Page 91 of The Revenge Agenda

There’s no pattern. No efficiency here.

I’m about to take the list to Hunter and ask him to rewrite it in order when Eloise pops up over our divide.

“Didn’t get me a coffee?”

I frown. “I have a very long list and no time to be taking coffee orders.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Maybe tomorrow.”

She leaves, and I almost ask her to grab me one, but that’s asking for trouble. What if there’s not enough sugar? Or she gets the wrong mug?

I glance down at the line of mugs on my desk, counting all five of the ones I keep here. So, apparently, she would have been guaranteed to get the wrong mug, considering none of mine are out there anyway.

I gather them up, long past needing to wash them out. Honestly, there’s probably something growing in the bottom of the green one, but if I don’t look too closely and scrub nice and hard, I’ll never actually find out.

Seamless plan.

Only when I pass by Hunter’s office, he jumps up and cuts off my path.

“No.”

“It’s okay. I have to?—”

“No.”

“But—”

Hunter takes the mugs I’m clutching one by one. “I’ve got these.”

A sinking feeling settles in my gut. “But …” But what, Rush?

Hunter’s challenging gaze asks the same question.

“I’ll … go back to my desk.”

“Great plan.”

“And work.”

“Even better.”

“Right, then. Now. I’ll see you … at some point later when I’m very accomplished.”

His lips twitch. “Can’t wait.”

Then the smart-ass leaves with my mugs, and I wonder if I should have warned him about the growth in old greeny.

Oh well.

The day runs on. Hunter plonks a coffee down on my desk without a word. The coffee disappears. I listen to music. Gates and Autumn argue. There’s something sharp in the carpet under my desk. Just a weird prickle someone walked in. One side of my nail is jagged. Then it isn’t. I count birds as they fly past the window on the other side of the office. Eloise leaves early to pick up her kids, because she started early and she’s allowed to, and Hunter really is a genius when it comes to making people happy.

“Boo.”

I jump at his deep voice in my ear and spin to look at him. His expression is amused, even as his gaze moves from my face to my list on the desk. The list that currently doesn’t have anything crossed off.

Regret fizzles through my veins.

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