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“What’s that?”

“They’re used to getting what they want, and they see people as mere tools.” My face scrunched up into a scowl. “They might change their tactics, their strategies, but they’ll never change their nature.”

“That’s a very cynical worldview.”

“You said it yourself about Marshall. You didn’t change him. You just helped the nurturing, kind man on the inside come out to play in the sun. I’m not so sure there’s a kind man hiding inside of Evan Jones, Jennifer. I’m not so sure of that at all.”

“Are you sure you understand his character so thoroughly? I mean, there’s a degree of separation in the mere transactional aspect of your relationship with him. Maybe he’s hiding his real self, his real feelings, just very deep?”

I felt a flash of anger. Not at Jennifer, who was doing her best to help me talk it through. With Evan, for disappointing me.

“He used me, Jennifer. He used me, and now that he’s had what he wanted, he’s ready to discard me and replace me withsomeone new.”

“Oh my God,” she gasped. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. He has candidates lined up and everything.”

Jennifer got up out of her chair and hugged me tight.

“You know that whatever happens, I’ve always got your back, honey.”

“I know.”

I hugged her back.

“I don’t know how to handle all of this,” I said with a sigh. “But for now, I just want to get back to work and try to forget about it for a little while, you know?”

The door popped open. Jake and Ramone swept into the meeting room, looking a little bit harried.

“I’m sorry we’re late,” Ramone said. “We were putting some finishing touches to the presentation.”

“Yeah, because somebody kept changing their mind at the last minute,” Jake said with a scowl directed at Ramone. His gaze darted back to me and Jennifer, and he figured out something was wrong.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Ramone gave me a long look and probably realized that it was neither the time nor the place for this.

“Nothing,” Ramone said. “Just give Amanda some space.”

“Are you sure?”

Ramone smacked him on the back of the head.

“Just get the PowerPoint ready, dummy. I said to give the lady some space. So, give her space.”

Jake grumbled, but he prepared the presentation. Ramone stepped up in front of the screen with a laser pointer. The first image was of Jake scratching his head.

“What’s the biggest conundrum facing us as charity workers?” Ramone asked.

“Um, not enough hours in the day?” Jennifer said.

“Long flights?” I added.

Ramone grimaced at us.

“No, it’s really simple. The fact is most people around the world think of charity as something they only do at certain times of the year. Like on a holiday, or what have you. What if we could make it seem like charity was something that wasn’t for a special occasion, but an everyday occurrence?”

I looked between him and Jake, flabbergasted.