Chapter 13: Chapter Thirteen

I was trying to dig into an email Lucinda had received from a member who was gushing about her lupus remission since starting Thinner when my office phone rang. Dammit. I wanted to get my hands on this person’s file. While reports of members lowering or ceasing some medications, like those for high cholesterol, weren’t out of the ordinary, this was something else entirely. A weight loss program couldn’t cure an incurable disease.

Not without literally changing science. The only thing powerful enough to do that was supernatural. With a low growl of frustration, I snatched up my desk phone at the last possible moment.

“Good morning, Mina,” Carma greeted, her smile clear in her voice. “Is everything ready for the tasting?”

The tension in my shoulders eased. “Yep. Eliza’s Eats is on their way. I’ve already invited a handful of employees not on the program to come sample.”

She sighed, content. I ignored the way it warmed my chest. “You are the best thing to walk through those doors.”

“Just doing my job.”

“Magic. I knew I could count on you.”

I pretended to push my hair behind my ear to conceal my cheeks warming at her compliment. This blushing had to stop. Also, my hair was super short around my ears, so I don’t know who I was trying to fool with my bullshit. Maybe I needed to get a long wig, something that would cover my face. Of course, long hair meant people trying to kill me would have something else to grab onto. Hmmm.

“See you soon,” she promised.

“Yes.”

“Bye, Mina.”

I hung up the phone and took two deep breaths. Why did a conversation about food throw me off this morning? Maybe cutting back on coffee during a mission was a mistake. I needed to find another cup ASAP.

“You want to talk about it?” Maggie asked.

I startled and swung around in my seat. Oh yes, there was someone else in the office. “Carma was just checking if the tasting was all set.”

Maggie nodded. “Smart. I can’t remember the last time I ate lunch at lunchtime during the week. So, you two seem to be getting along well.”

I shrugged. “I get along with almost everyone.” It was my job to get people to trust me and spill their secrets.

She smiled at me. “I know. I’m your boss. And we let Lucinda think she’s also your boss.” She winked and I laughed.

I nodded. “I know. What you say goes. Is the fundraiser becoming an issue?”

She shook her head. “Quite the opposite. It’s nice to see you both so…engaged with planning. But be careful. Lucinda is very…protective about reputation.” She held my gaze and I swallowed hard. It didn’t take a mind reader to understand what she was saying.

I held her gaze. “I’m a strictly business kind of woman.”

She nodded. “Life has a way of surprising us.”

In the decades doing this job, I had never felt such a kinship with a civilian during a mission. It was going to suck when I broke this case open if Maggie was caught in the crossfire.

My cell vibrated.

Jake: Eliza just pulled in. Going out to grab her.

Jake: Can’t believe Carma’s putting so much faith in ur taste buds.

Jake: she know most of ur meals come from a menu?

Me: *middle finger emoji* I am very skilled in the art of takeout.

The next fifty-two minutes and fifty-six seconds of my life were spent trying to research this member in vain. The database only had her before and after weight, and her name was so common, there were thirty-six within fifty miles. I used my cell to see if any of those thirty-six in the area had a Thinner tag on social media but came up blank.

When Jake texted me everything was ready, I pasted on a smile and turned to Maggie. “It’s showtime!”

She forwarded her desk phone to her cell, then practically ran from the office in obvious excitement. I followed at a reasonable pace, stopping at Carma’s office. When her assistant saw me, he nodded and gestured to the door next to his desk.

I knocked on the door frame and she looked up and smiled. We just stared at each other for a few seconds before I remembered why I was standing there. “We’re all set up in the conference room.”

She stood, closing the laptop on her white desk and standing. The complete opposite of her mother’s office, Carma had a vintage-looking desk, a handful of turquoise chairs, and a pastel pink painting of a skull on the wall. It was beautiful, somehow cozy in the minimal decor. “Did you paint that?”

“Yes. Like it?”

“Love it.”

There she went, biting her lip again and sending my heart into overtime. How did she keep doing this to me?

“Let’s go,” she breathed, brushing past me. Her strawberry scent tempting me to follow her to get another whiff. She looked amazing in another flirty dress and sky-high heels, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her legs.

Thankfully, my attention was diverted when we entered, and Eliza’s studying gaze landed on us. She introduced herself to Carma, and I didn’t miss how Eliza’s eyes widened when Carma smiled at her. Eliza caught my eyes and mouthed wow.

I just nodded in agreement.

Carma waved me over to the seat next to hers as the others wandered—no, more like charged—in. Never stand between coworkers and free food. Carma laughed and shifted, brushing her knee against mine.

