Page 90 of A Little Too Late
Slowly, Sheila closes the laptop. “No.”
“Then who?” It doesn’t make sense. “For Ava?”
“No, Reed.” She shakes her head. “It’s for me.”
“What?”
She stands up suddenly. “Can we talk in your office?”
I turn around and march back in there, sitting heavily back down in my chair. “Explain.”
“Ava said she’d hire me,” Sheila says quietly, sitting down in the visitor’s chair. “And I’m considering it.”
“Hireyou? That makes no sense.”
Except it actually does. Sheila is a bright, talented college graduate who’s terrific in a business setting. And Ava is going to manage the property, moving up into my father’s job.
Of course, she’d want Sheila in the number two spot. Who wouldn’t?
“She’spoachingyou?” I yelp. “I can’t believe this.”
“Don’t be mad at Ava,” Sheila says.
“I NEVER GET MAD AT AVA.”
She holds up two hands in submission. “Look, you know I’ve been doing some soul searching. I need to try new things.”
“Goddamn it. She hates me that much?”
Sheila groans. “I promise this isn’t about you. And it’s not even a sure thing. Ava wants to wait for the dust to settle on the acquisition before she tries to hire me for real.”
“And when willthatbe? Since you know so much about it.”
“Well…” Her guilty face returns. “I hear the final contract will be ready sometime in the next three days. After your father signs, it goes to the state review board. The review process could take two to four weeks.”
I make a growly noise of pure frustration. “You’re willing to work for the Sharpes? If you thinkI’ma pain in the ass…”
“I’m willing to work forAva,” she says. “And if everything goes sideways, I can move back here and find another job. Prashant will write me a recommendation. And maybe you will too, once you get over your snit.”
“Snit? I don’t havesnits.”
“Right.” She gets up and walks out of the room.
I’m so stunned that I just stare at the doorway for a long beat. Then I stalk over and close it with enough violence that the entire office probably jumps from thebang.
Whoa. I’ve never done that before.
They call me the ice king behind my back. I’ve heard the whispers. But right this second, I’m not icy at all. I’m practicallyboiling. I don’t even recognize the senseless shout that erupts from my mouth.
Next, I grab my phone off the desk and hit Ava’s number. Because phoning the woman who’s ghosting you when you’re feeling like a loose cannon is a super idea.
“Reed,” she answers in a low, tense voice. “Can I call you back? This isn’t a good time.”
“How convenient,” I spit. “You don’t answer my texts. You don’t take my calls. And youpoached my assistant? What the fuck, Ava! Are you trying to get back at me? Is that a mature thing to do?”
“Excuse me a moment,” she says to someone who isn’t me. “I’m so sorry for the inconvenience, but I need to take this call for two minutes.”
“Two minutes,” I growl. “So good to know you care.”
