Page 28 of The Secret
“It washim!” Donnie said, smoothing his reddened neck with one hand while pointing the other accusingly at Con. “He was being an asshole.”
I tilted my head at Constantine, silently demanding answers.
Constantine huffed out a breath. “I was checking the order, as instructed.” He held up a paper that looked like an HG’s invoice and gestured toward the boxes on the ground. “I politely informed Donald of some errors with the order, and he didn’t like being corrected.”
“You informed himpolitely,” I repeated.
Constantine shrugged. “Polite-ish.”
“He said, ‘Hey, shithead, learn to count.’” Donnie was vibrating with rage.
Constantine twisted his lips to one side and scratched at his nose. It wasnotadorable. “I could maybe have been politer.”
Pat swept a hand out toward Constantine. “Thisis who you have working for you? Representing your business? Micah, honest to God—”
I ignored him. “I feel like I’m missing some details. Con, you corrected Donnie—not very politely at all—and then he attacked you?”
Constantine rubbed at his scalp and winced. “Donnie gave me the list. I told him I wanted to check it against the supplies. Which is what you’resupposed to do.” He shot Donnie a look. “But Brain-Dead over here saidyounever bother checking the inventory because you’re always in a hurry and you trust them. I saidyoumight be dumb enough to trust him, butIwas here now, andIdidn’t trust him for shit.” He sighed and cast his eyes toward the ceiling of the warehouse. “It sort of devolved from there. I went through the order and found several errors, which didn’t surprise me in the slightest. I told Donald to correct them, and he toldmeto shut the fuck up and mind my business or he’d kick my ass.”
“And Istillsay that,” Donnie shouted. “It was one simple error—”
“Ennnnhh.” Con made a noise like a game show buzzer. “Multiple errors.”
“And it has nothing to do with you at all,” Donnie continued. “Since when do you give a shit about anyone but yourself, anyway?”
“You know what?” Con said hotly. “I am really starting to get tired of people thinking they know shit about me when they donot. Just because your cousin was an asshole back in the day—”
“This has nothing to do with him!” Donnie yelled over him.
I whistled loudly and the sound echoed around the space. “Finish the story. Today’s story,” I added.
Con huffed out a breath. “Thatisthe whole story. Or close enough. I told him thiswasmy fucking business, so hedidtry to kick my ass, which is when you arrived.” He grinned smugly and leaned toward me to whisper, “Tried but didn’t succeed, though.”
Donnie took a threatening step toward Constantine. “Let me try again.”
“Enough,” I said, loudly enough to stop Donnie in his tracks. “Apologize and we’ll be done with this.”
Con’s wide eyes shot to me. “Oh, no. No way in hell am I apologizing to this clown, boss. I’d rather face a firing squad.Natureshould apologize tousfor having to put up with him.”
I ran a hand over my face and heaved a sigh. “Notyou, idiot. Donnie.” I nodded toward the redheaded man. “Tell Con you’re sorry.”
All three men gaped at me.
Pat laughed nervously. “You’re kidding, right? You heard how he spoke to Donnie. The kid was looking to stir up trouble,as usual.”
“Is that what you took from this story?” I frowned at Pat. “Because from what I heard, Donnie threatened my employee and then attempted to assault him.”
“Well, yes, but only after serious provocation!”
“Telling Donnie to correct an error doesn’t constitute serious provocation in my book.” I looked at Constantine. “Though his language was totally unprofessional and perhaps deserving of an apology also.”
Constantine stared back, a baffled little frown between his eyebrows. “Okay,” he said slowly. “Yeah. I’ll cop to that. My mother gives me shit for it all the time. I’m sorry I offended you with my rough language, Donald.”
I nodded, appeased, and turned to Donnie.
But Con wasn’t done.
“I’m sorry I called you a dumbass, and an asshole, and a clown, and a sneaky little shit-for-brains. I’m sorry I told you to fuck off, and suggested that yougrow a pair, and said you were a whiny bitch with a brain the size of a thimble and a dick to match.”
