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“Shut up. What am I supposed to do?”
“Lock yourself in his office and kiss him, for starters,” West says casually. The image that brings to mind makes me flush.
“Fuck off.”
“Or you could try, oh, I don’t know, talking to them. Both of them. Unless there’s something you’re not telling me, they might be open to the idea of sharing. If not, then at least you’ll know.”
Right. So it could work, or the whole thing could go down in flames. “That’s like saying, try lighting yourself on fire because it might just warm you up, or it might kill you.”
“That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.” West shakes his head, finishing off his beer. “There again, fucking drama queen. I have to go. Let me know if you catch on fire.”
15
NIC
If I hadn’t already reviewed evidence proving Reggie is eighteen, I’d never have given him the time of day. The kid looks so young, I bet he got carded buying chewing gum.
“This should take care of the last of it,” I tell him, handing him the last sheet of paper we’d already talked through. “You and Jenny and Jason are staying with your grandfather, right?”
I know the answer to this one, but I want to know what he’ll say.
Reggie nods glumly, his eyes darting repeatedly toward Finn, hulking in the corner, far enough away that Reggie’s privacy is intact but close enough to act in the unlikely event something bad happens. Finn insisted on coming with me today for whatever reason. We argued, but after checking with the supervisor on duty, I gave in to avoid being late.
Probably had something to do with the building being nearly deserted today. Reggie is the only one of my clients signed up tonight, and we’ll be done inside of thirty minutes.
Not bad for a Friday night, though I always hate leaving early. I don’t tally my volunteering hours the way some of my colleagues do, but leaving early on a slow night still feels like cheating.
“House in the suburbs, right?” I ask. Reggie nods again.
“Yeah. Jenny and Jason like the school, so I guess it’ll work for now.” Reggie will graduate next spring. His younger brother and sister still have a few years to go. They’re all playing catch-up for the time they lost after their parents’ accident last year. “Boring, though.”
I want to tell him he could probably do with a little boredom in his life after the last eighteen months. Knowing he wouldn’t take it well, I keep that little parcel of elder wisdom to myself.
“Could be worse,” I say instead.
“Truth.”
Finn’s barely taken his eyes off me since Reggie walked in. I don’t know what the hell that’s about, but if he doesn’t knock it off, we’re going to have words.
That’s been happening a lot the last couple of weeks—both the staring and the arguing. And despite his repeated asking, it has nothing to do with him dating Natalie. Nothing.
It may have something to do with the way he’s staring. Or maybe the knowledge that I’m the only one in the office not getting laid.
At least, that’s my take on it. Not sure what the fuck his problem is. You’d think he’d have chilled out some the last couple of weeks, blackmail notwithstanding.
It’s been weeks since the break-in and the note. Obviously, my judgment is clouded by… certain thoughts and feelings. I’m not sorry I hired Finn, especially not if it put Natalie’s mind at ease, but maybe it’s time to put an end to this. Rand hasn’t found anything much to go on, and there hasn’t been a single other cause for concern.
I overreacted, plain and simple. Hell, maybe it was a janitor who came into the office a couple of weeks ago and accidentally knocked things around. That wouldn’t explain the blackmail, but maybe it was truly just a coincidence.
I’ve made enough of a fool of myself. Tonight, after we get back to our building, I’ll tell Finn we won’t need him in the office next week. He and Natalie can carry on without having me as a chaperone all the time, and I’ll finally be able to walk into my office without picturing him bent over my desk. Or him bending Natalie over her desk.
“What’s wrong?” asks Finn suddenly.
I blink. “What do you mean?”
“You had a look on your face.”
Unbelievable. “Nothing. You’re all set, Reggie.” I stand up, handing the kid his stack of copies. “You still got my card?”
