It wasn’t one of the chain shops, but it was packed. I could smell the baked goods and rich scent of coffee in the air. People were everywhere, coming and going. All the tables were full, but I could see a few were getting ready to leave. I stood in line, tapping my foot impatiently, waiting my turn. I got my coffee in a takeaway cup, and added a cranberry-lemon scone to my order that looked tempting. After paying, I turned and scanned the room, scowling at the lack of an empty table. I walked farther into the store and rounded the corner, spying a vacant chair against the wall. At least I could sit and wait for a table.
I strode toward the corner, cursing when my foot caught on something, sending me lurching to the left. Luckily, I kept hold of my coffee cup, but some of the contents spurted through the opening and landed on the table tucked behind the wall. My paper fell out from under my arm, and my cell phone skittered across the worn linoleum tiles.
“Oh, shit,” a horrified voice exclaimed. “I’m so sorry!”
Without looking, I slammed my cup on the table, then grabbed my paper and phone off the floor. I booted at the shabby rucksack that had tripped me, knocking it out of the way. It was small and old, the edges worn and ragged, the brown color faded in spots.
“Hey, no need to kick my stuff!”
I lifted my head, meeting the angry gaze of the owner of the rucksack. A girl glared back at me, her dark brown eyes challenging.
My gaze flew around the table where she was sitting. All alone at a table for four, she took up the entire area. Books, an old laptop, coffee, an empty plate, a second, larger rucksack, and her jacket were flung around.
“You don’t have enough room? You have to use the floor space, too?”
Her cheeks colored, but she didn’t back down. “It fell off the chair.”
I snagged the handles, dropping it on the empty chair beside her. “You should have picked it up off the floor.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Then stop being such an ass.”
I blinked at her. “You can’t call me an ass.”
“I think I just did.”
“You don’t even know me!”
“So, once I get to know you, I can call you an ass?”
My lips quirked.
“I mean, dude, I said I was sorry, and you’re the one who slopped coffee on my papers,” she responded in a snarky tone, dabbing at the drops of coffee with a napkin. “What else do you want from me?”
Dude?
It took me a moment to find my voice. “The least you could do is to allow me to sit since you’re the only one with any room at their table.”
She pursed her lips and shrugged. “Knock yourself out. I’m working, so don’t bother me.”
“I have no intention of bothering you. I require a place to sit. That is all.”
She waved her hand and bent over her notepad. Sitting, I shook out my paper, folding it into a neat quarter to read an article that caught my eye. I wiped at the damp corner where my coffee had dripped and tried not to glare at the girl who made it happen.
Despite my best intentions, my gaze drifted back to her. She gnawed at the end of her pen as she read her scribbles. Long, curly, honey-gold hair tumbled over her shoulders, and she reached up to toss the long strands back, the movement catching my eye. Her face was oval, her skin creamy. She had high cheekbones, and her mouth was full and rosy. I noticed several glints in her ears, and I caught the flash of color by the back of one lobe. It appeared to be some sort of tattoo. She glanced up, her rich chocolate gaze meeting my stare.
“Want to take a picture?” She winked. “It lasts longer.”
I felt a strange heat creep up my neck, and I cleared my throat. “I was wondering how it was you managed to take up the biggest table in a shop that is so busy at this time of the day, is all.”
Her grin was broad and mischievous. Those chocolate orbs shone with mirth.
“Special privileges.”
I relaxed against the chair back, taking a bite of my scone, closing my eyes briefly in appreciation. It was still warm, thick, dense, and buttery. I swallowed and met her stare. “Oh? How do you rate special privileges?”
She pointed at the scone. “By making those.”
Her words surprised me, and I smiled in delight. “You made these? My compliments to the chef. They’re great—really delicious.”
“Well, the ass has manners.”
“May I remind you it was your rucksack that caused me to trip in the first place?”
“I realize.”
I chuckled. “And still I’m the ass?”
She shrugged and looked back at her notebook. “I call them as I see them.”
I wiped my fingers and took a sip of my coffee. “You bake scones here every day?”
“Every morning before I go to school.”
“School?”
She indicated her books. “Yes.”
“Isn’t it early for classes to be back? It’s only August.”
“I’m taking extra courses over the summer.”
“What are you taking?”
Raising her head, she tapped her pen against her chin, staring at me. Too late, I realized I was talking and interrupting her.
“I apologize. I didn’t mean to interfere with your studies.”
“Are you always so formal?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Like that. Your speech.”
“I suppose I am.”
