your heart you will always be an Italian, so might as well I help you in remembering a part of yourself,” said Athena returning his smile and finding herself getting warmer to him. Jaques had shoulder length dark hair which made him look like an absolute rake and to her great horror he tied it behind at the nape of his neck. The light and warmth in his eyes which showed that by nature he was a passionate man. Athena looked back in his eyes deeply and found herself wondering how would it feel like to kiss his lips and drown her hands in his thick mane of hair. How would he respond to his touches on his skin and make sounds of pleasure and groaning when she touched his hardness. And then suddenly something snapped her back to reality.

“Athena? Are you fine? You seem to be lost in thoughts somewhere? Floating on cloud nine?” asked Jaques with a wink and a smile that melted her right there.

“Oh did you say something Jaques? I am so sorry…really…I was thinking about the toppings which could bring a change to the flavour of the cupcakes. You know what, but I must ask for your permission first, is it not? I really should…” Athena kept on rambling.

“Did you know that you look cute when you are rambling?” prompted Jaques making her go absolutely silent.

“What?” asked Athena as she blushed furiously making her go beet-root red almost a matching colour to her hair. How the hell could she have such lascivious thoughts about her own boss and that too after spending an amazing night just the night before with a man with whom she had a complicated relationship despite of him not knowing anything about this.

“Yes, I am being honest. You were speaking about cupcakes and flavours and toppings and then asking something none of which actually made sense to me but you looked so worried and caught up that you looked darned cute Ms. Simpleton,” said Jaques smiling at her rakishly.

“If I did not know better Jaques I would have surely said that you were flirting with me. But I know better than that, don’t I?” said Athena with a smile not looking at him anymore.

“And why would I be exactly not be flirting with an amazing and beautiful woman?” asked Jaques with a surprised look on his face.

“Because you are taken and I am not that insane to be flirting with my boss that too on the first day of my work. Now back to the parlay…Where were we?” asked Athena and found that Jaques looked pretty disappointed.

Jaques smiled at her and handed over a book to her which was not even half a page and had only three variations for choosing.

“This is awful,” said Athena looking at the dessert menu.

“I know, so what can we do about this?” asked Jaques looking at her frowning face and thinking that how can be a woman so mesmerizingly beautiful and talented at the same time. But what did she say about him being taken he did not exactly understand. There was something going on in the background which this woman knew but he was not aware of at all.

“I am writing down fifteen variations we are going to provide to our customers from tomorrow. Get another book printed for desserts only as soon as possible by today day end. This weekend we are going to invite the customers for a dessert tasting at our restaurant where we will be offering them a wide assortment of variations in flavours and colours and we will customize the desserts for them,” said Athena writing out the names of the desserts that she already had in mind.

“I must say that you know your desserts well,” said Jaques looking at her with admiration shining in his eyes for her.

“Oh and another thing, if there are cupcakes left which I have made amongst the forty batches I baked today , pack one cup-cake for each customer as a complimentary offering after the lunch is over and they are served the bill. This will make them glad that they came here for lunch and that too today,” said Athena as she got up from her chair handing over the sheet of paper to Jaques.

“Tell me something honestly, will you?” asked Jaques looking at her.

“I thought I gave honest answers at the interview itself that is the reason you hired me. But shoot,” said Athena still poring over the list she had in her hand looking for any change she might make in it.

“Do you have a degree in business? Or management?” asked Jaques because the way this woman was strategizing he had never been able to do that although they had been feeding people of three generation for decades.

“Honestly, no I don’t have a degree in business or management but I would like to get one some day,” said Athena smiling down at him.

“I could have never asked for anything better than you, rather anyone better than you Athena Simpleton. You are God’s gift to me and this restaurant,” said Jaques.

“But I shall let you know something Jaques. A secret,” said Athena opening the door.

“Should not secrets be discussed inside closed doors?” asked Jaques with a grin on his face which made him look sinfully handsome.

“Of course they should be but if you commit a murder someday then I might be the person you would want to call,” said Athena as she closed the door behind her and walked towards the kitchen. And behind her she could hear a gasp and a loud laughter inside that office which was more of a broom closet.

Athena knew that she was flirting with her boss but logically she could not help it. That man was handsome beyond comprehension, Italian, rich and passionate about work and he was flirting with her too. It did not help her at all in composing herself but she was twenty-eight going to be twenty-nine within a week and she had not been in a relationship for as long as she could remember and it was high time that she would enjoy her life without any strings attached. If she thought about it really carefully then it was to be seen that Athena and Leon really both knew nothing about each other. What she had were the childish dreams of romance and might not be even called love at all if she carefully thought. How had she accepted her parents’ decision at all was now a matter of great surprise but she always had been an obedient child. But these was not a time of reflection on her past mistakes and how she came to overcome them or was still trying to but decide upon the flavours and toppings of the cupcakes.

Athena reached the kitchen and found that the lemons were all cut into pieces which could be squeezed and deseeded and the cupcakes were set on the counter to cool and another batch was in the oven currently being baked and she found Stacy taking out the frozen blueberries from the bags in a bowl.

“I must say that I am impressed,” said Athena coming closer to Stacy as she found her wiping her eyes hiding from sight.

“What did just happen Stacy? Why are you crying?” asked Athena worried about this girl who was clearly stressed out of her mind.

“I am really sorry, Miss. I know that I am not supposed to become emotional at my place of work but you see that I am trying not to be unprofessional about it. Please don’t tell this to anyone that I was becoming emotional while working,” said Stacy with a pleading look in her eyes.

“Stacy I am not going to tell anyone anything but if we have to work together you need to trust me, isn’t it? Carrie, the waitress, is she your friend?” asked Athena with worry in her eyes.

“I really don’t think that it is correct for me to burden you with my worries Miss. I am fine. Thanks anyway,” said Stacy as she rose from the stool.

“Fine, have these cakes. The sugar rush that you will get from it will help you brighten your mood,” said Athena as she handed over a plate of cupcakes to Stacy and tied her apron back.

Maggie entered the kitchen and said,” Athena you were finding a place to live close to this place right?”

“Oh yes, absolutely. I need a place to bring my luggage from the storage unit soon,” said Athena.

“Well, you are in luck. It seems that this lady, who is on her way to become your assistant and her friend in the restaurant Carrie who is the waitress, well she is the one who has been championing for your desserts since early in the morning, have a spare room and they could do with the extra money as rent, would you good with them?” asked Maggie flashing her matronly smile at her once more.

“Of course I am. Maggie, you are an absolute angel,” exclaimed Athena as she hugged her.

“I daresay not that I am an angel dear. It is you who are a blessing and have made everything so brighter in just a day,” said Maggie as she started tearing up.

“Awww Maggie!! That’s so sweet of you, but it is not the time to get hormonal or emotional at all. We need to get prepared for tomorrow morning and tonight as well. A lot of work to do. Stacy?” asked Athena.

“On it, boss,” said Stacy with a smile.