Page 86 of With a Grain of Salt

"Firstly, I want to apologize for how I behaved at Adalynn and Cash's wedding. It was uncouth and disrespectful."

I nod my head in acceptance because the days of telling people it's okay to mistreat me so long as they apologize are over. That era started yesterday when I walked away from Nora.

"And I wanted to touch base with you about the credit card issues. I looked into all the financials—"

"What?" I snap. "I didn't tell you a damn thing about my financials."

"Ms. Kennedy," he says with a sigh, frustration clear in the way he addresses me.

"Have you been talking about me with others?"

His lips form a flat line, but he doesn't answer me.

"I swear if I had the time," I snap as I stand. "I'd sue you."

"You wouldn't get very much," he says in a droll tone that makes me believe him. "If you'd just take a seat, I have some good news for you."

I stare down at him, unsure if sticking around would make me madder. Good news according to him might not be such good news for me.

"And before you think of calling another attorney, may I please remind you that you signed paperwork giving me permission to speak to others on your behalf. Although, at the time, I didn't know that would be credit card companies, but that's why we don't add a list of people."

Credit card companies.

He spoke with Walker. I have no doubt the man left my bed and came straight here, or at least was here first thing that following Monday morning after finding those letters and bills on my dresser. God, the man meddles too much. I know he's trying to help but he's making it so much worse.

Defeated, I drop back down into the seat across from Mr. Hyde’s desk.

"As you probably surmised, I did have a conversation with Walker."

"What did he say?"

His mouth clamps closed.

"Really, so the discussion of my information only goes one way?"

"Walker hasn't signed paperwork giving me permission to speak to others."

I huff a humorless laugh. "Can we get on with this? As you know, I'm broke and can't afford to lose my job."

I don't give him a sob story about already not being able to work my shifts at the bar, due to not having a sitter in the evenings any longer because I doubt he'd care.

"I spoke with…" he drops his gaze to a stack of paperwork in front of him before raising his eyes back up to meet mine. "Capital First Advantage on your behalf."

"Did they lower my APR?" Because, honestly, that would really help. They send nasty letters, but they've also increased my limit on the maxed-out account just so they can add more penalties. I swear what they do should be illegal.

"They canceled the account."

"They did that a long time ago," I tell him.

"No, I mean they canceled the account. Wiped the balance."

I swallow, tears pooling in my eyes.

"That's not possible." When he smiles, I feel like I'm being insulted. "You're a hateful man, Mr. Hyde."

"That's probably true," he says. "But I'm not lying about this. It took some doing, the threat of a court case and going to the media about credit cards and abusing the widows of fallen soldiers, but they looked at the account and wiped every debt that was charged before your wedding date to Huxley Kennedy."

"What?"

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