Page 118 of Crystal Iris
I stand up. “They what? Can they do that?”
“I guess. We made our case against Aaron, but she’s free to… take over.”
“This is insane.”
“What do you know about her?” Hoyt asks. “Do you think she can… I don’t know, handle it?”
“Well, luckily, Lara’s a money whore. If she can take a commission from the transactions, she’ll do anything to…” I stop talking. “What if… this has been her plan all along? Maybe, since, I don’t know, taking over Aaron?”
“You think?”
“It explains it. I don’t think she’s in love with him.”
“Do you know her husband well?”
“He does whatever she wants. Who knows? I wouldn’t put itpast him to be in on it too. Maybe he even knew about her and Aaron. It could’ve been their plan all along. I don’t know, I just…”
“What?”
“I can’t help but feel bad for Aaron. If I’d known…”
“Iris, you need to stop blaming yourself for this. He’s a grown man.”
“Yeah, sometimes I still see him as the young boy I knew, who would…” I remember him rubbing my back when I needed help. I don’t tell Hoyt, though.
“I don’t know what to do. If Lara can finish the deals, maybe it’s best to… let her.”
“What do the lawyers want you to do?”
“Pull out, keep pushing them to release it all, untouched.”
“I would suggest doing that. We can’t trust Lara.”
“Pizza?” I ask him, eyeing the boxes on the table that evening.
“I’m too stressed to cook.” He’s drinking a beer.
“You don’t have to cook every day, you know? I’m used to heating frozen meals, opening cans, spreading things on bread.”
“I like cooking. I’m just taking a break today.”
“Is Akira still out with Broc?” I ask, pulling out a slice.
“No, she’s back. She said she’ll be right down.”
“Sometimes I think I’m home, that I really live here,” I say, sitting across from him. There’s a game on TV, but he isn’t paying attention.
“Me too. It’s the reason I like cooking for you. I like that you’re here, living here, even if it’s only for a little bit longer.”
Something about our words makes me want to sit on his lap, kiss him, feel him closer. We continue eating until Akira comes down.
She coughs on purpose. “Am I interrupting anything?”
I shake my head. “Pizza?” I gesture to the boxes.
“Sure.” She’s still trying to figure out what’s going on between us.
“How did your day go?” I ask her.
