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“I’d rather not show him,” I mumbled, knowing deep in my soul it was the wrong decision.

Did I like Lexington? No, but I loved Fibonacci Files more than I despised him. This business was my life’s work, my home; it was my entire life.

Jackie could sense that she was getting through to me and smiled—that same damned smile that seemed to get her whatever she wanted. I needed to learn how to do that.

“Give it a chance. Worst-case scenario, you make it a week and then stop because he drove you crazy,” she explained, fluttering her eyelashes, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at her antics. “Honestly, you won’t lose anything by at least trying. Plus, there is a chance y’all will stop being so frosty to each other if you spend a bit of time together, and that will make my life easier. So, all the more reason.”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “You’re saying I should do it for you?”

”If that motivates you, then absolutely.”

A huffed laugh escaped my lips, and I nearly started to agree when he made his entrance.

”What’s cookin’, good lookin’?” Lexington joked as he sauntered into my office and tossed an arm over Jackie’s shoulder. His usual smirk was plastered on his face, featuring that dimple in his left cheek that I had seen win many a woman over. He was dressed in a white T-shirt today that was pulled taut over his chest and a pair of well-loved jeans.

Jackie laughed at him, wrapping her arm around his waist playfully.

I raised an eyebrow at the two. “Are you actually hitting on Jackie right now?”

He laughed—that obnoxious laugh that I felt deep in my stomach. “I always hit on Jackie with bad pickup lines. It’s part of our schtick.”

”Unless my husband is around, that is,” Jackie interjected with a smirk of her own. She was able to go toe-to-toe with Lexington and his humor; she was one of the only people who could. “He’s back in my office, actually, so I would drop the arm before you lose it.”

Lexington practically pushed Jackie a foot away from him, not even wanting to risk pissing off her husband. Jackie chuckled when she was away from Lexington and made her way out of my office and toward her own, throwing me a wink just as she went out of view. I held back the urge to flip her the bird. She was just trying to be helpful, and maybe it was time I finally gave up my one-woman crusade to hate Lexington.

Okay, that was impossible. But I could do my job as his boss for once.

Lexington dropped into the seat across from my desk. He was tall, not as tall as his brother, but at least 6’1”, and it was comical watching him try and fit in my smaller office chair. Where Oliver was lean, Lexington had more muscle than him, his shoulders broader, his whole body stronger. ”So, boss, I need a favor.”

It was painful holding back my eye roll. “What?”

”I need to leave a little early today.”

Of course he did. He was making it really hard to try and turn over a new leaf in regards to my view of him. It had been less than a minute, and I was already regretting it.

”You were also late today,” I challenged, interlocking my fingers together and resting them on my stomach as I leaned back into my chair.

”Semantics.”

”Not semantics, but unacceptable, Lexington,” I began, my anger giving way. “We are a serious journal, and I receive applications from hundreds of people a year to have the very job you don’t seem to care about.”

Lexington’s grin faded. A rare sight to behold. “I know, Goldie, and I’m sor—”

I raised my hand, cutting him off. I was his boss, and it was time I started acting like it. "Save the excuses—I’ve heard them all before. You need to decide right now if you actually want to work here, because being Oliver’s brother isn’t going to save your job anymore. No more skating by. I expect you here on time, I expect your articles on deadline, and the constant goofing off stops today."

He nodded. “I know. I can do that, really.”

I sighed, rubbing a hand over my brow where my headache was blossoming. I was going to regret doing this, but maybe it would be the push to get Lexington to take this work seriously. And if not, I could fire him. Either way, it was a win. “I have your next case queued up, and I’ll be working on it with you.”

His dark green eyes grew wide. “You’re going to what?”

”I estimate it could take a few months to work on. We can start game-planning this week and implementing it next week. I will show you how to research properly, investigate, and shadow your in-person interviews. While the work you put out is good, it’s not to the level of Jackie’s or Oliver’s. It’s time we fix that, and it’s time I show you the ropes around here.”

He ran a hand over his jaw. “I’m never going to be like them. They’ve been doing this longer, and—”

I cut him off before he could dig the hole any deeper. I couldn't stand the man, but listening to him disparage his own work made my blood boil. It wasn't his capability I hated; it was the sheer, maddening waste of it. He was too good for this lazy act. “Yes, they have been doing this longer, but you are the only person in this building with an applicable degree.”

”I double-majored; that’s nothing special.”