They entered the living room and Gennaro gestured to the couch. “Have a seat and I’ll grab us some beers. Youdolike beer, right?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll be right back.”
As soon as Gennaro was out of sight, his smile disappeared, and he let out a breath. Disaster averted, for the moment anyway.
He took two bottles of beer from the fridge, put his smile back on, and returned to the living room.
“One thing,” Stefan said after Gennaro handed him a bottle. “I’ll be out of town from Thursday night until Tuesday morning. It would be great if it could happen while I’m away.”
“I can’t guarantee anything, but I’ll do my best.”
“That’s all I can ask.”
Gennaro held his bottle out, and Stefan clinked his against it.
Chapter 18
On Friday morning, Stone wokeearly and was at his desk by seven a.m. There were a few items that needed his attention before he left for England.
Joan popped into his office ten minutes later. “Ash said you were here, but if I didn’t see it for myself, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
“Ash is here?”
“He’s been coming in every morning at six a.m.”
“He has?”
She nodded. “To bring himself up to speed on all of our clients.”
“Allof them?”
“He’s very diligent.”
“So it would seem.”
“Promise me you won’t do anything that will chase him off.”
“Why would I do anything to chase him off?”
“I’m not saying you would do it on purpose.”
“I chase people offnoton purpose?”
“How many associates have we had?”
“Ever?”
“Let’s make it easy. Just the past year.”
Stone thought about it. “Three?”
“Seven.”
“That can’t be right.”
She rattled off the names, which included Carly and Ash.