When Jake walked in, he greeted Eliza as if she was a stranger, and I bit the inside of my cheeks to keep from laughing. Jake sat down across from me, positioning his gunmetal gray cane so the handle was hanging on the end of the table, the end facing Carma. He was recording this taste test. His eyes held mine for one long moment before he adjusted his fake glasses and smiled. “It’s Mina, right? How’s your day going?”

“Pretty good for a Monday. Yours?”

He shrugged with perfect nonchalance. “Same.”

I turned to Carma. “Carma, have you had the chance to meet Jake? He’s in IT. Been down a few times to fix my computer.”

Carma turned that devastating smile on Jake who looked shook for a few moments. “I haven’t had the pleasure. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

I looked from the meeting room to the attached kitchen, the retractable partition removed to make the space feel more connected. Whenever Carma spoke to me, I could feel Eliza’s gaze was hot on the side of my face. In retaliation, I pinched the underside of her arm when she leaned over me to set two serving dishes in the middle of the table.

Carma stood. With the tilt of her head, she commanded the attention of the entire room. “Since no one here—but me—is on the program, you are all free to enjoy the delicious food Eliza’s Eats has prepared for us. Let me know your honest opinion. You each have sticky notes and pens next to your plates. Enjoy!”

She placed her hand on my shoulder as if for balance when she sat down. For a moment, the heat of her hand was the only thing I noticed in the entire world. When I blinked back to awareness, Jake was staring at my shoulder.

“So, Jake,” Carma asked. “How are you liking Thinner?”

I nearly leapt from the table when a delicate hand squeezed my knee. Holy shit. She was touching my leg. In a room with Jake, Eliza, and Maggie.

Why was it such a turn on? She removed her hand and went back to fiddling with a pen, but my head kept spinning. Sweat pricked the back of my neck. It was a knee touch over my pants. What was wrong with me? I really needed to get new batteries for my vibrator or something.

I shoved a piece of chicken kebab in my mouth, not even tasting it. I chewed over one hundred times to make sure I didn’t choke.

“Mina,” Jake said, tapping the table to get my attention. “You liking your new job?”

“Um…uh… job? Yes. It’s pretty cool.” I shifted in my chair, so my leg was resting against Carma’s. “How ’bout you?”

He chuckled. “It’s cool. Not that I’d say anything differently while eating free food with the VP.”

I looked over at Carma, who looked far more composed than I felt. She waved him off. “Listen, I know you’re only here for the free food. Speaking of, do you like it?”

I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing at the thought of Jake telling his sister he didn’t like her food. He pointedly didn’t look at me or Eliza.

“It’s great, and I’m picky.”

Maggie laughed, leaning into the conversation. “I like you. You aren’t afraid to talk straight to the boss lady.”

Carma rolled her eyes. “My mom is the boss lady. I’m just her minion.” She reached into her pocket for her cell. “Speak of the devil.” She crossed the room and hovered in the corner by the door, talking in a low voice.

Jake leaned across the table and gestured at my plate. “You haven’t tried anything.”

I glared at him, conveying I know what it tastes like.

He raised his eyebrow in response. I picked up my fork, skewered a piece of chicken, and shoved it in my mouth. “Delicious.” I paused. “And I like the smoked paprika.” I didn’t even know what smoked paprika was, but it sounded good.

Jake laughed.

Carma walked back over to her seat. She looked between the three of us. “So, what’d I miss?”

“Food is great,” I said. “And we need to book Eliza immediately.”

She set her cell phone on the table, clapped her hands, and waited for the rest of the group to settle down. “Hands up if you liked the food?”

Everyone raised their hands. She sat back down and smiled at me, staring directly into my eyes. “Guess we better book Eliza’s Eats.”

Maggie stood. “Well, I’m off to guard the phones. You know she’ll be calling any minute.”

Carma laughed. “She’s got two more calls to make. You probably have enough time to get a cup of tea and swing by the bathroom.”

“You’re an angel.” She tapped my shoulder. “Take your time finishing up.”

Jake gestured at the table. “Want us to take the leftover food down to IT?”

“Yes, please,” Carma said. “If any of the Thinner managers find leftovers, they get so pissy. And then I have to deal with their attitudes.”

“Thanks for inviting me.” He grabbed his cane, twisted a knob at the front that ended recording, and then stood. “Mina, good to see you again.” He threw me an indecipherable look, but then joined his IT coworkers as they gathered up the rest of the food and left.

I ran over the entire tasting in my head, making sure I didn’t say anything that would imply my attraction to Carma. I hadn’t. Right? Why was I freaking out?

The interns, with no more free food, took off running, leaving the table a mess. I jumped up to clean, while Carma motioned for Eliza to sit down. “Let’s finalize these details and I’ll write you a check right now. I’m happy to get this off my plate.”

