Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
EVIE
This is my first stuffy business lunch, and as long as I’m working at Intentional Paper, I know it won’t be my last. The Finland trip is approaching fast, so it may be my last for a while. Lunches with Theo don’t count. They’re never quite as stuffy as this one.
It’s not like I have to talk much. I’m allowed to sit in the corner of the booth and tap on my iPad—taking notes and making sure we’re set for the trip. Flights are booked, we are in communication with the cabin owner, and we’re set for all the photo opportunities in Finland.
“Why should we do business with you?” the older man asks Theo in a voice that could put someone to sleep—and not in a good way. It’s flat—boring. “There are many paper companies out there, and some do the same things you claim to. So… why you?”
I sip on my drink, doing my best to stay alert—at least enough to take my notes.
They’ve already been chatting and drinking for thirty minutes, and they’re only now getting down to business. I don’t understand how they can operate like that; it all feels like such a waste of time. Couldn’t they have had this talk over email?
This may be another business lesson, and I intend to make the best of it. Working as Theo’s assistant can either derail my dreams or lay the building blocks for my future. I want it to do the latter.
“Are there other people making paper?” Theo shrugs and drains his glass. “Sure. Are there other people doing it in an ethical and sustainable manner? I would say so, but no one does it as well as we do.”
“Those are mighty words.”
“But it’s true. Look, I’m the CEO, and I’m out there in the woods once a year planting trees. I’m not just the face of the business. I have my hands in it. That means we’re truly ethically sourced.”
Between the commanding way Theo speaks, his clean-cut look, and the V-neck of his shirt… he’s… well, he’s…
I shake my head, pushing those thoughts away—again—thoughts I shouldn’t be having about my boss. No matter how many times I kill them, they pop back up like zombies.
“You’re that involved in the process?” The businessman looks impressed, nodding and pursing his lips. “Sounds like you really know your stuff.”
“I do. I have a degree in forestry and a minor in business, not the other way around.”
The older man grunts. “What about the business side? That’s important to me, too.”
“I think you’ll find our prices and model pleasing. The best thing about us is that it’s more than paper. We handle shipping, pulp, recycling…” He slips a paper across the table. “And here are our sustainability reports.”
“This all looks very good.”
“What needs do you have?” Theo leans in. “You tell me, and I’ll see if we can meet them.”
“Shipping and general paper needs are where we’d like to start, but I saw on your website that you specialize in retail packaging, too.”
Theo taps his fingers against the table. “We do, and we do it more sustainably than the other guys. Recycled products and quality printing.”
“Good. We’re considering a rebrand, and part of that involves becoming more sustainable. There’s a need for that in the beauty industry.”
Talking about beauty and makeup never sounds as dull as when this man does it.
I zone back out, waiting for either of them to say something worth noting. So far, it’s been small talk. Now, Theo is convincing him to work with us. I can’t stand this part of the sales process; I guess there’s a reason I don’t work in sales.
There’s no convincing someone to buy a cake. They either want to buy it or they don’t.
I look over the emails we exchanged with the company. This would be a massive customer if we land them, which is why Theo is handling the sale himself. How is he dealing with the pressure without breaking a sweat?
For most of the lunch, I doubt it will come together. I doubt the sale and doubt Theo. They seem to be talking in circles. The older man makes him repeat himself a thousand times. Do we want a client we have to convince to work with us? I don’t get it.
Then, they capture my attention again.
“I have to check with a few of my people, but as far as I’m concerned, we have a deal.”
I lift my head.
They continue negotiations, and I furiously take notes—a reminder to send them a follow-up email and invoice, a reminder to let the supply team know about the sale. With their business, we’ll have to up production, something I don't know anything about.
I’ll be gone by the time they’re actually on board.
That’s the weird part of it all. The contract isn’t set to start until the beginning of next year.
I’m laying the groundwork for something I won’t see the end of.
Every part of me is thrilled about my future, but a small part of me wants to see what my work here will amount to.
Theo will probably update me if I ask, but I won’t. Ever since my talk with Everett, I’ve been trying to keep our relationship professional.
“It was great to meet you!” I smile and shake the man’s hand, already forgetting his name.
It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t remember mine. Other than our initial greeting, he hardly looked at me.
I stand to leave, but Theo doesn’t.
He clears his throat, jutting his chin at the seat I rose from. “Let’s stay a little longer. This is worthy of celebrating, and we still have an hour until lunch is over. What about dessert?”
I hesitate. This doesn’t feel professional, but I suppose it is. It’s still a business meeting, after all. “Do you have a big sweet tooth?” I slide back into the booth and fix Theo with a sugary smile.
He lifts a brow. “I thought you assumed, considering the lavender latte.”
I look up at the ceiling and shake my head. “Are you ever going to let that go?”
“Probably not.” The waiter comes by, and Theo pauses to order dessert.
I could deny the offer in the name of professionalism, but why bother? I’m still broke, so I’m not above taking free food.
“Come on,” he says. “We closed a huge client. Do you know how long they were trying to get him on board? Months. That’s why I had to step in.”
