Page 29 of The Secret
“Hey!” Donnie scowled. “You never said that last one!”
“Oh, didn’t I?” Con shrugged and spread his hands innocently. “Guess that was just in my mind.”
Jesus.
“Great,” I said between set teeth. “Very… comprehensive.” I gave Con a glance that said we’d be speaking about this later, then looked from Donnie to Pat and raised my eyebrows expectantly.
Pat looked like he was sucking the world’s most sour lemon, but he waved a hand at Donnie. “Just do it. Go on. So we can move on with our fucking lives.”
“Fine,” Donnie said after a brief, silent conversation with his big brother. “I’m very sorry Iattemptedto kick Constantine’s ass.” His tone made it clear that his only regret was not succeeding.
Constantine and I shared a look. He seemed deeply amused by this half-assed apology. I, on the other hand, was deeply annoyed. This entire morning had been a clusterfuck.
Which is maybe why asking Constantine Ross to work for me was, you know,not a good fucking idea.
“Super,” I said. “Kumbaya. Now we’re all friends. Donnie, Constantine informed you of what was missing from the order?” I shot a look between the men and they both nodded. “Then you can drive the missing components over to me later today. I can’t waste any more time this morning.” I waved Constantine toward the open loading bay. “Start putting the stuff in the van.”
Constantine nodded and moved to do just that.
“Micah,” Pat began in a low voice, clearly displeased by every part of this morning’s interaction.
I cut him off, because I was no happier than he was. These were people I needed to work with, people I needed to rely on. People I’d always treated well and expected to treat me the same. I was angry at them for the error, I was pissed at Donnie for being an asshole, I was pissed that Pat couldn’t seem to stay out of my business, I was angry at Constantine for being unable toexistwithout provoking people to violence, and I was angry withmyself.I hadn’t been thinking about my business when I jumped to Constantine’s defense and I knew better.
Business was the most important thing.
“We’ve always gotten along just fine, Pat, and I’m sure we’ll continue to. But if you have anything else to say about my new employee, I’m gonna suggest you keep it to yourself.”
I walked away without waiting for his reply.
* * *
Constantine and I loaded the van in silence and were halfway back to town before I couldn’t take it anymore. I glanced over at the passenger’s seat and found Constantine staring out the windshield, arms folded across his chest like Luna, my sister’s toddler.
“You know, I don’t get you,” I said.
“Oh, here it comes.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve been waiting for this lecture since you started the van,” Con scoffed. He managed to sound almost amused, but his shoulders were tense and his fingers gripped his biceps hard enough that tiny white divots appeared on his skin.
I took a deep breath and struggled to rein in my temper. “I get that you and Donnie have history, but could you have kept your mouth shut for one damn morning?”
Con narrowed his eyes as he turned his head toward me. “Kept my mouth shut? And let them screw you over on your order? For real?”
“This wasn’t about me and my order. You didn’t start that fight because he shorted me a couple of flowers.”
“Dozens,” Con corrected.
I made a dismissive gesture, even as I made a mental note to discuss it with Pat. “Constantine, I wasn’t born yesterday. If anyone in the world wants to see me get screwed over by my supplier, it’s gotta be you.”
“Yeah, well, enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? Lucky you, today you were less of an enemy than Donnie.”
I banged my hand against the steering wheel. “Goddamn it, Constantine. For once don’t make ajoke.”
“What do you want me to say?” he demanded. The cab of the van felt smaller, nearly claustrophobic, like the air before a storm, but Constantine forced a smile. “There’s right and there’s wrong, Micah. It’s not complicated. I don’t like people to get away with things. I don’t like people being shitty to other people. Not even to you.”
“Really? Because you sure fuck around a lot for someone with such a finely developed sense of justice.”
