Page 9 of Honor

Evie

Mr. Hunt’sapartment is about as charming as he is.

In other words, it has no charm.

The walls are painted a light shade of gray. The artwork is all one note. At least a dozen black and white prints of mountain scenes in silver frames hang in his home.

Boring.

The leather furniture in the living room is as comfortable as a rock quarry, and the sink faucet in the main bathroom is a brainteaser I’ve yet to figure out. I wanted to wash up when I got here since I had to hold tightly to a pole on the subway.

That wasn’t as easy as it sounds because, with my other hand, I had to balance the suits and keep my purse tucked against me since it contained the expensive watch I picked up from the jeweler and the black socks Mr. Hunt sent me to get at a Berdine location clear across town.

The menswear store sells suits and ties and all the essentials a jerk like my boss could possibly need, but he prefers to get on an airplane and fly across an ocean to order a suit.

I’m suddenly struck with the idea of faking a robbery that leaves him suit less so he can skip town for a few days to replace his wardrobe.

I’m sure the church on the corner near my apartment would welcome all of my boss’s suits since they have a sign on their community pantry box asking for clothing donations.

I chase the idea away with a shake of my head.

I’d get caught and likely end up with a mug shot that doesn’t do me justice and no justice overall since people like Mr. Hunt always seem to come out on top.

I glance at his bed, which is covered with pristine white linens.

Does he like it on top, or maybe he prefers it when a woman climbs on top of him and…

My phone saves me from that thought when it rings.

Even before I glance at the screen, I know it can’t be my boss. He’s at lunch and hates to be disturbed when he’s eating.

My gaze wanders back to the bed before I finally focus on my phone.

“Hey, Mom,” I say as I answer. “What’s up?”

“The temperature here.” She follows that with a round of giggles.

That sound brings back the best memories of my childhood since my mom was always the most joyful person in any room. She would often say that putting smiles on the faces of her kids and their friends was her mission in her life.

When I started kindergarten, she volunteered almost daily at my school. Even when I moved on to middle school, my mom still went back to read to the first graders. She made a life-changing decision when I was sixteen. She enrolled in nursing school because it had been her dream forever. The day she graduated was one of the best days of my life.

“It’s hot here, too.” I sigh, even though anyone in this apartment would never know that.

The air conditioning is running smoothly.

I drop my purse on a bench at the foot of Mr. Hunt’s bed and glance toward his closet.

I’m still carrying the suits. If I had a gym membership, I could skip arm day for weeks after the workout I just had.

“Are you having lunch?” she asks because she’s a mom, and what’s in my stomach is and will always be her concern.

“Soon,” I half-lie.

I’ll eat a hotdog on my way back to the office. It’s cheap, semi-delicious, and portable, so it’s perfect on a day like today.

“Good.” She breathes a sigh of relief. “How is your boss treating you?”

Neither of us has time to get into that, so I answer swiftly, “He’s keeping me busy.”

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