Chapter Three: Cake and Conversation

The next morning, she carefully dressed in her usual dark blue skirt and a clean white blouse, stuffed her lunch in her bag and left the apartment, still chewing her toast. The sky was grey but the rain was holding and she half-wondered what her secret admirer had noted about her lunch-bringing behaviours on such days. But the trains were crowded and she was shoved and jostled as she stood, waiting for her stop.

She had arrived a little earlier, efficiently storing her salad in the kitchenette and heading to her desk. And finding another package carefully wrapped.

She looked around. Rose and Jannah hadn't arrived yet and though there was a cup of coffee steaming on Poe's desk, the man himself wasn't in sight. Finn was typing and Zorii was talking on the phone. Frowning, Rey sat and this time, she turned over the label. The familiar elaborate writing curled in golden ink.

To Miss Rey-May this help you achieve your dreams. Your admirer

She ripped the paper and found a textbook. Then she frowned as she turned it over: it was THE textbook, the one that she couldn't afford for her online engineering course and which she was on the wait list for at the University library. A huge smile covered her face before she glanced up, looking around. Who knew about her course? Who had heard her sighing that she couldn't afford such an expensive book even though it was integral to her studies?

"Oh. A book," Jannah commented as she looked over Rey's shoulder with a vaguely disappointed expression. "No chocolates as well?"

"Is that...THE book?" Rose added, pulling her scarf off. Rey nodded, still turning the precious thing over in her hands. It was brand new, the spine unmarked from anyone opening it, the paper having that wonderful new book smell, and the edge of the pages pristine. Almost reverentially, she opened it and read down the contents list, seeing every chapter she needed for her assignments.

"It's perfect," she whispered. And then she frowned. "Have you told anyone about this?" Rose sighed.

"Just Poe and Finn. And Jannah."

"And Zorii was in the kitchen when we were discussing it," Jannah pointed out. "We were wondering of we could club together for your birthday..."

"So pretty much the whole company knows then," Rey sighed, knowing that the gossip would have spread like wildfire if Zorii was involved. Instantly, Rose was resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay-no one cares," she said but Rey was still blushing.

"I know," she said quietly, "but it's still...embarrassing, I guess, that people know that I cannot afford something so fundamental for my course. That I have spent every spare penny on my course and can only afford clothes through Thrift shops and a tiny apartment that I spotted through a card put in the window of a Seven-Eleven!" Instantly Rose and Jannah enfolded her in a group hug that had her both embarrassed and grateful that she had such good friends. But it got her no closer to knowing who had sent her the gift, for it was clear knowledge of her desire for the book was widespread in the company.

And the truth was that it did hurt. Rey knew she was deficient in family and was just an orphaned abandoned kid from the system who Resistance had taken a chance on. She had dreams, sure-but moments like this highlighted the fact that she was so much less than everyone else. Even the person who claimed to be her admirer knew.

Why would he want to go out with such a worthless specimen as she was?

But as her friends pulled away, she mentally slapped herself. Her admirer had clearly been watching her and knew more about her than she was honestly comfortable with...but he was still treating her as if she was special, despite her lack of resources and family. And it was a generous and kind gesture that would help her long after the idiocy of Valentine's had faded into memory once more.

But it only redoubled her determination to find out who he was.

-o0o-

"Why was she upset?" Kylo seemed to be taking it as a personal affront and Hux rolled his eyes, sipping his tea. There was a blunt answer and a more conciliatory one so, good friend that he was, Hux elected for the latter.

"She was delighted at the gift but sad that her admirer seemed cognisant of her financial issues," he said. "And the rest of the company." Kylo's eyes widened.

"I never mentioned anything to anyone," he replied defensively.

"That's true," Hux replied smartly. "Unless it's work related, you barely say anything to anyone."

"I am aware of her course because I signed the approval for company funds to be used to support her studies," he said tightly. "The co-pay agreement still puts some pressure on her but means that she is supported and still paid when she gets to more practical aspects of her course. I checked the syllabus and recommended reading list and overheard the fact she couldn't access the required text-I believe she's still thirteenth on the Library wait list. And that seems an unsatisfactory situation when the company has decided to invest in her future. So my giving her the book was simply a way of maximising our investment..." Hux rolled his eyes.

"Kriff-that is the worst and least romantic reasoning in the history of...ever!" he spat. For a second, the man opposite him almost looked angry...but then he sagged.

