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“No, I didn’t. I met you out front when you picked me up.”
He blows out a sigh of defeat. “I sweet-talked it out of Nanci.”
“She wasn’t at the office when I left.” I narrow my eyes.
“I called her.”
Before I can ask why he has Nanci’s number, my cellphone buzzes in my hand. North’s name is displayed on the screen. I show my houseguest.
Barrett’s face is a predictable mask of disapproval. But I’m my own woman, so I answer it anyway.
“Hi, North.” I step aside and sweep an arm inward to invite Fox into my humble abode.
“Are you okay?”
“Of course I’m okay.”
Barrett walks into my apartment, looking out of place in here. His laptop is under his arm, his hand raking through his reddish hair and then down over the scruff on his face. He studies the floral rug at his feet and the many birds adorning my living room. There are metal ones in mid-flight hanging over an antique sidebar. The encaged statuette of a canary, beak frozen open in song sits on my coffee table. The pillows on my dark brown leather sofa are turquoise and lime green with black bird-shaped silhouettes.
“...or if he’s not treating you well, say the word and I’ll be right over,” North is saying.
“Barrett, do you intend to treat me well?” I ask Fox. “If not, North says he’ll be right over.”
The intensity fades from Barrett’s face and is replaced by a confidently sexy smile. I grin at the exasperated sound coming from my phone.
“Talk to you later,” I promise North before ending the call.
“What’s he going to do, challenge me to a duel?” Barrett asks drily.
“Chess, most likely.”
“He’d win.”
We hold each other’s gazes comfortably. “May I offer you something to drink?”
“Am I staying?”
I gesture to the laptop. “At least long enough to show me what’s on that hard drive.”
“I saved it in the cloud.”
“Cloud drive,” I correct.
“Beer,” he requests.
That I can do.
Chapter 12
Catarina
Barrett’s expression is pure anguish.
“It’s bad, isn’t it?” He nervously chews on the side of his index finger. I’ve never seen him less than confident, cocky, or in control. It’s weird.
“Shh.” I pull his finger away from his mouth and scroll through his column. I navigate the menu to show the document’s history and inspect his changes.
“Kitty Cat.”
