Page 89 of The Last Slayer
“What do you mean, how do I know? I know.” I must have looked confused, because she sighed and said, “I asked him out once.”
“You? You asked him out?”
“Why not? He doesn’t try to come on to me all the time, he’s smart, aaand—” her voice dropped a register, “—he’s got that intriguing corporate hatchetman thing going on.”
“And he said no?” The world order as I knew it was over.
She waved a hand. “Something about keeping business and pleasure separate.”
“And that makes him gay?”
“What else could it be?” Valerie said it like she was telling me what color the sky was. “Anyway, I came in to remind you about your appointment with Mary Spencer.”
“Oh, that’s right.” I’d almost forgotten. “Need to get a rental before I go.”
Valerie frowned. “A rental?”
“You know, a car? A wyrm ate my Audi.”
“Ah.” She pursed her lips.
“What?”
“Maybe that’s not such a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Well…for one thing, the picture on your driver’s license doesn’t look like you anymore.”
Trust Valerie to immediately see the paperwork angle, but she was right. I wanted to bang my head against the desk. I needed wheels.
“Take my car,” she said. “Just bring it back in one piece.”
“Keys?”
“Get your stuff. I’ll meet you at the elevator.”
I went to grab my hunting gear. I had the sword that I could draw from my body, but it was a bit awkward to do it, despite the cool effect. Plus, I was just comfortable with my katana. I went to my office, changed into black Under Armour—I needed to buy some new stuff that wouldn’t squish my breasts so much—and picked up my hunting bag. That and the keys to Valerie’s Ferrari were all I needed to be back in business. I went out the door and walked down the hall toward Sandy’s desk.
“Hi. Are you new?”
My head jerked up. “Blake.” It was oddly good to see him. At least someone had come out of the Swain fiasco unscathed.
He smiled. “Have we met?”
Okay, this was starting to get old. “Yes.”
“Uh…” He blinked several times, tapping his foot. “Was it during orientation? Maybe training?”
Surprising that Sandy hadn’t spread the word. She saw everyone going in or out. Oh wait, she didn’t like Blake. “No. You worked for me on the TriMedica job.”
“I did?”
“You have to break that habit of tapping your foot.” His eyes bugged out. I felt a tiny measure of satisfaction at that. “It makes the clients ner
vous.”
Blake’s jaw worked, but his speech function seemed to have been temporarily disabled. Well, he’d figure it out. I started to resume walking, but he put his arm out, stopping me.
