NO STRINGS ATTACHED

FIVE

                     
                              It was only 1:23 p.m and Abby was elbow deep in dough. After an hour long talk with her parents, she'd decided on taking a weekend off to go visit them. It's been almost a year since she'd been home. Somehow through all her mistakes, she'd managed to be adopted by a widower who was on her fourth marriage. It was one thing they had in common, they were both runners.

Now, Athena Williams seemed to have found Mr. Right in a tech billionaire Rick Wellington. The wedding was in a couple of months away. Her step-father  was a pleasant soft spoken man in his late fifties. Polar opposite of her mother if anyone had eyes to see however they had only one thing in common, her. They couldn't have any kids so they finally decided on adopting.

She was getting ready for another important dinner in the city when Nefera Bradshaw, one the most amazing female actors and feminist this world have ever seen, called and requested her services for an important city fundraiser, she'd somehow added two additional hours to the day to conduct a meeting with the icon who'd apologized repeatedly for her tardiness.

Once the night was a success, the actress had promised to not pay her her biggest paycheck ever received but spread word of her catering company to the elite, powerful men and women in society. This will definitely put her on the map and grow her company. This was huge for herself and partner.

As for the actress personally, she was total perfectionist with a friendly pleasant attitude ... Just like Nick, she'd thought after the private meeting.

She'd already rounded up her crew and had sent a batch down to the Grand Deluxe Hotel's kitchen to start setting up and getting the food and drinks organized. Nefera had guaranteed the restaurant had been rented for the occasion and she was free to use the kitchen and bar however she pleased. The fund raiser started at 6 p.m, dinner was to be served by 7 p.m.

She was about to roll out the thick dough when her personal phone rang.

Nick, she smiled at the personalized ringtone she'd set for him but didn't answer. It rang a few more then stopped. She loved doing that to him because he hated not getting what he wanted.

It rang quite a while more then she picked up.
"This is Abbigail." she answered in her most professional voice.

"Where the hell have you been? I have been ringing your phone for the past half hour, Abbigail." his voice came through impatient and a bit angry.

She stiffled her laughter.  Imagining him sitting behind his big glossy desk tapping away the way he usually did whenever he got impatient or upset.

"I am truly sorry sir." she teased.

"Are you mocking me?" he questioned.

"What if I am?" She arched a fine brow as she settled the phone between her head and shoulder. She really had lots to do, shouldn't be teasing. "Things been hectic at work. Most of my personal calls went to voicemail but I knew you wouldn't stop worrying until I picked up."

"If I didn't have plans tonight I'd have had you bound, bent and spanked till you learned some manners. But that's not why I'm calling. I have this important event I need to attend —-"

"I have to work tonight unfortunately, last minute job. It's a really big deal however that I already accepted the down payment, wouldn't be able to cancel." she cut him off purposefully and silently thanked Nefera for hiring them. As tempting as the spanking was, she couldn't mess up this opportunity. She didn't have anyone to rely on if she'd messed things up with this event. "I really need to go Nick, so your little spanking will have to make due at a later date. There's so much to do and get done I probably wouldn't even have time to charge my phone."

The line was quiet for a minute before he spoke again. "I understand. Will you be too busy to think of me then? Sliding between your legs?" His voice became seductively low.

Abby paused, taking a deep breath she sagged again the counter. "It's all I can get to think off and it's not fair. It's not healthy walking around thinking about sex so often." She sighed as she felt her body react to him.

"Who said it's not healthy? I think about your body every minute I can spare. The feel of your breast, the smell of your skin, the tastes of your —-"

"Have a nice day Nick." she hung up trying her best to control her breathing. Abby smiled, she was in so much trouble with this man.

Getting out her favorite star cookie cutter she began her cuts in the dough.

"What's so funny?"
She looked up to find her assistant and soon to be partner Lana staring curiously.

"Mind the business that pays you." Abby chuckled. "Did you get the extra help we needed for serving tonight?"

"I am," Lana smiled knowingly and sauntered over. "We had quite a number of volunteers to our request but I did manage to interview and got four extra college students, two males and two females, as you requested." Lana sampled the dough. "God, you're like the Michael Jordan of cooking. This batter is great."

She trusted her partner's judgment when it came to people having been friends when she'd just moved. "It has to be. She was very specific. I feel like our heads would be on a chopping block if our service wasn't above perfect."

"I know right, can you believe it? The Nefera C Bradshaw, choosing us to cater at her city fundraiser. Do you know how many events she's spearheaded? If we do good this right it could develop into a long lasting business relationship and we'll become prestigious and sought after and filthy rich!" Lana all but screamed with excitement which caused heads to turn in their direction.

Abbi laughed. "Yes, it's a huge deal. Thank you for getting those extra hands, now go start getting the kitchen set up you can take my car again."

"Yes boss." Lana smiled then hurried on out.
                                 
☀️☀️☀️

         Doing her final check, Abby checked for fly always, smudges and loose threads in her uniform. She smoothed her hair which she had sleeked back tightly in a ballerina bun. Her white shirt was crisply ironed and her apron and chef hat sparkling. She straightened the gold cross on her chain and headed out.

She'd made a mental note to avoid cameras as they flashed from reporters capturing the spectacular moments of the night.

She admired the fashion of the women and men and she'd even caught a few of the men's attention as she moved through the crowd offering eats and drinks and offering refills.
Celebrities, actors, politicians every and anyone who was important was at this event. She'd even earned a smile from her favorite author.

With her bluetooth headset she communicated with the rest of her staff, ensuring the drinks were chilled, mixed and served right and that the foods were at the perfect temperature and plated properly.

She'd spotted one of the former presidents, Victor J.L Cambridge. She was about to head back to the kitchen when she'd caught her name.

"Abbigail darling, I wanna introduce you to some very important people." Nefera wrapped her perfectly manicured hands around her wrist and led the way towards a small group. "This young woman right here is my secret weapon. Everyone this is Ms. Abbigail Williams. She catered the entire food for the event."

"I sure hope you have some business cards to pass out dear, you did spectacular." The high praise came from a fellow actor.

"I absolutely do, I'll hand out some personally after dinner and I'll leave some at the receptionist desk as well."

"You're not happen to be married are you Ms. Williams? I have a lovely grandson, I'm sure you've heard of him, Spencer Cumberbatch, he's starting in that new action movie. Great actor terrible cook however." Another stepped forward to shake her hand.

"Don't even think about stealing her from under me Margaret." Nefera laughed. "Oh Nick this is the young woman I was telling you about, Abbigail this is my eldest son, Nickel."