Lily was chewing on the end of her sleeve, doing her best imitation of bored but Shay already knew better. She was dying to get into it with Peyton.
Peyton raised his index finger. “But I’ve had time to practice, you see. Now I understand my proportions, flavor profile, temperatures, and toppings.” He nodded as if he were trying to convince himself as much as her. “And I’ve improved. I’ve been focusing on the sauce. I think that’s key.
“I shopped around to get just the right tomatoes. It’s all about proper acid balance and the soil. I had to hit up few different farmer’s markets to find what I wanted, but it’ll all be worth it once you taste this fine pie. You’ll regret ever doubting me.”
“That’s good to hear.” Shay nodded approvingly. “I’ll even say it sounds like you’ve finally bought a clue. There may be some small hope for you to make something that isn’t totally disgusting.” She held her thumb and forefinger together. “Just a tiny amount.”
“Get ready to be as impressed as you ever have been by the actions of a single man.”
Shay laughed.
Peyton sliced the pizza and set a piece on a plate. He handed it to Shay, an eager and expectant look on his face.
He did say he had been practicing. How bad could it be?
Shay took a bite and swallowed hard. She walked to the garbage can, tossed in the slice, and marched toward her Fiat with a grimace on her face.
What the fuck was that, anti-pizza?
“If you’re going out for pizza, I want pepperoni on mine,” Peyton yelled.
She shook her head as she threw open the driver door. Behind her, she heard Lily let out a laugh and Shay felt a smile grow across her face. Damn, it’s not easy raising a teenager, even in a makeshift trade school.
The would-be pizza maker poured himself a glass of cabernet.
“Hey, at least the wine’s good.” Lily let out another laugh and said, “Pour me a glass.”
“No!” yelled Shay.
Shay slammed the door and started her car. The wine was probably vinegar. The pizza had certainly tasted like it.
A few days later, Shay leaned against the wall of Warehouse Two with her arms crossed and a huge frown on her face. The night before had been good. Damned good. After not seeing Brownstone for a while, she’d gone out to dinner at a decent place with the man, his idea to repay her for her keeping an eye on Alison. It almost had the feeling of a date, at least on her end.
Brownstone had been as clueless as ever, and Shay decided to not worry about it. She respected the man, and he respected her. That was enough for now, even if she was willing to admit she might like to try for something more.
That’s on him. I’m not gonna chase him like some lonely teen. I still don’t how much of this is about him not noticing me.
But this morning it had all come crashing down on her. Her previous life hadn’t involved her having to manage anyone, so the concept of dealing with an assistant who was late was novel in an annoying way. Lily looked up amused from where she sat, waiting to see what Shay would do next.
“Threatening to shoot him probably won’t motivate him in the way you want,” she said with a smirk.
Shay tapped her fingers against her arms. She could burn down Peyton’s new place when he wasn’t there and make it look like an accident. That might force him back into the warehouse with Lily, but it wouldn’t last.
Shay shook her head. That kind of thinking was too much of the old Killer Shay, and not enough kinder, gentler Tomb Raider Shay. At least, kinder and gentler in the sense she’d only break your knees instead of killing you if she had a choice.
Peyton was a great assistant in many ways, and he had useful skills, even if making pizza wasn’t among them. A touch more professionalism wouldn’t hurt, though. She needed to figure out how to instill it in him without ruining his creativity and motivation.
The loading bay door slid up and Peyton drove a van inside. He threw open the door and rushed over her. “Sorry I’m late. I was just trying a new strategy to evade tails.”
“Oh? And what’s that? You drive the longest, most-complicated route possible?”
Peyton shook his head. “It’s this technique where I use a random number generator to decide if I’m going to go left or right at Hillhurst Avenue, so that changes the entire rest of my route. Then I use it at a different intersection, like Tallmadge and Finley, and that changes things. It’s kind of a nested thing. I randomly determine which intersection to change course.”
“Uh-huh, and I should care because…”
He threw his hands in the air. “Because it always ends up being a roundabout way from my place to here, but since so many key parts of it are random it’s not like anyone could learn my route. It’s all but perfect because even I don’t know what route I’m going to take.”
Shay just glared at the man, more annoyed by his tardiness than impressed by his technique, even if she could see the advantages.
She nodded toward the office. “Your computer has been going nuts with alerts. I was gonna look at it, but I kept thinking that some other person should be here to do that.”
“I offered,” Lily raised her good arm in the air.
“Some guy who is supposed to be my research assistant and computer specialist is supposed to do it.”
“Oh, yeah. I know. I have it hooked up to my phone so I can check from anywhere.”
“But you won’t work from home?”
Peyton shrugged. “I said I don’t like to work from home, but don’t worry, the point is I have you covered 24/7.”
“Something I also mentioned. Just sayin’,” said Lily. She
