Page 16 of Devoured By the Forbidden Mountain Man

Georgia glanced at me, then smiled. “He hired me. I also moved into the loft over the field office last night, so you can reclaim your couch before I accidentally become part of the decor.”

“You moved in already?”

“The loft was empty, furnished, and cheaper than having no apartment.”

“That sentence raised at least six questions, but I’m choosing trust because I currently have a seventh problem.”

I heard restaurant noise behind him: glassware, a door swinging, somebody calling for a bar towel.

Georgia’s posture changed almost immediately.

“What happened?”

“The Halloween floor plan got changed after the vendor schedule was approved. The appetizer station is blocking the kitchen pass, one of tomorrow’s deliveries is landing directly in prep, and we’re down two servers for the first rush because the new schedule apparently believes human beings can be in two places at once.”

Georgia closed her eyes briefly.

“When did you find out?”

“About fifteen minutes ago. I already told them moving the appetizer station into a service lane was a terrible idea, but apparently I’m just the bartender with excellent cheekbones.”

“You are the bartender with excellent cheekbones.”

“Thank you. Now come save me.”

She looked toward me.

I already knew the answer before she asked.

“Go,” I said. “We can take the Meredith information with us.”

Georgia frowned slightly. “I don’t want to blow off work here.”

“You’re not. Lantern House is part of what we’re looking at, and we need lunch at some point. I’d rather see the layout again before you contact Meredith.”

Case was quiet for half a beat.

“Meredith?” he asked.

Georgia’s gaze sharpened, reminding me that this was the first time he had heard the name in connection with what we were doing now.

“I’ll explain what I can when we get there,” she said. “Nothing dramatic has happened. Rex and I found something in Gavin’s old file that we want to follow up on.”

“All right.” Case’s voice lost most of its theatrical lift. “Then come when you can. The party mess will still be here.”

The shift was immediate enough to show me Case could drop the performance when the conversation turned serious.

“We’re leaving now,” she said. “And don’t let anybody move another table until I get there.”

“I have never been more obedient, but I’m willing to start now.”

She ended the call with a smile.

I reached for my jacket.

“So he knows I hired you and about the loft. He doesn’t know about last night.”

Georgia slipped her phone into her bag and looked at me. “Do you want him to?”