Page 8 of Easy Reunion

Chapter 3

Rierson

She isn’t here yet.

Propping my shoulder against the far wall, I sip at the drink in my hand. I’ve been scanning the room as the door opens. Each time, there’s a new collective gasp before a feminine squeal or a loud call of “Hey man!” or “Dude!” bursts out.

I was one of the first people to arrive, hoping to intercept Kelsey, convince her we should go somewhere to talk before we walked in together—a united front against the vitriol that’s waiting in that room.

But she’s not here.

My raging disappointment is held in check by the fact I still need to navigate my exit from this farce of an event.

“So, you actually work?” Brayden Pierce asks me, aghast. His third wife is clinging to him desperately.Better hold on, I think with some amusement. Brayden was overheard at the last reunion saying he liked his wives to match his cars. And I think I heard him saying earlier he was on the market for a new one of each.

“I do.” Lifting my highball to my lips, I take a sip of the watered-down drink. I didn’t want anything impairing a conversation with Kelsey, but if she’s not going to show, I might refresh my drink.

Just not here.

“When do you find time to socialize with the right people?” Brayden’s wife asks. He squeezes her shoulder, either to agree with her or to hush her; I can’t be sure.

“You find the time when you care about the people.” At that moment, my cell vibrates in my pocket. Thank God. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve been expecting this call.” Slipping my phone out, I frown. There’s no reason for Eli to call unless something’s wrong.

Placing my drink on the nearest high top, I slip out the veranda doors. “Talk to me.”

“I called your assistant. You’re on a flight back for tomorrow.” Eli’s tone brooks no argument.

Immediately all business, I demand, “What happened?”

“We’ve either got a breach or a threat. Information is being sent to your phone.”

“Not my corporate email?”

“I don’t want anything going across the network until we know what the fuck happened.”

I begin to pace back and forth. “Can you read me in now?”

He hesitates. “All I’ll say is be glad you’re three states away or you wouldn’t be receiving this call,” he bites out, right before he hangs up.

Crap. That means whatever it is originated in the legal department. A few seconds later, my new flight information arrives. Quickly, I check in to my flight. I’m stuck in Savannah until tomorrow afternoon, but I can finish the revisions to the offline contracts…

Recognizing Eli may not want me to, I shoot him a quick text.

Within seconds I get a reply.Go ahead and work on them. Keep your computer off the internet.

Roger that, I send back, before sliding my phone back in my pocket.

A million thoughts are flying through my mind about the storm about to erupt at Bayou Enterprises, so I’m only half listening when I hear, “So, Kong came, found her badge, and left? How tragic. I really wanted to see her face.”

Yeah, that pulls me away from my concerns. Stalking out of the shadows, I confront Juliette Gaines. “What the hell did you do?” I rasp.

“I just made sure she recognized her name tag.” She lets out a shrill laugh that’s immediately echoed by her cohorts.

“Which was?” I step forward into her space, no longer under the threat the power base of Forsyth once held over me.

Defensively, she crosses her arms. “All I did was put her proper name on her badge.”

“You mean Kelsey Kennedy?” Juliette squirms, telling me all I need to know. “You know, I hope you know an outstanding lawyer,” I mention offhandedly.