Page 104 of Perfect Assumption

“You’re shitting me. How in the hell is he getting away with this?” Ward growls.

I curl my nails and rub them against my sweater before blowing on them. “Perhaps if someone wasn’t a bit of a control freak in the office…”

“I am not a control freak.”

“Oh, my love, you really are.”

“Name one time,” Ward demands.

I pull his laptop back in front of me and pull up his calendar. There are at least ten meetings scheduled I’m not copied on. “Right here is the perfect example. I need to know about every business meeting you have.”

“That’s just ridiculous,” he splutters.

“Not when I’m the one who sends out the billing to our clients each month. This isn’t your old firm where the lawyers did their own billing, Ward. I handle that for everyone in our office. If you don’t copy me, I can’t bill for your time accurately. Haven’t you wondered why your hours are off? And David? He knows you weren’t working through me. He’s. Playing. You,” I conclude with mock sadness.

A mix of horror and admiration flicker across Ward’s face. “We have hours on this flight.”

“We do.”

“Help me.”

“Do what?”

“Fix this.”

“We can’t go back and re-charge clients. That’s completely unethical.”

“I don’t care about that. What I do care about is having leverage over my dear brother-in-law.”

“Ahh. Let me get this straight. After two years, you finally want me to help you the way I’ve always supposed to.”

“Please. Do you know how many nights I’ve brought work home from the office?”

“You know why I’m doing this, right?” I access my own files from Ward’s computer and send a copy to his email so I can begin to create a quick database.

“Any reason is a good one, but I’ll bite.”

“Because Carys’s reaction is going to be spectacular. You’re both up shit’s creek.” I cast a quick glance to the side. “You might want to buy earplugs by the gross before we go to work tomorrow.”

Ward leans over and presses a kiss on the side of my head. “I swear, I wasn’t trying to do anything deliberately wrong.”

“Next time, just ask questions, Ward.” Then I tune him out, much the same way he did me. When I’m done an hour later, I roll my shoulders and point to the screen. “There you go. Fortunately, I was able to export the data, so it didn’t take me all that long. If you look here, I broke down the data for unclaimed meetings versus what was billed and then again what David was supposed to work on that you did charge in. Fortunately, the cost difference isn’t ridiculous, so the ass chewing you rightfully should receive from your sister should be fairly minimal.”

The way his body collapses next to mine amuses me. “You were that afraid?”

“Of you and my sister, yes.”

“Why?”

“Together you’re scary. I’m now certain either of you could take over the world. Men should run and hide when you’re both on your A game. Don’t think I didn’t notice the way Kris made you a job offer at the party.” His fingers trail down my arm.

Pleased with the compliment, I say, “He does every time we speak on the phone.”

“Not interested?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“His loss is our gain.” He leans in and kisses me. “Thank you. You just saved me hundreds of hours of work. Want to know what I want to be doing instead?”