“And you did a good job. Do you have sales experience?”
“Nope.” He lifts his shoulders. “Not really. He didn’t need another salesman. He’s already talked to our best salespeople. What he needed was to talk to a scientist.”
“And a fellow businessman.” I raise a brow and lift my drink, tilting it in his direction before I take a sip—in his honor. Drinking on the job is a fun perk of this position, though I’ve been nursing the same cocktail since I arrived.
“I don’t know. I’ve always seen myself as more of a scientist, but…”
“How you see yourself doesn’t change your job title. I witnessed an expert businessman sealing a deal.”
He grimaces. “That’s not the compliment you think it is.”
“It is when it’s coming from me.” I lean in—professionally, of course. “There’s a lot I admire about you.”
A smile tugs at the corner of his lips. “I’m too humble to ask you to list all of my strengths, so I’ll take your word for it.”
“That’s just another thing to admire.”
I’m buzzing, even though I’ve barely had anything to drink—it’s not that kind of buzz. This is something else.
The server brings two slices of plain cheesecake with fresh strawberries.
“Thank you!” I’m still smiling, but once we’re alone again, I narrow my eyes, pulling the plate closer to inspect the cake.
“What?” He chuckles. “Is it not up to your standard?”
“I’m not sure yet. Do you know if they actually made this?” I cut into the cheesecake. “There’s nothing worse than frozen, store-bought cheesecake. If this smells even a little like a grocery store, it’s over.”
“This place has rave reviews, Evie. I can assure you that they made this in-house.”
“I’m just checking.” I take a bite, closing my eyes.
The flavors are simple, as expected, and the strawberry carries the dessert more than I would like. What a disappointment.
“Well?” he asks.
I tilt my head to the side. “Not bad. Not great, either. The crust could be better, but whoever made the cheesecake knows what they’re doing.”
“Not store-bought?”
“No. Thank God.” I point at the menu. “You should have ordered better. They have Crème Br?lée. I saw it.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “I’ll let you order next time. How about that?”
“That would be better.” I spear a strawberry with the fork. “Are you the kind of person who always needs dessert?”
“I am. It’s the best part of the meal.”
“That’s a green flag in my eyes.” My eyes widen when I realize what I said.
No, no, no! My big mouth is getting me in trouble again.
I should not be considering whether my boss is a green or red flag. That makes me a red flag, doesn’t it? My face flushes, and I look away, scratching my cheek. The drink must have been stronger than I realized. What other excuse do I have for being so embarrassing?
Theo only laughs, either not noticing or not caring how mortified I am. “Does that mean not having a sweet tooth is a red flag?”
He needs to stop. I can’t keep talking about this with him.
“Only in my eyes.” I giggle nervously. “Like, I’ve dated people who didn’t like sweets, and it never worked out.”
I’m burying myself deeper in the ditch of embarrassment. Why am I talking about my love life with my boss? It’s not as if it’s been thrilling. My dates never go far; my last serious relationship was in high school.
Newer relationships are always dead on arrival, and it’s my fault. It took quite a few years to realize I’m the one who ruins things, even if I would say they usually deserve it. I want a partner, a perfect ingredient in my recipe for life, and anyone who can’t rise to that role isn’t for me.
Theo would be quite the partner, but that’s another thought I force myself to push away, only lingering on it in the darkest parts of the night.
“I can see why that would make you incompatible.” He takes a slow bite of his dessert, savoring it. “What do I have to do for you to make me a cheesecake?”
“If I make you one, it must be a basque.”
“What’s that?”
“The superior cheesecake. No water bath, no crust, just a burnt, caramelized cheesecake.”
His eyes widen. “I’m not sure if we should start messing with the classics.”
“A basque cheesecake is a classic. Trust me. Once you try it, there’s no going back to this.”
“Huh.” He takes a slow bite. “You miss baking, don’t you?”
What a complicated question. Do I miss waking up at four in the morning? Do I miss weird customers? Not really.
“What’s there to miss?” I exhale, blowing my bangs up. “I still bake on the weekends.”
“You know what I mean. Working at the bakery was your calling, wasn’t it?”
“Baking is my calling, but that bakery was not. It was too commercial. I didn’t get to experiment with my recipes or designs. You know?”
“You need more creative freedom. I can respect it. The culinary arts are an art form, after all.”
“Exactly. That’s why I have fun baking for my brother’s parties. Like, the lemon frosting was good, wasn’t it?”
“It was fantastic.”
“And the heart-shaped cake. That didn’t fit the vibe of my last bakery, but now I can do whatever I want.”
He stabs a fork into his cheesecake slice. “When you open your bakery, I’ll be one of the first in line. I can only imagine what you can do with a full kitchen at your disposal.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” I lift a brow. “And you better tip well.”
“You can count on it. I always do.” He pops the piece of cheesecake in his mouth.
We’re still working, and I’m still on the clock, but it’s nice to have a break in the day to forget about it all and remember my dreams.