“Please don’t drink it,” Hunter said quietly. “I don’t want you to get sick, Meg.”
Sadie plated a biscuit and poured creamy sausage gravy over it then slid the plate in front of Meg and handed her a fork. Meg made a slight moan as she bit into it. Hunter was clenching his jaw so hard I thought a molar was going to crack.
“Anyone else? This isn’t a super-long meeting, but everything is better with biscuits,” Sadie said brightly.
It was a long meeting. Sadie had been very thorough in her presentation. She had inspiration images of the three main events she was going to put on. She also included diagrams about the short- and long-term plans of the foundation. There were charts about how it would interface and not duplicate Harrogate Foundation and local and state government initiatives. She had a detailed Gantt chart for each project that she went through step-by-step.
“I love food festivals,” Meghan said. “I especially like your idea for a historical-themed gala.”
“Hopefully we can even convince the guys to dress up!”
* * *
I waitedafter the meeting for Sadie to finish talking to Meg.
“It’s like they’ve been friends forever,” Mace said, staring at them.
“At least she’s actually helping,” Garrett said.
Hunter opened his mouth; Remy elbowed him in the stomach.
“Thank you for your time, Deputy Mayor,” I said, shaking her hand as she exited the conference room.
“See, I have magic biscuits!” Sadie said, skipping up next to Remy as Mace left to escort Meg downstairs, Hunter trailing them.
Garrett took a mysterious phone call and disappeared off to his office.
“Remy and I have conference calls with some restaurant owners,” she said. “I know you’re busy with your billions and your parasite drugs and your PhDs, so no need for you to be on the call. I’ll save the notes on the server.”
Had I just been dismissed?
“This is my company,” I said aloud to the empty hallway.
Sadie was gone the rest of the day. It was dark outside when she came back to the office. She was on her phone and smiling. Was it one of the Tinder guys?
“I’m heading out,” she said, grabbing her coat.
Where was she going?
“Fine.”
Was she going on a date?
“So I’ll see you tomorrow.”
A date with a man that wasn’t me.
“Sure.”
I watched her walk in the dark to her car. Then I stared at the computer screen for the next twenty minutes and decided I’d better go home. Instead, I went to Sadie’s apartment.
“What are you doing here?” I said to myself as I sat in the dark parking lot in front of her apartment. I was acting just like my father.
“I could just be going to the general store to pick something up,” I assured myself. “This isn’t weird at all.” I turned the car back on then swore when someone knocked on the window.
“Ms. Ida, good evening,” I said, rolling down the window.
“I’m young enough to be your sister—well, older sister,” she scolded. “You’re here for a booty call, aren’t you.”