She glanced around, tugging her sweater tighter. I noticed it was thick and heavy—an odd garment for summer. I felt compelled to ask.
“Do you always wear such thick sweaters in the summer?”
She sighed and shook her head. With a grin, she stuck out her hand.
I looked between it, and her face. Her hand was small, the fingers delicate. There were silver rings on two of her fingers, and a heavy Celtic band on her thumb.
“I’m not going to keep chatting with a complete stranger, even if he’s cute and likes my scones. I’m Emmy.”
She thought I was cute?
“What happened to me being an ass?”
“Oh, I still think you are, but you have a great smile when you relax. So, let’s try this again.” She raised her hand higher. “Hi, stranger, sitting at my table. I’m Emmy.”
I clasped her hand in mine, shaking it. Her skin was soft, her palm cold. “Pleased to meet you, Emmy.”
She leaned forward, still holding my hand, her voice quiet. “This is the part where you tell me your name.” She winked. “Unless you prefer me to continue to call you ass.”
I started to laugh. She was droll.
“Bentley.”
“Bentley?”
“Bentley Ridge.”
Her eyes dropped as she withdrew her hand, running her fingers over the table.
“Bentley Ridge?”
“Yes.”
“Your name is Bentley Ridge.”
“We’ve established that, Emmy. Yes.”
“Did your parents not like you or something?”
“Excuse me?”
“It sounds like a swanky subdivision. Come live at Bentley Ridge Estates where the living is easy!”
I gaped at her.
She slapped her hand over her mouth, her dark eyes large in her face. “I shouldn’t have said that.” She bent close again. “But seriously, has no one ever said it to you?”
“No!” I snapped. I was sure people had thought it, but no one ever stated it out loud. “They haven’t.”
“I’m sorry. I spoke without thinking.”
I picked up my coffee. “I’ll find another place to sit. You can go back to studying.”Her hand shot out, grabbing my arm. I looked down at her fingers against the navy fabric of my suit—pale, small, and frail.“No, please, I was teasing. I do that when I’m nervous—make jokes and say things without thinking. I’m sorry.”I huffed and sat back down, unsure why I did so. She grimaced anxiously and plucked at the sleeve of her sweater.“I have a condition,” she announced.“I’m sorry?”“I get cold easily. I have really poor circulation. So, when you’re hot, I’m comfortable. When you’re cold, I’m freezing. That’s why I wear a sweater in the summer, and it’s why I’m sitting at this table. It’s sort of tucked away and the air conditioning doesn’t work well back here, so it’s not as popular.” She grinned, and a deep dimple appeared on her left cheek. “In the winter, it’s reversed, and it’s so hot here no one wants this table, but it’s perfect for me.”I realized she was trying to make up for he
Bentley“Who was that?”I glanced over at Aiden with a shrug. “Some girl I spoke with in the coffee shop.”“You spoke with some girl?”“We had a conversation, yes.”“She’s hot. You get her number?”I rolled my eyes. “She’s a university student. I highly doubt she’s interested in spending time with a thirty-two-year-old man.”He looked concerned. “She looked older than the normal student. What’s her name?”“Emmy . . . I think.”“You think?”I waved my hand. “Inside joke.”He narrowed his eyes. “Did you approach her or did she approach you?”“For fuck sake, Aiden, don’t start. She isn’t someone out to get me. I was looking for a place to sit, and there was an empty chair at her table. I sat there. We chatted. No big deal.”I turned, checked for traffic, and hurried across the street, hoping Greg had finally made it into his office. Aiden was right beside me, mumbling.“It’s not like you to chat with someone, that’s all. Or say, ‘inside joke.’ Never mind the fact I saw her kiss your chee
I waved my hand. “It’s not the first time. It’s a couple of anonymous, vague notes.”“And pictures of you that mysteriously appear.”I had to admit those were troublesome, but I shrugged. “They want me to back off. They see what I do—the huge potential in a once overlooked area of the city. If I step back, they’ll move in and do exactly what I am going to do, making themselves a fortune.”“There are other projects. Other ways to make money.”“I’m not letting some coward hide behind miles of paperwork and numbered companies, and scare me off. No one is going to kill me over a land deal.”“Stranger things have been known to happen,” Aiden interjected. “You’re not taking this seriously enough.”“And you’re taking it way too seriously. We’ve dealt with this in the past.”“I don’t like it. This situation feels different.”Greg reclined in his chair, contemplative. “I agree with Aiden, it does.”I looked between them. “Well, I never thought I would see the day the two of you agreed on somet
