The Renovation (Contemporary Reverse Harem 2)

I wished he would have just dispensed with the niceties. If I was being shit-canned, I wanted to know right away so I could pack up my stuff and get the hell out.

But I wasn’t going down easy.

“Yes, Mr. Renner. I really feel I have a lot to contribute and some very creative ideas about pulling in new business and serving the clients we currently have.” God, if that didn’t sound like corporate suck-up talk, I didn’t know what would. But it was true. I did have some damn good ideas.

I thought of the guys at home—well, at Carter’s home—who seemed to really believe in me and who wanted to make me succeed against the odds of foreclosure. A wave of conviction welled up in me, and I found myself sitting ramrod straight in my chair. If Mr. Renner didn’t want my contribution, then I’d take my ideas elsewhere.

Give me your worst, Mr. Renner.

He took a deep breath and met my gaze. “I have something to talk to you about, Jayma.”

It was all I could do to keep my eyes on the road on my way home. I’d gotten someone to cover the phones and left early to clear my head. My hands had been shaking so hard when I got in my car that it took me five minutes to get my seat belt buckled. I turned on some calming music and took deep breaths. They say you should never drive when you’re worked up, but what if you have somewhere to go?

I pulled up at Carter’s and used my key to quietly enter. I wasn’t up for talking with any of the guys, if they were even home. I peered out of his kitchen window toward my house. It sounded like there was plenty going on with them all over there, anyway.

I ran up the stairs two at a time to my bedroom and closed the door behind me. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I rooted through my purse for my phone, fighting back tears. My hands shook so badly, I had trouble pulling up Shelle’s number.

It was such a relief that she answered right away.

“Hey girl!” she yelled. I could hear waves and seagulls in the background. She must have brought the dogs to the beach. I tried not to picture them crapping all over the sand.

“Shelle, you won’t believe what happened at work,” I said, trying to steady my voice.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“Well, Mr. Renner, the founder of the agency, offered me a job.”

Not one where I had to answer phones and make copies for assholes like Bob. No, he’d offered me a big, fat, motherfucking real job.

Chapter 26

TANNER

Something was up. Jayma had bolted out of work and then texted us all to gather for a “family dinner.” I guess we were sort of like a family. Dig had to reschedule a couple meetings, so he was expected to be somewhat late, but everyone else would be there, no problem.

Personally, I could have stayed at work longer. I had a ton of stuff to do on the damn tampon account. We were just wrapping up our research on how we stacked up against the competition, and I was quickly becoming the male expert on “flow.” Boy, could I talk about menstruation now.

Great topic of conversation for the next cocktail party I attended.

Yeah…no.

Christ, that accounting asshole Bob had pissed me off. I mean, even if I hadn’t been romantically involved with Jayma, I still would have stuck up for her. I fucking hated bullies. I was always ready to take them on.

That’s why I had a little scar above my right eyebrow. But that was a long story involving neighborhood kids and a little weakling with glasses. Who finally learned to stand up for himself.

And yeah, that kid was me.

I pulled up at Carter’s and was blown away by all the activity next door. Someone had delivered a giant dumpster very early in the morning, and by god, it was already nearly full. Those guys weren’t messing around. I’d be pitching in over the weekend, and I had a feeling Carter and Wyatt were going to work my ass hard.

I didn’t want to get in the way of the assembly line of workers he had pulling waste and other construction debris out of the house in one wheel barrow-full after another, but I was dying to see what was going on. I jumped out of the way of the latest worker to come flying out the door and poked my head inside.

“Carter!” I called.

“Yo. Up here,” he answered.

The once-rickety handrail on the staircase was now completely gone, so I walked up hugging the wall, which looked like someone had pounded the shit out of it with a sledge hammer. Which they apparently had, as evidenced by the one leaning against the wall at the top of the stairs.

“Wow,” I said, once I’d found Carter. “You weren’t kidding when you said you could move fast. Good grief. There’s not much left of the place.”