Page 116 of The Logic of Loyalty

“What’s in it?”

“I wanted to make it taste like s’mores. It just tastes like the toasted marshmallow.” I grab it from her and take a sip.

“Oh, God, that’s so good.”

“But not a s’more.”

“Okay, let’s get back on topic.” Becky folds her hands in front of her and leans forward. “I would like to invite everyone over to my place to make a hey, thanks for having my back dinner, and I would love some help. I’m not⁠—”

“Let me host at my house, and you can help me prep!” I interrupt Becky. My dear, lovely friend can’t reheat a piece of pizza without burning something.

Her shoulders sag. “Thank God. I want to do this so badly, but I have an idea for a dessert and nothing else.”

“Oh, what’s the dessert?”

“Well, there are those berries in my yard. Maybe you can come over and help me pick them? Then I’ll come first thing Friday once school is out, and we can get started? I could even leave early since my final hour is planning.”

I nod along. “That sounds perfect, actually.” I pull out my phone to take some notes. “Who all do you want to invite?”

“You, Trevor. Bethany, please come too. Sonya, Vicky, Billy, and Carter. Obviously, Jacob is welcome!”

I nod my head. “We will easily fit in the dining room if I put in the extra leaves.”

“Yay! Okay, I’m so glad. Okay, now I have twenty-five minutes. What has been happening with you?” Bethany squirms next to me, and I shift uncomfortably as well. Becky gapes. “It’s really that bad?”

I slowly nod my head. “Well, it all started about ten years ago, but let’s start with Krista.”

“If Becky comes at you with a knife, I apologize.” I stand outside Trevor’s office, formerly Billy’s office, and lean against the frame.

“Great. I figured that was coming. It’s fine, though. She’s been too nice to me lately because of the lawyer stuff. I need to be knocked down a peg.”

“Yeah, he does.”

“Shut up, Carter!” Trevor shouts.

I snicker. “You love it here, don’t you?”

He scoots back from his desk and stalks up to me, pulling me into the room and shutting the door behind me. My heart leaps into my throat, and my body instantly reacts to his touch, but then he releases me. “They don’t need to know how much I prefer it here.” He grumbles, then pulls me to a chair.

“Are these new?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. One of the first things I did.”

“Replace the chairs?”

He grunts. “Trust me.”

“Okay … Can you tell me when everything becomes official?”

He sits in the seat across from me, to my extreme disappointment. “First, they need to take Dick down.”

“That’s what she said.”

He snorts. “Maybe you’ve been spending too much time here.”

I shake my head. “Definitely not. Can you explain it to me? What’s supposed to happen this week?”

“Sure. Let’s see …” He leans back in his seat and looks me over. “Do you know what kickbacks are?”