“I’m not going bald!”
“Of course not,” she says in a tone that suggests the opposite.
I reach over and flick one of her ridiculous bell earrings out of pure frustration.
“Stop it!”She bats my hand away, glaring at me.
By lunch, I’m panicking.When I check my coat before heading out, I find several more strands clinging to the fabric.My paranoia reaches new heights when I discover multiple strands in my sandwich bag after returning from lunch.How the hell did they get in there?
“This is getting ridiculous,” I mutter, examining the offending hairs.
“What’s ridiculous?”Eve asks, appearing beside my desk with a coffee cup, those silver bells announcing her approach.
“Nothing,” I say quickly, shoving the strands in my pocket.
“If you say so.”She picks up the report from my desk and dusts it excessively.“Seriously, Caleb.Do something about your hairfall.”
I look down at another cluster of blonde strands on my keyboard when Eve leans over, examining the evidence.
“You know, denial really isn’t going to help at this point,” she says with fake sympathy.“Maybe you should invest in a good hat collection.”
“I’m not?—”
“Perfect timing,” Iris’s voice cuts through our argument as she appears at our desks, looking uncharacteristically frazzled.Her usual composed demeanor has cracks in it, and there’s something anxious in the way she clutches her tablet.“I just got off the phone with the yacht club.They’re confirmed for the Serastra launch event, and the chef’s table concept is approved.”
Eve straightens up.“What about the craftsmen demonstrations?”
“All three confirmed,” Iris says, but her voice sounds strained.“The woodworker from Maine, the metalsmith from Newport, and?—”
“Iris!”A man’s voice booms across the office, cutting her off mid-sentence.We all turn to see a tall, well-dressed man weaving slightly as he approaches our desks.
Richard.I recognize him from the day I first met Eve.Iris’s boyfriend looks like he’s had a liquid lunch, his expensive suit rumpled and his movements just a little too loose.
“Richard,” Iris says, her voice dropping to a mortified whisper.“What are you doing here?I told you I needed to get back to work.Go back to your own department.”
“We’re not done talking,” he slurs slightly, his eyes hard despite the alcohol.“You think you can just walk away from me in the middle of our conversation?”
I notice Eve stiffen beside me, going completely still.The tension in the office ratchets up several notches.
“We’ll continue this at home,” Iris says firmly, though there’s embarrassment coloring her cheeks.“This isn’t the place?—”
“Don’t tell me what the place is,” Richard snaps, swaying slightly.“I deserve that finance head position, and you know it.You just don’t want me being successful.You like keeping me beneath you.You think you’re better than me, don’t you?Just because you’re the head of a department and I’m only a manager.”
Eve’s hands clench into fists at her sides, fury radiating off her in waves, but she stays put.I can see her jaw working, like she’s biting back words.
Richard’s bloodshot eyes swing to her, taking in her appearance with obvious disdain.“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing worth my time,” Eve says through gritted teeth, but she doesn’t move from her position.
I start to stand, but Iris raises a hand, clearly humiliated by the scene unfolding.“Please, just...Richard, you need to leave.We can talk later.”
“I’ll leave when I’m damn well ready.”He reaches out and grabs Iris’s wrist, his grip tight enough to make her wince.“We’re going to finish this conversation right now.”
“Hey!”I surge to my feet, but before I can take a step, another hand shoots out and clamps down on Richard’s wrist.
“That’s enough.”
The voice is pleasant, almost conversational, but it carries an undercurrent of fury that makes the hair on my neck stand up.I turn to see Jake standing behind Richard, looking every inch the ruthless attorney in his expensive suit.I hadn’t even heard him approach.