"What should I say then?" he sighed. Hux thought quickly-because he was a complete novice at romance and he had only asked Rose out for Valentine's Day because Ren had been fed up on him pining without action. In fact, he had made Hux take out a wager that Hux no longer cared about because losing the wager had won him Rose-he hoped. He sipped his tea again-perfectly made by Rose.

"Say you admire her determination in tackling the course and following her dreams of engineering...and that as an admirer, giving her a book she needs to help follow her dreams is just a tiny way to help her achieve what she desires."

To his embarrassment, Kylo was writing his words down verbatim and Hux almost face-palmed. "That's...surprisingly good," he commented. "So what now?"

"Try to engage her in conversation," Hux replied promptly, wondering if his wager with Ren was really winnable. Socially awkward didn't begin to describe what he was dealing with and he wondered if the man had ever been on a date...but he knew his friend had a complicated past and maybe there hadn't been so many opportunities to practice. Kylo ran his hands through his hair.

"I can't," he mumbled. "I'll make her uncomfortable. Or embarrassed. Or..."

There was a knock on the door and Kylo had no chance to compose himself as Hux yelled 'Come in!' The door opened to reveal Rey, holding a steaming cup of coffee. Her eyes widened at seeing the ginger-haired Operations Manager.

"I'm sorry-I didn't realise you had company, Mr Ren," she said quickly. "I brought you a coffee. Um...Mr Hux-would you like a drink?" Hux smiled thinly and waved his almost empty mug.

"I am catered for, thanks," he said and turned to glare at Kylo, who took a breath.

"Many thanks, Miss Smith," he said quickly. "Very kind." Hux raised an eyebrow. He jerked his head very slightly at Rey as she walked forward to place the cup on his desk. Kylo sighed at Hux's gurning and watched as Rey walked to the door. "Um...Miss Smith?" She turned and looked back at him.

"Sir?" she replied, her eyes bright.

"Um...how is your day going?" he asked, cringing inwardly. She smiled.

"Very well, thank you," she revealed. "And yours?"

"Oh, fine," he said, thrown off. Hux was inwardly cringing. The man actually had no small talk at all. "Um...if you have any problems, you know you can come to me. For anything." Rey's eyes widened.

"I'll bear that in mind, thanks," she said. "Anything else you want me to do?"

"I...no, all is well," Kylo managed in a strangled voice and watched her go. He slumped back in his seat as the door closed behind her and massaged his temples. "It's official. I am completely conversationally inept," he added.

"I couldn't have put it better myself," Hux commented snidely. "How are you actually going to ask her out?" Ren closed his dark eyes and continued to massage his temples.

"Anonymously-as a blind date," he said quietly. "That way, she has the chance to walk away when she gets there..."

"Or she could be intrigued," Hux reminded him. He shook his head.

"I'm not intriguing, I'm a disaster," Kylo sighed. "We both know that. Remind me how you managed to talk me into this?" Hux smiled thinly.

"Firstly, we both know it's impossible to talk you into anything you don't actually deep down want to do," he reminded his friend smugly. "But you're lonely. It's obvious to everyone. Your Mother called you in for a talk. I believe she threatened you."

"More like emotionally blackmailed me," Kylo said, straightening up. "She gave me this chance and welcomed me back when any sane person would refuse to ever see me again."

"Mothers are like that," Hux pointed out.

"Mine...is not actually maternal," Kylo shot back.

"Enough to want what's best for you," Hux reminded him.

"So I have to try to ask for a date for Valentine's," Kylo grumbled. "I can't see why I couldn't just ask Phasma."

"She already has a date," Hux told him bluntly. "She finally asked Kaydel from Accounts out." Then he rose. "I'll leave you to think on this. You are an intelligent man, Ren. You have come through a very...colourful past. You are the Managing Director and can think on your feet in meetings and negotiations. You must be able to manage to hold a sensible conversation with a woman. And if this plan works, you will be holding one in just over 48 hours. So you need to get your head in order and start practising."

Staring after him as he left, Kylo slumped back in his chair once more.

"Easier said than done," he breathed as he peered through the window in his office and saw Rey smile and chat easily to Rose. "But I still think that if she knew it was me, she'd turn me down flat."

-o0o-

She had smiled through the rest of the day, aware of the book safely stowed in her drawer. Poe and Finn had paid for a large cake to be delivered in honour of Rose's birthday the previous day and the group had all enjoyed slices with the afternoon coffee run, courtesy of Jannah. Rose had looked anxious that 'Armie' hadn't been included so she had taken him a tea and a slice of cake and then she had cautiously knocked on Ren's door. She emerged seconds later, the cake still in her hand. Rey frowned.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, seeing Rose looking upset. The shorter woman sighed.

