“OK, can you take me to get ice cream after school?”
“Be good for Nana, and I will see.”
“Nana, my mama said I can have ice cream.”
I shook my head, laughing at my daughter’s attempt to get her ice cream by any means necessary. I left them to it, heading to the door while my grandma explained that they couldn’t have ice cream for breakfast. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my bag off my grandma’s coffee table and headed out. There was no use in prolonging the inevitable.
By the time I pulled into the employee parking garage at Cashville Resort & Casino, I had already thought about turning around and going home at least five times. The knot in my stomach tightened, making me wish I had skipped breakfast instead of letting Granny bully me into eating. I already knewthat I had a big job ahead of me. Reed had already proven that he would be difficult to work with.
Doing this was a mistake. A huge one at that, but I was here now. I stared out of the windshield for a long while before taking a deep breath and getting out of the car. The cool morning air kissed the dampness on my face from the anxiety bubbling right under the surface of my skin. I had no idea why I was so nervous.
I had to take that back. I never expected that I would still be so affected by him after all this time. In all the years that I wondered when the golden boy Reed Fuller would ever get his, I never imagined that I would be the one to serve him up. Stuffing down all my anxiety, I strutted into Cashville ready to get down to business.
As I walked inside with my tablet clutched to my chest, I took everything in for the first time. The blue and gold decor was accompanied by glass counters and walls that made the entire place scream luxury. Everything was so well orchestrated. That made me trust it even less.
As I walked deeper into the building, a woman dressed in a fitted black pencil dress moved from her position near the security desk to approach me. She was stunning, with long legs, honey-brown skin, and a flawless bob that flowed as she walked. Her professional tight smile looked forced, but I knew all too well about putting on a work face.
“Faith Washington?” she asked, dropping her eyes to the tablet in her hand to study my face.
I nodded. “That’s me.”
“I’m Paula. Mr. Fuller’s assistant,” she said, extending her hand for a shake.
“Nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to finally meet you too.”
What did she mean by finally? I started to ask, but she didn’t give me room to respond before continuing.
“Mr. Fuller is waiting for you upstairs. Follow me,” Paula instructed as she took off for a bank of elevators.
As I fell in step with her, I went back into my memory to try to remember why I thought it was a good idea to be anywhere within a hundred miles of Reed Fuller.
“How long have you worked here?” I quizzed as we stepped into the elevator.
“I’ve been here almost since the place opened, almost four years.”
“That’s impressive. I’m sure Mr. Fuller is a handful.”
“I understand his needs. Mr. Fuller values loyalty.”
That was a weird response, but I let it slide. It wasn’t my place to speculate. I was here to get behind the scenes and sniff out the rats. I assumed her mention of loyalty meant that she wouldn’t be the one that I could pick apart for insider information.
The elevator doors slid open to a floor that seemed to be just offices. It was particularly quiet compared to the chaos going on downstairs. At the end of the hall, a floor-to-ceiling mirror overlooked a lake. I couldn’t wait to look at the view.
Actually, I would have to. Right now, I had to be professional. There was a dirty crime syndicate to dismantle. I trailed a step behind Paula as she moved to the end of the hall to a set of double doors. She pushed the doors open, and there he was. Jesus Devante Christ he was fine. I kept my face neutral, even as my breathing hitched.
“Mr. Fuller, we have Ms. Faith Washington here. You didn’t tell me how pretty your little journalist friend was.”
Little? My ears perked at her comment. There was nothing little about me. I almost told her ass that, but I wasn’t sure yet if she would be an asset to my investigation. Some people didn’t know any better. I would give anybody at least one pass.
Reed looked up at us from behind his desk, settling his attention on me after Paula announced that I was here. Those eyes that I used to love pinned me in place as I clutched the tablet against my chest like a safety net. He had no business looking that good after all this time.
I mean, seven years wasn’t a lifetime, but hell, I had gained twenty something pounds and gotten three disrespectful gray hairs right up front. Reed looked like he was in better shape. I was pretty sure he even looked younger. How the hell did I let Barbara talk me into this shit?
“Thank you, Paula. That’ll be all,” Reed stated, never taking his eyes off me.
“First, let me go over the itinerary for the day.”
