“Exactly. I’m telling you, my feelings are hurt. I think I at least deserved the first right of refusal.” She was back to gripping.
I leaned forward, elbows on the desk. I think psychologists would call this an open body language. Letting it all hang out. “Jackie, you’ll never be my business partner. Not in this lifetime, anyway.”
Her face turned to stone. “But…”
“Let me finish.”
“Fine.”
“I love you from the bottom of my heart, even when I hate your guts, even when I haven’t spoken to you for twelve years, or twelve weeks, or whatever. I’m not stupid enough to go into business with my best friend in the whole wide world. It’s bad enough that I took a chance and had you work here. That alone could have been disastrous, but we got lucky. I’m not willing to push it again.” I stayed in my open posture.
Jackie grinned. “And that’s the only reason?”
“Yes. Of course. Why?” Now I was perplexed.
“I thought you liked Charles better than me. I thought you preferred him over me.” She sat back in the chair and crossed her legs.
“Right now, I do.” I laughed.
“Can we have a do over? I’ve been an ass.” She uncrossed her legs and leaned toward me.
“Yes, you have been an ass. And I’ll be fine with a do over. But here’s the thing. If you want to come back to work here, you owe Cortnie, Charles, and most especially Uta, an apology.” I wanted to make sure she knew she’d been an ass to more than just me.
“Oh no, I don’t want to come back to work here. I mean, I’ll apologize, and all, because I was a jerk. But I’ve talked this all over with my husband, and he said I need to make amends before I move on.”
Oh, he did, did he? “Move on?”
“Yes, I’m going to open my own agency.” Proud as a peacock, she stood. “It’s been wonderful working for you, and I love you, but I think it’s time I spread my wings and went out on my own.”
Just then, Charles came in from the kitchen. “I thank you for the roundabout apology, and I’m thrilled you and Mimi are friends again, but I have some bad news for you.”
Jackie tensed at Charles’ entrance. “Hey.”
“Hey, back,” he said. “When we revamped, you signed a bunch of paperwork. In that paperwork, in case you don’t remember, was a non-disclosure and a non-compete. That non-compete states that you won’t open another business even remotely resembling a private detective agency in the state of California in the next five years after leaving the Gotcha Detective Agency, and you will not be able to open one ever within twenty-five miles of our current location.”
Jackie jumped from her chair. “What the hell are you talking about? I never signed anything like that.”
She looked at me. I nodded my head. “I’m afraid you did. Everyone did. And this was before Charles came on as a partner, so you did it when I was the owner, and we had everyone re-sign the papers after Charles became partner, so you signed them twice.”
Charles leaned in the doorway, crossing his arms in front of him. “Yeah, maybe you should read before you sign.”
He uncrossed his arms, spun, and walked away. I didn’t think he’d gone far, because he wouldn’t want to miss what happened next. Only nothing happened.
“So, I guess this isn’t a good time to ask for my job back.” She dangled her keys in her right hand.
“Not so much,” I said, and stood. “Maybe you need some time to be a housewife. Enjoy it. Be a mom. We can talk in a few months.”
She turned on her heel and left without another word. I wasn't sure if we’d be talking again any time soon.
I started to sit back down when I heard Nick say, “Oh, hey, Jackie.”
She said, “Piss off, Nick.”
He walked into my office. “I see you patched things up.”
I laughed. “Or not.”
He sat in the chair she’d just vacated, and Charles conveniently appeared in the doorway again.
Really?
Then Lola came in from the kitchen, too. She walked up and put her chin on Nick’s knee.
Charles said, “Shouldn’t you be doing the paperwork for your collar?”
“That’s the perks of being the senior detective. I have the lackey do the work.”
He looked tired. It was early in the afternoon, and I knew he still had a long day ahead of him.
“I can tell you this…” Charles pulled his phone from his pocket. “Hold that thought, I have to take this.”
“Max?” Nick asked.
Charles grinned and left the room.
“I wanted to catch you before you made plans. Dinner tonight?” He didn’t sound like he wanted to have dinner. He sounded like he wanted to go home and sleep.
“No, you’re tired.” I tried to beg out.
“I’m not. I want to celebrate. We caught the killer in less than forty-eight hours. This is a good thing.” He stood. “Get dressed up. All in black.” He laughed.
“Whatever.”
“I’ll pick you up at eight,” he looked at his phone. “I’ve really got to get back to the station. I just wanted to see you.”
He leaned across the desk and planted the most sensual kiss on my lips, then left without another word.
Lola whined.
I whined.
