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“Nice digs.”
I glanced around the suite at the Four Seasons. The opulence was impressive, but I’d take the hominess of Muriella and Stone’s apartment any day.
“It’s all right.” Drew poured a tumbler of whiskey and offered it to me. I shook my head. “How’d you end up at Stone’s place anyway? Must be nice having a buffet of whatever you want whenever. Did you know his wife offered me a full meal when I came over last night?”
“Speaking of, Muriella wants you to come over for dinner.” I skipped over the fact that if he’d come to Burdett for Christmas, he’d very likely have a place to stay with them too.
“I won’t turn that down.” He sat on the sofa, and I took the opposite end. “What do you think of SPE?”
I scrubbed my face. “Like it was a hostile takeover. Isn’t there usually some culture left from both companies when they combine?” Today had been one endless meeting about how things were going to be done, even though we were supposed to be operating separately. The way SPE conducted business certainly wasn’t my way.
“I know, right?” Drew slugged back some of his drink. “Look, I hate to pile more on, but did you get a chance to look at those figures I sent you?”
“Some.” From what I’d seen, it didn’t look good for the exploration department. “I also found some reports I’d saved. The numbers are all over the place. I can’t figure out what’s real.”
“Do you know if the funds withdrawn match any projects? If we find that, at least we’d know whether or not she was just careless.”
“It appears that some do, and some don’t. I’m tempted to hire a forensic accountant, but what’s the point? I have no idea what data is accurate.” I closed my eyes and let my head fall to the back of the sofa. My stress level climbed at an unhealthy rate, no matter how I tried to relax. Instinctively I reached for the heart-shaped stress ball in my pocket and gave it a squeeze.
“Why do we need one of those when we’ve got you?”
Drew’s faith in me bolstered my spirits. “I’m not infallible.”
“Have you told Dad?”
I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. “I haven’t been able to reach him today.”
“Really? I’ve talked to him twice.” Drew moved over to the wet bar and replenished his glass. “I didn’t mention it either. I don’t want to break the bad news to him about his sweetheart.”
I sat up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Drew looked at me in disbelief. “Oh come on, Easton. Don’t act like you don’t know.”
“I really don’t,” I insisted. What little control I’d had over my blood pressure failed.
“Dad. Mulaney.” He raised his brows expectantly. “Everybody knows.”
“Everybody knows what?” I drummed my fingers on my thigh.
“That they’re together. Don’t tell me you haven’t caught them kissing before?”
I bolted to my feet and glared at Drew. This was complete and total bull crap.
“Oh shit. You really didn’t know.” He took a long swallow of whiskey. “I can’t figure out why Mom puts up with it, but they must have something worked out between them.”
Our mother would never tolerate our father stepping out on her. Never. Our father would never cheat on her, and it was maddening my brother would say such a thing about the man who’d taught us by example. And there was no way in hell Mulaney would do anything like Drew was suggesting. He had just rocketed me to some alternate universe where I’d been roughed up and couldn’t get my bearings.
“When?” I growled.
“When what?”
“When did you see them?” I couldn’t utter the word kissing let alone think about the two of them together.
Drew cocked his head to the side and ran a finger back and forth over his mouth. “I can’t remember exactly, but I’d say the last time was a few weeks ago.”
No.
He had to be mistaken. Mulaney wouldn’t do that. Dad wouldn’t.
