Page 55 of Guarded Knight

“Well, we’re supposed to meet up this weekend, and he texted that he was busy.” She rolls her eyes; her words lack confidence. “I thought we’d hang out more now that we can drive to each other, and the first weekend I’m here, he’s busy?”

That’s immature for a forty-two-year-old if he is ditching her because she asked him for an honest discussion, but I try to give him the benefit of the doubt, even though I don’t want to.

I’ve given friends advice to ditch dudes before, and they ended up back together. The decision is Freya’s to make and mine to support. She needs food for thought, not a pitchfork.

“It is possible he had work,” I suggest. “You said he’s had lots of functions.”

Even though, as mentioned before, he should be taking my gorgeous friend to said galas with him as arm candy. She issomuch hotter than he is.

“Can you look into it for me?” She offers a crooked smile. “Maybe you’ll see if he has a work thing in your schedule? You have access to funding meetings and events that aren’t on mine.” She leans against the stall. “I don’t want to bring it up with him if he actually had something on.”

“Yeah. I’ll check.”

She turns her gaze on the barn door. “I can’t shake the feeling he’s trying to punish me somehow. And if that’s true, then he’s not the guy I thought he was. I’m not getting myself into some…” She trails off.

I know exactly what she’s thinking. Cameron was my problem and her cautionary tale.

“Sorry,” she whispers, knowing I’ve read her thoughts.

“Hey,” I say gently. “I’m glad you’ve learned from my fable about men who don’t get their way.” I place my hand on her shoulder. “But I hope it’s not like that…”

I stop short of everything else I want to say. I’m protective over my friend, and at this point in a relationship, it should be rainbows and butterflies.

“It’s complicated.” She sighs. “I wanted to talk to you because we work together, and if anything happens between me and Kevin, I don’t want to put you in an awkward situation.”

“As if…” I wave her off.

But on top of the fact that I’d stand by Freya over anything, I haven’t had a chance to tell her how I might end up making things awkward myself. For the whole organization. The last thing I wanted was to bring this up before knowing for sure that the charity needed some auditing. But now feels like the right time.

“Don’t ever worry about making things awkward with me. I’ll bounce back,” I offer. “And especially around a job. But since you’ve been dating Kevin, I found it a little hard to tell you…”

I must be wearing the problem on my face because dread crosses her features.

“What is it?”

I might be wrong and should I really tell her now when she’s already worried about this weekend and the drinking clause…

“Lara?”

Too late to turn back now.

“I think someone at the company might be doing something… sketchy.”

“Kevin?” Her eyebrows shoot straight to her curls.

“I mean…” I sigh, tracing my thumb along the stall door.

Kevin has always been so… intense about work. Like he can’t relax, even for five minutes. And once in a while it does come across as sly or that he’s hiding things, but accusing my friend’s boyfriend, even if they aren’t that serious…I have no proof yet.

I hurry to reassure her. “I don’t know who but I’ve just not been able to trace our activities with other charities who are receiving our funds. And Scarlet Hope is sending a lot of funds out. It’s like we don’t offer any real services ourselves. It might be nothing. It could be aboveboard, but I can’t see why reports haven’t been produced for me to see and I started asking about these transactions a month ago.”

“I hope it’s nothing,” she says softly. “I want this charity to succeed, and I’d be mortified if I was dating a criminal.” She laughs, but it’s shaky, like she’s trying to convince herself she isn’t.

Boy, don’t I know how that feels.

Freya glances at the barn doors twice in quick succession, chewing her lip as if expecting Kevin to burst in any second. She shifts her weight as if preparing to bolt.

She mumbles. “Plus, we can’t afford to lose our health insurance… especially you.”