7. Keeping His Nose Clean
KEEPING HIS NOSE CLEAN
H ours later Elias was swinging his truck into the first available spot he saw.
All he wanted to do was run in, get his dinner, and go home and stuff himself. It’d been a long week and he was starving.
But just as he was getting ready to pull into the spot, another car stole it from him.
Since the black Mercedes was further in than him, he had to admit she got there first, no matter how much he wanted to hit the horn.
He looked up and saw it was Phoebe and grinned, then waved her in and put it in reverse.
Good thing he didn’t go all pissed off dude on her.
Not that he’d do that here because too many people knew who he was and he didn’t need to be talked about in a negative light.
He could tell she was flustered, but it wasn’t a big deal.
He found a spot a few down, parked and got out to go into the building.
“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to take your spot. But then someone got behind me and I couldn’t move.”
“Not a big deal,” he said. “You were there first.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” she said dryly. “I just feel bad.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I got another one. Only running in to get my dinner.”
Since they were both walking toward the door, he assumed she was doing the same.
“I was going to order something and wait,” she said. “They don’t look too busy. Hope it’s not a long wait.”
“Nah,” he said. “They are good about things. Depends on what you order. I get a lot and bring it home for leftovers.”
“Oh,” she said. “So you’re picking it up to go and not eating here?”
Was that disappointment in her voice?
“That was the plan,” he said. “Thought that is what you were doing too.”
“No,” she said. “Just hungry. Been a long day. I need to get out more and figured I’d start with this.”
“Want some company?” he asked before he could stop himself.
She seemed to hesitate and then said, “But you’re picking food up.”
“Which can wait and I’ll get it when I leave.”
“Are you always this accommodating?” she asked.
“I am when a pretty woman brings up having dinner with her.”
“You brought it up,” she said, laughing. “Not me.”
“You’re right,” he said. “I did. But maybe I was seeing something you don’t want to admit.”
Her head went back and forth. “Could be. Unless you’re someone who does this all the time. Janey seemed to enjoy it this morning.”
“Who’s Janey?” he asked, frowning. He hoped to hell no one was saying shit about him in terms of women.
He’d always been good about keeping his nose clean here.
“The woman at the post office that waited on you,” she said.
He laughed. “I didn’t know that was her name. She’s always friendly like that.”
“I looked at her nametag,” she said.
He shrugged. “I just try to run in quickly. I would have sent someone else to do it, but had to sign for it. Too bad it was just junk mail.”
“Certified junk mail?” she asked. “Who does that?”
“You’d be surprised,” he said.
“I’ll get your order, Elias,” the hostess said, coming back to the stand. She’d been seating someone else.
“Let it sit for now,” he said. “I’ll get it on the way out. Table for two.”
He looked at Phoebe to see if she’d dispute it. “Sure,” she said.
The hostess seated them at a table and placed the menus down. “Melanie will be your server and over in a minute.”
“Thanks,” he said.
“Does everyone know you in town?” she asked.
“It seems it,” he said. “I don’t know all of them, but when it comes to food, there aren’t a lot of places to get takeout and I don’t cook all that much.”
“I don’t mind cooking when I have the time. I figured it’d be faster here than to go home and look for something to make.”
“I have that opinion a lot too,” he said. “Since I know your office is new to the area, where are you from?”
“Guess we can start with that,” she said. “Charlotte.”
“And you wanted to come here and open a practice over a big city?”
“My family has a big practice in Charlotte. Kelly Law. I’m opening their first satellite office. Or getting it set up. We’ll see how it goes and if I stay.”
Not what he wanted to hear.
In a small area like this, it was hard to find a woman who didn’t know who he was and wasn’t looking for some free ride.
She seemed to not know anything about him.
He kind of liked it that way, but he wouldn’t play it up either as some of his brothers had done in the past.
It wasn’t his way.
“How long are you willing to try it?” he asked.
“At least a year,” she said. “Maybe two. It takes time to get my name out there with people in the town. I’m used to my firm carrying a lot of weight. But I’m here to do this on my own.”
