Page 5 of Cannon

“Well, whatever has you so happy, I’m all for it. Good for you, girl.”

Barbara throws me a beaming smile and goes back to finish making the coffee and singing her heart out.

Before I get to find lunch, Breaker appears from nowhere, waving bags in the air with both hands.

“I brought lunch. I noticed you didn’t take anything this morning, so being the kind and thoughtful husband that I am, I brought a bunch of pastries for you and for your team.” He grins at me as though expecting praise for his actions.

“Well done, husband. Just don’t expect any more gratitude later, that’s all.” I eye him up and down, as I know full well what he would be expecting as payment for his generosity. He just might get something if he plays his cards right. I’m not averse to letting him think he’s gotten his own way, when it’s me that has got what she wants, all along.

Disappearing out the door, Breaker returns moments later with Jamie and Tom in tow.

“Everyone sit, have a pastry, and let Uncle Breaker tell you the story of Percy the Python.”

Everyone looks at me with owl-like eyes, and I splutter, “Don’t look at me like that! I didn’t know that’s what he calls it!” I look daggers at him as I wonder what the hell is going to tell them.

“It’s not about my dick, you perverts. It’s about Percy the Python, the snake. Now, once upon a time there were four guys who opened a pet crem…” He then goes on to tell us what happened at the pet crem earlier and that poor Cannon has been getting called snake names since he got back to the clubhouse.

“I could help him with his snake problem. I’d turn his python into a spitting cobra in no time.” Barbara looks at us in horror as she realizes that she just said that out loud and not in her head. Blushing even more than when she swore, she looks at us all brazenly. “What’s wrong with helping a fellow human being in a tight spot?”

“Depends if you’re wanting to help them out of a tight spot or put them in one, I suppose,” I say to her, all the while trying desperately to keep a straight face. Jumping from her chair, she dashes out of the room. Jamie, Breaker and I burst into raucous laughter.

“So, who’s looking after Percy now?” Jamie asks Breaker.

“They hadn’t found the damn thing when I left the clubhouse, so I can’t answer that. Pres isn’t going to be happy if they don’t sort this mess out. Can you imagine the press if they got hold of this story? The puns and jokes would be endless. It wouldn’t do our reputation any favors, either.”

Lunch over and Breaker sent on his way, I’m back in the office. The curse for being so organized is the spare time it generates. I must spend the equivalent of a full day per week just looking for things to fill my time with. I put the doctors on a four-day week some time back, and I think it’s time I did it for myself, too. I could be on call if needed or maybe do two half-days. Then what would I do with myself on my time off? It would probably just lead to more sex and Breaker, he’d love that!

Walking into Jamie’s office, I see her studying some paperwork spread out on her desk. “Whatyadoin’, girl?”

“I’m gonna buy you some work boots to wear around here. You walk quieter than Spirit when she’s out in the woods.” Jamie has a hand to her chest, so I guess I scared her like I did Barbara earlier.

“Maybe I should walk around coughing or whistling or something. I can’t help it if you all lose control of your senses every time you concentrate. I thought all of us women could multi-task?” I tilt my head to one side as I wait for her response.

“I can multi-task. I just can’t hear you sneaking and creeping and skulking around the building all the damn time.” Jamie leans back in her chair and scowls at me.

“Ooh, skulking. I like the sound of being a skulker. Maybe I’ll get a new desk nameplate with that on it. Molly Alexander – Office Skulker. What do you think?”

“Definitely not. You are not having something on your desk that announces to the world that you are a skulker. You’d have to take a cut in your salary if you downgrade yourself, too.” Jamie smiles at that thought.

As we are discussing my possible demotion to skulker, Barbara walks past the open office door. Now, when I say walks past , I’m not doing her movement justice. She’s still damn well singing, and this time it’s Bobby McFerrin’s ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy.’ The way she walks, I can’t describe. It’s sort of a sashay with some upper body shaking going on. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she’d been to a bar during her lunch break.

“What has got into her today?” Jamie asks as she watches Barbara, too.

“I wish I knew. If we could bottle it, we could make a fortune in no time. We’d be millionaires in a week.” I shake my head in wonderment.

“If we mixed it with your skulking abilities, we could end all wars.” I look at Jamie as I don’t follow her train of thought. “All the soldiers in every army worldwide would be so happy, and they wouldn’t be able to find each other to fight!”

“Except for the sound of their singing belting out over the battlefield, you mean! That is so lame, Jamie. Really?” I laugh at her face as she wrinkles her nose and curses me for spoiling her idea.

“Go back to your own office and leave me in peace. I’m busy.” She turns her attention back to the paperwork on her desk, and I scoot behind her so I can peek over her shoulder to see what she’s doing.

“You’re opening a bar?” I state as I look at the blueprints she is studying.

“I’m not. The MC is. They bought the bar they were after, and Fury and Mateo are going to run it. I stole a copy of the plans so I can see if I can find any flaws in their ideas. So far it all looks good. I know Mateo has been studying customer flow and shit like that. He’s put in a lot of hours already. I have seen nothing that looks out of place so far. What about you?”

Studying the plans over her shoulder, I trace a finger through the projected traffic flow. “The only thing I can see is that there could be a bottleneck getting to and from the restrooms. That space there looks very tight. Other than that, it all looks good to go.”

“Humph. Trust you to spot something I didn’t. I should have known better than to ask.” Jamie folds her arms across her chest in mock anger.