Page 7 of Even if You Fall

Which, somewhere in between saying, “Are you okay? I’m so sorry,” to Steel Wall and trying to remember how to help him, I realized if Asher was saying my name likethat, then Ada had one thousand percent lied, and Lainey was never going to let me live this down.

But, you know...still in desperate need of a job here, so I’d get over it.

“What are you doing here?” Asher demanded, but I was so not worried about him getting all grumpy with me becausesomeoneneeded to be worried about the man in front of me.

An exasperated sound left me as I spared a glance at Asher. “He’s—”Oh. I shifted slightly back when I realized Steel Wall was no longer choking as I took in his angry, golden eyes, just inches from mine.

That’s . . . unfortunate.

“Ada!” Asher shouted toward the back of the office, making me flinch with how terrifying that man could sound. Pointing at me, he repeated, “What are you doing here, Chloe?”

My stare quickly bounced between Asher and Steel Wall. One was outwardly seething at me—or the world in general—the other was silently raging at me, and me alone.

Fantastic way to start your first few minutes at yourmaybe-maybe-notjob, Chloe.

“Ada said—” I stopped myself just as soon as I began answering Asher because Ada hadclearlylied. Keeping my stare firmly on him and not on the eyes I could feel burning into me, my nose scrunched up as I tried figuring out exactly how to admit to Asher Briggs that I’d ignored his fiancée’s warnings about this position.

But in the three months I’d known him, the one thing I’d learned about him—other than the fact he could make the simplest statement sound incredibly frightening—was he demanded honesty. Like,always.

So, that’s what I went with. “Lainey said this might happen...”

“What might happen?” Asher ground out before yelling Ada’s name again.

“Ada stopped by this weekend for coffee and to see Lainey’s ring,” I hurried to explain as I scrambled to stand, then backtracked. “Which—oh my gosh—good job on that one.” I lifted my hands, making a little gesture that showed just how perfect her new engagement ring was. “Anyway, when she was at our house, she said you’d decided to hire me as her replacement.”

If I hadn’t already realized Ada had lied, the way Asher’s eyes rolled as he dragged his hands over his face and through his beard would’ve been a massive indicator. The slow, fortifying breaths he took after would’ve been another.

“Is she—” His gaze snapped to the side when Ada rounded the corner, and his voice came out like the cracking of a whip as he turned his frustration on the sweet woman. “Ada, we talked about this.”

Ada’s smile didn’t falter, as if she was truly unfazed by Asher’s anger. “We did,” she confirmed with a slight nod. “You didn’t listen to me, so I didn’t think it necessary to listen to you. And now, I’m officially retiring.” The words were released with a weighted breath, as if just saying them had her feeling that much lighter. “So, Chloe’s gonna take my place. No need to thank me.”

A warning of a laugh crept from Asher before his dark stare locked on me. “This isn’t about you,” he informed me. “I just wasn’t looking for Ada’s replacement, and she keeps forgetting she isn’t in charge of hiring people.”

“Right. Then this is awkward,” I mumbled, then gestured to where Steel Wall was now sitting back on his heels, watching the entire interaction. Offering him an apologetic smile, I forced my stare to remain on his and not drift to his heavily tattooed arms and hands as I added, “I mean, more than it already was, considering. ..you know...”

“I do,” he affirmed through clenched teeth.

Oof. Definitely still in pain and not happy with me.

Worry and remorse wove through me. “Sorry. Seriously, that’s . . . yikes.”

From the way one of Steel Wall’s eyebrows ticked up, he wasn’t thrilled with my choice of wording, but I didn’t have time to worry about that or why I was all too willing to look back into his narrowed eyes, because Asher and Ada were having a heated argument—and my name had just been said.

“Wait, she—” Asher held up a hand to keep Ada from speaking, the corners of his mouth lifting in an irritated smile. “What do you mean ‘Chloe’s interview?’” he asked. “When did she interview?”

I watched Ada’s stare drift to the ceiling like she wasn’t entirely sure and nearly answeredI never had one. But the betrayal radiating from Asher had me clamping my mouth shut.

Then again, the longer I watched Ada, the more apparent it became that she was doing this to frustrate Asher that much more. That she wasenjoyingthis.

She was one brave woman.

“Oh, well, let’s see...” Ada lifted one of her hands in a careless gesture before clasping them together. “I’d sayshe’sbeen interviewingyoufor the last three-or-so months.”

At that, Asher’s expression fell a split second before I realized exactly what Ada was saying.

She’d been planning this ever since Lainey moved in with me—wanting to make sure I could handle working for someone as irritable as Asher Briggs.

Before I could figure out if I was more shocked or upset that she’d played me too, I noticed the way Asher’s dark gaze fell to the side, clearly trying to hide the hurt there. Knowing what I did of Asher, he wasn’t hurt that Ada had gone behind his back yet again. This looked likeloss. And for the first time since agreeing to Ada’s proposal yesterday, I felt terrible.

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