Chapter 6
Chapter Six
After dinner, Gage followed Sloane back downstairs to pitch in and get a few of the larger items out of the room. He stored those in the hallway and wondered how he’d managed to let so much pile up in only a year. Then again, since he was rarely home, it just did.
“Cool bike.”
He turned and saw her rolling his bike out into the hallway. “I’ll stick that in the garage. Should’ve put it there to begin with.”
Sloane handed it off, and he rolled it as far as the end of the stairs before leaning it against the newel post to store before he went back upstairs for the night.
When he returned to her doorway, he hesitated, eyeing the view as she bent to grab one of the two cornhole game boards. “Let me,” he said, hurrying to take it from her.
“I can get it. It’s part of paying rent, remember?”
He grinned at the slight bite of her words. “Organize away, Merida. Just giving you some room to do it.”
By the time they finished getting the bigger, heavier items out into the hallway and garage, he saw the way she tried and failed to hide a yawn.
He wanted to ask how many nights she’d actually slept in her car but figured that was a question best kept for another day.
“It’s late. Think you’re good for the night?
Path to the bathroom and doorway good for you? ”
Sloane slid her palms into the back pockets of her pants and took a look at their work while he tried not to look at the way her pose pulled her T-shirt across her chest.
“Yeah, looks good to me. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting.” She shifted her weight from side to side, glancing at him before she looked away.
“Well, I guess I’ll say goodnight. Try to get some sleep. Between the rentals building and here, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you.”
She glanced toward the bed. “Hey, at least I’m not sleeping in the backseat, right?”
Gage headed toward the door, aware that she followed. “Right. Night, Merida.”
“Night, boss.”
He grinned at the irritation in her tone, figuring his nickname had earned the sound.
But it wasn’t until she shut the door behind him and twisted the lock that he knew he wasn’t the only one with his guard up.
The following morning, Gage sipped his coffee while staring out at the sunrise.
He’d sent Sloane a text inviting her up for a cup, but she hadn’t responded.
He knew she was awake, though, because he’d seen the water flow slow as he’d filled the pot, indicating she used the water downstairs.
When it continued, he deduced she was showering and then had to quickly get that awareness out of his mind.
His phone chimed, and he glanced down to read it.
How’d it go with your new roommate?
Gage frowned at Cole’s text.
Funny. We’ll help her out and see her safe through the hurricane if it hits, but that’s it.
Get any more info out of her?
Only that her family is bad news. You got any friends who can find out more?
You think it’s that bad?
Gage paused to ponder the question but followed his gut.
Yeah, I think so.
I’ll see what I can do. The trouble is researching her could mean her family finding her.
Gage swore softly under his breath. He hadn’t considered that.
Hold off then. Let’s see what we can get from her first.
He’d just shoved the phone back in his pocket when it chimed again, and he pulled it out to see Merida and the character image from Brave appear.
Thanks for the offer, but I don’t want to be late for work. My boss is picky about that.
I’ll make you a to-go mug. Cream and sugar?
A pause followed, but then the three little dots appeared.
Heavy on both. And thanks.
He smirked at the request, not surprised. His little sister loved her coffee, but it was more sweetness and cream than actual coffee bean.
He grabbed one of the many mugs he’d picked up over the years and fixed it for her, then pulled his keys from the hook and headed out the door for the day. Meri—Sloane—waited at the bottom of the stairs. She looked sleepy-eyed despite the shower. “You didn’t sleep?”
“No, I did. A little too well, actually.”
So, it was because she was exhausted, and her body needed more rest. “You didn’t stay up working on the room, did you?”
She avoided his gaze as she accepted the mug and took a sip. “Oh, this is good. Thanks. I’ll pick up some instant coffee and things after work to have down here. I don’t want to bother you.”
“Coffee isn’t a bother.”
He watched as she lifted her chin and noted the wariness in her gaze.
“Maybe not, but boundaries are important. We should keep them.”
Point taken, he mused. Especially since he felt the same way. “Okay, here’s a boundary. You’re limited to working two hours a night on the room. Then you rest. No exceptions.”
