between his perfect brows. “No, that’s not what happened—”
“It’s all right. I understand.” She gives him a stage whisper.
“Mrs. Stemp, listen. Tiger filled out the application correctly—”
“I’m sure she did.” She pats his arm and winks.
“That’s—”
I clear my throat and shake my head. There’s no use in trying to plead my case. “Well, it was good to see you, Mrs. Stemp.”
“This does explain why you two are an item.” She elbows me. “Good play.”
“I’m sorry?”
In that same non-whispering tone she used with Cash earlier, she says, “If you can’t get the money one way, then get it another way. Very clever, Tiger.”
“What do you mean, an item, Mrs. Stemp?” Is she insinuating what I think she is?
“You know, honey.” Her eyes get big, and she nods at Cash then back to me. “An item.”
“We’re not—”
Her wrinkly lips make a little O. “Oh, my. I didn’t think it was a secret, since Mayor Watson mentioned it at morning coffee earlier at Trudi’s. But if it’s confidential, I won’t tell a soul.” She brings her fingers in front of her mouth and turns her hand like she’s locking her lips. “I’ll see you two later.” She makes her way past us and down the sidewalk.
So many thoughts are exploding through my brain that for a moment I can’t form a response. Finally, everything aligns, and I know exactly what I have to do.
“I’m going to kill him.” I take off toward the front door of City Hall.
“Tiger,” Cash calls from behind me, but I barely hear him through the haze of red-hot fury. Everyone thinks I screwed up and now I’m trying to make up for it by screwing Cash. And I’m positive that Brad painted the dots for everyone at Trudi’s and waited for them to draw the picture.
Cash catches up and pulls the front door open and holds it for me. “Same ol’ Brad.”
“Pretty much.” I march down the hall toward the mayor’s office. The more I think about what he’s done, the more furious I get. I burst into the reception area of his domain like my hair’s on fire.
“Tiger?” Marie, Brad’s secretary, says.
“Mornin’ Marie.” I stalk toward Brad’s office door. “He in?”
Marie scurries around the desk. “Um, yes, but he can’t be disturbed.”
“Too bad.” I throw his door open, and pull up short when I see the city manager, Larissa Owens, sitting on Brad’s lap. “Sorry to disturb important city business, Larissa, but I need a word with the mayor.”
The woman scrambles to her feet. “Um, sure.”
“Tiger.” Brad looks like a guilty deer caught in a Mack truck’s headlights.
“Oh, hi, Cash.” For some reason, Larissa’s flirty tone makes me want to rip her dyed red hair from her scalp.
“Larissa.” To the man’s credit, he doesn’t indulge the woman’s flirtations. That’s a point to him.
“What are you doing here, King?”
Cash sits in one of the visitor chairs in front of Brad’s desk. “I’m only here for the show.”
“What show? Get out.” The anger in Brad’s tone is so thick you can practically see it, but I notice he stays on the other side of the desk from the six-foot-four football player.
The trouble-making athlete rests one ankle on his knee and laces his fingers behind his head. “I don’t think I will.”
My ex stares Cash down. He hasn’t figured out that I’m the biggest threat in the room. “Tiger, why have you brought this meathead here, and why have you stormed into my office?” He softens his tone and smiles. “Not that I’m not glad to see you.”
“Shut up, Brad.” I place my hands on his desk and lean forward. “I know what you did.”
“I swear, Larissa planted herself in my lap. I was trying to remove her when you walked in.”
“You were not trying to remove me. You know what? Kiss my ass, Brad.” Larissa turns to leave, but stops in front of me. “He only wants to get back with you because his approval ratings have dropped.”
The sneer on her face makes it clear that she thinks I’m not worth it. But this information does explain a lot. I hold up my hands. “Larissa, I wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole. He’s all yours.”
She wrinkles her nose and glances back at my ex. “I don’t want him either.” The slam of the door indicates that she means what she says.
“Tiger, I swear, I didn’t encourage her.”
I roll my eyes so far back in my head that it’s a wonder I don’t fall over. “I no longer care