She didn’t know how long she stood there staring at the graph before Dizzie came to get her. “You okay?”
“Yes. No. Maybe?” Portia exhaled. “Today’s been a lot.”
“No kidding. Why don’t you come back to our place? That way you won’t have to be alone.”
Portia started to protest. So many excuses lingered right on the tip of her tongue. She didn’t want to intrude. There was so much to do. But really, she didn’t want to be alone. “Thank you.” She let Dizzie guide her out of the conference room.
Chapter56
“How’s thenew assistant working out?” Dizzie asked as they sat at Portia’s favorite table in the corner of Razor Jack’s.
“Fine, I guess,” Portia said. “She hasn’t had any giant screwups yet, like letting my father into my office unattended. Then again, she’s only been on the job a week.”
Portia had let Melanie go on Monday morning. Ash had uncovered communications between her and Phillip Tremaine that had started a few weeks after Melanie had been assigned to Portia.
Pissed that she hadn’t listened to her gut and gotten a new assistant sooner, Portia had insisted that Ash do a deep dive on the next candidates HR had sent up. Two of the three had turned up with clean backgrounds, so Portia had chosen the one who hadn’t flinched during the interview. She’d directed her new assistant to reschedule all the scientist meetings for the following week and then Portia had taken the rest of the week off.
Though she and Aleks found time to talk each day despite the time difference, his absence was weighing on her. And it had only been a week.
“You’re brooding again.”
“I am not.” Portia sighed and then immediately regretted it when Dizzie shot her an I-told-you-so look.
“You could call him.” Her sister’s blue eyes sparkled.
“I’m pretty sure I didn’t ask for your advice.”
Dizzie covered Portia’s hand with her own. “You don’t have to ask. That’s what sisters are for.”
Portia glared at her and Dizzie laughed.
“Killian, come get your wife!”
Killian approached with a smile. He stroked Dizzie’s braid, then pulled an empty stool up to their table. “You bellowed, your majesty?”
Portia stuck her tongue out at him, just like she had in elementary school. She’d missed this. The teasing. The friendship. It had been missing from her life for far too long.
“Your wife is being obnoxious,” she told him.
He looked at Dizzie, then back at Portia. With a smirk he said, “You must be mistaken. My wife is perfect.”
Portia mimed vomiting. She and Killian hadn’t been this relaxed with each other since the night of the bombing. It was almost like old times. Except now he was married and she wasn’t.
“Fine, whatever. At least tell her to back off Aleks.” She sent Dizzie a glare.
“Have you called him yet?” Killian asked.
“What is it with the two of you?” When he didn’t answer, just stared at her, Portia relented. “Yes, I talked to him this morning. Satisfied?”
“Always.” He grabbed Dizzie’s hand and kissed her knuckles.
“Get a room.”
“Who needs a room?” Ash asked, as he, Taryn, and surprisingly, Mendez, gathered around the table. Ash had muttered something about owing Mendez a drink when Portia had raised her brow at his presence.
“Them!” She pointed at Killian and Dizzie.
“I can rent you a room,” Taryn said.
