Page 80 of Best Laid Plans

I was going through my email when Diego called me. "You okay?" he asked.

"I think so."

"So, I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but I'm gonna tell you. Bailey set you up."

"What? I can't believe it."

"Why? She's capable of such malice."

"I know that, but I didn't think she was smart enough to do a frame job," I explained.

Diego laughed. "It wasn't so hard, and what she lacks in business sense, she makes up for in sheer street smarts. It looks like the GBI will take over this case, and she will be arrested for embezzlement."

I didn't quite know how to respond to that. It seemed inappropriate to clap because anyone being charged with a crime was not a celebratory occasion. However, if anyone deserved it, Bailey did. So, I did a mental fist pump and left it at that. I would not be able to truly enjoy anyone's misfortune, even Bailey's.

"Nova?"

"Yeah. I'm…speechless."

I heard Diego's rumble of laughter. "Fine, querida, I'll be gleeful for both of us. Pete will go down, I promise you that. Don't ask me how, just know it'll happen."

"I don't care," I told him honestly.

"Well, I do. I don't want to have business in a county where the sheriff is a corrupt asshole like Pete Fontaine."

"Okay."

"I want you to continue being the project manager on—"

"Nina isn't even sure she's going to keep you as a client," I cut in indignantly, "so my project managing Sentinel Heights is moot."

"He is very—"

"You bring him up, and I'll hang up on you. I already blocked him, so I'd be happy to block you as well," I warned him.

I could all but feel his irritation from across the LTE network. "Alright, querida, I won't bring him up. But fair warning, he's coming for you."

My heart raced. "What do you mean?"

"I think the bastard just realized that he's in love with you and has been since the start, so, he's going to—"

"Fail," I snapped.

"Y'all are more entertaining than a telenovela," Diego chuckled.

Chapter 31

Anson

Tyler came into my office at home, and looked like death warmed over.

"Bourbon?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I…my father wanted me to get your permission."

"For?"

He sighed. "To ask Alma to marry me."

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