6. Scarlett
As I got out of the car in front of my office, my jaw was clenched so tight it was painful. Was there a bigger pain in the ass on the entire planet than Rhett Rivers? No, there was not. Irritation buzzed in my system as I dragged the office door open, gave Alice a curt ‘Hi there’ as I stomped past on my way to Cassidy’s office.
“Jackass.”
“Wow. And I was just sitting here minding my own business.”
“Sorry.” I slumped in the chair, gripping my hands to stop from biting my nails. Fuck, I was so annoyed.
“I’m the one that should be sorry. You weren’t meant to go on your own.”
Now I felt really bad. “No, it’s fine. I know you had your thing today.”
Cassidy did what she always did when we got anywhere near a personal topic. Her expression went perfectly blank, and her shoulders hunched.
I didn’t actually know what the thing was, other than that it involved Cassidy’s ex and that it wasn’t pretty. That part wasn’t really surprising. I’d met the guy a few times and really didn’t like him. But Cassidy seemed happy with him, in her quiet way. Until recently, something big had gone down between them. Cassidy had been almost non-verbal at work for a few weeks. All I could get out of her was that Brian had moved out and their relationship was over. Although I hadn’t wanted to pry, I’d gone so far as to phone her sister Hannah, just to see if there was anything I could do. That was the really weird part; Hannah hadn’t known anything more than that about the situation, either. We’d both agreed that Brian was a shit stain, and we’d be there for Cassidy if she needed to talk, but there was nothing more we could do than that. Since then, she’d barely said a word about it. I was pretty sure the only reason I even knew something was happening today was because Cassidy couldn’t join me for the mediation. “All good?”
Cassidy kept her eyes down, picking at the skin along her thumbnail. “We were trying for a baby.”
Fuck. “I’m so sorry, Cass.”
“It is what it is. I just don’t know why he would…Anyway, back to your jackass.”
Understanding that my very private friend was looking to change the subject, I went along with it. “He’s not my jackass! I wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot barge pole!”
“I’ve googled him. He’s pretty hot.”
Memories of that moment in the elevator, with his scent surrounding me, his finger stroking my face. Fucking hell, now I was blushing. “Yeah, sure. But he knows it.”
Cassidy tilted her head to the side, surveying me with an amused look in her eyes. “He’s really got to you, hasn’t he?”
“Well, yeah, he’s an arrogant, entitled, careless, insufferable asshole. You should have seen him in that meeting. He doesn’t give a fuck about anything but himself and making money.”
“Ah, so you didn’t come to an agreement.”
“Nope. It’s going to court. And you know why?”
“Tell me.”
“Because he thinks it’ll be fun. He’s going to waste all that money, all those resources, for a game.”
“What a dick.”
“Thank you!”
“We’re making a start on the discovery process this afternoon, I take it?”
“Yes, we sure are. And let’s gather as many expert witnesses as we can. I want to bury that man in so much evidence, the court will have no choice but to decide in our favor.”
“I’m on it!”
“Me too.” I stood, smoothing my hands over my skirt. Cassidy pulled her keyboard forward on the desk and I could tell she was getting straight down to business. She was putting aside whatever was hurting her for me. “I just want you to know I’m here if you need me.”
Resting her hands on the keyboard, she gave me a small smile. “I know it. Thanks.”