Page 55 of Lau Ahi
“He’s an FBI agent.”
Nev scoffed and shook her head at me. “Oh, that can’t be right.”
“What do you mean that can’t be right? The man works for the FBI.” I left out the part about me working with him since I didn’t think I was supposed to share that information. Giving them that inch would lead to them asking about the case and then Midas offering to use his connections and I knew that would probably piss Ori off. But if they knew each other…
“Nobody that Midas likes works for the government. That must be some type of cover or something.”
“He’s Ori Nakoa.”
“The shipping magnate?”
“Nev, who don’t you know?” Teegan’s head snapped up and she stared at the screen in disbelief.
“You seem to forget I have been around these men for four years. And it looks like you and I will have even more in common now than we did before if you’re going to be a part of their inner circle.” Her face lit up with glee happy that there was going to be someone else she could talk to about whatever it was these people were into.
“Why does this sound like some spy, espionage shit?” I rubbed my temple with my free hand because the headache that had been a dull ache was increasing in intensity.
“Told you. Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Teegan looked vindicated when she spoke like now I would be on her side since I would be in the middle of the madness too.
Nev only rolled her eyes but there was something to what Teegan was saying. “It’s nothing like that. But Ori is a good man. Never talks but he definitely makes an impression on a person.”
“I wish your husband were here to hear you say that.”
Nev waved us off. “Please. Midas knows I love him endlessly but I have two eyes for a reason.”
“Wait, what does this Ori look like?”
“A fucking god.”
Sasha rolled her eyes before looking back at the screen. “Now who’s being dramatic, Nev?”
Nevaeh laughed at my sister, and I could feel the heat rising in my face. I wanted to blame it on the Malbec but I knew that wasn’t the reason.
“Asha, you want to do the honors of confirming or refuting my statement?”
They were all looking at me with faces filled with anticipation and I sat my bottle down before nodding.
“She’s not wrong.”
Immediately the three of them started speaking over one another and I picked up my bottle and took another swig.
“Is she swigging out of the bottle? She's gotta be lying about this man.”
Nev was laughing as she settled into the corner of her sofa. “She’s not, Tee. He’s about six-six, buff, deep tan skin that’s got a golden red undertone, curly hair—”
“Damn, are you marrying him or is she?”
“I can hype him up because I’m happy for my girl. It’s as simple as that.”
“Asha, are you happy?” I could tell by how she asked that Teegan had put her professional hat on. I didn’t blame her because it was hard not to psychoanalyze people when it was what you did every day. I was thankful that I knew my friends wanted the best for me and that her question was coming from a place of care and not wanting to use this situation as the basis of a social experiment.
“I’m content. I’ve made peace with it and it’s not like he’s a complete stranger. We’re working on a case together right now so that gives us more time to get to know one another.”
“That’s actually perfect. Long engagement, see if it will work—”
“The wedding will be before the end of the year.”
Sasha sat up straight the fury in her eyes clear that she was about to jump on her soapbox. “Asha, it’s April. Do you truly believe that we have enough time to plan the social event of the season, long distance mind you, when you haven’t given us enough time?”
