Chapter 16: Declined

Nadia's POV

I woke up alone in my bed, with the sheet warm on one side and oolong coming down the hall.

For a moment I was the happiest woman in the city.

Then I found my phone and read Dean's email.

"Dear Nadia and Victor," it said.

"A document came into my hands last week that I believe belongs to you."

"I'm sure there is an ordinary explanation."

"I've added a governance item to Monday's 8 a.m. leadership meeting, so Sal hears it from us and not the rumor mill."

"Warm regards, Dean."

The subject line was still: A question about a county record.

I read it twice, and then I got up and put on the gray T-shirt, because Victor was wearing my robe and I needed to hold the line somewhere.

He was in the kitchen, standing at the stove with a timer.

The robe stopped well above his knees.

"Three minutes," he said, without turning around. "I've set it. The lemon is on the saucer. It is not in the cup."

"You're in my robe."

"My shirt is on your lamp."

I looked, and it was.

I put the phone on the counter beside the kettle.

"Dean sent it at midnight," Victor said. "He was waiting up to send it. That's the part that bothers me."

"He wants us to panic."

"Then we should do something dignified."

"I'm going to write a memo."

"No."

I stopped, halfway to the drawer with the legal pads.

"No?" I said.

"I'm declining the memo." He turned off the timer. "You can write anything you like. I won't read it."

Keep reading free with an account. Start Her Fiancé Sent His Twin, She Chose the Brother She Loved from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.