Page 19

“Shit, you’re dumb.” Ransome dropped a couple of packets of mustard and some extra napkins on the table. “We talked about this.”

Everly rolled her eyes.

An icy flash of fury slipped through Caitlin. Eleanor had more maturity and foresight.

“You don’t shit where you eat.” He ripped open a mustard packet. “It’s gonna bite your ass one day.”

At least one of them had a fully developed prefrontal cortex.

She and Lamar would have a conversation about work tonight as well, whether he was tired or not.

“Falconetti.” His plastic sandwich container hit the table next to her water. He pressed his fingers into the tabletop, wedding band glinting in the weak sunlight filtering in the window. From the angle, she caught a glimpse of her signature intersecting beneath his ring, the ink not as sharply defined as eight years ago, but still strong and dark. “My four o’clock was moved to tomorrow. I know you have Fraser’s team meeting later. I’ll do pickup, hit the market and set up shrimp tacos since you cooked last night.”

All of their routines were upside down, but things would right themselves.

With a serene smile, she met his gaze, aware Everly sat frozen, pale around her lips. “I’ll pick up the drycleaning and see you at home.”

“Good deal. I’ll see you.” He punctuated that I’ll see you, a coded I love you for the office, with a wink that was almost him, although his quick grin didn’t lessen the strain around his eyes. With a sharp nod at the others, he lifted his lunch — was that an Italian sandwich on white sub bread with no vegetables? And a soda? He was a dead man. “Come see me if you need me.”

Everly’s cheeks were now stained a dull red.

He strode out, immersed once more in conversation with Sealy.

Mouth twisted in annoyed amusement, Merchant gestured after him. “He’s that married.”

“Oh, my God.” The horrified whisper poured from Everly, her eyes wide and dark with fear. “I didn’t realize—”

“If you had, it wouldn’t have altered your intent, only your transparency.” Caitlin kept her voice cool and steady, hands in her lap. Eliminating a threat required calm and precision. Not that this woman threatened her marriage — he and Allington falling into an inadvertent emotional affair was more likely than him falling into bed with this young woman who overestimated her appeal. And he had too strong a support group with his brothers and friends for even that to be a concern.

“I—”

“Your choice of sexual partners is no one’s business but your own—”

“And their wives,” Ransome muttered, dry and deadpan, but not cruel. Caitlin flicked a glance at him, then returned her attention to Everly.

“He is correct about your workplace choices. Bureau regulations allow peer to peer relationships, not supervisor to agent.” She tilted her chin. “You must act with foresight and professional discretion if you want to succeed. This is not the place to play games.”

Everly’s throat spasmed with a swallow.

“If you had approached him, I assure you the end result would not have been a little stress relief, but more likely an interview with HR and a transfer to another team or discharge altogether.”

Everly’s lashes fell, sparking a flare of almost sympathy, except her behavior put Tick at risk.

She glanced sideways at Merchant. “We can finish your review in my office. I’m free until two”

“Yes.” Closing the lid on her salad with a snap, Merchant didn’t shift her gaze from Everly’s downturned face. The younger woman gripped the edge of the table, fingers trembling.

Ransome’s shoulders rose and fell with a quiet sigh. “Come on. Grab your food and let’s go for a walk outside before we start that review module.”

Without lifting her head, Everly grabbed her food with jerky movements and rose, chair screeching on the tile. Ransome followed, his own motions crisp and steady.

Caitlin waited until they had cleared the exit. “Are you her mentor?”

“Yes.” Merchant grimaced.

“Please follow up with her when she’s not steeped in her own humiliation.” She rose, salad and water in hand.

“Aren’t you glad you’re not twenty-three anymore?” Merchant murmured as they walked toward the door.