Page 65 of Feel It in the Air

“I’m not trying to minimize it. But I also know that you’re tough and you can handle your shit. One thing we haven’t done a good job of in the legal department is being very diverse in our hiring. Percy’s a little old school that way. So, I’m sure it’s nothing more than a case of Teresa being used to being the only woman in the department. She’ll adjust.”

I shake my head. There’s more to it than that. This is way more than just corporate girl-on-girl crime. It goes deeper. I can feel it in my bones. I just don’t know what. Or how deep.

“I’m used to professional jealousy,” I say, keeping my focus on the pan. “Fighting your way to the top as a woman isn’t easy and it comes with a lot of crap. But this…this isn’t that, Gus. This is something else.”

“What you’re used to is high-powered corporate backstabbery. This is small-town subterfuge. Different game. She can’t play yours, so she’s stooping to hers, that’s all.”

Damn, I hope he’s right. Still, something about it feels different.

Regardless, I need a change of subject. I refuse to let it eat away at me all night. Refuse to give her any more of my energy. Especially when he needs my energy right now.

“Small-town subterfuge isn’t what’s eating away at you though.”

He shakes his head, turning so that he’s leaning against the counter, facing away from me. “No, it’s bigger than that. It’s…I dunno.”

“Hey,” I reach over, placing my hand on my forearm and squeezing. “E-commerce experienced, MBA wielding, law-degree toting vault, remember?”

He chuckles, nodding. “Chris, our chief accountant, discovered some payments that aren’t quite lining up.”

I blink, his statement sinking in. That doesn’t make sense. Accounting’s not my area of expertise at all, even when I worked in e-commerce, but I know enough to be dangerous, and well, that math doesn’t math.

“What do you mean ‘not lining up’?”

“Weird invoices. To a vendor no one has ever heard of. For generic services rendered no one seems to know anything about. The early ones were initially attributed to Corporate Giving and Hayes Cares, but then they got moved to a general ledger of expenses. It’s all just a little…weird.”

“Oh, Gus.”

“Yeah. Been a long couple of days with a lot of numbers.”

My head hurts just thinking about that. My heart hurts even more knowing that both he and Willa have probably damn near gone cross-eyed trying to figure out the issue. The two of them might not see eye to eye on many things, but both are equally passionate about what they do, and about their family as a whole.

Gus heaves out another breath, deflating even more. I can tell he needs a distraction. Something to take his mind completely away from all this. Leaving me with only one option.

“Well, you know what solves this kind of thing?” I say, hip checking him playfully. He’s not the only one who needs this. I promised a spicy night in, so it’s time we throw ourselves into our adventure.

Gus quirks an eyebrow at me, asking the silent question in return.

“Cajun food. It heals the soul.”

“Is that right?”

The smirk he gives me says it all, but I double down anyway.

“It’s common knowledge, sir, that étouffée makes everything better. Everything. And dirty rice? Well, name speaks for itself.”

“As long as the rice isn’t the only thing getting dirty,” he whispers, leaning down and placing a kiss just beneath my ear.

I shiver, leaning into him, craving more of his touch. More of this magnetic pull between us.

Magic is in the air. I can feel it…

“It won’t be.”