Chapter 10
10
Roman
I t’s been two weeks since Elise entered our lives, and everything already feels different.
Even the coffee tastes better.
I have yet to have the honor to get close enough to her to be able to walk around with a smile like James is sporting. Part of me is jealous, but then there’s another part that insists on being cautious. I don’t want to count on the best-case scenario coming to fruition, no matter how badly we all want it.
“You’re a changed man,” Oliver remarks.
James adds sugar to his coffee, his smile widening as he looks up at us. “I guess you could say that.”
“Elise seems different, too,” I note.
“I hope you mean that in a good way.”
“I think you both needed whatever happened the other night,” Oliver replies.
“She’s warming up to all of us,” James says. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”
“Not everyone understands the way we live, the way we love. Few women are bold and curious enough to rise to the challenge,” I point out. “The last one had a different agenda, if you both remember.”
“She’s not Shauna,” James shakes his head. “Let’s not go there.”
Oliver offers a sympathetic shrug. “We should still be mindful.”
“We are. I know I certainly am. But I’m also confident that there’s no comparison. Elise is different in so many ways.” James says as he checks his watch. “Tori should be here soon.”
He’s changing the subject. I get it. It’s too early to form conclusive opinions, especially since the attraction and the chemistry are undeniable. We are getting closer to Elise, and she’s orbiting toward us, whether she’s aware of it or not. The twins play an integral role by making her feel part of the family, and Janice’s presence has only added to that.
Maybe this was meant to happen.
“She said one o’clock, right?” I ask, looking around.
“Yeah. She’s coming in from Boulder, and they had a seven a.m. executive meeting this morning,” Oliver says. “Give her a few more minutes before you bust out the Swiss precision speech, alright, brother?”
“I wasn’t even planning on that,” I reply, half-smiling.
The Black Hat is one of Rustic’s few and most popular cafes. It’s just a couple of blocks down from Elise’s diner, but we’ve made a habit of keeping our distance while she’s working. She sees enough of us at home.
“What are we discussing today again?” Oliver asks.
“The quarterly reports,” James reminds him. “And she’s also briefing us on a couple of new clients who have inquired about us specifically.”
“Us?” I cut in. “We’re not a private security detail.”
“No, but we run one of the fastest growing and most successful private security firms in the Western region,” James says. “They want to talk to us to better understand our services. Straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. They’ll probably ask us to handpick their new security teams.”
Oliver chuckles lightly, nodding politely when the waitress brings him another shot of espresso. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking about going full mountain man on us, Roman. We still need you, brother.”
“No, it’s not that. I guess I’ve gotten so used to Tori and the others handling the business so well in Boulder that it seems all we ever do is sign contracts and pop in for the monthly board meeting.”
“Someday, we are going to take a backseat and let her handle the whole thing,” James states matter-of-factly.
“Tori’s good people. She needs more confidence before we let her take over, though,” I reply, my gaze wandering across the café. “But I’m inclined to agree with James. Of all our execs, she does present the most spunk and grit.”
The café is packed, and while most folks are either gathered around tables or waiting for their coffee orders, there’s one guy in particular who captures my attention. He keeps looking back at us, and I don’t know why. We stick to a low profile. Sure, most people are aware of our presence in Rustic, but few folks would be able to point us out in a crowd, which makes this guy’s stare all the more curious.
“Tori’s a former Ranger,” Oliver says. “Maybe that’s why we have a soft spot for her.”
“We have three other Rangers on the executive board,” James points out. “It’s her quick wit and professionalism, in my opinion. She’s unmatched. Gotta give credit where credit’s due, man.”
“I wonder what type of clients she plans on bringing to our table?”
I can feel my eyes narrowing with an increased focus as I give the guy another look. He’s tall and lanky. Well-dressed. Definitely not from around here. The grey tweed suit and overcoat are tailored, branded. He’s likely from the big city. His blonde hair is slicked back, he has perfectly smooth, clean-shaven skin. His eyes are an icy blue, cold.
I cannot read him, and it bothers me.
“What is it?” James asks, noticing my mental absence.
“Huh?”
“What are you looking at?”
“Just some dude who keeps staring at us,” I move to get up from my seat. I might as well talk to him and see what he wants, but by the time I look over to the service counter again, he’s gone. I manage to catch a glimpse of a grey tweed shoulder as he steps out. “Never mind.”
“Your vigilance never ceases to impress me,” Oliver quips.
“Old habits die hard. It was probably nothing.”
“We tend to stand out,” he says, the shadow of a smile dancing across his face.
I’ll give him that. We’re tall, imposing figures, bigger than the average Rustic man. The stranger with cold blue eyes slips out of my mind as I spot Tori’s SUV pulling up outside.
“She’s here,” I say.
“Good. I’m dying to get back home,” Oliver replies.
“And why is that?” I ask with a sly grin, well aware of his plans.
He chuckles softly and leans back in his chair. “Well, if you really want to know, I bought a few chunks of Wagyu beef from Sal’s earlier this morning. I plan on putting together a generous feast for tonight. Elise has cooked for us three nights in a row.”
“And you want to make it up to her; that’s your reason?”
“Of course. I’m counting on you two to pick the right wine and the dessert.”
James smiles. “I’ll stop by the French bakery later. They’ve brought out the autumn stuff, so you know the girls are going to be over the moon.”
“Pumpkin pies all around!” Oliver exclaims.
“You sound more excited than Tricia and Ainsley put together,” I say.
“Can you blame me?”
Tori walks in, her dark brow furrowed.
“Uh-oh,” Oliver notices. “Somebody needs to get more coffee into Tori, stat.”
“She looks like she’s about to kill us,” I mutter.
“Frickin’ traffic,” Tori grumbles as she joins our table. Her shoulders drop as she hands a few folders over to James. “Sorry, guys. Took me forever to get here.”
James already has a hand up, signaling the waitress for another round of coffees.
“That’s alright,” I tell her. “We figured you’d have a long drive here. It’s going to be October soon enough; the fall festivals and fairs are already starting. The whole district will be packed well before Halloween.”
Tori laughs and says, “You three had better not use that as an excuse for skipping the end-of-the-month board meeting. We need to go over some admin issues and a couple of proposed salary increases for the logistical team.”
“Okay, so let’s dig in. Where do you want to start?”
“The Q3 figures. Might as well get those out of the way.”