Page 32 of Feel It in the Air

9

GUS

“Your brothers are right,”Carl Roberts, head of HR says, laughing. “Not something you usually want to hear me say, but⁠—”

“Today’s the exception, Carl,” I cut him off, feeling like I could do a little dance in my chair. Hell, with this news, I could do cartwheels down the damn hallway. “I’ll deny it if you ever tell them.”

“Confidential HR conversation.”

I sit back in my chair, letting out a long, heavy exhale. One that I feel like I’ve been holding on to since I saw Margeaux again. Everything inside me relaxes, both my body and mind finally at ease. Well, maybe not. Because there’s a part of me that’s still very worked up over that kiss. Just the memory of it makes my dick twitch, the blood flowing straight to my groin. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I was a teenager again with how easily I’m ready to go at simply the thought of Margeaux.

Of her, and all the things I want to do to her. But mostly just her.

“So that’s that then.”

“Well, there are stipulations,” Carl says. “Everyone must be of age and everything must be consensual.”

Damnit, Carl…

I shake my head. I realize that as the head of human resources, he has to legally make sure that’s covered. That he’d be remiss in not mentioning it. Still, if there is anyone who knows that I wouldn’t cross that line, it’s Carl. After all, he only spent half of high school making fun of me after he found out that I had asked Carly for permission before I kissed her the first time. Hell, I’m halfway surprised he’s not poking at me about it now.

Wonder what he’d say if he knew that I didn’t bother asking Margeaux…

“We’re both legal, and I promise, it’s consensual,” I reply, trying to keep the snark out of my voice.

“Figured. Then as long as she’s not directly reporting to you, and you officially declare it, then everything’s on the up-and-up. This you declaring it?”

A quick succession of knocks on my door steals my attention before I can answer. Looking up, I see my father poking his head in my office, and I wave him in.

Shit, did we have a meeting that I forgot about?

I glance down at the calendar built into my email and don’t see anything, which is both a relief and a concern. Because if Auggie is showing up unannounced, well…that could go a lot of ways.

“Carl, let me call you back. Auggie just walked in.”

I hang up before he replies, giving my father my full attention. His brow is furrowed and I can tell that whatever this is about, it isn’t good. Shit.

“How worried do I need to be?” I ask.

Instead of answering, he lowers himself into one of the large, leather guest chairs across from my desk. Taking a moment, he nods.

“It’s not world ending,” he says, his careful, slow drawl making it seem as if he chooses each one of his words purposefully. “But it’s not good.”

Okay…

I nod, waiting for him to continue. Because honestly, I don’t know how to respond to that.

“It’s Percy.” My father pauses and my heart lurches. Oh fuck. What happened? “His mama.”

That fucker…

I know better than to curse my father out, even in my head, but that was dirty. The slight, almost imperceptible uptick in the corner of his mouth lets me know that he knows it too.

“She doesn’t have much time left. Carly called this morning and said she’s taken a turn, so he went home to grab Linda and they are on their way to Mobile now.”

My stomach sinks. Old Mrs. Adams was a hell of a woman, full of life and wisdom. Carly had talked about her so much before she visited the first Christmas that I felt like I already knew the woman before she arrived. That didn’t stop me from tripping over my own feet when we were introduced, making a complete fool of myself. I know how excited Carly was when she was able to find a job close to her grandmother in Mobile a few years ago.

“What can we do?” I ask.