“Maybe,” I concede on a grunt, taking a large gulp of my Irish red ale, which is roughly the color of Mindy’s hair. Dammit to hell. Is this going to be my life now that she’s back? Is everything I see going to remind me of her?
The waitress arrives with a platter full of loaded fries that could feed a battalion.
“We’re just saying,” Helix says once she’s gone, “Mindy is a nice person, and divorce is hard. If she said she needs the job, then she needs the job. What if the guy was abusive or something?”
My head jerks up, and I suddenly want to flip over this table at the thought. “Do you know something? Did she have bruises on her?”
“Settle down, killer,” Phoenix says, picking up a fry and lifting it until the string of cheese finally snaps. “We didn’t see any bruises or anything, but you never know what a person is dealing with in their personal life. We’re just saying don’t make her lose her job because you’re feeling like a little bitch over the way she left.”
“You’re a little bitch,” I mutter, picking up a fry and dipping it into the avocado ranch sauce.
“Wow, nice comeback,” Helix says dryly. “I hear they’re looking forsomeone in accounting. It’s admin work, so she wouldn’t have to have an accounting degree or anything for the position.”
“I’ll think about it,” I say with reluctance. “The salary wouldn’t be as much, and that was one of her demands. You know, when shethreatenedme?”
“Poor wittle Remi. The scary ole Mindy frightened him with her mean words,” Phoenix croons in a baby voice that makes me want to throw a sticky fry at him. “Look, all you have to do is keep her salary the same and have her sign an NDA that she won’t discuss said salary with any coworkers. That way there’s no hard feelings among employees over the discrepancy.”
I pick a piece of bacon from the mound of food and pop it into my mouth. “Could you draft an NDA for me?” In addition to being head of marketing, Phoenix is also an attorney.
“Sure thing. I’ll have it ready for you by tomorrow.”
I exhale a long breath. This seems like the right thing to do. Accounting is one floor down, so at least I wouldn’t have the temptation of her right outside my door every day.
“Fine. Do the NDA, but I’m going to think about it over the weekend.”
And I drain the rest of my ale, hoping it drowns out all the conflicting thoughts in my head.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Making plans
Mindy
“So you threatened him?”Caroline shrieks, eyes wide from my phone screen.
I bury my face in my hands, peeking through my fingers as I groan, “Yes. I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t expect him till next week, and thenpewwww, there he was. I was hoping to formulate a plan by the time I saw him, and then when he said he was firing me, I went rogue and winged it.”
Aubrey nudges Caro in the head so she can share the space. “You’re my hero, Mindy.”
“I was a complete maniac,” I whine.
“Did you really say, ‘I think you’d be surprised at what I can handle, Mr. Hale?’” Caroline asks, eyes wide. I nod, and she looks impressed instead of horrified. “That’s such a boss bitch thing to say.”
“Plus, it has a hint of innuendo,” Aubrey adds. “I like it.”
I slide my hand down my cheeks, stretching my face until I resemble a big-eyed alien. “Really? You don’t think it was too much?”
“Oh, it was definitely too much, but he deserved it,” Caroline assesses. “You explained the situation, and he still acted like a douchebag.”
“Just do your best and don’t let him get to you,” Aubrey suggests. “Make enough money to get your lawyer back on the payroll, and once the divorce is done in a few months, you can quit and find another job. You’ll have your money back from Roger by then.”
“Hopefully,” I tack on.
“You have all the receipts and your parents’ wills, so they’ll be able to trace where the money came from. Any judge in his right mind will see that your savings account belongs to you.”
“And what if I get a judge that’snotin his right mind?”
Both my friends look wary because they know that’s a definite possibility. Finally, Aubrey speaks up, her voice confident. “Then we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Until then, hold your ground. You’re fantastic at your job, so there’s no way he can fire you.”
