“You really want me to come over?” It’s the first thing I say when she answers.
“Yes.” She lowers her voice. “I can’t talk about it over the phone, Rhett. I don’t feel comfortable saying it like this.”
Damn, what could it be?
Guilt swamps me when I think of my secret I’m keeping. I’ve called Uncle Craig a couple of times and left him messages, but he still hasn’t called me back. I want to tell her that the man she thinks is Greg is really my uncle, but how?
“Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be there,” I tell her, ending the call before she can change her mind.
I hop out of bed and slip on some clothes—shorts and a black hoodie—and I’m in the car and headed to Savannah’s apartment in under five minutes. I arrive at the apartment in less than fifteen and when Jensen answers the door, she looks surprised to see me.
“That was fast.” She opens the door wider to let me in.
“You told me you needed me.” I sound like a sap, but damn it, I want her to realize that if she ever needs me, I’m there for her. Always.
She slowly shuts the door and then locks it, leaning against it when she’s done. I’m standing in the middle of the tiny living room, both of us staring at each other from across the small space. She’s wearing a pair of tiny pale blue shorts and one of my T-shirts she must’ve snagged. Seeing her in my shirt, looking small and vulnerable and so goddamn beautiful, I want to yank her into my arms and never let her go. Confess my secret, confess my feelings and hope like hell she’ll be as real with me as I want to be with her.
“I don’t know how to start,” she finally says, her gaze meeting mine.
“Just tell me what happened,” I say, my tone coaxing. I know without a doubt that something happened to push her to seek me out.
“Let’s sit on the couch.” She waves her hand toward it and we both settle in, me on one end and her on the other, like we don’t want to get too close.
We’re being ridiculous right now, but I’ll take what I can get.
“I’ve been looking for a job. Savannah showed me one of those career job sites that you upload your resume on, so I did it, thinking I’ll never hear from someone, because Savannah said she never has, but it wouldn’t hurt, right?” She’s rambling, and I can feel her nervous energy. She’s got her foot propped on the coffee table in front of her and she’s bouncing her knee, making the table shake.
“Okay.” I say the word slowly, frowning at her. I have no idea where she’s going with this.
“So a business contacted me the very next day, asking if I’d come in for an interview. A place called MP Industries, and they’re looking for an administrative assistant. I have zero qualifications for that sort of job, but I’d love to find a nine to five position, so of course I go for the interview.” She pauses, her gaze meeting mine once more. “You’ll never believe who was waiting there to interview me.”
Apprehension fills me, making me sick to my stomach. God, it could be anyone, but I’m specifically thinking of Uncle Craig. “Who?” I ask weakly.
“Park.”
It takes a moment for the word to sink in, but once it does, I’m leaping to my feet, my hands on my hips, my head feeling like it’s going to explode. “What the actual fuck? Park interviewed you? For what business?”
“MP Industries.” Never heard of it. “I figured out it stands for Montgomery Parker. He reversed his initials.”
“I don’t understand.” I feel like a complete idiot, but what she’s saying doesn’t make any sense.
With a sigh she looks away, staring into the far-off distance. “Park said he was starting his own business because he’s mad at your father. I think he feels like he’s devoted his entire career to your dad and he gets nothing in return.”
“Right. He only gets a huge salary and barely has to work. Whatever.” I actually snort, I’m so disgusted.
She turns to look at me once more. “I’m just saying what I think your brother might feel, not that it’s right.” Her gaze is wide and earnest. “I think he wants to somehow screw your dad over with his new business. I don’t know his actual plan or anything, but he says he chose me to be his assistant because I know how to keep a secret.”
Well. Park’s right about that. “And so he hired you as his assistant?”
Jensen sinks her teeth into her lower lip for a moment. “He wanted me to sign a NDA before he’d tell me anything substantial.”
“So you can’t discuss the details with me, then.” This is complete bullshit. Now my brother is trying to get my—girlfriend? whatever the hell Jensen is—to work for him? So they can both somehow sabotage our father? Fuck that. I start heading for the door.
“Where are you going?” she asks, her voice panicked.
“I’m gonna go talk to Park. Find out what the hell he’s trying to do.”
“Rhett! Don’t leave!” She’s right behind me now, tugging on my arm, and I turn to face her. “Please. Let me finish.”