“All I’m asking for is the respect to be told when you give a job to someone else that I have dutifully and skillfully done for you over the last several years. If you want to give your girlfriend my job, just do it, because this…how you’re secretly handing it over to her, is insulting.”
Girlfriend? Did she know about Brooke and me? Then, I considered that perhaps she was right in that I wasn’t giving her the respect she deserved by not letting her know about the tasks I was reassigning. Hadn’t Brooke scolded me on this same issue?
“I apologize for not being more transparent in the reassigning of tasks. That isn’t a reflection on the quality of your work. But your attitude needs a great deal of work, Ms. Lados. If you have a problem, come to me. Next time I hear about your mistreatment of anyone here, I’ll take corrective action.”
“Yes, sir.”
I stared at her one last moment, wondering if I’d made an impact and what she meant by referring to Brooke as my girlfriend. With a nod, I turned and went into my office.
I’d just taken a seat at my desk when my cell phone rang.
“Mayor Valentine,” I answered.
“Mr. Mayor,” Stark’s voice came over the phone.
Fuck. Just what I needed. “Mr. Stark. How can I help you?” And why are you calling my private cell phone and not through the office? A niggle of concern crept up my spine.
“As you know, I’m not thrilled about you stopping my purchase of the Campbell land. That’s twice now you’ve gotten in my way.”
“It’s not personal.” Mostly it wasn’t.
“I hear you plan to run for governor. Do you think the good citizens of Nebraska would vote for a man who is fucking his best friend’s daughter?”
Ah, hell. “I’m not running for governor.” I sat back in my chair, that niggle turning to full-blown panic.
“Then why all the secrecy around your marriage?” Stark asked in his smooth tone with the undercurrent of a snake.
“It’s no one's business, Stark.”
“I’m sure her father will have a different idea.”
“Frank is well aware of the situation.” Most of it anyway.
“Here’s the deal, Mayor, I’m going to expose you. I’m sick and tired of you and your office getting in my way. I’m working on getting my own man in—“
“If you’re getting your own lacky voted in, what’s the problem?”
“I don’t like having my plans thwarted, and I imagine the good people of Salvation won’t like that you’ve gotten in the way of jobs.”
“Look, Stark, it’s not personal.”
“It is for me. I’m working on buying a business in Salvation. You’re going to help pave the way for that, or I’ll expose you.”
I wondered if the business he was talking about was the Salvation Station since Ryder had mentioned it to me. But I put my attention back on Stark’s threat. “Expose what?” I asked like I had nothing to hide. Even as I said it, I looked to my door to make sure it was shut and that no one could hear me.
“Your secret marriage to your assistant. And I’ll tell her father that the man he entrusted his daughter to in an effort to save his farm is fucking her.”
Frank wouldn’t believe that. At least not from Stark, would he?
“I’ve got proof.”
I sat back, wondering what possible proof he could have. My initial response was to deny and do whatever I could to get Stark to keep his trap shut. But then I realized that there was no way out of this except with the truth. I’d already decided that I wanted Brooke. I was a bad friend to Frank by not telling him sooner. Now was the time. I’d tell him first, and then I’d tell Sinclair, and Trina, and then the rest of the office. It was time to let the chips fall where they may, so to speak.
“Fuck your proof,” I said. I’d tell the truth, but not to Stark. Not now. Frank was the first that needed to know.
I hung up on Stark. I didn’t feel as triumphant as I’d have liked at cutting him off, but the die had been cast. It was time to follow through.
I stood, grabbed my coat, and exited my office. “I’m heading out. Take messages. Don’t forward calls,” I told Trina.