Page 66 of Single Mom's Secret Diary
Laurel remains stony and composed. She’s too fucking good at this.
Wyatt shakes his head. “You’re fired. Get out of my lab.”
Another step back has her shaking her head as if she’s been slapped. Then, she regains those two steps, slapping her clipboard down over the papers. “You can’t. You don’t have cause.”
“Ican. And Idid.”
Ezra’s on his phone, talking low enough that I can’t hear. When he hangs up, he tells Laurel calmly, “We’ll have your things packed up and sent to you. Please remove your ID badge and vacate the premises.”
Her eyes cut to him, then to me, like I’m going to save her from this. Not a chance. But she doesn’t move.
Two men step into the lab, and she finally moves. Security is here to escort her out.
With a huff, she takes off her badge and stomps out ahead of them before they can lay hands on her.
31
Avery
The lab is quiet when I show up to work. Wyatt isn’t in his office, but I find him in the bigger storage room. I never see him in there. He’s got Laurel’s clipboard in hand and a pencil to make marks with.
Frowning, I approach and lay my hand on his arm. The dour expression on his face transforms, grows a bit easier when he sees me.
“Hey. What are you doing? Isn’t that Laurel’s job?” I peer around for her again. “Did she call in sick?”
She doesn’t seem like the type.
“No.” Something twists in his face before he goes a bit more blank than I’m used to seeing. By now, he’s usually touching me, leaning in for a kiss or something.
“What happened?” My hand falls away, back to my side.
“I fired her.” A rough edge enters his voice.
“What? Why?”
He relied on her for so much in this place. Why would he fire her? I mean, she’s a piece of work, but she was good at her job.Good at handling him as a boss. Even if she obviously wanted more from him.
“She vandalized company property.” Those big hands clutch the clipboard a little harder, like he’s ready to snap it in half.
I shake my head in confusion. “That doesn’t sound like her.”
He blinks at me and softens his tone. “I’m not sure how much I’m legally allowed to tell you.”
Ah, that makes more sense. His usual struggle with most kinds of human interactions is present, and our personal relationship is at war with our professional one, so I don’t push it.
“Okay. I’m going to go check in with Ezra.”
Wyatt nods, falters, and then reaches out for me before I take two steps away. I go to him easily, giving him a soft, sweet kiss before I retreat. On my way upstairs, I try to puzzle out what Laurel would have vandalized and why she would jeopardize her job for something so trivial.
Not that I’m not relieved to have her gone. She made my time in the lab less pleasant, although I’ve gotten used to ignoring the daggers she shot at me any time I was near.
When I peek into Ezra’s office, he’s not there, so I step down two doors to Ryder’s. He’s on the phone, wiping a hand down his face. Seeing me has him gesturing me inside.
I close the door behind me and step forward slowly. He stands, attention focused on me as I come around his desk and within reach.
“I need confirmation,” he says into the receiver as he tucks a lock of hair behind my ear.
I smile up at him, placing my hand on his chest.
