“What?”
“Nothing.” He took a massive bite of his sandwich, and then realized he couldn’t talk. Nodded instead to her computer.
She understood. “I’m filling out all my new employee paperwork so I don’t have to do it tomorrow. I got a job!”
He swallowed. “Really? That’s awesome.”
“Yeah. I finally asked for Maggie’s help, and I had a job offer, like, four hours later. It’s insane.”
“Club stuff usually is. Where is it?”
“One block that way.” She pointed over her shoulder through the window. “That big glass building.”
He knew the one, and he frowned. “Which company?”
“Evolent.” She made a face. “Weird name, I know, but then again my new boss has a weird name, so…” She trailed off, gaze sharpening on his face. “Oh, are you gonna do it, too? I hope you’re not, because I really need this job, and Maggie says it’s fine, so…”
“Do what?”
“Ava got all freaked when she found out I was gonna work for Ian – I mean, Mr. Shaman. That’s how he introduced himself, so that’s what I should call him, right? Well, technically, his secretary introduced him, but, same principle. But like I said: Maggie says it’s fine, and, really, Ava was just worried I wouldn’t want to be too close to the club, which is dumb, because she’s my best friend, and right now my only friend, and she’s tied to the club, so.” She shrugged and let out a deep breath, winded from rambling.
She was nervous, he realized.
“That’s not true,” he said, and her brows shot up. “That Ava’s your only friend. I’m your friend.” When she blinked at him, he said, “Right?”
Her expression warmed, melted into a quiet smile. “Yeah. Definitely.” Her smile quirked mischievously. “Even if you are a sex fiend who gets his face smashed in.”
He groaned. “Please don’t.”
“So why doyouthink I shouldn’t work for Ian?”
A welcome – if no less tricky – change of subject. “I’m not saying it’s abadidea.”
“Which is totally why you put all that emphasis on the word.”
“Ian is – let’s just say that when we first met him, he wasn’t exactly a friend. It’s been kind of a weird, slow evolution over time. He’s a friend of the club now – hell, he’s helped us do things we never could have otherwise. He’s an ally. Ghost trusts him, so I guess we all should. And I genuinely think the guy likes and respects Ghost. He’s kinda weird, though.”
“He’s very intense,” Leah agreed, nodding.
“He’s got big villain energy.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, definitely. All he needed was a white cat.”
“It would have gotten hair all over his fancy suit.”
She laughed again, her smile more than a little dazzling, her dark eyes sparkling, and Carter was very glad he’d decided to stop in.
Fifteen
Leah woke at three the first morning of her new job. She lay in the dark, staring at her ceiling, berating herself for ten minutes. “You don’t get nervous,” she said. “You really don’t.”
Which was a lie, because she certainly did, and had done so her whole life, but she’d learned how to handle it well. To hide it, even. Anyone watching her would have sworn she didn’t get rattled about things.
But Chicago, feeling like she’d failed, had shaken things up a little. It was always harder to try again than it was to set out for the first time.
And, if she admitted it, Ava and Carter’s less than enthusiastic response to her new employer had her doubting things.
“Nope,” she said aloud. “Nope, nope, not today, Satan.” She flung off the covers, and went to get ready.
