His face remained cutely confused. "How much do we owe her? She shouldn't have spent money on it but I can see why she did."
"We don't owe here anything. She used some of the profits from our last few parties to cover the bill," I confessed.
His face flipped to disapproving in a second. "I thought we were going to treat that as house money. The plan was to make decisions together on how to use it."
I arched an eyebrow not caring for the disgruntled tone projected at me. His eyes flickered from mine as he finished off the rest of the pizza. "We were. We were also going to work together to keep this place clean. That hasn't really been the case so she made an executive decision. Seeing as her and I are stuck with most of the cleaning, I back her choice one hundred percent," I replied, crossing my arms.
"Fair point, I suppose we should get a move on so we are ready to go when they come home," he said, motioning to the door.
~
After making the journey north to the marina, we were out on the lake. The weather report declared clear skies throughout the weekend. We were offshore getting as much sun as we could before we docked back at the marina for the evening. It was fortunate that Shane and Jackson knew the ins and outs on how to operate the boat because I was useless. I turned my gaze towards where the boys were talking about pulling out the rods to do some fishing. All three had slipped into trunks and tight white tanks topped off with their beer in a can koozie. I glanced at Bri who was practically drooling while she carefully studied all the features of Trey from behind. I snatched her hand to drag her inside so we could put away the reserves for the weekend. She grumbled but followed me.
It's not like it's a new sight for you. You see him every day. Naked no less.
There was enough food, liquor, and beer to keep us on this boat for two weeks rather than a couple of days. Once we got everything squared away, we took turns in the bathroom to get into our bikinis. After changing, we headed to the back of the boat to soak up some sun. The boys were at the front with poles in the water drinking beers as they discussed football. We laid our towels down lying on our backs. I pulled my shades down letting the rays hit my face. After a half hour or so of silence, I braced myself on my elbows to confirm the boys were out of earshot. I leaned to my side holding my head in my hand. Bri had closed her eyes so I cleared my throat to get her attention. She propped up on her elbows.
"I've been waiting until we were alone to fill you in on my meeting yesterday."
Her eyes shot up encouraging me to continue.
"You have to promise not to tell the boys. And don't wig out."
She squinted clearly hesitant of the request but nodded. "I won't say anything to anyone. I can't promise you I won't freak out."
"My meeting wasn't just with Derrick. It was with Harrison Reynolds too."
Bri furrowed her brow in confusion.
"Harrison Reynolds is the founder and owner of
Inside Out
," I continued patiently.
She rolled her shoulders not following me.
"In layman's terms, it's a magazine in the city that rose to the nationwide circuit not long ago.
Inside Out
is amazing. It reports on issues that matter. It's the big time with them."
Bri sat straight up so I followed. I brought my knees up to my chest and rested my cheek on them. She leaned back on her hands with her legs stretched past me.
"So he was there. The magazine is awesome. What happened to make you disappear?" Bri asked. She scowled still bothered about my vanishing act.
I nervously chewed on my lip. "Derrick gave him some of my work. Harrison wanted the meeting. He asked me to be a source for a huge piece that he has been working on for some time. He thought I was the best fit for it."
She constricted her eyes. I shifted my gaze away from her out to the boys to confirm that they remained oblivious. "Harrison wants me to secure a job at a company that he believes is linked to major crimes in the city. He's asked me to gather as much inside information as possible."
Bri slanted her head as her eyes told me to get on with it already.
"It's F. F. Sweeney & Company," I said and waited for her to go berserk.
Bri shrieked, "Mia, are you fucking crazy?"
Her voice raised an octave higher than I was comfortable with. I checked up front to make sure the boys were still fishing while motioning for her to take it down a notch. Thankfully, they weren't any the wiser. Bri lowered her tone but continued to freak out. Her face wavered as her nerves accelerated. She wrung her hands together narrowing her eyes at me.
"I can't believe you're even thinking about doing this. I may not have grown up there but I know how dangerous it is there if you cross the wrong people," she hissed.
"Bri, I'm not crazy. After hearing him out, I know he asked me because I grew up there. I also believe that it is how my work comes across. I'm cutthroat with my writing and that makes me a good candidate when you're trying to complete an exposé of a corrupt company. I acquire and present the truth with no reservations about whose feelings may be hurt from it. Rather than finding a source, he's creating one. It's a ballsy move but it could payout...and not just for him."
Her face remained in absolute disapproval. "What's in it for you?"
"If I can get what he needs, he's offered me a guaranteed position with the magazine. It's an amazing opportunity," I answered excitedly.
Bri frowned. "It sounds a lot like bribery for you to do something stupid Mia. Why are you even considering it?"
I shrugged. "It's giving me the chance I need to get my life back on track. I'd be running a magazine in my twenties. It's unheard of. Besides, what's life without a little risk?"
Bri glimpsed over her shoulder verifying the boys were still out of earshot then over to me.
"Mia, you probably don't want to look at it this way but I have to say it. What you're considering is just as bad as what happened to you last year. You're signing up to do damage to people - powerful people. If they figure you that you betrayed them, they won't hesitate to make you pay for it."
My eyes soaked in the horizon from our spot on the lake. The skyscrapers from downtown had become miniature Lego blocks. I looked to the sky taking in the clearness. It was a breathtaking shade of blue that breathed a wave of calmness in me.
"I have thought about what you're saying. I would be crossing some serious lines that make me question myself. But you know what Bri...who's to judge me for being a horrible person on taking an offer like this one?"
She stared impassively at me before she raised an eyebrow. I took a deep breath to continue.
"I'm not above saying it's selfish of me to do something because I get a personal gain from it. I'd be just as selfish to walk away. I'm aware that there is a company out there that may be responsible for crimes affecting an entire city. They will continue to get away with hurting innocent people if someone doesn't stop them. Which side of the coin is worse? Which decision makes me less humane?"
