Jesus, he’d never even said a cross word to the woman. Why would she have done that? Did she not understand the importance of a paycheck? Or maybe she did. Maybe she’d wanted him dependent on her. Christ.
And now she’d really lost it. Accusing Charlie of being a criminal? That was a pitiful accusation. Ridiculous.
Walker threw a frozen dinner in the oven and hit the shower, too tired to truly process what Nicole had said. He stood under the scalding water for what felt like an hour, feeling the kinks begin to melt from his neck and shoulders. By the time he dried off and sat down with his pan of lasagna, he felt almost awake. Unfortunately, his brain was working now, and he started to worry about Nicole’s ridiculous claims.
He opened the browser on his phone and typed in Charlotte Allington. And Walker felt his heart sink.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
SHE MADE IT through dinner with her brother without losing her temper this time. Barely. He’d been late, and since the reservation had been for eight, Charlie had been tired and grumpy and starving by the time he’d gotten there.
But she’d made herself be pleasant. She’d even buttered him up a little, asking about his business and how things were going. First, because he might have helped her get a job, and second, because she might need information from him. She even held her tongue when he ordered a second Scotch. And then a third.
By the time dessert came, she was ready to get home. “So, Brad...I hear you might have had more to do with me getting this new job than you let on.”
His eyebrows rose. “I...might have put in a good word for you. Sure.”
“I have to admit, I was surprised by that.”
He shrugged and swirled the ice in his glass.
“I know we haven’t always gotten along well, and I’m sorry I lost my temper the last time I saw you. You’re just so...gruff sometimes.”
“Yeah. I suppose. My wives have had more creative terms for it.”
“Right. Well. I really wanted to thank you for suggesting me to Keith. I didn’t realize you knew him so well.”
“We’ve done some business together.”
“Development stuff?”
He watched her for a moment. “Of course. But I think we were out to dinner when I gave him your name. Networking. You know.”
“Thank you for networking me. I don’t know what I would have done without this.”
“Sure. It seemed like you’d be a good fit.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “That’s what you do, right?”
“Right. But I didn’t think you two were close. You said you didn’t really know anything about Dawn.”
“I don’t. Keith and I do business. If the wives are ever involved they talk among themselves.”
God. She was never going to understand this man. It was as if they’d been raised in different centuries. But that didn’t mean she had to be rude to him. “Well, I’ll get dinner as a thank-you.”
“Nah. I got it. You didn’t even have a glass of wine.”
“Thank you,” she said, trying not to sound as relieved as she felt. She’d been comfortable for years. A single girl with a good job and no commitments. She hadn’t had a budget. She’d paid her own way. She’d even managed to acquire a comfortable savings. And thank God for that savings. It had allowed her to put a retainer down on a very good lawyer. The rest of it had gone on credit cards. Several credit cards. But she’d pay those off soon. As quickly as she could. The new apartment was her only extravagance now.
She thanked him again when the bill came, but decided to press the issue one more time. “You’re sure there’s nothing about the Taggerts I need to know about?”
“What is it that’s bothering you?” he asked as he threw down some cash and stood.
“I don’t know.”
“Are you sure it’s nothing specific? Because you’ve asked several times now.”