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“Like what?”
“Smiling and shit.”
I scowled. “I smile, Ryan.”
“No, you don’t. Like never. Not even when you find one of mom’s lost pieces of jewelry do you smile.”
“They weren’t lost. They were stolen.”
He put his hands up. “Forget I brought it up.” Then, crossing his arms, he asked, “Did you sleep with her?”
“That’s none of your business,” I said.
“So that’s a yes.” Dropping into the armchair, he added, “Sleeping with an employee, Colton? This could be trouble.”
“No, it’s not. So don’t make any.”
He sighed, then jerked his head up. “Have you invited her to join us for dinner tonight?”
“I did.” Then I leaned forward toward him, my finger pointed at him. “And you make her feel welcomed.”
He gave a small smile. “I’m looking forward to getting acquainted with the woman who’s made you happy for the first time in your miserable life.”
I couldn’t even argue with Ryan. I had been a miserable bastard.
“You’ll like her. She’s genuine and smart,” I said.
“I already like her,” he said. Then, pursing his lips, he asked. “Have you done a background check on her yet?”
My brothers and I often attracted the wrong kind of people, those looking to trap us into marriage or steal information from us for some business adversary.
“Nah. She’s not like that. Like I said, she’s the real deal.”
Ryan nodded. “Just in case, do you mind if I do?”
For some strange reason, I didn’t like Ryan checking up on Ava as though she was some gold-digging con artist. But if I fought him on this, I had no leg to stand on if I ever had suspicions about someone he dated. Knowing he’d find nothing anyway, I conceded.
“Go right ahead. Waste your time and money,” I said.
He stood and buttoned his suit jacket. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
I waved him off and resumed my work.
Frances
The empty office was eerily quiet except for the heating fan that would come on every twenty minutes. I wrapped up the last of my files and walked over to the bathroom to freshen up. After reapplying my lipstick, I checked my phone. It was a quarter to seven, and Colton said he’d send a car for me at this time. Snapping the cap back on the tube, I gave my hair one last shake and headed out.
A black sedan waited for me outside the office building. The driver stepped out when he saw me. “Good evening, Ms. Grady?”
“Good evening, Eric.” I was getting used to identifying with the name. It wasn’t a good thing.
Watching the apartment buildings recede and large estate-like homes take their place, I wondered which street Eric had turned on. I’d never seen homes like this in the city before. Large trees and rocks accented the properties, and lights illuminated all four corners of the home—considering the size of these homes, it was more like twelve corners.
“Where are we?” I asked.
“We’re in Forest Hill,” he said.
I’d heard of the neighborhood, but I’d never actually been here. I guessed there weren’t many bus routes along these streets.