She pulled out the spiral bound notebook she’d carried with her all weekend. I smiled. “What?”

“You have a computer in your pocket.”

“I like how it feels,” she defended. “I get a bigger feeling of accomplishment when I finish a written list then I ever have with the computer.”

Eliza nodded. “I wish I could still use a paper calendar. I have to sync up with my team, which requires this brick.” She pulled out her giant cell. “Let’s talk packages.”

While they went over details, I studiously avoided making eye contact with Eliza. Without anyone else here as a buffer, I felt exposed. I worked so hard at not looking over at Carma, there was no way it wasn’t obvious.

“You do realize I’m just going to call you later, right?” Eliza murmured as I showed her to the door.

“Maybe I’ll block your number just for funsies,” I threatened.

“I’ll have Magnolia call you.”

I shot her a cutting look. She was right though; I’d never block Magnolia. She’d call my dad, then they’d both show up to check on me together and I did not want to be on the receiving end of that wellness check. I shuddered just thinking about it. “I hate you just a little bit.” She play-hit me with her elbow as she walked by.

After Eliza was gone, it was just Carma and me. Alone. Together. Be careful was probably pretty good advice.

“Eliza’s great,” Carma said, breaking the silence. “Thanks so much for recommending her.”

“You’re welcome.” I reached across the table for my plate, the last one to clean up, when Carma grabbed my wrist.

“Wait.”

My eyes met hers.

“Describe the food to me. Please.” She released my hand but didn’t look away as I rounded the table and sat down next to her.

I picked up my fork and speared a piece of watermelon from the char grilled watermelon-pineapple kabob. I swallowed without choking, which was a relief. “Sweet.”

“Is that it?”

“Yes?”

“Pretend you’re talking to someone who’s never had watermelon before. Share the experience.”

My entire face heated. I wasn’t self-conscious by nature, but this was pushing a boundary. I wasn’t a poet. Still, I couldn’t disappoint Carma. For some reason, this was important.

I popped another piece in my mouth and closed my eyes, concentrating. I opened one eye. “I’m not great at this.”

“I doubt that.” She leaned closer to me. “Try.”

I tried to dig deep for descriptions. “Sweet and juicy. Gentle. Refreshing. Muted. Delicate.”

Her eyes flicked to my mouth and she licked her lips. My stomach somersaulted. “That was perfect,” she whispered.

She closed her eyes and leaned her body closer to mine. The space between us was charged like the moment before a lightning strike. Strawberries. “More.”

I obliged, swallowing hard and picking a piece of pineapple. “It’s vibrant. Dense and sweet but tangy. It’s like tasting sunshine.”

When I opened my eyes, she was gripping the arm of her chair, her hair falling over her shoulders and brushing my arm. I leaned even closer to her, my forehead resting against hers. “The fruit was soft enough to melt in your mouth, but not soggy.” I barely recognized my own voice. “There was cinnamon on the pineapple. It soothed the tang but still made my tongue tingle.”

Her lips parted on a sharp intake of breath. I stared at her cherry red mouth. I had never wanted anything more in my life than I wanted to kiss her right now.

“Carma, come to my office, please!”

We jumped out of our seats and leapt apart, sending both chairs spinning. The announcement was like a gun went off. “It’s my mom,” she said, nearly panicked.

She smoothed down her skirt, blew out a breath, then held out her arms in a silent everything okay?

I untangled a piece of her hair then smiled. “You’re good.”

She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something else, but the announcement came a second time, and she took off power walking. I quickly cleaned the rest of the table and then stopped by the bathroom. What was wrong with me? Did I want to lose everything?

How was this woman so potent? How did she make me forget?

I ran cold water over my wrists trying to slow my pounding heart and cool my heated skin. That had been close. Too close. I needed to finish this case and get away from Carma.

When my cheeks changed back to their normal color, I returned to the office.

“Everything good?” Maggie asked when I walked in.

I nodded, unable to find words. Everything was most definitely not good. If I had any sense right now, I would request a transfer. Whatever had just happened in the conference room was a warning sign. I was absolutely attracted to Carma and we’d nearly crossed a line.

But transferring cases meant either not working with Jake and dealing with an agent who wasn’t as skilled or waiting weeks to get back into the field. And my father would certainly deny me the promotion if I couldn’t do something as simple as keep my hands off my mark. I was a trained, lethal agent. I would not let some woman in a flirty dress be my downfall.

I checked my cell when I sat down at my computer.

Eliza: I see why J’s worried.

Me: I’m good.

That may have been the biggest lie I’d ever told.