Page 93 of Burning for You
Caro
I walk tall to the meeting room on level 35.
The last time I set foot here was the day I caught Levi’s presence that fateful morning, before my explosive bathroom encounter upstairs on level 43, which people sometimes call ‘level Josh.’ They will need to come up with a new name soon.
Nostalgia aside, the weight of the situation bears down on me, more than anything I’ve ever faced before. The Holts’ livelihood and family heritage depends on me.
I’ve made Josh wait and kept him lax with his favorite coffee and croissants. I told him I was thinking about investing in Brilliance further after talking to the mayor.
“Hello,” I say to Josh, entering the meeting room by myself.
Josh drops his half-eaten croissant and turns to me. “Caro…” He stands up, absorbing the sight of me as if he’d just hit the jackpot on a blind date. “Is that new? I’ve never seen you in this before.”
I’m wearing Sass’ newest tailored dress collection, structured at the top, with an asymmetrical hip-hugging skirt. I don’t usually wear jewelry, but today I put on my gold lariat necklace against my Oxford blue dress. The colors of power.
“Gee, you look great!” Josh adds, putting his arms around my waist. This will be the last time. “I’ve missed you.” He believed me when I said I was staying with my cousin and sick auntie in Connecticut.
When Josh starts kneading my backside and pulls me close, I withdraw from him. “Sit down,” I say, and then open the door for Levi.
“Who’s this? Your new lawyer? Caro, are you going to buy all of Brilliance?” Josh jokes.
I simply smile at my ex.
“Josh, this is Levi Holt,” I say. “You should know him.”
“I’m sorry, no.”
“Haven’t you heard of his name? At least his family name?”
Josh chuckles. “Why should I know? Is his dad running for mayor or something?”
“It’s one of the names you ought to remember for the rest of your life,” I say. “His brother came to the Flying Doctors’ gala dinner that night. Remember the blackout? He alerted me to something I never thought was possible. Montana ranches. Levi is from the Random Valley.”
Josh’s jaw drops. “What’s this about, Caro?”
I then spread a couple of Random Valley development plans and agreements on the table. “Do you see something wrong with these?”
Josh’s ass is up from the swivel chair, and then he straightens himself, challenging me. “Is this some kind of ambush?”
“You’d better sit down, Josh. Trust me, you don’t want it to spill out of this meeting room.”
The man returns to his seat. I sit down too this time, with Levi by my side.
Pointing at a document, I say to Josh, “You stole my signature and made up the agreements. That’s multiple counts of fraud.”
“Caro, I can explain.”
I slap a stack of printouts on the table, which makes Josh’s eyes flare. I point at a highlighted post from the Black Cat Engine chat records. “And then, you’re planning to disgrace me.”
“This is all Teller, Caro. I was part of it, but I bailed out. I love you, for God’s sake!”
Levi is itching to get up, but he stays in his seat after I put my hand on top of his.
“You never loved me, Josh. And you’ve always been in it with Teller, right from the day he told you about his proposal.” I show him Teller’s post mentioning how Josh ‘scored it big’ with me.
My ex looks the other way, staring at the corner of the meeting room.
I say, “You stooped so low as to threaten a struggling rancher. And you’re trying to drag me into it.” This time I show Josh a post from two days ago. I read Josh’s response to Rupert’s concern about my disappearance in Montana. “Everything is under control.”