“Mr. Callaghan?”“He won’t be joining us.”His lips thinned, but he didn’t say anything. The drive was silent, as I read my paper undisturbed. When we arrived, I stepped out. “I’ll call you when I’m ready. It will be about an hour.”He drove off, and I crossed the street. I tugged down my shirtsleeves, feeling edgy. I didn’t know if she’d be there. Perhaps she wouldn’t want to speak with me again. I had been rather short with her. I thought how much I liked the soft press of her lips on my cheek, and the way her voice sounded in my ear. I straightened my shoulders. I was being ridiculous. Chances were, I would get a coffee and a scone, and head to Greg’s office.But if I was being truthful, I hoped she would be at her table.I pulled open the door and joined the line. It was as busy as yesterday. This time, I got a larger coffee, and was pleased to see a pile of scones. Cinnamon raisin today. After adding one to my order and paying, I went directly to the back, making sure there was n
He shoved it into his pocket and nodded. “For now.” “What did you give him?”“My name, address, and date of birth. He can work for the rest.”“You didn’t have to do that, Emmy,” I assured her, pushing aside the memories of his remarks yesterday about vetting her.“It’s fine. He takes his job seriously.”I cleared my throat. “Sorry about that.”“He cares about you.”“Yeah, he is a good friend, and I’d be lost without him.”“Yet, you came here alone?”“I wanted to see you, and I thought he might make you uncomfortable.”I wasn’t sure how to tell her the actual truth. I wanted to spend a little time with her, alone, as me. Bentley, the man. Not the person who needed protection. Just me.“It’s fine, Rigid. I’m good with it.”I met her gaze, her eyes bright in the light. They were warm, intelligent, gentle, and so dark they looked like the richest espresso you would sip in the early morning hours; the kind that brought you to life.Strangely, that was how I felt when I sat across from her
BentleyAiden didn’t say a word as we crossed the street. I knew he was behind me, but I didn’t acknowledge him. He was silent in the elevator, and aside from a nod to Greg, remained that way as I went through the documents, making sure the wording was what I wanted. I signed and handed them back to Greg.“I want to meet next week about my bid.”“I assumed as much. Wednesday?”I glanced through my schedule, and before I replied, added Emmy to Friday. Simply seeing the words on my phone made me happy.“Something funny?”I glanced up. “No. I needed to add something before I forget.” As if I could possibly forget. “Wednesday is good.”He tapped away at his computer. “Okay. See you next week. I’ll come to the office?”“No, I’ll come here.”He regarded me curiously. “That’s twice you’ve come to me. What’s going on with you? We usually meet in your office.”I shrugged. “Trying to be accommodating.”He threw back his head, laughing loud. “Good one. Now, really. What’s going on?”Ignoring him
I cleared my throat. He turned, arms crossed, and not a glimmer of his usual humor in his eyes. He was seriously pissed.I started to speak, and he held up his hand, stopping me.“Why did you hire me?”I sat down at my desk with a sigh. “Because you’re my best friend, and I trust you.”“You trust me?”“Totally. There’s no question about it. You and Maddox are family to me.”“You let Maddox handle all your finances. Millions of dollars. You listen to what he says. No questions asked.”“Of course I do. He knows what he’s talking about.”He stormed toward me, stopping in front of my desk. He leaned on the thick wood, hands balled into fists. “And I fucking don’t?”“I never said that.”He tossed a white envelope on my desk.“What’s that?”“My resignation.”I was horrified, and I pushed the envelope back his way. “I’m not accepting it. Aiden, all I did was go for coffee.”“You deliberately didn’t tell me where you were going this morning. You didn’t trust me with that information. I’m supp
Her eyes narrowed back on the tie, then to the screen. “Are you wearing his tie?”I chuckled because of course she would notice a detail like that. She always did.“I couldn’t find my tie this morning.”“Laundry day?”“Yes.” I laughed because that was exactly what he had guessed, too. “Bentley, well, he put this on me as we were saying goodbye.” I looked down, stroking the silk. “It was the sweetest thing ever.”“Do you have any idea how much a tie like that costs?”I shook my head. “No.”“More than your rent.”“Shit,” I swore under my breath. “I need to give it back.”“I don’t think he cares if he gave it to you. You might insult him.”“I can’t keep something so expensive!”“If he gave it to you, yes you can.”I mulled over her words. She was probably right, but I was still giving back the tie.“He has a bodyguard.”“Really? How exciting!”“He’s massive. His arms are like tree trunks.”“Is he coming with you on Friday?”“Probably. Bentley showed up this morning without him, and he ar