Page 16 of The Arrangement
But my outrage only made him chuckle. I was going to strangle him. Screw my career. Screw my freedom. I was going to kill this man and laugh the entire way to prison. Nothing mattered anymore.
“I thought you’d appreciate my efforts to get more kids interested in the museum and science. Nine and ten are critical ages. Impressionable years. All it takes is one smart, compassionate teacher or scientist to kindle a lifetime of interest in science.”
Rome was mocking me, but there was a nugget of truth to his words. Getting kids interested in science now meant cultivating a new generation of researchers. Maybe I hadn’t planted a field of budding paleontologists today, but there might be some new geologists, archeologists, or even other scientists that resulted from today. The study of science made the world a better place. And as much as I was loath to admit it, Rome had helped with that effort today.
“I did. Idoappreciate it,” I forced out. Stopping myself from allowing my frustration to infiltrate my words, I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. It was only when I could speak calmly and rationally that I started. “Thank you. While I know your goal was to annoy me, I am aware you sponsored today’s field trip, and I wish to thank you on behalf of all the kids who might not have had the chance to go to the museum. I would also like to thank you on behalf of the museum. Your financialsupport means a great deal to our ability to continue to support the community and fund our research.”
I opened my eyes to see Rome had lost his grin and was glaring at me as if I’d said something horrible about his mother.
“It was more fun when you were flustered and pissed,” Rome muttered, and that only made my smile return.
Oh, good. I’d found a way to annoy himandsupport my job. That was even better.
“Think of all those kids you—” I began, but Rome held up a hand, stopping my words.
“Enough. We’ve wasted plenty of time bullshitting each other. Are you really interested in playing this game?”
“No,” I snapped. Time was precious, and I didn’t have it to waste on Rome. It was time to come clean, as distasteful as it was. “Fine. You’re correct. I was at the library to talk to you.”
“Not about…” Rome’s words trailed off, and he seemed to pale. It took my brain a second to realize that he was wondering if I’d gone looking for him to talk about what happened between us twenty years ago.
“No!” I shouted and cringed at the way my voice filled the silent corridor. “No,” I repeated softly. “I have no interest whatsoever about rehashing the past. I’d prefer it if we never mentioned it again.”
“Fine with me.” Rome made it sound like he didn’t care one way or another, but I didn’t miss the relief in his ocean-blue eyes. He had as much interest in reliving the past as I did.
I shoved a hand through my hair, not caring how I messed it up, and pushed ahead. “That night at the concert, my boss saw us talking. She knows you’re rich and that you’ve apparently made several sizable donations around the city. She wants me to woo you into donating to the museum—particularly the paleontology department. Federal funding is drying up for allscientific research, and we depend on private donors to keep us operating.”
As I spoke, Rome’s grin returned, but it curled into something so wicked it chilled the blood in my veins. Fuck, I was already regretting this, and he hadn’t spoken a single word yet.
Rome nodded and made a few understanding noises. “I see. I see. Interesting.”
“Rome, this is serious.”
“I know. What number did your boss give you?”
I swallowed hard and blinked at him. “What? Number?”
“Don’t play me for an idiot. I think I’ve proved I’m not stupid. Your boss had to have given you a number to aim for. What kind of goal did she give you?”
Briefly, I thought about playing dumb, but what was the fucking point? This couldn’t have been the first time a charity or some other organization had attempted to milk him for funds. God, I felt so fucking dirty, but I brutally reminded myself that the money was for a good cause. It helped the museum. It helped me and Emily keep our jobs. Any donation would help to fund our upcoming dig.
“Five million,” I mumbled.
“Whoa! That’s a pretty big number!” Rome exclaimed, finishing with another chuckle. “That sounds like keeping-your-job kind of money.”
My fingers balled into fists at my side, and it was a struggle to keep my voice even. “This isn’t about keeping my job. It’s about the entire department and funding future digs within the region so that we can better understand the life that existed here millions of years ago. Not to mention, the natural history section of the museum is one of the most popular for children. A donation of that size would be for all the hundreds of kids you brought here today, plus the hundreds of thousands that come through our doors all year long.”
Rome didn’t appear swayed in the least. If anything, his grin became even more wicked. “But really, this is about keeping your job, isn’t it?”
I was back to wanting to kill him. He was planning to withhold a donation from the museum because he wanted to see me lose my job.What a vile, evil asshole!
Swallowing all my words of hatred, I heaved a giant sigh. “If I promised to hand in my resignation and leave the museum, would you be willing to make a sizable donation to the department?”
“No.” He answered without a breath of hesitation.
“What? I’ve got to leave the city completely to make you happy?” I snapped. The teaching job at the university didn’t pay great because it was only part-time, but it would at least help me scrape by until I could find a full-time position somewhere.
“No, that’s not what I’m saying at all.” Rome shoved away from the wall and took a step toward me. I reflexively matched it by retreating, not trusting him to be within arm’s reach of me. “Shit went down when we were kids, and because of that, we can’t stand each other. I thought I’d moved on, but clearly, I haven’t. Despite what you think of me, I’m not so petty as to want to hurt your job or harm the museum.”
