Chapter289


    “Seriously?”Imurmured,baffled<b>.</b>“Waltformetogetoffwork<b>?</b><b>”</b>


    Whatkindofdramawas<b>that?</b>


    “Afrienddroppedmeoffearlier,Idon’thaveacar,”Heextendedhiswristtowardmeashespoke,showingmehiswatch.“You’reabouttoclockout,too.Mindgivingmealiftback?”


    “Icancallyouacab.”Ipulledoutmyphone,buthefrownedslightlyandsaid,“Ineverridewithstrangers.”


    Isighedhelplesslyinside,Fhen.Guesstheprincehashisquirks


    Ihadnothingtosay“Thenwaithere.”


    Iturned andwalkedintomyoffice,anditwasn’tlongbeforeChristinesneakedin.


    Sheteased,“What’swiththeFordheirhangingaroundhere?Can’tseemtoleave?”


    “Lookingforafreende,”Ianswered,somewhatresigned.


    Christinesatacrossme,leaningherelbowsonthedesk,herhandsproppingupherface.


    “InoticedtheMyerdiesseemedprettywaryofhim.Maybeyoushouldtryandgetonhisgoodside.Couleinhandyifyouever<b>need</b>afavor.”


    “Forgetit”Idismissedtheideawithoutasecondthought,“Doyouhonestlythinkanyonecanmaniptehim?”


    Gregorymightappearcarefree,buthewassharp.Nobodycouldfoolhim,


    Christinewaggedherfinger.“No,no,notlikethat.I mean,genuinefriendship


    <b>“</b>Getbacktowork,willyou?”Ihandedherapieceofleftovercakeeffectivelysilencingher,“Pretensedoesn’tequatetosincerity.”Youmightfoolothers,butnotGregory.


    “Ah!”Christinemumbledthroughamouthfulofcakeandleft.Halfwayout,shetumedback,rushingtomydesk,“Didn’tyousayitwastimesomeonedealtwithDorothy?Isawhertoday,lookingallfineand dandy”


    “Ilookintoit.”Ihadnearlyforgottenitinthechaosofrecentdays.


    Butthatdidn’tmeanIwouldletitslide.Anopportunitymissedwasanopportunitywasted.


    WhenIfinishedupandlookedupagain,itwasdarkoutside.Throughtheoffice’sfloor–to–ceilingwindows,Gregorywasstillthere,engrossedinhisphone,notatraceofimpatience.


    Ididn’ttakehimforthepatienttype.


    Igatheredmythingsandheadedout.“Let’sgo.”


    Heyawned,hispatienceseeminglywornthin,“Abouttime,Withyourlowefficiency,twoclientswouldkeepyou<b>busy</b>forayear.”


    Thatwas somuchforagoodtemperament.


    Ididn’tbotherexining


    Oncedownstairs,heslidintothepassengerseatlikeitwerehiscar.


    Imergedinto<b>the</b>trafficbeforefinallyasking.“Jarrodagreedtodomeafavor.Canyoucheckinwithhimforme?Seehowit’sgoing?<b>”</b>


    <b>Gregory</b>tappedhisfingersidlyagainstthewindowsill,cuttingtothechase.“GoingafterDorothy,aren’tyouseared?”


    I<b>had</b>hopedtokeephiminthedark,buthewasalreadyontoit.Andquitepossibly,hehadputastoptomyns.


    Igrippedthesteeringwheeltighter,mytone cold,“Areyounningto protectyourgod–sisterby teachingmealessonfirst?”


    “Areyoualwaysthisprickly?”Hencedatmeindifferently,<b>“</b><b>You</bshoutatanyonewhogetsclose.”? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Ipaused,stunned,


    ThefriendshipbetweenGregory’sfamilyandtheMyersfamilytracedbackgenerations,andhislong–lostfiancéewasfromthefamily.Byall ounts,theywereclosertohimthanIcouldeverbe.


    Hesitantly,Istarted,“Soyou…”


    BeforeIcouldfinish,Susan‘callcamethrough!


    Ontheotherend,shewaslivid,“<b>Jane</b>,didyousetsomeoneonDorothy?Howdareyou,youmaliciousgirl?She’shurt,<b>a</b>younggirl,andyou’vegotthenerve!”