“I just got fired.”
He gave her a quick look and then his eyes were back on the busy road. “That would do it. What is it that you do . . . did?”
“Compliance auditor.”
“I have no idea what that means.”
“I go through documents and procedures to ensure a company is complying with the government or company guidelines. Really not all that exciting to most people, but I love the research aspect.”
“What did you do, miss something?”
“Excuse me?”
“You said you got fired. I assume you missed something,” Roger stated.
“And you’d be assuming incorrectly. I didn’t do anything wrong,” she snapped.
“I think I just did. I’m sorry.”
“It’s a sore subject for me. My boss . . . he didn’t support me the way I expected he would.”
“What happened?” Roger asked.
She didn’t want to get into being sexually harassed in the workplace. There were other ways to get her point across. “He values money more than he does work ethics.” Or his employees.
“There are a lot of people driven by greed.”
She looked at his Maserati. He surely wasn’t hurting for cash. “Yes, there are.” Gia heard her sarcastic tone and wished she could take it back.
“I deserve that.”
“I don’t know you so I can’t, or shouldn’t at least, presume to know.”
Roger laughed. “I’m a lot of things, Gia, but greedy isn’t one of them.” He brought the subject back to her. “What are you going to do for work now?”
“I’m sure I’ll find something.” The only question she had was how long finding the right job would take. She didn’t want to make a rash decision and be stuck working for a jerk.
Thankfully they pulled up in front of the repair shop. The sign clearly said closed. But Roger didn’t seem fazed by it at all. He got out of the car and asked, “Are you coming?”
“I think we’re too late.”
“They are there,” he said confidently.
From what she’d seen so far, he was used to getting what he wanted. Must be nice. Gia opened the door and went with him to the entrance. Roger didn’t even knock. A greasy mechanic greeted him, holding her purse.
“This must belong to you,” he said, handing the purse to Roger.
She couldn’t help but chuckle. Roger’s expression was priceless. Gia could tell he was holding back some explicit words.
“Everything better be inside,” Roger warned as he took the purse and handed it to her.
“I didn’t even open it,” he replied.
Roger turned to Gia and asked, “Do you want to look through it while we’re here?”
Gia looked at the mechanic who seemed nervous. She didn’t think it had anything to do with things missing as much as it did with Roger’s demeanor. The look in his eyes made the security guard from before look like a pussy cat.
She opened it and looked quickly. “Seems in order.”