Guild Boss (Ghost Hunters #14)(69)

“That’s what a good administrative assistant does.”

“It’s like magic.”

“Welcome to upper management,” Lucy said. “Speaking of work, I’m going to give my boss at Storm Zone Adventure Tours my two weeks’ notice today.”

“Why two weeks? If you ask me, Luxton doesn’t deserve even a day’s notice. You never got a salary. You had to depend on tips and commissions from the sale of toy dust bunnies to make the rent. There were no benefits. Any way you look at it, Luxton took advantage of you.”

“He was kind enough to hire me when I desperately needed a job.”

“He wasn’t being kind, Lucy. You and Otis were real moneymakers for him. He used both of you for marketing purposes. He charged extra for your tours because you guaranteed a storm event, but he didn’t give you a cut.”

“Yeah, well, I prefer to stage a professional exit.”

“Twenty bucks says he gets so mad when you tell him you’re leaving that he fires you on the spot.”

Lucy shrugged. “His choice.”

“Whatever. I’ll drop you off at the Storm Zone on my way into the office.” Gabriel tucked his phone into his pocket and started to get to his feet.

“Sit down,” Lucy said.

He paused, brows lifted. “Why?”

“Aiden is handling your inbox. That means you have time for a second cup of coffee.”

“Huh.” Gabriel gave that a few seconds of thoughtful consideration, and then he sat down. His eyes heated. “I do have some time, don’t I?”

“Yep. Get a life, Mr. Guild Boss.”

“Excellent idea.”

He set the phone and the coffee down on the counter, got to his feet, and scooped her off the dining counter stool.

“I’m not sure I have time for this,” she warned.

“You’re not due at Storm Zone Adventure Tours until nine. That gives us plenty of time. Get a life, Ms. Weather Channeler.”

She smiled.

“Excellent idea.”





CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR





“Good morning, Mr. Jones.” Aiden got to his feet behind his desk. “I was starting to wonder if I ought to check on you. You’re usually here a lot earlier than this.”

“I’m learning to get a life,” Gabriel said. He slipped out of his leather jacket. “Takes practice.”

“I see. Turns out your timing is excellent.”

Gabriel reflected on the short but extremely hot lovemaking in the rumpled bed and the very interesting shower that had followed.

“Yes, my timing is good,” he said.

“I was referring to the fact that the overnight team of designers and contractors just left. I’m happy to say that things in your office are moving along very rapidly.”

Gabriel was amused. Aiden was still rezzed from his first experience as a member of a Guild emergency response team. True, the action had all been aboveground for him, but a Guild takedown was a Guild takedown whether it happened on the surface or in the Underworld. It was clear that at long last Aiden was feeling like a real Guild agent.

“Since when do decorators and contractors work overnight?” Gabriel asked.

“This is Illusion Town, sir. It runs around the clock.”

“I’ve heard that.”

“Also, Ms. Fortune and her crew are happy to do a few favors for the Guild.”

“I’m starting to worry that people are going to start calling in some of those favors they’re doing for us. Moving right along, that was good work you did yesterday, both in the field and on the PR side.”

Aiden flushed. “Thank you, sir.”

“I noticed that you cleaned up my phone. I take it we have no pressing emergencies at the moment?”

“No, sir. A number of reporters are requesting interviews, of course. I’ll schedule them and make sure they are short.”

Gabriel groaned. “Interviews. I never had to do interviews when I was in security.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll coach you.”

“You know, the learning curve on this job is a lot steeper than I thought it would be.”

Aiden smiled. “You’ve got staff now, sir, and as I keep saying—”

“We need more. I know.”

“I’ve been sorting through a number of requests from hunters who would like to transfer to Illusion Town. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to recommend some people to you. I’ve already started hiring for the PR department, by the way. I can’t continue to handle that job and maintain the level of professional service expected of an administrative assistant at the same time—not for long, at any rate.”

“Staffing the PR department is as high on the priority list as hiring trained Guild agents?”

“Yes, sir. The Guild is off to a great start in terms of image and branding here in Illusion Town. We can’t afford to lose that momentum.”

“Right.” Gabriel went toward his office. He paused in the doorway. “Speaking of actual Guild work, there are some loose ends in the weapons case that I need to take care of this morning.”

“Yes, sir. Can I be of assistance?”

“We have to find the location of that liquid crystal that was used to fuel the suppressor. The hypnotist who interviewed Westover and the others we picked up says they don’t know. They told him that the client supplied the fuel for the suppressor.”