Page 30 of Token

“I’m a friend of the family.”

Jack Walters did a double take, his light brown eyes taking a tour of her body before stopping at her face. “Ah, yes, that Kennedy. Aurora’s friend.”

“Do you know Aurora?”

“Since she was a kid. Nate and I went to high school and college together.”

Kennedy’s eyes widened a fraction. So he wasn’t just Nate’s CTO but also his friend. And a good friend, by the sound of it. Funny, Aurora had never mentioned Jack to her. But then again, why should she? They’d had little reason to talk about Nate most of the time, much less his friends—even the ones who worked for him. It wasn’t as if their professional and social lives had intersected over the years. Today was a first and she and Aurora weren’t doing it in an official capacity.

“And now you’re working together. That must be nice.”

Jack chuckled and shot a glance at the podium before replying, “I don’t sign his checks—he signs mine. But I try not to hold that against him.”

Kennedy didn’t know what to make of his remark. There was something there she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Jealousy? Envy? Or a man simply ragging on a close friend? Sometimes—not often—she read too much into things where additional scrutiny wasn’t warranted.

“Aurora assures me he’s a wonderful boss, but she could be biased,” she quipped.

Jack snorted a laugh. “You can’t believe a word she says. In her eyes, he can do no wrong. Speak of the devil...” His gaze drifted from hers as his voice trailed off.

The din of the crowd increased to a swell as the man in question entered her line of vision to take his place behind the podium on the makeshift stage.

Kennedy’s stomach dipped at the first sight of him looking every inch the handsome and successful CEO in a slate blue suit, the shirt unbuttoned at his throat. Nate hated ties.

He gave the crowd of reporters a cursory look as he adjusted the microphone.

“Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Nathaniel Vaughn, and I’m the founder and CEO of Constellation. I’d like to thank you all for coming. And I’m not going to take up too much of your time this afternoon,” he began. “As you’re all aware, Constellation is currently facing a lawsuit accusing the company of racial and gender discrimination. I would like you and everyone to know that I take these allegations very seriously and will do everything in my power to rectify the matter for all parties involved. The diversity of the staff is one of our greatest strengths and one of my biggest sources of pride. I value each and every one of our employees and am committed to making sure the path to advancement is open to everyone equally. Glass ceilings will not be tolerated at Constellation. That is all I have to say for now, and I’m willing to take a few questions before I go.”

Hands immediately went up, as questions were pelted at him like tennis balls from an automatic launcher.

“Do you intend to fight the case, or would you like to settle?”

“Mr. Vaughn, do you have something against Black women?” A man shouted the question.

Kennedy’s mouth tightened and her eyes narrowed. She recognized the reporter. He worked for one of the national twenty-four-hour cable news stations. Not once had she ever seen him ask a question and not be a dick about it. She called him a provocateur because that was his sole role. Got to get the sound bite that fueled the clicks.

“Would you say the allegations in the lawsuit constitute a hostile work environment?” asked the woman sitting next to Aurora.

Nate directed his attention to her, replying smoothly, “I believe the allegations would make for an unhappy employee and I intend to do whatever I can to change that, if at all possible.”

“Mr. Vaughn, is it true that there were allegations of both racial and sexual harassment on the set ofCalamity John?”

Kennedy would tell herself later that she only responded because the reporter, whohad takenGod out of her thoughts(as her mother would say), to pose such an outrageous question, was standing feet from her. She was currently staring a hole in the back of her blond head.

“What on earth does what happened on his father’s set twenty years ago have to do with Mr. Vaughn? If you have no relevant questions to ask, I suggest you allow the reporters who do to ask theirs.” Kennedy was a combination of annoyed and infuriated and it was evident in her voice. Her loud voice.

8

Silence landed with a thud and then blanketed the entire area for long enough for its impact to be felt and heard.

The blonde turned and glared at her. It seemed everyone in attendance followed her lead, except the predominant expression on their faces was one of shock and then unabashed amusement.

Jack let out a laugh-covering cough. Seriously, she didn’t know why he bothered. Miss Piggy attempting to hide behind a blade of glass was less obvious.

Ignoring the woman she’d just publicly rebuked, Kennedy returned her attention to Nate, who was staring at her as if realizing her presence for the first time. She offered him a rueful smile.Ooops, sorry.

But the offended reporter wasn’t about to allow Kennedy’s remarks to go uncontested. “Excuse me? Who do you think you are?”

“I’m someone who knows an irrelevant question when I hear one,” she replied calmly.

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