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He leaned against the frame with his hands in his pockets. “What happened?”
“Greer had someone give notice.”
He nodded. “What else?”
Before I could answer, Carissa cleared her throat from behind Peyton so he would move. She was finding her way and learning how to deal with us. Peyton moved with a quiet apology.
“Here you go.” She sat the cup on my desk.
“Thank you.”
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“Do you know how to put together a campaign to make everyone in the company not fear for their lives now that my cousin works here?”
Her eyes went wide. “I… um…”
“He’s joking,” Peyton said, coming into the room.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize.”
“You’re fine, Carissa,” I told her. “I’m just in a shit mood.”
“Aren’t you usually?” She realized what she said a split second later and slapped her hand over her mouth. “Oh my god. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
I held up my hand. “Stop. You’re fine.” I smiled, genuinely this time, to let her know everything was okay. “We’re going to have to get used to one another. But what you said is what I need sometimes to snap me out of my mood.”
“Dominic said I’d find my groove.”
“You will. I’m certain of it.” Hearing his name had me on edge when I couldn’t put my eyes on him. Jesus, why was I like this?
“Your next meeting is in a few minutes.”
“Thank you. Can you please shut the door on your way out?”
“Of course.” Carissa walked quietly to the door and pulled it closed behind her.
Peyton sat in front of my desk. “It’s more than Greer losing another employee.” Right to the point as usual.
“I miss Dom.”
“We both do.”
“Yet, you seem fine.” He was the picture of relaxation. Well, as relaxed as one could be in a suit.
“I’m feeling it on the inside.” That was how Peyton was at work. He kept everything bottled up. If we were home, he would be a different person. It still made seeing him be calm aggravating. “You going to pick up the shit you threw?” He nodded toward the pile of office supplies on the floor.
“Oh, you weren’t going to do it for me?” He had before. Today, I could tell it was the last thing he’d be doing.
“Perry,” he growled. The sound used to make me laugh. Now it made me shiver with want. Oh, how things had changed.
I got up and picked up the stapler, which had opened on impact, and put the staples back in it. The pencil cup survived another round oflet’s see if I can break it this timeand only had a small chip in it. The pencils would live to see another day, though one of the points broke. I held it up. “Do you think Dom felt this at his apartment?”
“Probably not. The whole thing didn’t snap.”
There was a knock on my door as I was setting the items back on my desk where they belonged and not on the floor like the bad-tempered asshole I was. It wasn’t like I threw shit in meetings. Just when I was alone.
“Mr. Altair?” Carissa asked, opening the door. “JJ is here for you.”