Her expression turned soft. "I'm not saying I'd look down on you for doing it. I want you to understand that it is morally questionable."
"I've been thinking about that nonstop. If I take this offer, I'm going to have to deal with all that comes with it. That will include how I look at myself."
"Is this about Micah?"
My cheeks reddened as anger erupted through me. "It's not about him. Since you brought him up, it brings me to my other point. I'll admit that there is one thing I keep coming back to. Bad things happen to good people all the time for no reason at all and that's bullshit. Maybe to right a horrible wrong, you have to wrong a few people to make it right for that many more."
"You're beginning to sound like Dr. Seuss," Bri muttered, massaging her temples.
"All I'm saying is that this particular situation isn't black and white. It's lying in that gray area that falls between right and wrong making it easy to reason either side of it," I reasoned.
"I'm throwing in the towel because you're starting to hurt my head. Debating with you when you're in this mode never gets me far. There isn't any reasoning with you," she grumbled.
I grinned. "Harrison gave me until Monday for an answer."
Bri examined me carefully. "How do you plan to get a job there? Does he have magical powers that will just place you there?"
"They're hiring right now. Harrison is confident that my resume and connection to the neighborhood will get me the job. Either that or he isn't telling me something. Who knows? He thinks I'll get it."
Her face tightened. "It sounds like he could be pulling some strings. Are you really going to do it?"
"I'm not sure. I wanted you to know that I was considering it. You can't tell anyone," I reiterated. I narrowed my eyes letting her know to keep her lips sealed.
"I won't. I promised you I wouldn't," she agreed.
Bri crawled forward cupping her hands forcefully on my cheeks making me focus into her green eyes deep with concern. "Mia, if you do this, promise me that you will walk away if it gets too dangerous. You must keep me informed. I'll go crazy if you don't. It's nerve racking enough when you disappear for a few hours."
Sharp pain started to spread through me knowing how much that was true when it came to her worrying about me. "If I do take it, I promise I'll keep you in the loop. We don't need you going bat crap crazy," I answered.
The whole sentence was a jumbled mess because she was squeezing my cheeks so hard.
Bri giggled. "No, I don't want to steal your crazy bitch title. I love you Mia."
I leaned towards her pulling her in for a hug. "I love you too Bri. You and the guys are the only family I have."
We separated and I saw that she had pasted on a supportive smile but her eyes were full of anxiety. I rose to my feet extending my hand to pull her up.
"Alright, enough with the heavy shit, let's go get drunk with the guys," I suggested.
She laughed getting up and linking arms with me. While strolling over to our boys, we snickered the whole time. It was always fun finding new things we could pull with them to keep them wrapped around our fingers.
Sunday night arrived and I still hadn't made a final decision. With that looming over me, I was tossing and turning in bed. I rolled over on my stomach punching my pillow into submission as if it was the pillow's fault I couldn't sleep. I resorted to finding my phone to listen to a playlist. It helped me sleep if I popped in my headphones allowing the music to quiet the voices in my head. As the lyrics filled my ears, I started to fall asleep.
The final draft of the paper is ready for the printers. I sent off the file when my cell rings. I let it go to voicemail. My phone beeps so I pick it up to listen to the message. Derrick does nothing to hide the urgency in his voice as he requests me to go downstairs to his office right now. It's strange that he's even here at this hour. I'm the only one that burns the midnight oil around here as is the case tonight with the clock nearing ten.
I turn off my computer and hit the lights. As I walk down stairs, the paranoia in my body starts to grow. After turning down the last stairwell, I can see Derrick's office with the lights on. Several voices are arguing with each other as I near the door. I can't quite make out what they are disagreeing about but the pit in my stomach leads me to believe I'm about to know in a minute.
"Derrick?"
"I know it can't be your work but you better be prepared to defend yourself. The evidence they have compiled is substantial and they're out for blood," Derrick hisses.
We enter his office and I'm face to face with the Dean of Students and several members on the board of directors for the university. The color drains from my face. The panic inside of me increases so much that I'm almost shaking. My palms become slick with sweat as an icy chill runs through the rest of my body. I steady my breathing to keep from hyperventilating. It's like watching a horror movie only I'm starring in it rather than observing it.
The Dean is sitting in Derrick's chair with two board members lining the back wall. Dean Martin motions to the seat in front of him.
"Ms. Ryan, it took you long enough," he snaps.
Taken aback by his harsh tone, I stumble into the chair.
"I'm sorry. I was finishing the paper for tomorrow and missed the first phone attempt from Mr. Smith. May I inquire what this meeting is regarding?"
His eyes pierce into mine causing me to cower under the wrath behind them.
"Acting like you have no idea why you're here only makes this matter that much worse for you. I suggest you take this seriously."
The pit eating away at my stomach starts to rise making me fight the urge to throw up.
"I'm sorry sir. I don't understand why I'm here," I reply.
His eyes go from fury to outrage. "Let us enlighten you. It seems that you're planning to print malicious and false content about the university and several members of the board."
I pale clutching my hands around my stomach hoping that they will help contain the contents that persistently push to make their way to the surface. Derrick stirs in his chair seeing my reaction.
"Dean, we should discuss this further to determine the IP address those files can be traced back to. It's a public drive for the university that can easily be manipulated."
He waives a hand in Derrick's direction effectively silencing him. The vein in his forehead looks like it's about to burst with the level of anger he's trying to contain.
"Derrick, we have done the necessary research and you have pleaded your student's case. We have taken what you said into consideration. Going forward, you will not be stating another word as this is now up to Ms. Ryan to clarify."
I'm flabbergasted so I finally speak up. "Sir, there's a misunderstanding. I would never print anything malicious about the university or its faculty."