Page 31 of Already At Risk
SUNNY: The planetarium, hands down. You get to stargaze without the bugs? Absolute win. I love it there.
I chuckled to myself and clicked out of the tutorial, feeling confident that I could handle the lock now. Then I pulled up some files that I was actually supposed to be working on. For my job. Where I had other clients outside of the pretty single mom who was my friend’s sister.
Right.
I texted her back anyway.
I detect no lies.
I’m going to stop by later to change the code on your lock.
SUNNY: You know how to fix it?
I took a picture of it before leaving last night and found a YouTube video with directions for that model.
SUNNY: You’re making me feel silly for not doing that already. Haha I can take care of it, then. Just send me the video?
I can do it, Natalie. I already learned how.
I sent the message before it occurred to me that maybe she didn’twantme coming over to her house for a third time since this case had started. Maybe she didn’twantto keep seeing my face when she didn’t have to. We were already going to be spending enough time together preparing for her deposition. I couldn’t blame her if that was already enough interaction with her lawyer.
I won’t bother you or Chloe. You won’t even know I’m there. I’ll just fix it and head out.
Fuck. No, that wasn’t any better.You won’t even know I’m there.What the hell was I doing? Now I sounded like I wanted an excuse to spy on her at her own home like a fucking stalker.
And yep, Natalie stopped responding after that. Of course. I ran a hand down my face, realizing I’d actually overstepped my boundary this time.
I stood, needing to run to the printer to grab a few things. Maybe I could go outside and touch some fucking grass while I was at it.
But as soon as I stepped into the hallway outside my office, I paused, hearing a very distinct, recognizable voice coming from behind Julian and Juniper’s door a few paces away. I walked over to it, saw that it was cracked open, and gave it a push.
Beau Bryant, who’d been chatting animatedly, hands flailing, stopped when he saw me enter. He shot me his characteristic shit-eating grin.
“Ignoring me for these two, huh?” I accused, leaning against the doorframe and crossing my arms over my chest. “What a great brother-in-law you are.”
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Cammy,” Beau laughed, perching on the edge of Julian’s desk, crossing his ankles with a relaxed lean. “I was going to pop into your office after I chatted with Juni and Jules about some business.” He wiggled his black eyebrows as though that was supposed to be suggestive, when in reality, I was sure it had something to do with his real estate investments.
My brother-in-law worked for the massively successful company his mom built from the ground up after she emigrated from Tibet before he was born, but he played anything but a passive role in the organization. He was the idea man, as I understood it, always seeking new opportunities. Although why he needed Julian and Juniper’s help, I had no idea.
“Don’t you have a full legal team for that?”
Beau nodded. “Yeah, but I needed a Boston local’s perspective on something.”
“What are you planning in Boston?”
He smiled, a gleam in his gaze.
“And why did you ask them and not me?” I continued. “I’m hurt, bro.”
I wasn’t really hurt. I wasn’t sure I had the bandwidth to take on Beau’s needs at the moment, not with everything else going on.
And by everything else, I really just meant Natalie London.
“Oh, Collins told me I’m not allowed to ask you. Apparently, you’re too stressed.” He leaned forward, inspecting me. “It does look like you have a few more wrinkles since the last time I saw you.”
“Fuck you.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m not stressed.” I was a little stressed. “My sister is just a worrier.”
“I know.” Beau shrugged. “But she says you’ve got your hands full with a single mom situation?” He cocked his head to the side and then wiggled his fucking eyebrows again.
