“True. We’re kinda busting out at the seams here.”
He nods. Knowing I’ll have more to say. I always have more to say.
“How are you handling all of this? Your brothers coupling up?”
He picks up a pen, a simple Bic —no fancy pen for Ransom Kyle—“It’s been an…adjustment. Except for Kade, none of them had really disappeared into a relationship before. It’s odd not to see them as much, but it’s nice to have the women around. Even Becca, but don’t tell her I said that.”
“I won’t, I promise,” I say through my laughter. Their relationship is fun to watch. She needles him, and he plays the grump. It works for them, and that woman is fucking Teflon. Nothing gets to her.
I tap the blueprints in front of me. “Are these plans finalized? Should I send them out for bids?”
“Yeah, they are. Unless there’s anything you’d like to change?” There it is again. What boss asks his assistant if there’s anything she wants to change on the plans for their new office building?
“Does my office have a window in the new place?”
“Two of them.”
“Then nope, nothing else to add. Oh, when I send it out for bids, I’m going to let a new firm send a proposal, too.”
One black eyebrow swoops up. “What new firm? I have the top players on that list already.”
“Top male firms, sure.”
“Male firms?” he repeats carefully.
“Yep. There’s a woman I know from school. She and her sister, and some friends, started a construction company. They’re up-and-comers. You should give them a chance to bid.”
He doesn’t look convinced, but he knows me well enough by now to know that I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t think they could do it. He waves a hand, clearly done with the conversation. “Whatever. Do your thing. We’ll look at them all.”
“On it boss.” He snorts at ‘boss’ and mutters about bossy females as I leave the room. There’s no heat in his voice. No challenge. He’s laughing, so I let it pass.
I spend the rest of the afternoon putting together a package for tender and putting out minor fires. It’s amazing to me how many people think that they need Ransom to solve their problems. I swear, this place would fall apart without me handling all this shit.
My cell rings, and my stomach drops when I see the D.A.’s name. I don’t want to answer it, but I also don’t want to risk pissing him off.
“Hello,” I say, trying for cool and casual. I succeed, mostly.
“Miss Davis. How nice to hear your voice.” Something in the way he says it makes me shiver, tendrils of dread creeping up my spine. He’s always creeped me the fuck out. On the surface, he’s an attractive man. But the way he looks at me, like he wants to slice into me and watch me bleed, is scary. Thankfully Marty, my lawyer, is usually the one talking to him.
I hum but can’t respond. My throat is closing up. Is he calling to tell me all the charges have been dropped, or is he about to blow up my life?
His chuckle makes my stomach twist. “How was Las Vegas? Cheeky of you to leave the state. You aren’t supposed to do that.”
“I haven’t been charged with anything. There’s no reason I can’t travel. My lawyer said so.” He also said to not speak to this guy without him present, but I can’t seem to hang up the phone.
I can hear the anger in his voice. “Well, it’s still unwise.”
“Mr. Jackson, you should be speaking to my lawyer. Do you need his number?”
His rusty chuckle is horrible. The man can’t be more than mid-forties, but he sounds decades older than that. I wonder what’s aged him so much. Maybe the gritty voice is a reflection of his black, tattered soul. “No, lovely, I have it. I just thought I’d warn you to get your affairs in order. When you go away, it’s going to be for a long time.”
I tap the end button, no longer caring if I’m rude, and carefully place my phone on my desk, then curl my fingers into my palms and will them to stop shaking. It’s going to be ok. It’s got to be.
WHEN FOUR ROLLS AROUND, THANKS TO THAT CALL, I’M ALREADY MENTALLY FRIED. LEAVING MY SHOES under my desk, I wander off to find Janey. She’s been a bright spot in my life over the last month, helping me process some of what happened. She’s recommended a counselor too, but I haven’t been ready. But maybe I am now. It’s getting harder and harder to bounce back.
I take the elevator down to the tenth floor and head toward the HR offices. I’m not likely to find her here, but it’s as good a place to start as any. Janey spends most of her day wandering through the building, talking to people. She’s almost never in her office. So I’m surprised to find her there. She’s on her phone, texting, but startles when I walk in. She fumbles the phone in her hands, slapping it to her chest with a little scream.
“Cara. My god. You scared me!”
