Running the Numbers (18 page)

Wes remorselessly spread a vicious rumor with numerous and wide-ranging repercussions. Besides destroying relationships, it put her and Blake into the line of fire regarding office regulations, which were against fraternization due to ethical concerns. Imagine what a senior accountant and the company’s auditor could pull off if they were to get any ideas during a snuggle-fest.

Her cheeks heated as the image of her and Blake tangled and sweaty popped into her head. She pushed it aside but, for one moment, she let herself imagine how it might feel if the whole world—Amanda, Wes, Kennedy, the firm—faded away, leaving her and Blake with nothing to worry about but each other. She took a deep breath and ruthlessly cut herself off from the reverie.

If Wes had stooped so low in the interest of stirring up a little drama, what might he do with real power? As her boss, he could call private lunch meetings every day, control which accounts she supervised, even assign them according to how often she acted as he pleased, rather than contingent on any experience or skill. He’d govern her, own her, dominate her. He’d have complete control over her, more complete than when he’d been her boyfriend.

The thought terrified her. But what scared her more was what she’d have to do to escape it. “I appreciate your concern. But I think you should go.”

“But—”

Her patience skidded straight into its breaking point. “It’s a small, small town we live in, Blake. And there’s more than your relationship with Amanda to consider if someone were to see you here. Now the rumor is floating around the office, and it won’t take long for Duncan to pick up on it. That’s if Amanda didn’t go straight to Mommy with her broken heart. When we’re called in to see Mrs. Avery to defend ourselves against a fraternization write-up, maybe then you’ll get it. Hopefully, I’ll get my resignation turned in before that happens and they’ll let it go. I’ll have a harder time getting another job with a mark on my currently unblemished record.”

Blake’s beautiful hazel eyes looked poised to pop. “You’d quit because you didn’t get your way?”

She pushed against his shoulders, firmly, but he didn’t budge. Being tiny was frustrating sometimes. “Yes, Blake, you jerk, because that’s who the hell I am. Determined. Greedy.
Ambitious
.” The words dripped with as much caustic sarcasm as she could slather them with.

“I don’t get it.”

“I won’t put myself in a position I’ve already wrestled away from. Regardless of whether it’s personal or professional, Wes Black will never rule me again.”

Blake seemed to get it then. He studied the floor for a minute before nodding. “One question.”

“Shoot.” She showed her impatience with crossed arms and a flat glare.

“It’s no secret Amanda and I are dating. Why haven’t I already been confronted for breaking the policy?”

Because Mama Avery played favorites and would get involved the minute rumors turned nasty. Because Sadie had already gotten away with flouting the policy once before, with Wes. Because fate decreed it. “That’s something you can ask Iris Avery.”

* * * *

If Blake had learned anything during his time at Avery & Thorp, it was that Sadie was always right.

Always. No sooner had he walked into the lobby on Tuesday morning, the very next day, than Reba handed him a tiny hot-pink sticky note. Iris Avery was waiting upstairs in Duncan’s office.

He took his time. In his office, he had a cup of coffee to fortify himself and asked Kennedy if his tie was straight. “Have you and Sadie decided if you love each other or hate each other today?”

Kennedy grinned. “I could ask you the same thing, playboy.”

He knew she meant it as teasing, but it was an unpleasant reminder of how close he still was to the man he was trying to escape. “You know Sadie and I aren’t involved, right?”

She brushed lint from his shoulder. “Maybe not in the nitty-gritty under-the-sheets way that people assume when they hear how ‘close’ you two are. But, Blake, I have to be honest with you.”

“Please. By all means.” In reality, he wished he’d kept his mouth shut. Kennedy was right almost as often as Sadie was.

“You two like each other.”

“We’re friends. Of course we do.”

Her lips pressed together in a frown. “It’s more than that. You can pretend with each other all day, but don’t expect someone with my deep sense of intuition to fall for it. You like each other, you enjoy one another’s company, and I think, had you come into this office without the past clinging to your shoulders like football pads, you’d probably have gravitated toward Sadie from the beginning. You only have your own hang-ups to blame for getting stuck with Amanda.”

“Hey, I’m not stuck.” Of course he wasn’t stuck. How absurd. He liked Amanda just fine.

