First Love: Jake & Sabrina (interracial romance) *completed story* {prequel}

Chapter Two

"Hey Mack, how's the work order coming for Sabrina Monroe?"

Jake waited for the young Latino to look away from his wide computer monitor. For a large company, the IT department wasn't as spacious as it should have been. Nine full-timers and three freelancers, including Jake, currently sat together in the medium-sized room. Crowded around them were tall cabinets and old computer equipment, crowding the room even more to accommodate them all.

"Which one is that again?" Mack asked with a frown.

"It's for the PC replacement in marketing," Jake reminded him. "I put in the order a few days ago."

Mack shrugged. "Don't know. You'll have to ask Ray. All equipment orders go through him now."

Jake clenched his jaw in frustration. Though he liked Mack, Jake was getting tired of the man not fulfilling his managerial duties. Everything that was ordered had to go up the ladder, and Jake was getting fed up with the bureaucracy. He didn't understand why the IT director had to deal with something as petty as replacing a bummed out computer system. A ton of new equipment had come in and, so far, all they had been good for was sitting in the storage room down the hall.

Jake was also getting frustrated with the politics at this company. The familiar agitation began to prickle at the back of his neck, and he knew it was time he left this place. If he hadn't needed the money, he would have taken the pay cut and accepted the job offer he'd received last week. He was trying to hold out for something better, but well-paying freelance gigs in his field were coming few and far between lately. He couldn't just pick up and leave like he'd done so many times before.

But damn if he wasn't over the bull.

Getting things done at this marketing firm required cutting through so much red tape it was a wonder they managed to get anything done. It had been four days now since he'd put in the request for Sabrina's new computer, and it looked like he wouldn't be able to come through for her. Jake really wanted to help the pretty, new Marketing Assistant. He hadn't been able to get her out of his mind, and he was hoping the computer would be his chance to see her again.

He typically didn't go after the corporate types—they were always all business, and he usually found it hard to relate to them. With Sabrina, however, there was something about her that was different from the other women he'd met at this firm. He wanted to get to know more about her, but he needed an excuse to go back to the marketing department—and finding one was proving a bit more difficult than he'd thought.

A new work order popped up on his screen and Jake's interest piqued. It was from Dale Connors. The Art Director in marketing. Jake attached his name to the ticket and got up from his seat. Maybe he would run into Sabrina while he was up there. If not, he would just make a quick visit to her desk, to check on her current equipment. He scoffed at himself. Checking on that old system was a waste of time—the computer was junk—but at least it would give him as good an excuse as any to go see her.

The soft vibration of his cell phone drew him to a halt as he entered the elevator bank. He dug the phone out of his pocket and stifled a curse when he saw the name on the screen. The only times his father's nurse called him was when Matt Landon was being difficult and Jake wouldn't be surprised if his father were being a pain in her ass. Pushing the answer button, he brought the phone to his ear.

"Renee, I'm at work."

"I know, Jacob," came the Caribbean-accented voice. "And I'm sorry for bothering you, but this is an urgent problem you need to take care of."

Jake frowned. "What is it?"

"Your father's payment to the agency didn't clear. Now they're telling me to end my shift early. I can't return until the payment comes in."