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“Not at all. I hated working behind a desk, but I thought that’s just what adulting meant.”
“I hear abutcoming.”
“I really hated that first job, but I didn’t know what was missing. Then a few of us went on vacation in Hawaii. We came across a beach during turtle hatching season. We camped out at the edge of the beach a few days.”
“As in tent and campfires or…”
“It would have been trespassing to sleep there—”
“Like at the Martin’s barn.”
The urge to sigh and roll her eyes was almost stronger than her social skills. Whether the retort was arrogance from a lifetime of affluence and privilege or simply a red flag on the jerk meter, she wasn’t sure. “As I was saying, we showed up every morning early and stayed until we couldn’t hold our eyes open. Then one morning we saw movement by one of the markers. Sure enough, the hatching had begun.”
“Must have been fascinating.” The tone of superiority had slipped away, replaced by a sincere smile and signs of what could be a really nice guy.
Just what she needed. Jeckyll and Hyde. “It was, except,” she swallowed hard, “it broke my heart seeing how many birds swooped in and captured the little creatures making their way to the ocean.”
“Couldn’t you help?” The way he frowned, she was sure he felt her same distress.
“We could try to shoo the birds away, but those beaches are sacred. We couldn’t really walk around for fear of damaging a nest, and it’s illegal to touch the sea turtles in any way—even to help them into the water.”
“But that didn’t matter. You were hooked.” Now he was grinning like a cat with canary feathers between his teeth.
“Pretty much. I did some volunteer work for about a year, then decided to go back for my masters in animal conservation, and then went to work for a preservation company to learn the ropes.”
“Did it work?”
“Too well.” She looked around as if someone from her old job might be eating beside them and listening. “After a few years I had moved up the ranks enough to be given some prime assignments. And then things got sticky.”
One brow shot up on Craig’s forehead but he remained quiet.
“We’d done some testing of ground water and shoreline waste near a tire factory. There were some nasty accusations from nearby residents and we were the neutral third party called in to determine if the health issues were connected to the factory.”
“And were they?”
“Absolutely. They were taking enough short cuts to crumble the Golden Gate Bridge.”
Craig sucked in a breath, his mouth remaining briefly in a sour pucker. So maybe all the money and power did give way to a nice guy underneath.
“But the real kicker was the fat envelope stuffed with hundred-dollar bills in my glove compartment.”
Shifting in his seat, Craig winced. “Oh, hell.”
“Exactly.” She hadn’t told anyone all the details before and had no idea why of all people, Craig Baron made her want to talk. “Needless to say, the bribes went very high up the ladder and my not wanting toplay nicealmost killed my career before it started.”
“Corporate shenanigans can be rough.”
“Don’t I know it.” She waited for the waitress to set their food dishes down and walk away before continuing to speak. “Let’s just say, the whole thing left a very sour taste in my mouth and opened my eyes to the evils of big business—and their money. I got out of that one by the hair of my chinny chin chin. Walked away and never looked back.”
“And started your own firm.” It wasn’t a question, but he looked really pleased.
Oddly, she felt like puffing out her chest at the unspoken praise. “And have done quite well too.”
“I know.” He cut into his meal. “A lot of good people have been taken down under circumstances like that. You should be proud of yourself.”
“What I’m mostly proud of is that the SOBs went to jail, the water got cleaned up, and the factory sold to owners willing to follow the rules.”
“Good for you. It’s not easy to take on corporate America and win.” His gaze studied her with an intensity she hadn’t expected. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
