Taylor

Chapter 5 | Some Cream And Brown Sugar

The next day, I reluctantly pulled into a parking spot in the semi-full parking lot of The Renaissance hotel at exactly 7:49 AM. Taking a deep breath, I turned off the engine and exited the car with my belongings then locked it and slowly made my way toward the building.

What the hell am I doing here? I mumbled to myself as an ominous feeling of déjà vu washed over me.

Once inside, I quickly made my way to the front desk area, ignoring the harsh stings of the cold, conditioned air on my exposed skin.

Why did I wear my uniform to come here? I look like an escort, I groaned internally.

"Good morning. I have an appointment with Mr. Payne at 08:00 this morning," I stated in a clipped tone.

The receptionist from before looked up from her computer, raising a perfectly arched brow as she analyzed me from head to toe with a slight scowl on her face. "Name please."

"Ivy Taylor," I responded curtly, ignoring her lack of greeting simply because I needed all my energy to deal with the big man upstairs.

No, not God.

Recognition flashed across her black eyes and she smiled. "Of course. He's expecting you, Ms. Ivy League. Just walked through the hallway on the left then turn right."

I suddenly forgot how to breathe. "What did you just call me?"

She cleared her throat and offered the same fake saccharine smile from before. "Ivy. Ivy Taylor. That's your name, right?"

"Yes, but you called me Ivy League." I half-shrieked, half-whispered.

"Ivy League?" she repeated, feigning innocence. "Why would I call you that?

"Oh, I don't know," I shrugged. "Maybe it's because you and your friends upstairs have been gossiping about me."

"Gossiping about you?" She covered her mouth in an attempt to muffle her laugh. "Oh please. Don't get ahead of yourself. You're not that important," she snapped after she composed herself.

I quickly realized this conversation was pointless and was gonna get me nowhere but jail so I took a deep, calming breath and walked away.

"Bye, Ivy League," she whispered loud enough so only I would hear.

I rolled my eyes at her childishness as I followed her directions to Mr. Payne's office. There was a cozy waiting area on the far left corner outside his office and a standard cubicle to the right but there was no one there to greet me. So I walked straight up to the door with the 'General Manager' sign and knocked twice.

When he gave me permission to enter, I did just that and closed the door behind me but, I didn't go over to him. I just stood awkwardly by the door hoping that he gets to the point so I can leave.

He didn't seem too pleased with this though. "Why are you standing guard at my door? Do you expect an invasion of some sort?"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at his obvious sarcasm. "Can you just tell me why I am here?"

"You are here because I told you to be here. Now, please have a seat." His hands gestured at the two empty chairs on the opposite side of his desk and his piercing blue eyes challenged me to not accept his offer.

As I reluctantly walked towards him, his lips turned up slightly in a victory grin so, before I took a seat, I not-so-subtly pulled the chair back to increase the distance between us. When he saw this, he set his mouth in a straight line and it was my turn to smile.

"Why am I here, Mr. Payne?" I got straight to the point so as to not waste his time or mine.

"You seem to be in a rush, Ms. Taylor," he acknowledged accusingly. "Do you have somewhere to go?" Not waiting for a response, he got up and went over to his quaint little kitchen area in the back of the room to get some coffee. "Would you like some?"