Page 151 of Chosen Road

My jaw dropped to the floor as I began to seriously wonder about her mental health.

She pushed back her chair, tears streaming down her face, and headed toward the door, HR and Nick looking on with shocked faces. At the door, she pivoted and made a beeline for me.

I stood so fast my chair fell behind me and Caden jumped up blocking her path, at which point HR intervened.

“Ms. Stewart, we’d like you to come to our office, please.”

“Before you go,” I interjected. “Please make it plain to Ms. Stewart that if she approaches my wife again, or me, or any of my family members, I will not hesitate to take out a restraining order.”

Jacqueline left with HR, and I dropped down into my seat, roughly rubbing my hand over my jaw.

Nick looked on slack-jawed with shock.

Caden quipped. “Weren’t you looking for a new assistant, Nick?”

Nick narrowed his eyes at Caden, and we laughed, a bit nervously at first, but enough to break the tension.

When I arrived home, Amber was chatting with Yiayia over a cup of coffee.

I bent to kiss Yiayia, then Amber. “Amber, honey, can I talk to you upstairs?”

She looked uncomfortable, then exchanged a look with Yiayia. I swiveled my head to catch Yiayia burning holes in Amber with her eyes. I looked at Amber questioningly, but she only rolled her eyes.

“Of course, I’m going to tell him, Yiayia. I’m not the one who likes to play cloak and dagger. That’s you two!”

Yiayia lifted her hand. “I spank you, koukla.”

“That’s my job, Yiayia,” I teased.

Amber flushed bright red, and Yiayia cackled. “Your mother hear you talk with that mouth, agori mou?”

“It’s the only mouth I have, Yiayia, so that’s a yes.”

I placed my hand on the small of Amber’s back and guided her upstairs. “Sorry, honey, but I couldn’t wait until tonight to have our good-bad exchange.” I patted the bed. “Let’s lie down like we normally do.”

Amber curled up on her side but looked nervous. “Nothing to be nervous about, honey,” I assured her.

She twisted her mouth. “Don’t say that until you hear what I have to say.”

“That bad?” I asked as I lay down facing her.

She rolled her lips between her teeth. “Maybe?”

“You want to go first?” I asked.

She looked down, thinking.

I waited.

“Yes. I think I do.” She took a deep breath. “The good thing is I’m going to have lots of free time.” She smiled awkwardly. “The bad news,” she cleared her throat, “is that I’m unemployed.”

“Okay. Well. I wasn’t expecting that. What happened?”

“Bill called me in for a meeting, trying to can my project.” Her cheeks flushed to an angry red. “I confronted him, and he said I should focus on my husband because he heard you have a wandering eye.”

“What the fuck?” I muttered darkly. “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

Amber only shrugged and waved my words away. “I burst out laughing, told him he was delusional, and walked out. I gave my appointments to my colleagues, wrote out my resignation, and hand carried it to HR.”

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