“I’ve heard of Kelly Law,” he said. “Seen the commercials, now that you say it.”
Which just hit him, Ben made a comment about stopping to see his sister when they left and he knew Ben’s family were attorneys.
Was it that small of a world that Phoebe could be Ben’s sister?
Guess he was going to find out because he wouldn’t sit on that information.
There wouldn’t be any reason for him to do it.
“That always happens,” she said, frowning.
“Hi, I’m Melanie. I’ll be your server tonight. Can I start you out with a drink?”
“I’ll take a seltzer with lime if you’ve got it,” she said.
Melanie looked at him. He normally only drank his own beer, which wasn’t served here. There was Fierce beer on the menu. “I’ll take Fierce Five,” he said.
He and Mason found it funny that Elias’s brewery was named Fifth Kid and Mason’s flagship beer was Fierce Five—what the Fierce quintuplets had been referred to most of their life.
“My brother brews that,” she said.
Which answered his question and gave him the opening he needed. “I just talked to your brother and Mason earlier today.”
“What?” she asked, sitting up straighter. “Oh my God. Elias from Fifth Kid or something like that?”
He wouldn’t take offense to the fact she didn’t really know the name of his business.
“Elias Carlisle,” he said, putting his hand out to formally shake hers. “Owner of Fifth Kid Brewing.”
She shook his hand, the heat of their palms setting off a firestorm up his arm.
He wasn’t sure he’d ever felt that with a simple handshake in his life.
“Phoebe Kelly, attorney at law, trying to operate a satellite office on her own without her parents watching her every move.”
The minute those words were out of her mouth, she rolled her eyes as if she regretted saying it.
He’d bet she was someone who knew everything she was going to say at all times.
He wanted to think that maybe he ruffled her feathers a bit.
“Been there and done that,” he said. “Trying to make it on my own and always knowing that I’m being watched.”
She grinned. “Looks to me like you’re doing well,” she said.
“Mason is Ben’s best friend. Ben has worked for Mason since he graduated from college.
They are pretty particular about anything with their business.
I’m not sure they’ve ever done anything like this.
Not that I pay too much attention. I don’t drink a lot of beer. ”
“Oh, my heart,” Elias said. “You can’t say that around me.”
She burst out laughing. “Ben said those exact words to his fiancée when she said she didn’t like beer. I didn’t say I didn’t like it. Just that I don’t drink a lot of it.”
He smirked. “Good to hear. I bet I’ve got something you’d like. And since we are collaborating with Fierce, I don’t even think your brother would consider you a traitor.”
“He wouldn’t,” she said. “I’ll have to tell my brother I’m having dinner with you.”
Melanie returned with their drinks and asked for their orders.
He’d been here enough, he just got a steak and baked potato. It’d be fast. Phoebe got the same.
“No worries,” he said. “What is it you are going to tell him? That you slid into my truck, ran into me at the post office, then stole my parking spot? All in two days' time? Some might think that is a sign from above. I know my mother sure the hell would.”
Phoebe laughed. “There was no damage to your truck. You even admitted it. But I will compensate you in the form of dinner tonight for letting me off the hook so easily.”
He didn’t want that.
Didn’t want this to be the only time they talked.
“Isn’t that a legal conflict or something? Or maybe it’s your way of saying that we agreed to that settlement and I can’t come back for more if I find another scratch on my truck?”
Her smile dropped and what he thought was a joke most likely didn’t appear one.
“I wouldn’t do that,” she said.
“I’m kidding,” he said, reaching his hand over to touch hers. “Relax. It’s a joke. Nothing more than that. But you know, we could keep the negotiations open for future talks.”
She laughed this time and her hand relaxed under his on the table.
“Do you have a law degree or something? You’re thinking like an attorney.”
“No,” he said. “Just that I’ve got a lawyer in the family and let’s say he and my other siblings are always watching. It’s annoying.”
“Yet you moved to a town where it seems you’re still watched by people who aren’t even family?”
“Shocking, isn’t it?” he asked.
“I guess we’ve got that in common,” she said. “Now I just need to prove I can do it.”
“I know that feeling well,” he said.