Kennedy’s expression said she didn’t care what he thought. “Whatever you say. Maybe my instincts are off. Now, don’t be nervous. Iris called me for a meeting one time, but it was only to ask if I felt I deserved the raise I’d petitioned for. I said, ‘obviously,’ and we went back and forth on the pros and cons for thirty minutes before she caved. She likes a fighter, Blake. But, you know, not
too much
of a fighter. She also doesn’t like to be challenged. It’s a bit of a tightrope situation, but I bet you’ll do great.”

Blake walked through the bookkeeping parlor toward the spiral staircase feeling a little less confident than he had ten minutes ago. Next time, maybe he’d skip the pep talk from Kennedy.

Nina’s small desk outside Duncan’s inner office was vacant, the glossy surface clean of debris and paperwork, as though no one used the space. Duncan was nowhere to be found. Iris Avery sat behind Duncan’s large oval glass desk, reclined and surrounded by an air of self-assuredness men and women with power and money wore like an accessory. Blake believed he’d probably had his fair share of it at one time. A few years ago, he’d have never dreamed of being nervous around a woman like Mrs. Avery.

Perhaps the fact that he was dating her daughter and had been accused of cheating was what had his stomach tied in knots.

She certainly looked like Amanda’s mother. Her silvery white hair cut stylishly short was brushed back from a square, dominating forehead. Her eyes were the same light jade green behind silver square-framed glasses. She wore a power suit that would’ve made any businessman on Wall Street look twice, the second time with respect.

“Mrs. Avery,” Blake greeted her with his hand outstretched.

For one terrifying moment, he feared the older woman would continue to stare at his proffered hand.

Finally, she sat forward and took it, and they shook over the desk. “Mr. Cobb.” She readjusted her glasses as he took his seat. “I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me.”

As if there’d been some choice in the matter. “No problem at all, ma’am,” he replied good-naturedly instead and forced himself to relax. He didn’t necessarily have to feel confident to be able to call on a lifetime of cockiness and arrogance, like muscle-memory for his personality.

He waited for Mrs. Avery to open the conversation, which she did after a full minute of blinking at Blake and turning a fine black pen in her manicured fingers. “Mr. Cobb, it’s come to my attention there’s something off here in the Jackson office. As you can surely understand, given how new you are to the position, this is cause for worry. We don’t want your time here getting off on the wrong foot.”

Was he sweating? Blake was certain he was sweating. Big, fat drops would start rolling down his face and soaking the inner seams of his shirt any second. “Yes, ma’am, I understand.”

Mrs. Avery leaned back in the chair once more and tapped the fancy pen against the glass in a measured staccato. “If you would, give me a rundown. Be as specific as possible.”

Dear God, she wanted
specifics?
Specific as in her daughter reminded Blake of his first wife? Specific as in, yes, he had slept with Amanda, but for reasons he didn’t want to look too deeply into, he preferred Sadie’s company?

Blake straightened his back but stopped short of loosening his tie and giving away his nervousness. “I, uh, suppose it had to have begun the first time I met Amanda. Kennedy introduced us on my first day. I was immediately taken with her, if you must know.”

Mrs. Avery lifted a hand to stop Blake and closed her eyes, her mouth set to a wry smile. “Mr. Cobb,” she began, with something uncomfortably close to amusement, “I am well aware of your relationship with Amanda. We will discuss that eventually. However, my main concern is the balance sheet that came across Duncan’s desk with numbers that don’t add up. The report came from you, so I’ve come to you for insight into what we think might’ve happened.”

Relief came first. A different kind of anxiety followed. This time, Blake didn’t have to worry about guilt but rather a quiet uncertainty that perhaps he’d made a mistake. The report in question was the one he’d meant to ask Amanda about, because the discrepancy seemed to have originated from bookkeeping.

“Ma’am, I’m sure it’s a simple math error. A wrong number entered.”

Mrs. Avery’s wry grin turned to a flat grimace. “I suppose it’s easy enough to accidently drop a zero here or there. On the other hand, Henry’s last several reports before his retirement indicated a pattern. The reason I hired you, Mr. Cobb, despite your history of personal affairs, is your remarkable track record in a professional capacity. I am not surprised you’ve entered into a liaison quite against company policy, as you’ve had little regard for it in the past. My interest was more in seeing if old Henry was as incompetent as his coworkers believed. He quietly reported a few monetary discrepancies to Duncan, and Duncan shared those concerns with me. Now, since you’ve turned in numbers bearing the same alarming disparity, we know we have a genuine problem on our hands. And you’re up to it in your ears, Blake.”

