The Closer (18+) ✓

| 6.1 | ex-ventures

❝How come you say you need a better man?
When you're the one who came to me for everything.❞

Chapter Six:
Ex-Ventures

"No, no- mine!"

I snatched the last cookie from the open container, giggling to myself in victory at a sour-faced Tim.

"You're kidding, right?" Tim muttered, clearly annoyed as his thick blonde brows gnashed together in irritation. I made it a point to bite into the cookie, and chew slowly in front of Tim's eyes which narrowed with each crunch from my mouth.

"Now, children, behave will you please?" Francesca hushed us from the corner of the room but our theatrics had earned a good laugh from the others assembled in the recreational room. She took a sip of coffee from her mug and beckoned to me, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Tris, that was plenty naughty of you." The fact that that came from my boss nonetheless made it all the more hilarious. I shook my head, focusing my eyes on Tim who sulked from the other side of the table.

"I'm afraid the meaning of the word 'naughty' is lost on you, Frannie." The combination of me saying that and licking off the last of the crumbs on my fingers had Tim flushing a deep shade of red. With a laugh, I stood up and ruffled his hair, pulling out a cookie I'd hidden underneath the table unbeknownst to Tim.

"Here you go, wank-face."

"Wank-face?" Tim grumbled, taking the cookie gently from me. "Is that another one of your weird-ass compliments or are you insulting me again?"

"It means I'd totally get off to your face, Tim," I answered with a straight expression, stifling the laugh that erupted in my chest unlike everyone else who openly giggled. "I mean," I whispered, leaning in with one arm on the coffee-table, "I already have..."

"Cut him some slack, Tris!" The girls in the corner told me off for victimizing poor Tim yet again, who stuffed the cookie in his mouth and muttered something about me being an insufferable tease. I smirked and bent down, giving my recently appointed boy best-friend a quick peck on the cheek. "Just kidding."

Straightening, I did a little bow for my audience in the recreational room which included my very amused boss, Rina, Tracie, James and the not-so-nervous-anymore Jaden. After two months, the entire floor had gotten used to the fact that I was not only a dedicated employee but a complete joker with a quirky sense of humor...which often involved people falling prey to my jokes. Tim was my favorite to pick on, mainly because we had become great friends and he knew me very well...and that meant knowing I could be an annoying twat. Like I was now.

"Now, if you'll excuse me good people, I have pending work to get to," I said, twirling away for added effect.

"Yeah, get your cute butt out this room so we can bitch about you," Rina, Francesca's assistant winked at me jokingly.

"Good things, I hope."

Jaden sighed. "Only the best."

It was well known that the baby boy of the office admired me, especially after finding out I was the Tris Henderson. Jaden was an intern, a freshly minted-graduate from the very same college I'd gone to. Apparently, he had me placed as his role-model so it was a dream come true for him to run into me at his very first work-place.

Jaden was cute, but too young for me. I took him on as an apprentice, and saw him as a little brother but nothing more than that. It broke my heart every time he swooned for me but I couldn't help but find it a little adorable. Especially when his brown eyes went all wide and puppy-doggy and how he'd scramble behind the desk to come out and greet me each morning. It reminded me of how innocent infatuation could be...