Page 128 of Just for Tonight

“Bastards,” she whispers. “They told me…well, never mind.” Her eyes narrow. “Why are you here?”

“You have to play your hand, but I’m giving you a card. A really good one.”

“You just did.”

“Your lucky day. I’ve another for you.”

She smiles slowly. “What is up with you? I’ve never seen you help the competition.”

“But you’re not the competition anymore, because I just quit.”

“Go on!”

I don’t have time for that. “What is your cell phone number? Not your office number. Your personal one.”

“So, now you’re going to stalk me?”

“No! I’m the bear!” I say that without thinking but she laughs so hard she almost falls out of her chair.

“You. The bear.”

“I have it on excellent authority.”

“But why do you need my number?”

“Not for me. It’s for Leonard Staynor.”

“Why have I heard that name?”

“Because he’s the best head-hunter for finance people in the city.” I watch her connect the dots. “He calls me every Wednesday morning, but I always tell him I’m happy where I am. When he called today, I mentioned that a co-worker of mine isn’t appreciated despite her mad skills.”

“You didn’t.”

“You just told me that you make less than I do, and we do the same job with the same experience. We were up for the same promotion and I’m guessing you’re the next choice.” I’m also thinking that my boss wasn’t in the meeting because Tyler was her choice, too. Huh. “If you’re going to play the game and get what you deserve, you need another card. You need Len.”

She considers me. “Why are you doing this?”

“A friend of mine, the same one who told me I was a bear, said that it’s up to all the good men to make up for the choices of the bad men. She said that’s the difference between predators and, well, bears, and I like being the bear. I want her to think I’m one of the good guys.”

“Well, you are.”

“Let me prove it.”

Tyler’s smile is slow and it’s brilliant. “Thank you, Jake.”

I tap my phone, sending her number to Len. Her phone rings a heartbeat later.

“If I didn’t already have three kids, I’d have one of yours,” she whispers, and I put my hand over my heart.

“No reason to threaten me,” I tease, we laugh together and she answers the phone.

“Mr. Staynor,” I hear Tyler say as I retreat. “Yes, of course, I’ve heard of you.” She smiles and waves for me to shut the door after myself. “Only the very best things.”

It’s amazing how readily things can realign. I’ve noticed this before. You make one change, or embrace one possibility, and the universe moves to support what is right and good. It’s impressive when it happens.

The mechanic at my go-to garage has loved my car as much as I have, right from the beginning – and he knows how to treat it right. I stop by and we haggle a bit, only a bit, before I take his money and hand him the keys. He has a used truck that impresses the heck out of him, so we talk about that, and then I switch out for a smaller cheque from him and a new set of keys.

My condo is in a multi-building development and the last building is still under construction. That means there’s a sales office still, and they take care of sales of existing units, as well. I stop in there – it is a feat to find a parking spot for the truck, but I manage – and share the news of my unit’s upcoming availability.