Page 32 of Bulletproof

“Sam?”

“My husband,” I reminded him. “His number is only one digit different from mine.” I smiled into the receiver, biting my lip. How funny would it be if Sam’s phone, wherever the hell it was, had been ringing off the hook all day? “I think maybe you called him.”

“Oh … perhaps.”

I cleared my throat. “Something you wanted? I gave my keys to the sec⁠—”

“Jory,” he rushed out before clearing his throat, “there’s been a mistake.”

“How so?”

He coughed. “It seems that Mr. Fisher told Nora he only wanted to proceed if you supervised the project. He didn’t want you off the project.”

So, it was good that I had deleted the fuck you very much email I had written the man instead of sending it to him. I was also glad I hadn’t told Dane that Hayes Fisher was a dick and to cancel his appointment. Which was crappy, but I was going to do it, and Dane would have screwed him over because he simply liked me better.

“Oh.”

“And the things that were said in our conversation this morning were⁠—”

“All true,” I told him. “I am immature, and I am loud, and I do give my opinion away far too freely,” I said, paraphrasing him. “And I do dress a little too casually, and I do talk too much, and I do annoy a helluva lot of people.”

“Jory, I⁠—”

“It’s true,” I sighed. “And for that reason, it’s probably good that I’m goin’ with Fal to Benchmark. Having me around is a liability you don’t need. This way, you don’t have to deal with it.”

There was a long moment of silence.

“Mr. Rowe?”

“You’re going with Fallon?” he asked me, clearing his throat.

“Yeah.”

“I see. You and Fallon … to Benchmark. When, may I ask?”

“In a month.”

“I see.”

“He told you, didn’t he?”

“He said he was leaving for Benchmark. He didn’t mention you were going with him though.”

“Oh, well, he should have.” I would call Fallon and tell him that when he talked to other people, he needed to lump me in with him. “So, I’ve gotta go, but thank you, sir, for everything, and I guess for firing me since I have a new job that sounds like it’ll be a better fit.”

“Jory, I would really like the oppor⁠—”

“Thank you, sir. Good night,” I said and hung up.

I then called Fallon.

“Hello?”

“Hey, this is Jory. Can I talk to Fal?”

“Jory?”

“His new partner, Jory.”