Cortnie broke the spell when she walked in the door.“I’ve got a bit of interesting news.”
I didn’t care about anything at the moment, except going home to take a shower and get ready for a long, sexy evening with Nick, but I said,“What’s up?”
“I was going through some of the paperwork on Skinner, and did you know he’d sold half interest in his livestock company?” She crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame.
“Now why would I know that?” I may have been a bit cranky in my response.
“He sold it to Naomi’s brother, Cash McBride. I called Cash, and he said Skinner had talked about wanting to go back out on the road with Naomi. Even talked about buying her a new horse, and a trailer. The works.”
Now I was interested.“Really, when was this?”
“The deal was drawn up early last week. The paperwork still has to go through the bank,it’s all but a done deal. Cash is worth a pretty penny. I looked him up too.” She pushed off the wall.“Seems Skinner may have learned more than a little from Bucky.”
***
Nick wasn’t a minute late. And he’d reserved the back room at The Pub. I loved The Pub, and it was funny, because the last time I’d been there was when I’d had a date with a rather creepy dude.
“This brings back memories.” I choked on the words.
“I want this night to make new memories.” He took my hand and led me to a room with dimmed lighting, and a bottle of champagne already chilling in the ice bucket. There was a bottle of sparkling grape juice for him. The table was set for two, with champagne flutes sweating from being pre-chilled. He’d gone all out.
“Sit,” he said. “We don’t have to order. I’ve already taken care of the ordering for the evening. This night is just for you and me. We never get to be alone anymore, and I don’t want any interruptions.”
Speaking of interruptions, at that moment, his phone rang. Not his personal phone, his work phone. “It’s Gabe. I have to take this.”
He answered, and listened. “Okay, it can’t wait?”
I listened, trying to hear Gabe on the other end.
“No, I understand. This is what I get for trying to make plans. I’ll be right there.”
I had been elated, and now my bubble had burst.
Nick got down on one knee, in front of me, and said, “I’m so sorry. I’d wanted tonight to be special. Not like this.”
I backed away from him, sliding on the leather of the booth. “Don’t. Please don’t. You have a call. Go to your call. I’ll have all of this put in a doggy bag, and I can save the bubbly for later. Please go.”
I couldn’t bear the look on Nick’s face as he left
the restaurant.
As I watched him walk away, I pulled out my cell phone and called my mom.
# # #
If you enjoyed reading Electile Dysfunction, I would appreciate it if you would help others enjoy the book, too.
Lend it. This eBook is lending-enabled, so please feel free to share with a friend.
Recommend it. Please help other readers find the book by recommending it to readers’ groups, discussions boards, Goodreads, etc.
Review it. Please tell others why you liked this book by reviewing it on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, or on your blog.
Email me. I’d love to hear from you [email protected] http://www.jamieleescott.com
About the Author
Jamie Lee Scott is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Gotcha Detective Agency Mysteries.
Look for her new New Adult Romance Series in 2014
along with a new Romantic Suspense series.
When Jamie isn’t writing, she’s riding. She lives on a small farm with her husband, three horses,
two dogs, and two cats. In her spare time she’s a competitive barrel racer and award winning screenwriter.
Connect with me Online:
Website: http://www.jamieleescott.com
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/authorJamie
Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/authorJamie
JOIN THE JAMIE LEE SCOTT NEWSLETTER
WIN $25
I give away a $25 gift card* on the 15th of the month to one newsletter subscriber. The winner will be announced inside the newsletter, so you’ll have to actually open it to see who won! So if you’re not a newsletter subscriber, here’s your chance. This is open to international readers too. *must be deliverable online
Click here to get the newsletter!
Other books by Jamie Lee Scott
Let Us Prey
Textual Relations
Death of a Sales Rep
What a Meth
Tagged You’re It (a novelette)
Bad Vice
Table of Contents
A Gotcha Detective Agency Mystery
ELECTILE DYSFUNCTIONCopyrigh
For Gracie
Acknowledgements
CHAPTER 1MIMI
CHAPTER 2CHARLES
Chapter 3MIMI
Chapter 4CHARLES
Chapter 5MIMI
Chapter 6CHARLES
Chapter 7MIMI
Chapter 8CHARLES
Chapter 9MIMI
Chapter 10CHARLES
Chapter 11MIMI
Chapter 12CHARLES
Chapter 13MIMI
Chapter 14CHARLES
Chapter 15MIMI
Chapter 16MIMI
Electile Dysfunction (Gotcha Detective Agency Mystery Book 6) Page 17