Consent (The Loan Shark Duet 2)

“I need a bright, young university graduate with ambition and nothing to lose.”

Michael regards me from across the desk in my office with a doubtful gaze. “On a minimal wage?”

“Don’t forget the profit sharing.”

“Your business is unstable, and you’re an unknown player with no connections. The country’s economy and politics are in shambles. No local or foreign investor will give you the time of day. What you should do is collect the interest from your active lendings.”

I glance at Charlie who’s playing cards at a table in the corner and lower my voice. “I’m not going to put people out of their houses or slit their throats if they can’t pay.”

“What are you going to do? I assure you, the majority won’t pay unless you put the fear of the devil in them.”

“Write it off as bad debt.”

He taps his fingers on the desk. “You’re not running a charity, Val.”

“I won’t do to others what happened to me.”

He sighs heavily, leans back, and straightens his tie. “Your intentions are noble, but you’re heading for bankruptcy.”

I rub my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. “I know.” This is more frightening than I thought, but I won’t sink to the level of crime or violence. Never.

“Why don’t you just accept my offer?”

Connor starts fussing in his carrycot on the carpet next to me. I pick him up and throw a cotton blanket over my shoulder so I can feed him discreetly. I don’t have an issue with public feeding, but if Gabriel didn’t want Michael to kiss my hand, I think he would’ve been jealous of sharing the intimate image of Connor on my breast, and it’s extremely important to me to protect Gabriel’s feelings, even in his absence. Especially in his absence.

“Val?” Michael raises a brow, reminding me he’s still expecting an answer.

“I can’t take your money.” Michael kindly offered to take care of me and Connor as a way of paying his last respects to Gabriel, but my pride will never allow me. I have to make it on my own. This is my mess to sort out.

He sighs again. “You’re adamant about this, aren’t you?”

“Absolutely.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “I have a contact at the business school. I’ll speak to him and see if he knows any suitable candidates.”

My smile is all teeth. “Thank you.”

“Don’t get your hopes up.” He gets to his feet. “If you pay peanuts…”

“Yes, yes, I know.” I roll my eyes. “I don’t want a monkey. I want a clever worker who’ll help me grow the tree to harvest the bananas in good time.”

He makes a face. “That’s the worst analogy I’ve ever heard. Please don’t mention that in your interview.”

“You brought up the peanuts.”

He laughs and shakes his head. “I have to go. Dinner, our place, Friday night?”

Like every other Friday night, I accept. Our dinner dates became a standing arrangement, just as Saturday nights at Kris’ place turned into a weekly institution. Charlie, Rhett, and Quincy are always included. I can’t go anywhere without them, anyway. It’s my friends’ way of taking care of me, and sometimes those nights are all that keep me sane. I miss Gabriel with brutal intensity. Every day without him is torture. Work keeps my mind off him during the day, but it’s at night, alone in bed, that I break a little more with each passing hour.

Michael kisses me on the forehead. “Hang in there. It gets better.”

I can only nod. If I speak, my voice may break. I wave goodbye as he blows me a kiss from the door and calls out a greeting to Charlie.

Quincy walks in as he leaves. “I brought lunch.” He places a plastic container with a fork on my desk and another one on Charlie’s. “Pasta and cheese salad.”

The salads are his and Rhett’s humble effort at cutting costs. I know they miss their double burger take-outs.

Blinking away the tears that always come when I think of Gabriel, I give him a grateful smile. “Whatever would I do without you?”

He winks. “You’re welcome. When that little man has done eating I’ll take him for a stroll so Rhett can do the vacuuming.”

“I can do the vacuuming.”

“No sweat. You’re busy.”

Connor has stopped suckling. He’s about to fall asleep on my breast, so I remove him gently and adjust my clothes. “You don’t need to coddle Connor. He’ll probably sleep right through the vacuuming.”

Quincy looks at me as if I’m mad. “With that noise? You can’t expose his ears to that. Nah, give him here.” He takes my little bundle, sniffs his butt, and declares solemnly, “He’s clean,” before buckling him into his stroller and tucking a blanket around his body. He adjusts the umbrella that attaches to the side of the stroller and pulls the protective plastic cover over the hood.