Page 99 of Fierce-Hyde

“Good advice,” she said. “And I need to finish up my lunch and run back into the conference. Thanks, Raina. I’m not sure how I could have navigated everything without you the past few months.”

“You would have found a way, but it might not have landed you where you are right now.”

30

YOUR DECISION

“I’m glad you texted to have dinner tonight,” Hyde said, enjoying the sight of Tori in his kitchen. “I thought you were out all day at a conference.”

“I was, but it got done early. I was close to your place and figured I’d pick food up to cook and we could come back here. I didn’t pull you away from work too early, did I?”

“Nope,” he said. “I go in early, they don’t clock watch if I sneak out. No one cares or pays attention as long as our work is done.”

“I wish we could be more like that with our staff, but they are hourly and can’t really do it. They have to clock in for all their time so they have to stay at their standard hours to make budget.”

He shivered. “I don’t like thinking of those things. I manage my personal budget, but to have to do it for a business, no, thank you.”

“I have to do it for my programs. It’s not my favorite thing to do, but I can. I kind of got asked about another job today.”

“I didn’t know you were looking,” he said. “What can I help you with for dinner? I should cook since we are at my place.”

“Nothing,” she said. “I’m going to make chicken parm. Nice and messy for you.”

“Sweet,” he said. “I can handle the spaghetti when you’re ready.”

“It won’t be long,” she said. “The meat department had chicken cutlets already breaded so I just need to bake them. Then I’ll put the sauce and cheese on them in a pan in the oven.”

He was rubbing his hands together. “I love when we have dinner together. I get lots of leftovers.”

She smiled and kissed him. “You could cook like this for yourself.”

“I could, but I don’t. I enjoy doing it with you.”

“That’s sweet. And brings me back to this job. I’m not looking, but I was approached. You know Roni, right? The property manager of the other two Fierce buildings.”

“Of course,” he said. “I’m doing work on those buildings.”

“Roni’s brother, Jax, is the one who approached me. Raina told me he’s actually going into the third building at some point.”

“He is,” he said. “I’m working on that with Drake and Raina. That is what we were meeting on the other day. So you’d have a little shorter drive in if you did it.”

“It wouldn’t bother you?” she asked. “Not that I’m considering it. I was just stunned he asked.”

“First, no, it wouldn’t bother me. Why would you think that? And second, if you’re not interested, why even bring it up?”

“I’m not sure what I am. I think the bigger issue is how it all came up and got me thinking.”

“You’ll have to explain that part to me,” he said.

When the oven beeped, she put the chicken in to have it cook. As thin as it was it wouldn’t take long, so he grabbed a pot and filled it with hot water and listened to her explain everything.

“So that is how it came up,” she said.

“You do plan everything and overthink them to death. It’s nice you’re in the building, but you see Raina more than me. I don’t care where you work. That is your decision.”

“I feel the same way, but then I thought of my mother.”

He put his hand up. “Don’t even let her life get into your head. I’m not sure where you’re going with this.”

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