The Cost of Commitment - KJ2 by Lynn Ames Read Free Book Online

chose to stay silent and avoid Kate’s eyes, which were flashing dangerously.
    “I have to tell you that my first inclination was to toss you out of here so fast your head would spin.”
    Marisa’s head shot up and her eyes showed real fear for the first time.
    “However,” Kate paused here, content to let her victim sweat, “I have reconsidered my position and I’m willing, God help me, to give you another chance.”
    “Thank you, Kate.”
    “I’m not finished yet.” She waited until the young woman’s eyes were on her. “You need to know that you only get two strikes with me. If I note so much as a comma out of place, you’re history. Do you understand me? That means no phone contact—in fact, no contact of any kind with David Breathwaite about anything related to this office or its business. It means I had better see everything that is meant for my eyes as soon as it hits your desk.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “You’ve got a long road ahead of you to try to prove yourself worthy of my trust again, Marisa. I strongly suggest you don’t squander the opportunity I’m giving you. You won’t get another chance, I assure you.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Now get out of my sight.”

    As it turned out, Jay walked through the door only seconds before Peter’s arrival.

    The Cost of Commitment

    “I’m so sorry, baby. I really tried to get here sooner. Unfortunately, I haven’t learned how to drive the damn train yet.”
    “It’s not your fault, love.”
    Jay stepped back and took stock of her lover. “Honey, you look like you’ve been through the wringer today. What the heck happened?”
    “I’ll tell you when Peter gets here. For now, I just want to hold you.”
    Jay moved into Kate’s arms once again, wrapping herself around her and bringing them into contact all along their bodies. She could feel the tension in the strong shoulders and back. Just as she began a light massage, the doorbell rang.
    “If it isn’t my two favorite ladies.”
    “Flattery will get you nowhere in this crowd.”
    “Don’t I know it,” Peter mumbled good-naturedly.
    “Hi, Technowiz.” Jay moved forward and hugged him around the waist. At 6’4”, he was a full foot taller than she was.
    “Hi, half-pint, it’s good to see you.”
    “Just what do I have to do to gain full pint status around here?”
    “Grow!” Kate and Peter answered simultaneously.
    “Easy for you two to say. Have you ever tried being vertically challenged?”
    “Not since before puberty,” Kate threw over her shoulder.
    Jay shook her head in mock disgust as she and Peter followed Kate, who had liberated the food and was headed into the kitchen.
    Never one to waste time, Peter started right in as soon as they were seated. “Okay, Spinmeister, now that we’ve got the niceties out of the way, let’s have it. You look like crap, and that never happens. What the heck’s going on over there? Place go to hell after I left?”
    “Can you try to be a little less subtle next time, buddy? I’m not sure I know how you really feel.” Running her hands through her unruly mane, Kate sighed heavily. “I’m not totally sure what the real story is, but it definitely smells.” She laid out in detail the events with Marisa and Redfield. “Frankly, two things about the whole sequence really stuck out in my mind.”
    “Only two? I can think of a bunch.” Jay was clearly outraged.
    Kate put a restraining hand on her arm and continued, “The first was Marisa’s remark to Breathwaite about him promising he’d be back, or at least that’s what she started to say before she saw me. The second was the fact that Redfield never even asked me what it was Marisa had done to prompt me to want to fire her. It was as if he already knew.”
    Peter was silent throughout his friend’s recitation, but his expression bespoke his deep concern.
    Kate went on, “You know, I’ve been over this a hundred times in my mind, and I still can’t come up with an explanation