“I thought you didn’t like me,” Jenna says mockingly.
“I don’t, but Crawford? He’s old. He’s ancient. He’s thirty-something. I can barely remember all their names, let alone ages.”
“Aged like fine wine.” There’s another smoldering smile from Crawford.
“Aww, did I hurt your feelings, McCarthy? You’re cute when you keep your pretty mouth shut.” She chucks me under the chin.
I slap her hand away.
“Don’t be like that. I’d have a threesome with you and your brother.” Jenna blows me a kiss.
I suck in a breath.
Crawford doubles over laughing. Even Salinger smirks at me.
I grab the collar of her blouse. “We grew up in a cult in the desert, Cupcake, so be careful what you wish for.” I lower my voice. “Don’t try to intimidate me; it’s cute but ineffective.”
She purses her mouth thoughtfully, one manicured finger tapping her lower lip, the polish the same shade as the lipstick on her mouth. “I don’t know. You’re breathing awfully loudly.”
I draw back, shaking my head.
“He is breathing loudly,” Hawthorne drawls. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but…”
“If you weren’t getting fired, then it might be interesting to experience you with the gloves off, Cupcake.”
“Oh,” Salinger says, ice in his voice. “She’s not fired.”
“But she resigned. Just now. So tell her to leave.”
“You think I don’t know that you have been maneuvering against her at every turn?”
“All right, Mr.Game of Thrones.”
“You know”—Crawford gives me a pointed look—“if you’d spent half as much effort actually trying to pretend to be a decent human being instead of fighting against the consultant, you’d have gotten through most of the ten-step plan.”
“Fuck the ten-step plan.”
“You’re out of chances, McCarthy,” Salinger snarls, slamming his hand down on the table. “Follow the goddamn plan.”
“You think this is a win?”I sneer at Jenna as I follow her noisy high heels through the dim parking garage. “You think that my brother has ever been able to make me do what he wants? You think anyone can make me do something I don’t want to? You think you’re going to be the one to tame me?”
Jenna whirls around.
“I don’t want to tame you, McCarthy. I don’t give a shit about you or your reputation or your company. You’re a paycheck and not a very big one. I don’t get a bonus. I just want to clock in and clock out, close out the contract, then forget you ever existed.”
We stare at each other for a moment.
“That’s not very professional.”
She ignores the dig. “In light of new information, I will be making some revisions to the plan, then we will restart this tomorrow morning. It would be in your best interest to act like an adult man who has a company and employees that rely on him, instead of like a toddler. Now you can give your opinion as a CEO on the plan, or I can use my professional judgment.”
She’s glaring up at me, feet apart in a fighter’s stance.
I make a dismissive noise. “I’m going to make sure you get fired.”
“Hasn’t worked so far.”
10
