Kathleen Winston walked into her office, still in shock at how badly her meeting with her boss had gone. Twenty-nine-year-old Kathleen was an heiress to the multibillion-dollar Winston Construction fortune, but still worked as a special agent for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. She released a string of profanity under her breath, dropping down into her chair. Kathleen turned away from the desk and looked over at the framed picture of her parents sitting on the credenza. Memories of the day her parents had sat their children down to explain their mother’s illness were very vivid. It was also the day that changed the trajectory of her life.
Hearing her mother say the words I have cancer had been a knife piercing Kathleen’s heart. She still felt as if the conversation had just taken place versus seven years earlier. Initially, Kathleen thought her parents were playing a very bad joke. At least she hoped they were. After all, their mother showed no signs of being sick. She was still strong, energetic and very beautiful. But Kathleen quickly realized how serious things were by the pained look in her father’s eyes.
Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll get them, just like I have all the others.
“What’s wrong?” a voice from behind asked.
“Everything,” she replied, immediately recognizing the speaker. “Simpson just killed my investigation into Kingsley Oil and Gas.”
“And you’re surprised? Girl, you know you can’t trust no Simpson,” Gilbert replied, laughing as he approached her desk.
Gilbert Ray was Kathleen’s assistant and best friend since they were kids. He was one of two people at her office, the only one besides her boss, who knew her background and wealth.
“What did he do now?”
Kathleen turned and faced Gilbert. She smiled at the baby-blue suit and white dress shirt he’d paired with a blue-and-white bowtie and blue-and-white loafers. Kathleen loved the fearlessness of her friend. He always knew who he was and he never cared about what others thought about him.
“My...my, don’t you look fabulous.”
“Don’t I?” He glanced down at himself. “I love that green Michael Kors camouflage dress you’re rocking too.”
“Thanks.”
“Dish—what happened at the meeting?”
“Just what I said—Simpson pulled the investigation into the Kingsleys and their company,” she explained.
Gilbert gave a nonchalant wave before he took a seat in one of the round chairs that sat in front of her desk. “Girl, I don’t know why you are tripping. You know how you beautiful, rich, bougie people do stuff like that. If you want something to go away—” he used his hands to imitate making a phone call “—like on that game show, you use a lifeline and call a friend.”
Kathleen sighed. She knew Gilbert was still upset about the way his wealthy boyfriend of nearly a year had recently ended their relationship. Kathleen sat up in her chair. “First, I know you’re still salty about what Vince did, and I hate that he made me tell you what an ass he’d been, but I couldn’t have you thinking something happened to him when he stopped returning your phone calls.”
Gilbert smacked his lips. “I know, and I love you for it.”
“Good. And I love you too. Second, I told you to stop calling me that and don’t lump me in with all bougie rich people.”
“But you are...both. Rich and high-class and you know it too.” He frowned.
“I’m a melting pot of things, and I embrace them all,” she stated matter-of-factly.
“Okay, Miss Thing. You beautiful, long haired, high-cheekbone-having, sophisticated, successful, thick-lipped melting pot you,” he teased. “You’re certainly rich, though.”
“Excuse me, Miss Winston. Mr. Ray, the postman just dropped off the mail.”
Gilbert looked over his shoulder. “You see that tray on my desk with the sign that reads Mail Here? Why don’t you drop it right there?” he asked sarcastically.
“Oh... Okay.” The young lady turned and hurried off.
“Thank you,” Kathleen yelled after