Damien added sugar and cream to his coffee and stirred it.“Have you thought about what you want to do with the money?”
Harmony had her mug halfway to her lips but paused and shook her head.She took a sip, then set it down.“There are so many organizations that could use the money.I don’t know what makes the most sense.”
“What matters to you is what makes sense.And you don’t have to give it all to one place.You can donate as much or little as you want.”He took another sip.“You can also keep some for yourself.It wouldn’t be a bad thing if you did.”
“It feels wrong.Like the money wasn’t earned.”
“It seemed to matter a lot to Grant Pickens.”
Harmony tensed at the man’s name.
Damien didn’t miss it.
“Yeah,” she said absently, as though she didn’t agree with his statement.
“You don’t think it mattered to him?”
“I’m sure it did.I just… He gave me weird vibes.”
“Really?How so?”
She glanced up as someone walked into the diner.She stared for a few seconds, then focused on her mug.“I’m sure it was all in my head.I haven’t ever been around someone like him.”
“Like him how?”
“Rich.Successful.Generous?When you work in academia, you learn every dollar comes with a price.Not just that it’s a dollar, but research funding is limited.If we get grant money, someone else doesn’t.It’s hard to wrap my head around someone handing over that kind of money without there being someone else who could use it, or some kind of strings attached.”
“Did he say you had to do something for him?”Damien asked.
“No.He was just odd.He said he hoped our meeting would be more enlightening.And that he would see me soon.”
“Was he threatening you?”
Harmony shook her head.“I’m sure I misinterpreted it.It was nothing.I’m fine.”
Damien opened his mouth to ask more, but the server came over with their food.She asked if they needed anything else.Harmony asked for syrup and more coffee, and the moment to press for more was gone.
But definitely not forgotten.
Nine
Damien knew betterthan to hope no one noticed what he was wearing when he got to work.They were usually fairly casual, and showing up in a button-down shirt and black slacks was a red flag that something was out of place.
“Do you have an interview later?”Jude asked when Damien sat at his desk.
Damien snorted.“Nope.”
“What’s with the clothes?”Rhett chimed in, turning his chair around from the pair of desks behind Damien and Jude’s.Rhett and Jude were the same age and had bonded over local sports and beer.Rhett was an easy third when Damien and Jude needed it.Montgomery insisted everyone worked together, but they all had partners.Rhett was still getting used to his new partner, Eve.
It was not going well.
“Didn’t have a chance to change,” Damien admitted.
He could feel Rhett and Jude exchanging a look.
“Change after what?”Jude asked slowly, drawing out each word.
“My date last night.”Damien glared at his partner, waiting for the news to sink in and knowing it would warrant a reaction.
