Page 20 of Crocodile Tears
“We were supposed to have a meeting now,” I said. “The trust? The new leaf you’ve apparently turned over, remember?”
“I remember,” he said, giving his skin one more sweep of the towel before tossing it in the hamper in the corner. This was the bougiest gym I’d ever seen in my whole life. Who worked out in a room with sconces and floral wallpaper?
“This is how you come dressed to a meeting?” I asked, waving at his soaked tank top clinging to his eight-pack abs.
“And that is howyoucome dressed to a meeting?” Deacon countered, waving at my khaki uniform.
“This is part of my job!” I seethed.
“And working out is part of mine,” he said with a dimpled smile, as if he knew just how much of a rise he was getting out of me.
“Fine! Look, I only have ten more minutes before I have to be back,” I said. “Here is some paperwork for you to look over.” I dropped it on the rack of dumbbells. “I expect you to have answers to the questions on page three by tomorrow.”
“I trust you to answer those questions without me,” he said.
“Nuh-uh. No. We are not doing this.” I folded my arms tightly across my chest.
“Doing what?”
“You’ve dragged me into this charity now, and I won’t be attached to some fluffy, ineffectual nonsense with your face on it,” I snapped. “You want me? You got me. Now I expect you to actively participate in this charity, so help me God. You will pay attention, and you willcarebecause I care, understood?”
He stared at me for several seconds before saying, “Understood.” He shook his head. “And I thought it was just going to be Ricardo kicking my ass today.”
I maintained eye contact with Deacon like my life depended on it.Do not check him out again, Dove. You are a stronger woman than that. Think of the skinks!
A woman walked in carrying a giant glass of grass-green liquid. “Your smoothie, Mr. Harrow.”
“Thank you, Divya,” Deacon said, taking the drink.
“Can I get anything for yourfriend?” she asked, looking between us as if trying to ascertain who I was. I wondered how many “friends” Deacon invited round.That doesn’t matter, Dove. Stop thinking about his love life and his abs, his sweet, sweet, glorious abs.
“I’m not his friend,” I said tightly, my voice thick as I struggled with the hot, sweaty presence of one of the sexiest men in the world. Apparently, my hormones didn’t care that he was a pompous asshole. Still, I managed to keep a steely tone as I said, “I’m the interim director of what is going to be a very successful charity.”
Deacon’s cheeks dimpled again. “Divya, could you please make Ms. Lachlan one of your famous lavender matcha lattes?”
“Of course,” Divya said, giving a little bob of her head before leaving.
I glared at Deacon. “I?—”
“It’s purple. You’ll love it,” he said with a wink. Before I could rage at him some more, he added, “Cody wants us to get some footage of us with an animal to use for the trust announcement. Do you have any ideas?”
“Oh, so you want to be a part of this if it involves your face on a screen?”
He sighed. “It will bring positive attention to the charity, which will mean more donations and awareness, which will mean a more successful organization, which is something you and I both want, so yes.” He waved me up and down. “I thought you’d understand how this goes. It’s part of the deal. Look at the Madigans.”
“You did not just bring up the Madigans to me.”
Deacon retreated a step, which was wise because I was ready to go full ape shit on him. “You still have beef with them after all these years?”
“They are our family’s sworn enemies,” I snarled. “And forgive me if I don’t want to slap my face on yoga pants and toilet brushes to raise money for conservation and pretend to be a reality TV celebrity.”
I balled my hands into fists. It was really low bringing up the Madigan family to me.Madigan Mountainwas a hit reality TV show set at their family’s zoo in Australia. They were like the trashy knockoff brand of the Irwin family.
“Why exactly do you hate them again? I could never really remember,” Deacon said with a chuckle, as if our family feud were just some joke. “Your dad was best friends with their dad or something and they had a falling out before any of you were born, right?”
“Besides the fact they stole all of Dad’s ideas and then went on to have eight kids all named after animals just to fuck with us?” I could feel the blush burning across my cheeks. “Or when after Dad died, they tried to make our family into a spin-off reality show but keep all the money and rights for themselves?Orwhen they tried buy the zoo out from under us, including hiring Hannah under false pretenses as a spy?”
“They did what?”
