Trust by Design (Colorado Trust 2)

“So, we were a little too busy for me to even think of looking at my cell until well after six-thirty. I don’t know why she didn’t just come in and tell me.”

“You want me to fire her?”

“Of course not.” Dean rolled his eyes at his friend’s attempt to make it a joke. “I’m just venting, that’s all.”

“Who was your appointment with?”

He hesitated, but really, why else had he called? “Remember that girl at the club last night?”

Mike made an enthusiastic humming noise. “Who could forget sexy Cindy?”

“Her name is Gina.”

“You mean you tracked her down?”

“I think she tracked me down.”

“How’d she do that?”

“Through my mother.”

“What?”

Dean explained the call last night, Cinderella’s connection to Brady, and his suspicion about the real reason for her surprise appearance at his house. “I just can’t quite figure out how they got my mom to arrange the meeting so it sounded like a favor from her and not a set-up. Or why they’d pull the stunt at the club if they had the decorator angle set in motion.”

“Did you hire her,” Mike asked.

“Ah, no. You heard the part where I said I think she’s working with Jack, right?”

“I did. And I still think you should hire her.”

“Why in the hell would I do that?”

“Think about it, Dean. If she is working with Brady, you can keep tabs on every move she makes and get proof he’s trying to steal your work again. If she isn’t, you can still use her to maybe get something else we can use against him. We’re coming down to the wire on this one, so either way, it’s a win-win for us. Extra win for you if your house gets furnished in the process.”

He made some good points, and it wasn’t an altogether bad idea. Except for—

“Now that you know who she is,” Mike continued, “and after that kiss in the club last night, you should have no problem getting…friendly…with her.”

—for that.

“Um…after the kiss tonight, that could be a little difficult.”

“You kissed her again?”

He reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he squeezed his eyes shut. “Right before I accused her of working with Jack.”

His friend groaned. “Sonofabitch, Dean.”

That was his favorite swear word, so it left him with, “Yeah.”

“This is exactly why I handle the people part of the corporate espionage.”

“Yep.” He opened his eyes and stared out into the darkness beyond the windows in his office. No moon meant all he saw was his own reflection staring back. As the silence stretched, he rubbed the spot hammering between his eyes again.

“You do realize what you have to do, right?”

“Yes.” Frustration fueled his groan of protest. “I know exactly what the hell I have to do.”