Page 20 of Forty and Fighting Dirty
He leaned in and dropped his voice. “We’ll see how long you last around here.” His back was straight as he walked away. One of the ladies who worked in the finance department greeted him with a smile, and I watched as he smiled right back at her, pausing at her desk for a bit of chitchat. Gone was the simmering animosity and thinly veiled dislike. He laughed at something she said, then, as if he could feel my stare, lifted his gaze to meet mine. After a moment he turned back to the finance woman, said a few final words, and walked away. She smiled as she went back to work, clearly in his thrall, just like every other person in this town.
But I knew the truth.
Rhett Baldwin was a fraud. There wasn’t a good bone in his body.
Last time a man had tried to bend me to his will, I’d let myself fold. I stayed home when I wanted to work. I dideverything he wanted me to do—and it still wasn’t enough. Our marriage disintegrated, and still, it was me who had to finally end it.
I wasn’t going to let that happen here.
If Rhett wanted to get rid of me, he’d have to do his own dirty work. And I might just try to fight right back and see if that image he projected around town could withstand a little pressure.
SEVEN
RHETT
A strange scraping sound mademe lift my head from my computer. Frowning, I listened for a few moments, then shook my head when the noise stopped. That was annoying.
Then the drilling started.
Spinning around to glare at the back wall of my office, I listened to a drill whine, clatter, and stop. Then a hammer started up, banging so hard I swore I could see the artwork behind my desk trembling.
Thatwoman.
I’d thought I’d gotten the upper hand on Monday, especially because I’d hardly seen her yesterday, but apparently that was as long as she’d give me to work in peace. It was Wednesday, and she was back to make my life a living hell.
Baring my teeth, I pushed away from my desk and stomped out of the office and around the corner. A cloudof dust puffed out of an open door, and I crossed the distance to stand in the opening, waving my hands to clear the haze.
Piper stood next to the wall, a big yellow drill in her hands, safety glasses on her face. An ancient, scarred, and tiny desk had been shoved into the corner, with a hammer and a very bent wall anchor resting on its top, but she ignored it as she pondered the wall in front of her. A large gilded frame sat on the floor by her feet.
When my shadow darkened the section of wall that she was studying, she looked over. A flash of annoyance went across her face, and then she slapped that stupid smile on again. “Oh, hiya, boss.”
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Just moving into the office,” she replied, a dangerous spark in her eyes. “Oliver let me borrow his drill. I’ve never drilled through concrete before. It’s messy!”
“Give me that thing.”
“Oh-ho! No way! Ollie said to keep it safe, and I’m not sure I like the look on your face right now.”
“Ollie works for me, Piper. And so, might I remind you, do you.”
She tilted her head slightly, blinking insipidly. “And does working for you mean we forfeit all our property to you?”
“Just give me the drill before you knock down the entire wall. What do you need? Why are you drilling anyway?”
She held the tool across her chest, one finger on the trigger. Her jaw hardened. I suddenly never wanted to see her with a gun. “I am perfectly capable of drilling a hole in a wall, Mr. Baldwin, sir. Thank you very much.”
Insolent woman. Annoyance warred with amusement inside me—but she was still holding the drill, so I had bigger things to worry about than my own feelings for her.
“I’ll do it for you.”
“I’m sure you have more important things to do.” She turned back to the wall and gave the drill a little practice whirr. The bit spun in the air, glinting in the light of the hanging bulb above our heads. She set the bit against the small indent she’d already made, lined it up, and started drilling.
The bit spun and spun and spun, and a bead of sweat dribbled down the side of Piper’s face. Breathless, she pulled back and stopped the drill. Her chest puffed, and she frowned. “What the heck is going on!”
It didn’t sound like she wanted an answer, but I gave her one anyway. “Is that a masonry bit?”
“Of course it’s a masonry bit!”
