“Between cabs and the hassle of getting in and out, I was late to all my meetings, I didn’t get any work done. I fucking hate cabs.”
“So she made a mistake. It’s probably easy to do.”
His brow furrowed. “You think?”
“Hell, I don’t know. Maybe?”
“Okay, Thursday I’ve got to be in Dallas. I’m flying into Love Field. Do you know where my car was booked?”
My brow rose, and I almost laughed. “DFW?”
“Yes!” He exploded, and I did laugh. “It’s a good thing I checked it today.”
“Okay, so she sucks at travel plans.” I picked up the towel, ready to let him have this one. “She types one helluva report.”
“Nobody sees those but us.” He tightened the strap on his glove. “She doesn’t follow directions. I was supposed to have your portfolio on my last trip. It wasn’t there. I’d made a digital presentation for the Wall Street guys. Not in my briefcase.”
“But the police coding...” I couldn’t resist.
“Don’t give me that.” He was still pissed, but at least I understood.
I walked over and pulled on the lat machine. “Well, I liked her,” I said, catching the other handle. “Maybe she needed more training.”
Derek laid back and pushed on the bench-press bar. That’s when I remembered I was supposed to be spotting and walked back over to him. “I don’t have time to train a secretary,” he grunted, pushing up. “I need someone I don’t have to think for.”
I helped him with his set, remembering the other part he’d said. “There wasn’t anything between us. Not that I didn’t try.”
The muscle in his jaw moved, but he didn’t answer.
“You gotta admit,” I continued, “the girl was stacked.”
He sat up, recovering. “No pens in the company ink,” was his only response between breaths.
“Where else are you dipping it?”
“None of your fucking business.”
I shrugged, picking up my towel and heading for the door. “Okay, but it’s one thing to mourn somebody. It’s another thing to give up. You’re only forty.”
“Thanks for the advice, Yolo.”
“Exactly,” I said before pushing through the door.
He continued with his workout, and I was pretty sure nothing I said had made a difference to him. Still it was worth a shot. I felt like Kenny would’ve wanted me to try.
* * *
The office was quiet with Nikki gone. I was between cases, restless and bored. I’d texted Kenny a few times, but she’d left for Bayville Tuesday afternoon. Derek took off for Dallas Thursday, and I was alone in the office, ready for anything to happen when I heard a little tap on my door.
Swiveling around in my chair, I felt my jaw drop, but closed it fast. Hello, unspoken wish-fulfillment. The woman in my doorway was tall with long, white-blonde hair and bangs that ended just in her dark brown eyes. She wore a tight beige dress with a V neck showing the right amount of cleavage, and all that awesome was perched on long, tanned legs ending in brown heels. In one blink, the distractions in my brain disappeared, and I remembered my new philosophy. New Patrick was back, and this female had his full attention.
“Are you Knight or Alexander?” Her voice was low and sultry, and her hand went to her hip, which cocked to the side. It was like a scene out of an old detective film. I half expected her to ask me for a cigarette.
“Patrick Knight,” I said, rising. I held out my hand and gave her The Smile. “And you are?”
“Star Brandon.” Her eyebrow rose in what seemed to be approval, and she put her cool hand in mine, holding it. No shake.
“Are you the new secretary?” I fucking loved our temp service. “I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow.”