"He said he didn't need cake, just his employees actually doing their jobs," she replied, sitting down. Rey felt her temper rising at how her friend had been made to feel when she had been making a generous offer than Ren certainly hadn't deserved. She gave her friend a hug.

"Well, at least you got a whole sentence out of him," she said weakly. Rose absently broke a chunk off the rejected cake and stuffed it in her mouth.

"I am never making him coffee," she swore as Rey sighed.

"I'm sorry," she sighed.

"Armie was so good about it," she said. "I even took him a fork..." Rey snaffled a bit of the cake as well.

"Look, we'll all go out to The Yavin Bar after work and we can compare notes about how much of an asshole Ren is," she said. Rose sighed.

"I'd like that," she said. "But can we not mention him again?" Rey nodded.

"That's no problem," she sighed and returned to her desk.

Five past five and the entire office was heading out when Ren poked his head round the door.

"Miss Smith!" he called. "A moment?" Rey froze and rolled her eyes. She was already in her coat with her bag slung over her shoulder and she wondered why he was stopping her when her contracted hours were over. An unpleasant suspicion ran through her that he had heard her rant earlier and that she was going to be fired. But she needed the job and if necessary, she would fight for her position. Then she turned to the others.

"I'll see you there," she promised with a forced smile. "Can you get me a drink?"

"I'll have two waiting," Finn promised. "And a bag of potato chips."

"Nachos, babe," Poe murmured. "With everything on. For suggesting the outing. And maybe commiserating." Rey waved them off then spun and marched towards Ren's office. The man had already retreated to his desk and was scowling at her as she walked in and closed the door. He looked up, his brow furrowed.

"Can I help you, Mr Ren?" she asked calmly, though her body was tense. He gestured to the seat.

"Sit. Please," he added as an afterthought. Reluctantly, she did because to refuse would be rude. He drummed his fingers on the desk. Then he looked up. "Miss Smith-I have a question to ask you," he said awkwardly.

"Okay," she replied warily. "Fire away." He sighed.

"Was Miss Tico very upset?" he asked abruptly. Her eyes widened and she immediately nodded.

"Yes," she told him forcefully. "You were unpardonably rude." He frowned.

"I was merely honest," he told her. "There was very little work being done and I hardly think Resistance is paying the admin staff to chatter and eat cake!"

"In fact, every item of work was completed on time," she replied sharply. "Cake and coffee is included in our hours provided we all complete our work-and we do stay behind if work is unfinished or the workload is particularly heavy that day."

"It would be more efficient to employ you all for half an hour less and cut out the chatter," he stated. She scowled.

"In fact, your owners stated that this is a family and what family do is communicate, share coffee, celebrate birthdays, have fun," she retorted. "This office is very productive and you hurt everyone's feelings-Rose's most of all." He sighed.

"That was not my intention," he admitted.

"Well, you did!" Rey snapped. "Have you no interpersonal skills at all? You could have easily declined and suggested we all get back to work and you would have not hurt her feelings and not sent a huge surge of resentment through the office." He scowled at her, dark eyes flashing.

"So how would you imagine I could have done that?" he growled. Unintimidated, Rey glared into his face.

"I would imagine you could say something like 'Thank you, Rose, Very kind though I must decline because I'm on a no-fun and no-cake diet. May I wish you a Happy Birthday and could we maybe get those letters ready by three?' That would not offend anyone and just nudge everyone to get back to work." He stared at her.

"No-fun diet?" he murmured.

"Mr Ren," she said firmly. "Is there anything else you want me for? Or can I join my friends in celebrating Rose's birthday?" He looked at her with an unreadable expression-for a second she thought he looked sad-and then he shook his head.

"No-you have been quite forthright," he said quietly. "Thank you, Miss Smith. And...have a good evening." She rose, turning to the door. "Miss Smith?"

She turned back to face him, an impatient look on her face.

"Yes?" He opened his mouth and then sagged.

"Could you please apologise to Miss Tico from me?" he asked in a quiet voice.

A large part of Rey wanted to turn him down flat and tell him to do his own dirty work but there was something about his quiet plea that just about disarmed her enough. She nodded.

"It would look better if you did it in person yourself tomorrow," she told him. He looked relieved.

"I'll bear that in mind," he said as she slammed the door. Then he collapsed back but there was a slight surge of triumph in his chest, despite the most awkward conversation he felt he had ever taken part in. Hux would have been proud of him.

"It's a start," he mumbled.