Page 26 of Empire of Temptation

Technically, Christina quit. I don’t bother to say it, though.

“And,” he continued, “you let her get involved with a member of your staff.” He paused. “I thought we were friends, Val.”

I could feel Maggie edge closer to my side. She never liked the mayor, either.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” I lied.

“It’s the talk all over town. How you fired Christina and your chef because you discovered they’d been dating.”

“Dating” was a stretch. Something told me Tony wasn’t taking the girl out to dinners and movies.

“That’s not true,” I offered. “If something was going on between them, I didn’t know.”

He slipped his hands into his trouser pockets. “Margaret, do you mind if I speak to Val alone?”

Maggie didn’t budge. “Val?”

The mayor stared at me pointedly.

I could feel all the things my friend wanted to say, but she had a business, a livelihood here. Pissing off the four-time re-elected mayor wasn’t wise, not if she wanted to keep afloat. “It’s okay, Mags. Why don’t you put the wine in the back?”

Maggie grabbed the crate of wine off the chair and walked it into the kitchen. When the swinging door shut behind her, Mayor Lombardi edged closer. “Val, my daughter is only seventeen. This employee of yours was twenty-six.”

“The age of consent in New York is seventeen. No laws were broken.”

The lines around his eyes deepened as he squinted at me. “You’re right, of course. But I expected you to look after her when I asked for her to work here. You broke your promise to me.”

“I’m sorry, I had no idea it was happening. If I had, I would’ve put a stop to it.”

He studied me like he was looking for flaws, a police detective waiting for a suspect to crack. I held firm, though. He couldn’t prove anything.

After an excruciating moment, he relaxed and chuckled. The laugh sounded forced. “Kids, I guess. What are you gonna do?”

I attempted a smile, but my face felt awkward. Stiff.

He took a tiny step back, but his gaze darted to my chest before he looked around the dining room. “Now, Val. I see you’ve been doing some remodeling, including a new sign outside. I assume you went through the proper channels and such forth with permits.”

My stomach dropped. But I knew the laws.

“I didn’t think we needed a permit. We aren’t doing anything structural or moving any electrical or gas lines.”

“Well, oftentimes these things are up to the discretion of CityHall. I'll tell you what. I’ll have someone from the Department of Buildings come down here tomorrow and we’ll sort this all out.”

This was because of his daughter. I was certain of it. “That isn’t necessary. The building code?—”

“Val.” He moved in, closer than he was before. “There’s no need to argue, honey. It might just be a small fine after we fill out some paperwork.”

Paperwork took eons here. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Well, that’s not for me to say.” He cocked his head. “But we could talk about it, if you like. At dinner tomorrow night, maybe? I know a great place over in Woodstock.”

Woodstock was almost an hour away. Eating there meant he didn’t want anyone—namely his wife—to see us together and this wasn’t a business dinner. A wave of revulsion went through me.

Everything inside me wanted to say no.

But I thought about Roberto and Giovanni, Maggie and her wines. My mother, my grandfather. Book club. The stupid sign out front.

I couldn’t afford for him to shut me down or fine me. My finances were stretched to the brink as it was, thanks to the renovations, new salaries, and being closed this week. I needed every penny left of my mother’s life insurance.

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