“That’s no time at all.”
“You’re forgetting I watched you last night. You didn’t stop once, and you got a lot done. Stick to two hours, and it’ll be enough to cover your rent.” He should probably make it one hour but sensed that wouldn’t fly with her.
Sure enough, Sloane didn’t take the news well if the set of her jaw was any indication. Apparently, they were alike in that they didn’t want to stop working until a task was completed.
“Fine. But only on the days I work at the rental building,” she countered.
“Deal.”
They headed out of the house, and he held the door for her, his gaze drawn to the way her hair blew in the humid breeze and the slow roll of her hips.
“You’ve got the schedule, right?” She opened her car door and tossed her bag inside.
Gage nodded. Sloane looked beautiful in capris that ended mid-calf and a deep pink blouse that seemed to highlight her freckle-tanned skin.
She looked professional but casual, and he could well imagine that once word got out she worked at the building, men would follow.
The thought made him scowl. “Yeah, I’ve got it. ”
“I’ll try to get it to sync up to the calendar system today. Whatever your last employee did, he really screwed things up.”
Yeah, no kidding. “It would be great if you can get that going again. Cole and I’ve both spent far too many hours on the phone with tech. Any more and we might toss it out the window.”
She gave him a smart salute and cheeky grin. “On it, boss. I’ll get my gold star. Goal for the day.”
Goal for the day…
As he watched her climb behind the wheel of her Chevy while taking another sip from the mug he’d given her, he shook his head at himself.
Goal for the day: stop thinking about his new roommate and remember women were a distraction he couldn’t afford.
If he could do that? Maybe then he’d get his own gold star.
Sloane ended the call and leaned back in the desk chair where she sat, stretching her arms overhead.
Cole had gone into the convenience store to grab them some cold drinks and snacks while she finished up her call with the tech guy, and right now she couldn’t stop the satisfied smile on her lips if she tried.
She’d been on the phone for hours.
Hours.
Going over everything from the settings to permissions to uninstalling and reinstalling the program and setting everything up all over again.
But now?
“If that smile means you’ve done it, I need to go back in there and buy some champagne instead,” Cole said.
She turned to find Cole and Gage watching her from the door leading to the convenience store, and her smile widened. “Mission accomplished.”
Cole grinned and shook his head, shoving the items he held under his arms so that he could give her a slow clap of appreciation. She noted that Gage just looked perplexed. “You didn’t think I could do it?”
The two men entered the building and moved toward her, both tall and handsome and broad shouldered. But she found her gaze mostly trained on Gage and wondered why she felt the overwhelming need to prove herself. Or at least…hold her own? Make it clear she wasn’t a charity case but—
“This calls for a celebration,” Cole said. “How about we take our new hire to Haven? Ana can meet us there and maybe Elias will take a break and join us.”
“Haven?” The name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place it.
“Elias’s restaurant,” Cole said. “Fantastic food and our treat. You’ve performed a miracle.”
Sloane glanced at her other boss and realized Gage watched her a little too intently, a deep frown etched into his too-handsome face. “That’d be nice, but you don’t have to treat me. I was just doing my job.”
“Which we appreciate. Don’t we, Gage?”
“Haven is something of an experience,” Gage said with a tight shrug. “We should go. You’ve earned that gold star.”
“What about working on organizing your downstairs?”
“You have to eat. And we have to celebrate your triumph over technology,” Cole said.
Minutes later, Sloane found herself walking between her bosses into the lobby of a high-rise hotel.
The outside looked new and lush with palm trees and beautiful blooming flowers.
And the inside… The inside was magazine-worthy and upscale with polished floors and huge columns and small boutique-style storefronts down a corridor with awnings extending over the glass windows like one would see down an old coastal boardwalk.
“This way,” Cole said, indicating one of the stores with a sweep of his broad hand.
Coastal Couture looked every bit as elegant and fun as the woman who greeted Cole with a bright smile and quick kiss. Sloane watched with more than a twinge of envy as the two embraced before Cole wrapped an arm around the woman’s shoulders and turned her to make the introductions.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Sloane. Cole says you’ve been a big help.”