Page 21 of Resting Grump Face
Damn it.
Robyn sure is a shark. I mean, it’s not that I mind talking about things like this. After all, they’re more than familiar with my lying, cheating ex, but I don’t see the point in discussing a stupid mistake like Ryker Grayson. So I try the same tactic that worked with Paul earlier.
“Actually, it’s just my job. I quit. Or rather, was made to quit.”
Earnest looks up from his laptop again. “Then you’re not eligible for unemployment benefits.”
“Right,” I answer and nod. I somehow hadn’t even thought of that yet.
“Ah, dear, what a dreadful situation. But don’t worry,” Robyn seems to have taken the bait. “Let us know if you need anything. We’ll take care of you. Besides, someone with your aptitude ought to find employment immediately.”
It’s nice to have their support, though I’d really prefer not to have to lean on it, especially since Robyn obviously has even less money than I do. None of them are swimming in money or they probably wouldn’t live at Haven to begin with.
“I did already get an offer actually,” I say without thinking and quickly backtrack. “But the… potential boss is possibly the worst person on this planet, so I don’t think I can accept. In fact, I should probably reactivate my résumé and sort through somelistings while we wait forthe mark.” I grab my phone from my bag, begin updating my CV and look through terrible job offer after even more terrible job offer. If push comes to shove, I could probably take a few shifts down at my favorite bar to hold me over.
“Here he comes!” Paige finally says and all of us try to catch a glimpse of Richard Dome, or Dicky, as Paige likes to call him.
He looks shorter and, despite the dim light, even paler than in the pictures online. Quickly, he disappears into the bar as his driver starts down the road.
“Alright,” Paige turns to us, “now we just need his mistress to arrive.”
“She’ll be here soon,” Earnest mumbles and turns his laptop for me to see.
He’s got the text conversation between our mark and his mistress pulled up, and it seems like she is on her way right now.
“Okey-dokey,” Guy claps into his hands cheerfully, “so let’s assume we actually manage to get a picture of them lovebirds. Are we sticking to the original game plan then?”
“You already have an entire game plan?” I ask and let Chairman Meow jump off my lap. “I think I should take it from here, if you guys don’t mind. If this gets traced back to all of us, the repercussions would be… not good… probably.”
Who knows what a crook like him is capable of?
If he is willing to evict an old lady from an apartment that she has been calling home for like half a century, then he’s capable of anything.
Would he have the resources to make all of us swim with the fishes? Probably.
Would he just take revenge by kicking all of us out of the building? Also probably.
But you never know.
“Not going to happen,” Paige chimes in with a wave of her hand. “We’re in this together. This scoundrel has been bleeding Haven dry for years now. He has pushed us around, fired hardworking employees, and now he is forcing good tenants onto the street, just so he can make more money. He’s done messing with the wrong people and it’s time someone put a stop to his…” she is searching for the right word for a moment, “…heinousness. And by someone, I mean us!”
Paige’s little speech is, of course, right on the money, even though it’s an odd thing to hear from an 83-year-old grandma. Her words have an immediate reaction on Earnest, who points approvingly in her direction. Guy squeezes her hand with an admiring smile.
“How would you even contact that lowlife without him knowing it’s you?” Earnest asks me a moment later before going back to focusing on his screen. “Your password is your birth date.”
“No, it’s not…” I stop and navigate to the settings on my phone, “…for much longer.” They might be right. I don’t know what I am doing either and it’s not like there is a handbook called How To Extort An Evil CEO In Ten Easy Steps. So maybe their help and expertise might come in handy.
A few minutes later, Paige announces the arrival of our mistress. She is wearing a short black dress and what appears to be half a fur jacket, which is much too cold for this weather. The cab that brought her takes off and she hurries inside.
“Admit it,” Robyn says as she’s putting on dark red lipstick that matches the color of her signature heels. “We’re better as a team.” Then she opens the door, throws me a kiss and disappears into the night.
“Where the hell are you… where the hell is she going?” I ask the others, as Robyn is already out of earshot (on account of not hearing all that well anymore (though I suspect her hearingimpairment to be more of a choice than a medical issue)). Nerves are tugging on my tummy. I am not usually one to get scared easily, but I do worry when people I care about are involved. Usually, it’s just me exhibiting slightly reckless behavior like this. Kind of like I might have done at the airport. I don’t like it when it’s others doing the same. Especially since they are even worse at following my rules than I am.
“There’s no need to worry, darling.” Paige tries to calm me down and then goes back to watching the entrance of the bar with her binoculars. “Robyn will be alright. She can take care of herself.”
Right, there’s no way anything could happen to her right now. She’s just another patron in a bar. Secretly taking pictures of an affair. Just business as usual.
All four of us keep our eyes glued to the swanky entrance, where nothing appears to happen. In the meantime, the Chairman has made his way onto Guy’s lap to steal some of the snacks he brought. After being lectured by Paige about what constitutes a healthy obligate carnivore diet, he returns to the back of the car and jumps onto Earnest’s lap, then lets himself roll onto the laptop that he has accurately pinpointed as the most inconvenient heat source in the vicinity. Being the gentleman that he is, Earnest accepts defeat immediately and, instead of continuing his work, pets my cat.
