Page 57 of The Rebel

“Jo was first on my list to call. Then Macon, you, and Brady will be next. I know it’s last minute, but all your schedules are clear, and somehow, luckily, everyone is in the office today.”

But my schedule wasn’t clear. I was in the middle of a report that I’d been working on since I’d arrived at the office two hours ago. One that needed to be submitted by this afternoon, and it was going to take me all goddamn day to finish.

Meeting with Walter wasn’t part of my plan.

“I’ll be right there,” I told her and hung up.

I quickly checked my phone to see if Rowan had replied to my last message. She didn’t have Read receipts on for her texts. That was something I didn’t have either, but, man, I would love it if she did.

Because, right now, I was curious as fuck if she’d read the one I’d sent an hour ago and was ignoring me or if she was really busy since it was her first full day back.

Since I didn’t have that answer, I tucked my phone into my suit pocket and got up from my desk. As I approached Macon’s office, on my way to the conference room, he was just walking through his doorway.

I put my arm around his shoulders. “What the fuck is this about? Do you know?”

“I don’t know anything. But I wish like hell Walter had waited until the end of the day to get us all together. I have to prep for this trip to Hawaii, and I don’t have time for this.”

“It’s a good thing Walter isn’t long-winded.”

He looked at me and chuckled. “But he’s demanding as hell, and I can only imagine that whatever he’s about to tell us is going to turn into more work for us.”

“Let’s fucking hope that’s not the case.”

We walked into the conference room, where Jo was already sitting along one of the sides of the table. I took the spot next to her while Macon sat across from us.

“You have to know what this is about,” I said to my cousin.

She took a deep breath and slowly turned toward me.

And as she continued to stare at me, she stayed completely silent.

There were very few women I knew well, who I could peek into their eyes and know just what they were thinking.

Jo was one.

And as I stared into hers, my damn hands began to sweat.

“Shit,” I groaned. “I don’t like that look at all.”

She smiled, but it wasn’t out of happiness. “You’re not going to like hearing what’s about to come out of my father’s mouth either.”

I glanced from her to Macon—who I knew was listening to us—to the door that Brady was just coming through and back to Jo. “What do you mean?”

“My husband’s here this morning,” she said softly.

Jenner was here all the time.

That told me nothing.

Besides, he should be here. We were in the thick of the Lake Louise deal, as far as I knew, and Jenner was the only one who could make that shit happen.

“Jo, what the hell are you saying?” I growled.

“I’m saying?—”

But her voice cut off as Walter and Jenner came in.

I scanned their faces, trying to piece this mystery together, and when I couldn’t, I locked eyes with Brady. I knew by myolder brother’s expression that he was as clueless and annoyed as Macon and me.

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