Page 73 of Miss Treated

“You all right?”

Guilt had to be splashed all over my expression. Here I was looking into his uncle’s business, and there he was with my Starbucks. “Yeah. I was texting with my older brother.”

He shut the door behind him to bring me my latte. This was quickly becoming his daily tradition. “Yeah? If you’re heading up to LA, I’d love to go with you. Maybe meet him and his girlfriend and Penny.”

He remembered her name. God, I adored him. “I’d like that, but I have to warn you. Chance can be a little intense.” He wasn’t shy about airing his opinions.

“My brothers can be intense too. I was wondering if you’d like to meet them this upcoming weekend.”

“They’re coming to town?”

“Yeah. For my father’s birthday party. I’d love to have you come to it too, but I’m guessing you’d prefer to finish this assignment before getting personal with my family.”

“Yes. I think it would be awkward otherwise.”

He tried to hide the disappointment. “We could do drinks instead perhaps?”

“Drinks sound good.” A casual meeting with his brothers rather than a family party sounded much less daunting.

His hand caressed my face. “When this assignment is over, I would like to take you on an official first date. Would you accept this time around?”

He was incredibly romantic. “Yes, as long as it doesn’t include dancing.”

He threw his head back with a laugh. “Deal. By the way, I have meetings set up for you tomorrow with the HR manager and payroll manager. Both are decent people and eager to help. I think they’re also eager for any suggestions for process improvements.”

In other words, I’d have to spend precious time documenting HR processes even though it was a facade. “Thanks.”

“Anything to help out. I like feeling useful.”

My stomach clenched. I needed a quick subject change. “What do you have planned for the week?”

“Aside from bringing you coffee every day, a definite highlight, and pretending I’m in the neighborhood but sneaking over to your hotel room come Wednesday night because I’ll miss you, not much.”

“Will you smuggle Lady in with you?”

“Done. Oh, I almost forgot. I’m having Ava over for dinner on Thursday night. Blond, blue eyes, related to me.”

I deserved the dig. “Save me some lasagna?”

“You could come over and eat it with us?”

“Thanks, but I’ll be working late all week. Your cousin works for your uncle’s company, correct?”

“Yep. One of the top real estate agents there.”

“Good for her.” More guilt. Another family business.

“Yeah. I can see her taking over for my uncle someday. She’s driven and smart. And unlike my aunt, she’s actually nice. She’s anxious to meet you.”

“I’m excited to meet her too.” Unless, of course, I had to accuse her mother of embezzlement.

“All right, I’ll leave you to your work. Remember to be surprised to see me Wednesday night. Lends to the romance, after all.”

Once he left, I rolled my neck and refocused on the check files. My remaining smile from Dominic’s humor morphed into a frown as I settled into the task.

What did I want here? Confirmation I was correct about a hunch, or exoneration of Dominic’s aunt?

On Tuesday morning at eight thirty-two, I found my first non-matching check.