The Job, Mary-Kate Olsen

Chapter Two

The crisp morning air filled my lungs, invigorating me with each breath as I walked to the local café. After a few minutes, I arrived at my destination, where the warmth and rich aroma of coffee provided a welcome contrast to the chill outside. The cozy atmosphere made me wish I could spend the whole day here, curled up by the window with a latte.

"Hi, miss, what can I get for you?" the young barista asked.

"Hi, um, I'll have..." I glanced at the Post-it note with the twins' coffee order. "One large americano and a large latte, please."

The strawberry-blonde barista chuckled. "They always order the same thing," she said with a smile. "It's funny how they stick to their regulars every day. I'd get bored after a week. Especially the americano."

I returned her smile. "Do they always get their coffee from here?" I asked, intrigued.

"Yep, though sometimes one of their employees comes to get it, or they come themselves," she explained as she prepared the drinks.

"Are you a friend of theirs?" she asked, and I looked at her, puzzled.

"Oh, no. I'm actually their new employee. I'll be getting their coffee every day now," I said with a smile.

She blushed slightly. "Well, good for me then," she said softly, and I smiled back as I took the tray of coffee and swiped the credit card Ashley gave me. We exchanged quick goodbyes, and I headed to The Row offices. After navigating the elevator, I made my way to Mary-Kate's office and took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"A minute," I waited, and after what felt like several minutes, the door swung open abruptly. Mary-Kate stood halfway through the doorway, a stoic expression on her face.

"Morning," I said, unsure of what else to say. I extended my hands with the coffee cups. "Here's your coffee."

Before Mary-Kate could even acknowledge the cups, Ashley burst in, eagerly grabbing one of the cups. She took a large sip, looked at me with wide eyes, and declared, "Now you're my favorite employee!" I couldn't help but giggle as she left Mary-Kate's office.

Mary-Kate glanced at her cup, her eyes narrowing as she asked, "Is this an Americano?"

"Yes, no sugar" I assured her, handing over the cup. She nodded curtly and took it.

I placed my coat and bag next to my desk and noticed that Mary-Kate was already seated at hers. It seemed like we would be avoiding each other for the rest of the day. She continued to work in silence while I buried myself in emails. Around lunchtime, Ashley emailed me with a new task: selecting songs for The Row's monthly Spotify playlist. I dove into the previous playlists to understand the vibe they were going for, compiling a list of songs and artists that I hoped would fit. Time flew by, and before I knew it, it was 3 p.m. I sent my playlist selection to Ashley, hoping I had made it in time.

A small, quiet voice broke the silence. "You skipped lunch."

I looked up to see Mary-Kate standing there, her gaze not meeting mine. "I lost track of time while working on the playlist Ashley asked me to do," I explained.

"It's not good to skip meals," she said before turning and leaving the office. I discreetly glanced out the window and saw her talking to Ashley. A few moments later, Mary-Kate borrowed Ashley's coat and left the building.

...

Instead of heading home, I decided to spend the evening with Valentina, my best friend. She had been pestering me for every detail about my new job, though I hadn't mentioned that I was working for Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen. When I arrived at her apartment, I knocked on the door.