“That paper I found had her quoted as being part of the team to develop the formula for a space mission.” Cody looked at me like I’d know what to do with that information.
I didn’t though. I didn’t have a clue.
“A formula for what? What does that even mean?”
“Basically, how to get the rocket into space.”
I stood up and started pacing, taking a deep breath with every step to calm my frustration and the onslaught of aheadache. “Jupiter said he’d only come to New York if I got her to come to New York. How the fuck am I going to persuade a rocket scientist to give up her job and work on a baseball team?”
“Maybe she’s bored with space.”
I shot Rafe a look that told him exactly what he could do with his unhelpful comment.
“Cody, can you find me anything I can work with? Anything?”
We all turned to the elevator doors at the end of the room to see Beulah stepping out as they opened. I don’t think it was possible for Rafe to get out of his chair quicker, jogging down to meet her.
“Hey.” He pulled her into an embrace I didn’t want to witness.
My mind drifted off to Lowe. I’d dropped her back at her place en route to here, with a kiss that lasted longer than the one Rafe was planting on Beulah, and a promise to return later. If I didn’t know Lowe was the cause of the way my heart had been squeezing tight and my belly fluttering more than usual, I’d have been straight to the emergency room.
The quicker I got this Jupiter situation sorted out, the quicker I’d get back to Lowe.
“Raferty, put her down, we have work to do!” I hollered to them.
He moved away with a grin. “Don’t know about this ‘we’ business, I want no part in what you’re up to.”
Beulah walked toward Cody and me, looking up at the screen. “What are you up to?”
I sat back in my chair. I guess as my newly appointed Head of Legal I needed to start involving her in all the decisions I was making, and planned to make. Even if they were bordering on ridiculous and questionable. Still, this would be a good test for how she was going to deal with me. Even I could admit I liked tokeep things interesting in a way that regular folk found tiresome, but seeing as she was in a relationship with Rafe, I’d bet on her staying the course.
“Jupiter Reeves will only come to The Lions if I find a girl for him. She’s currently employed by N.A.S.A., and we’re trying to figure out a way to get her to quit rocket science and join the world of baseball.”
Beulah’s eyes lit up, and then she started laughing as hard, if not harder, than Rafe had.
“I wish I’d known you guys were this much fun at school.” She wiped her eyes and glanced around, but only Rafe was grinning which caused her laughter to die out. “Wait, you’re for real?”
Rafe nodded, pulling Beulah into him again. “Pennington has found himself in the unfortunate position where he might actually have to come up with a plan B, because the one stipulation of getting his favorite player to join his new team rests on an impossible task.”
My jaw ground. Raferty Latham really was one of my most irritating friends.
“Nothing’s impossible!” I snapped.
“And yet maybe you just found the one thing that is,” he baited, but didn’t say any more when Beulah moved away from him with a frown and stepped toward me.
“Hang on a minute, I’m with Penn. Nothing’s impossible, and seeing as you got me into this situation in the first place, I’d expect a little more support.”
I threw a smug grin Rafe’s way while simultaneously ignoring the fact that Beulah wasn’t jumping for joy at working for me. I’d give her time for that.
“Yeah. You should be giving your girlfriend better support, Raferty!”
“Hey! Cody ismyresource you’re using. You got this far because ofme. You wouldn’t have been able to hack into N.A.S.A. and find her withoutme!” he shot back, poking his index finger against his chest with each point he was trying to make.
“You hacked N.A.S.A.?” Beulah’s hands flew to her ears, covering them. “Oh man, don’t tell me this!”
“Beulah!” I yelled so she’d hear, attempting to change the subject in case she walked out, or more worryingly, refused to come work with me. “When are you getting your bar results? Can you get them early? I could really do with you starting asap, or at the very least two days a week.”
I could see Rafe’s brows drop deeply, his face creasing up in bewilderment.
