Page 8 of S.O.S. Perk

“Yeah, well,” Sloane cleared her throat. “I didn’t want to talk to you while you were at school.”

Melissa was currently an HR admin at a high school in Waterston, a city west of the town they both lived in. Sloane had met Mel ten years ago when first starting with the FBI. The firmMel worked for at the time had been called in to revamp a very antiquated and poorly run HR department for the Bureau, which they’d done admirably well. Melissa and Sloane had bonded immediately, joking over the incompetence that had preceded them.

“I’ve, uh, been meaning to get in touch,” Sloane choked out.

Her friend snickered. “Uh, Slo? We had brunch last Saturday.”

“Right. But this is about what happenedSunday.”

There was an almost imperceptible pause. “Something went down on Sunday?” she questioned, then in her inimitably direct fashion she added, “I don’t suppose this has anything to do with the stick you’ve had up your ass lately?”

Sloane huffed. “What makes you think—?”

“Pul-lease,” Melissa interrupted. “How long have we known each other? I’m aware when something’s eating at you. The same way you intuitively know when I’ve got a problem. Now spill.”

That was one of the things Sloane loved about Melissa. There was no beating around the bush between them. Melissa had no fear of giving Sloane—the tough-bitch, FBI agent—shit when she needed to.Nope.Melissa cut her no slack, and that’s just what Sloane needed right now.

Taking a deep breath, she let it out.

“There’s this guy…”

“I knew it,” Melissa squealed. “It had to be a man. Job probs you can handle like a rock-star. Car breakdowns, family bullshit, and all other life-minutia doesn’t make you blink twice. But males?”

Sloane could almost see the eye roll.

Melissa wasn’t letting up. “When was the last time you actually went out on a date?”

“A couple years back,” Sloane mumbled, when they both knew it was more like five. Was it her fault she didn’t trust easily?

“Yeah. That’s a lie, but I’ll let you get away with it. And now you’ve got my radar pinging. Who’s the guy, and how do you know him? I’m assuming you haven’t been concussed and joined a dating site.”

“No. No dating apps,” Sloane assured her with a chuckle. “I actually met Perk on a job.”

“Oooh. Perk. Is that his first name or last?”

“It’s actually Henry Perkins, but everyone calls him Perk.”

“Everyone, as in…?”

“His teammates,” Sloane supplied.

“Oh.” There was a pause as well as some censure in Melissa’s voice as she backpedaled. “He’s an FBI guy. I’m not sure you should be—”

“No.” Sloane cut her off. “He’s not with the Bureau. He’s with an indie firm in Boston called SOS.”

“Whew!” Melissa gave voice to her relief. “I was worried for a minute there. You, my buttoned-up friend, would have had a hard time coming to grips with dating someone in your office, not to mention all the bullshit that would go along with it. An HR nightmare, if I may say so.”

“Well, you don’t ever have to worry about that,” Sloane assured her. None of the men in her office did anything for her libido. “But Iamhaving a hard time coming to grips eventhinkingabout going out with Perk, despite that he’s not a colleague.”

“Okay. Okay. Settle down.” Melissa’s no-nonsense tone soothed her.

This was just what she needed.

Mel cleared her throat. “First of all, tell me about him. You met him on a job?”

“Yeah. His team was investigating a bad character, and because of a mutual, uh, contact we have, our office was eventually called in to assist.” She couldn’t go into any of the scant details she knew about Mizzay. It was all classified. “He…he didn’t even pretend to hide his interest in me, right from the get-go. Which is odd. You know how I downplay my looks while I’m on the job.”

“Right. Youtry,” Melissa scoffed. “But damn, girl, you’ve got to know that you look as fine rocking a Blues Brothers suit as you do stepping-out in some smokin’ glam. I’ve told you that a million times.”

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