The use of his first name seemed both a privilege and a condemnation. “I’m sorry, I have to disagree. Question my ethics as a man any day. I deserve that. But to get myself mixed up in anything like fudging reports, or worse, going so far as embezzling, is not within my character.”

“I’m aware. It leaves me wondering if you’re blinded by love or merely trying to protect her.”

The implication smacked Blake in the face like a wet towel. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh?” Mrs. Avery abruptly dropped the pen and sat forward, eyebrows raised as if daring Blake to contradict her further. “You think I’d question my own daughter without good cause? Amanda is in bookkeeping only to avoid accusations of favoritism. But I’ll tell you something no one knows—her I.Q. is a hair from genius level. She’s damnably smart, which has a lot to do with her social handicaps. Difficulty making friends and fitting in, for example. Personally, I think this is a little sloppy for her. Too obvious. However, if it’s not Amanda who’s skimming, then it’s someone who wants us to think it is.” Her expression turned sad and a bit weary. “We have a real problem here.”

Blake let out a deep exhale. “I’d say so.” And it was his job, as auditor, to get to the bottom of it.

Even if it meant investigating his girlfriend. Blake decided now wasn’t the time to play coy. “Is she to be made aware of my investigation?”

Mrs. Avery seemed to consider. “Well, it might cause some undue strain on your relationship, but I do think it’s for the best if she knows. She’ll understand you have a job to do. And if she’s innocent of any wrongdoing, she’ll be happy to help in any way she can.” Her gaze stopped wandering and drilled into Blake. “As for the company’s fraternization policy, it’s set in place for a reason. But I’m a fair woman and understand things happen. I consider these circumstances on a case by case basis. For example, no action was brought against Ms. Felix and Mr. Black, for we were aware of their involvement before he joined the firm. They kept it strictly professional, and Henry saw no signs from either one of anything unethical or questionable by any means. They are both valued members of the firm. That said…” She blinked several times. “That said, I think it’d be unwise to continue your association with Ms. Felix so long as you’re romantically involved with Amanda. As mentioned, I’m fully aware of your history, Mr. Cobb. I would hate to see it repeat itself in my house.”

Blake wanted to die. Mortification burned his skin like fire. It took every ounce of willpower he had to maintain eye contact. “Ma’am. I understand and will take your advice into consideration.”

He left the meeting majorly embarrassed and slightly annoyed. Mrs. Avery had no right to dictate who he socialized with outside of work. By the time he’d returned to his office, another obvious notion occurred to him. He had Amanda’s mother’s blessing and a second chance to make things right with Amanda. So, why had his first thought been of Sadie?

* * * *

Blake wasn’t expecting company when Duncan’s Mercedes sedan crunched through the snow and parked behind his car.

Eric’s ears jerked up, and he froze in his spot less than three feet away from where Blake sat crouched, painfully still, with his arm extended to offer the piece of sirloin to the sly, sly fox.

The car door slammed shut, and Eric bolted.

Still crouched, Blake’s head drooped. He stayed there until he heard Duncan’s footsteps approach.

“What are you doing?”

Blake stood up straight and rolled his shoulders. He’d been in that same position for the last half hour, and all twenty of his digits were numb from the cold. It was the closest he’d come to feeding Eric right out of his hands. He tossed the chunk of meat on the ground for him to find later. “I’m trying to make friends with a wild fox.”

Duncan nodded in an approving way. “Most guys buy a Corvette when they hit their forties. I like your style, Blake.”

Blake noticed the six pack in his hand. “Why don’t you come in and crack me open one of those?”

Inside, Duncan sat at the small dining table and immediately twisted the caps off two bottles. “How’d you enjoy your chat with Iris this morning?”

Blake crossed to the sink, washed his hands, and toweled them dry before joining Duncan and taking a heavy swig of beer, so cold it made his eyes water. “She thinks Amanda’s embezzling small amounts, in the low thousands, through bookkeeping, or someone is making it seem as though she is. Did you know she has a genius I.Q.?”