Page 27 of Liar For Hire (For Hire 1)

Janessa thought she would throw up. Declan married? While she didn’t exactly hope something would work out between them, him being single and not even looking for someone had been somewhat of a relief for Janessa. Now, this heifer was saying in just a few nights of knowing each other, they were talking marriage?

“Well.” Janessa’s voice came out raspy before she cleared it and lifted her chin. “Congratulations.”

She spun on

her heel and marched out. On the way to her own office, she passed Monica. Her receptionist tried to engage her in conversation, but Janessa kept moving.

“You might want to look into getting another position, Monica.”

The receptionist squeaked in alarm. “You’re firing me? Just like that? Over her?”

Janessa stopped cold. She tried to calm her raging emotions. “No, sweetie, I’m not firing you. I shouldn’t have said it like that. All I meant was, look out for yourself. I want to be sure you’re taken care of, because all this here”—she gestured to encompass the entire office—“is going away.”

The emotions threatened to erupt, so she hightailed it into her office and shut the door. Her eyes burned worse, and the headache morphed into a migraine. Aches raged from the base of her skull to the back of her left shoulder. She knew that meant stress.

She put her head down on her desk and cried as softly as possible. Flattening a hand over her mouth, she mourned Declan’s loss. With each passing moment she sat alone and miserable, she realized that Declan wasn’t going to follow her into her office and try to explain. He didn’t care. Her friendship meant so little to him that he didn’t mind her learning that he was getting married in some offhanded way, a way that he knew would hurt her.

When she pulled herself together, she started organizing papers and files. The decision she wrestled with at various times was clear at last. She would dissolve the business the very second she could manage it. There would be a financial loss because she would have to break their lease right in the middle of the contract. Maybe she could recoup some from selling off equipment.

A gentle knock on the door captured her attention. She had no wish to see or talk to anyone. “Not now please.”

The door opened, and Declan strolled in. Thank God she’d already cleaned up her face and looked less like her whole world had come crashing down.

“I said ‘not now,’ Declan. I’m not in the mood.”

“We need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to discuss. Well, other than the fact that I’ve decided to dissolve the business. If you want to keep it going, you’ll have to buy my half. It will take me some time to speak with my lawyer and accountant to work out the particulars.”

“Nessa.”

She mentally patted herself on the back that she could keep looking him in the eyes while she discussed what amounted to the dissolution of their friendship. Because that’s what the ending of their business relationship would lead to. She just knew it.

“Meanwhile, I’ll finish up our current case. I made great progress last night. I don’t expect it will take long. He was really into me.”

Declan’s countenance darkened. For the first time she realized he wasn’t as smartly dressed as usual. The collar of his shirt was wrinkled. It might be the one he wore the day before. His tie was askew, but that could have happened with Miss Thing hanging all over him.

“You’re not going to go so far as to sleep with him, are you?” Declan demanded. “I can tell that’s he’s touched you, but not—”

He clamped his lips together. She blinked.

“How can you ‘tell’ he’s touched me? I mean, we sat close, flirted and teased some, that kind of thing but nothing more. How would you know one way or another? You ran off early with Roxie. Not that I care what you do with her. She’s your fiancée after all.”

“As to that…”

She held up a hand. “Not my business. What were you about to say before? You can tell Lamont touched me but not what?”

“Nothing.”

“No, say it. Don’t be shy now. You’re all in my business and have opinions about what I do with my body. Say what’s on your mind.”

He clenched his teeth together.

“You were going to say you know I didn’t sleep with him. How would you know, Declan, unless you followed us? Is that it?”

“I didn’t follow you.”

“You think I don’t know about the times you ran my dates off?”

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