Page 36 of The Attraction File

FIFTEEN

Edgar

I watched as all the signs of surprise followed by understanding formed on Jacob’s face.

His gray eyes widened before giving way to a crinkled brow. Finally, his hand rubbed at his neck as his jaw firmed.

None of those actions eased my fears.

“Edgar. I need to see you out in the hallway immediately.”

I had to come up with something quickly. But first, I dipped my head to Evaleen. “Are you going to be okay?”

“No,” she said before her eyelids fell. Her chest rose with a breath. She steeled herself before she opened her eyes and nodded. “I mean yes. Fuck. This is it. At least I have time to fix myself up before the ax falls.”

“That won’t happen. I promise.”

I meant what I said to Evaleen. As I moved around the desk and stepped out into the hallway, my brother kept his stare glued on me. He must have thought I would make a break for it. Like I would sooner jump out the twenty-sixth floor window than face my brother’s wrath.

Memories of just after he quit college to come help out at home came to mind. His lectures to me of how he was the man of the house and we needed to do everything we could to help Mom.

I lied and told a retail store I was sixteen, when I was actually fifteen, and worked before school unloading merchandise. After school, I worked in the same store as a sales person.

My brother got a salary position fetching coffee and answering phones at a downtown advertising company. It was at night that he worked on creating Mimir, in our mom’s garage.

Since he had made the most money, he bossed me around. He was still doing that.

I shut the door to my office and faced my brother’s fury. Before he could begin the lecture, I knew he planned out in his head, I cut him off. “Jacob. I’m glad you showed up. I think it’s best if Evaleen went home for the day.”

His head shot back. “What? But you two were just—”

“We were what?” I tilted my head and played up my confusion as best I could.

My brother may be able to build companies from scratch, but I could act my way out of anything if I wanted to. That’s the thing about giving the appearance you always have it together, people start to believe it.

I should have been an actor.

His head turned toward the door and he pointed. “You were . . . uh, you just had your hand on her back.” He lowered his voice and leaned toward me. “Ms. Bechmann was sitting on your desk, Edgar.”

“Wait, you don’t think we . . . I mean, on my desk?” I stepped back and waved my hands toward the door. My voice went up with each word.

Jacob nodded but doubt shadowed his stare. His eyes scanned the room as he bit his lower lip.

“It’s Evaleen, Jacob. I mean, I get why you might think me.” My mouth firmed into a line. “But Evaleen? Don’t you think she is smarter than that?”

Jacob scratched the back of his neck, and I knew I had him. He felt guilty. I grew up with my brother. We shared a bedroom for part of our life. I could read him backward and forward and upside down.

“Then what was happening in there, Edgar? Answer me that. I have never known Ms. Bechmann to sit on desks when meeting with people.”

“She almost fainted, Jacob. I needed to discuss what the detectives mentioned last week, and the possibility of hiring someone to replace Ashton Graham with her. She followed me to my office, which is why I texted you to meet her here because she mentioned you two had a meeting.”

I was laying it on thick, but my brother was buying it.

“In the elevator she didn’t seem well, and I practically had to carry her into my office.”

My brother nodded his head. “Oh. I see. When I saw you two I just thought—”

“The worst. I know. Why would you expect more from your own brother?” I smirked.

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