Page 98 of Maneater

She continues to glare at me before rolling her eyes and returning to her computer.

“Good. Because he’s staying on our list.”

I nod in understanding. I don’t care who is on their list, really, so long as we catch this asshole and soon.

“So, who else is on your list?” I ask. This is after Rory dug through all of my electronic devices, my room, and my office, sweeping for bugs, burner phones, hidden messages, and things I had never even considered before, determining that I was, in fact, not the culprit, nor that the culprit was watching me for any reason.

She still looks at me with the barest hint of irritation, but I think we’re past the point ofhe’s a boy who can’t sit with us.

Maybe.

Who knows, really.

Josie is clearly nervous that I’m not going to like her coworker or vice versa, but in contrast, I really freaking like her. She’s fact-driven and doesn’t take bullshit, something I very much appreciate. I like how decisive she is, how black and white and critical she is, and most of all, how much she cares for my girl.

And Josie is just that—my girl. Some invisible string that tied us together has brought us here, and I refuse to look this opportunity in the face.

“You first,” she says with a raised eyebrow, crossing her arms on her chest. I let out a deep laugh and shake my head.

“Rory, stop being a pain,” Josie says with an eye roll, but I reach over and grab her hand, squeezing it reassuringly to let her know I really don’t mind.

“It’s fine; I get it. Trust is earned, not given.” That sentence alone may have accomplished more than half of what I’ve said to Rory because a small smile I’ve never seen is on her lips, and she nods in acceptance. “Right now, my biggest contender is Daniel Cooper.”

“The general manager?” Josie asks. “Why?”

It’s not in a disbelieving way, but in awhy do you think thatway. I sigh before explaining.

“He isn’t my biggest fan, so it would make sense that he would want me to look bad, making the location I lobbied for fail. He applied to work for corporate six months ago. He almost had the job, but when he interviewed with me, I cut it.”

“How come?” Rory asks, tipping her head to the side.

I shrug because it’s not one specific thing I could point out exactly, just a gut feeling. Still, I try.

“He’s just not there yet, not ready for corporate. He enjoys the day-to-day grind of working at the hotel and leading the team. Which is great for a GM, but if he were to go to corporate, he wouldn’t be at the top of the food chain. I don’t think he would be the right fit. Not yet, at least.”

“And he knew it was you who turned him down?”

“I mean, I don’t think anyone told him that specifically, but he had an interview with me and then was told he was out of the running. Afterward, we hired for the position externally.”

Rory cringes, but it doesn’t faze me. It’s business, and I don’t take people’s feelings into account when it comes to business.

“Well, you should know he’s on our list, too. This is good intel to add,” Rory says. “We couldn’t find a motive previously, since the hotel not doing well makes him look bad as well.”

“We’re also pretty sure he’s fucking the spa manager,” Josie says, and my head snaps back.

“What?” I ask with what I’m sure are comically wide eyes. Rory nods.

“Oh, for sure. When they came into the sauna after the last incident, his buckle was undone, and her lipstick was smeared.”

“That could be a coincidence?—”

Josie gives me a soft smile in a “you sweet, sweet, naive boy” kind of way.

“That lipstick was also on his collar,” she explains.

“Okay then, probably not a coincidence,” I mutter.

“We’re really good at this, Rowan,” Rory says, a hint of earned irritation in her voice. “We don’t put anyone on our short list just because.”