Page 66 of Amethyst Flame
“No can do. I’ve got plans.” With Swann and my sister. I planned to stress-eat my weight in pizza and donuts. “And, Will…you know I have a boyfriend. Granted, he’s an asshole, but I’m not interested in looking for an asshole replacement at this time.”
Will’s cheek did a little tic. “Yeah, sure, I’d like to go out with you. You can do better than him. But this isn’t about that. It’s life and death, Imogen.”
Oi. “I’ve still gotta pass, Will. I’m full up on life and death issues too.”
“Yeah. I know you are,” he said, and now his eyebrows were twitching. “I know.”
Heavy on theknow.
Shit.
Seriously, shit. Did everyone know my secret?
I tugged my bag’s strap higher on my shoulder to cover my frustration. “Best I can do is lunch, and I can’t even promise that because Ruskin may have made my lunch plans for me.”
“Get out of them. You’re going to want to hear what I have to say.”
And then he started toward the doors, dismissing me. Me. Who he supposedly liked.
I trailed him, debating whether or not I should burn a hole in his back. Because he knew he had me hooked. I needed to know exactly what he’d discovered about me.
I texted Jacob and therefore Dane.Will keeps hitting on me
Dane had gotten all squinty when looking at the background report on William Teller, which didn’t have anything too interesting that I could see except that he came from money. But Dane was all “I don’t like him,” so apparently his spy-dee sense was tingling.
The ellipsis of doom blinked for far too many seconds before the response appeared.He tries anything, go for the nads. But give me a heads up so I can come watch. Your sexy as fuk. Of course he wants you.
I stared at the text. Some of that was Dane, as translated by Jacob. Pretty sure theyour/you’reerror was all Jacob. Dane was giving me permission to fry Will while also saying he’d come if I needed backup. Jacob thought I was sexy. Not giving up on us. Dane was telling me that everyone wanted me…for my moths.
Ugh.
Ruskin herself, icon and visionary, was waiting for me when I entered. She wore a gray calf-length dress that managed to be body con while draping artfully at her boobs. It reeked of elegant sophistication. I wore jeans and a wrinkled Banta polo. At least it didn’t have smoothie stains.
Will had loitered, as had others, to see what Ruskin was up to.
Her smile was as warm, her eyes bright. “Imogen!”
“Hi, Adley,” I returned. The Adley was forced. She was still Ruskin in my head, but last night she’d asked me to use her first name, so here I was…using it. Like I was a grown-up or something. Weird.
“Did you get my email this morning?”
I slowed. “Oh. No…?”
“I had a parking spot reserved for you. One of the perks of your new position. But I didn’t get it sorted until this morning.”
Only an Arizonan would understand what a big deal that was. “A parking spot would be awesome. I’ll move my car at lunch.” And I’d snap a pic of my rattling heap next to all the nice cars. My sweet baby moving up in the world.
She put an arm around my shoulders, steering me onward. “I thought we’d start today with coffee, but it seems you are once again way ahead of me.”
I laughed weakly. “Coffee is life.”
“Well, I’ve got some goodies too. Hopefully something will tempt you.”
I couldn’t help myself. “Chocolate chip cookies?”
We passed Will, and even though Ruskin totally ignored him, I glanced his way. His gaze bored into me, unblinking. But he smiled back at me.
“No cookies,” she said. “But I can have some sent up from the café.”
