Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
The lawn in front of Chase’s house overflowed with vehicles. Parking by a small copse of bushes, Titus got out of his truck and helped his date, Darcy, out. She looked sexy as hell in a black, dressy one-piece pantsuit and flats. He personally thought she was too formally dressed, but he wasn’t saying anything. What he knew about women’s fashion could fit in a thimble. Besides, it was the first time he had brought a date to one of these gatherings, and he wasn’t worrying about her outfit.
A smattering of stars twinkled above. He heard the hoot-hoot of an owl and the scratching of small animals. The air was cool and breezy—a perfect night for an outdoor party. He was drawn to the small, brightly lit house, where laughter and the occasional shout competed with the energetic beat of bass. The party was in full swing.
Titus picked up the beer he brought and wrapped his other arm around his date’s waist. Darcy turned, blowing a kiss and winking, promising a good time ahead. Turned out Darcy looked all innocent with her big, blue eyes and light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. However, her demeanor belied her insatiable appetite in bed. He eagerly anticipated the after-party fun.
She was smart, too. A real estate agent specializing in high-end properties.
And she was looking for that perfect man. A confident man who had his own business and was upwardly mobile.
Titus felt he fit the bill. Darcy was one of his first female clients, and she had been persistent in asking him out. After weeks of saying no, he finally consented. They had just started dating, seeing each other often, and Titus couldn’t be happier. Tonight would be the test of how she fit in with his friends and their significant others.
Chase and Naomi were throwing a party at their house on the edge of the campus.
Titus had met Naomi several times. He’d heard she finished her degree in becoming a therapist of some kind and that was why they were celebrating.
Titus was happy for her but happier to be getting together with everyone.
Despite seeing the guys separately at the gym, it had been a while since they were all in one place.
The home was typical of a wood-framed cracker house. Titus knew the house belonged to Liam McBride’s family, who were leasing it to Chase.
“Titus!” Ava Curtis, Chase’s new right-hand person, greeted him with a big hug as he walked through the wide front porch into the living room. It was a welcoming room. Chase mentioned that Naomi and her friends had updated the furniture, painted the walls, and made it homier.
Chase hired Ava as the Brotherhood was going more legit and needed someone to help coordinate schedules. Everyone liked her. She was the girl next door, the best friend, the hugger.
“Hey, Ava. Good to see you,” he replied as Ava stepped back. He turned to introduce her to Darcy, who had been glaring at Ava but quickly smiled. Titus wondered if Darcy was upset that another woman hugged him but soon forgot as a couple of members of the Brotherhood greeted him.
“Fire’s outside. Liam’s grilling,” said Chase, entering the room. “Grab a beer from the fridge and go mingle.”
Titus grabbed a beer for himself and Darcy, then walked out to the patio to be greeted by more members of the Brotherhood as well as friends from town. Shawn “Linc” Lincoln and Cody Miller, who worked with Liam at the sheriff’s department, and Austin Peters, a firefighter, were also by the grill talking to Liam. Titus guided Darcy over and introduced her. The scent of barbecue made his mouth water.
“Hey, glad you could make it.” Will Blake, a member of the Brotherhood, lightly punched him on the shoulder. Will was also a farmer living outside the city.
“How are those animals doing?” Titus asked. Will just added sheep, chickens and God only knew what else to his farm. Titus and a few of the guys had helped build a greenhouse and barn.
Will laughed. “The animals are doing fine. If I could only get Isabelle to stop falling in love with them, I might make my money back selling organic meat.”
Titus looked around. It appeared the women were off in a corner, talking and laughing. He needed to introduce Darcy to them. Naomi and Joy Maddox were sitting at a picnic table and surrounded by their group of women friends who did a lot of activities together. If he and Darcy became serious, she might want to be friends with the group.
“Bring Darcy over and introduce her,” said Will, who noticed Titus looking at the women. “Isabelle will be happy to see you.”
Titus had helped provide security for Isabelle and her best friend, Felicia, when a mob boss thought they stole from him and chased them to Haywood Lake. Isabelle was Colt Zander’s sister, and Felicia was engaged to Colt, who also worked for Chase—talk about keeping it in the family.
“Hey, itty-bitty.”
Isabelle turned around and laughed. “I wasn’t itty-bitty when I took your ass down,” she gloated.
The Paws for Caring campus provided self-defense lessons, and he had worked with Isabelle one-on-one months ago. She was a small woman. He was a large man, and Isabelle had a hard time throwing her weight around with him. At the very last minute, she got lucky, slid behind him, and lightly nudged his body. She stood and celebrated with a victory dance.
However, it wasn’t enough to help her when she was kidnapped, and Titus still felt a pang of guilt over that.
“I wouldn’t call that an ass-kicking,” he teased. Darcy desperately clung to his arm as if it were a life preserver. “Ladies, this is Darcy. Isabelle, if you would do the honors since I don’t know all you beautiful women.”
Isabelle grabbed Darcy’s hand and introduced her around.
Titus knew some of the women. He knew Liam’s fiancée, Joy. The woman was full of happiness. Titus enjoyed being around her, but he hadn’t met her friends, Nicki Vanderdorf, who owned a floral shop in town, and Dawn Nailor. He’d met Mallory Chapman, who owned the yoga studio, Spiritual Bliss, at a downtown merchants’ meeting.
Felicia was in the corner talking to Naomi. He knew Dani was married to Ryker, and they had a child.
He already said hi to Ava, Jennie and Melissa, all employees of Chase. It was quite the gaggle of women. He knew they were curious and wanted to question him about Darcy since he’d been alone when he moved here six months ago.
Titus shook his head. Not going there. No way was he gossiping in the corner with them. Although he’d been out with some of the guys who were more than happy to pass along tidbits of information.
He lost interest as Isabelle was going around introducing Darcy. She glanced at him once with a “help me” look, but again, if she was going to be with him, she needed to get along with the group, at least when they were together.
Someone put their hand on his shoulder. Titus turned. Will smiled, asking if he wanted to help with the grill—man code for “operation extraction.”
He saw that Isabelle and the women were chatting with Darcy, who looked uncomfortable. He hoped she’d warm up to them.
“What can I do to help?” he asked Liam, who was placing burgers and chicken on a platter. Just in time, too. Titus’s stomach was growling.
“Not much. Jennie and Melissa will bring out the salads. Paper plates and silverware are on the picnic table. Grab a beer, your woman and a chair. We’ll eat in a minute.”
That worked for him. He walked back to get Darcy. All the women were on the move now.
“Don’t. Ever. Leave. Me. Alone. Again,” Darcy hissed in his ear.
Whoa! What brought that on? Titus led her to an empty corner. “What happened? It looked like you were getting along good with everyone.”
“I’m not interested in kids, dogs—animals of any kind—yoga, flowers, what bakery just opened and had delicious products, etc.” She narrowed her eyes. “Understand?”
Titus scrubbed his hands over his face. “I’m sorry. I thought you would find the women interesting.”
Darcy shrugged. “I’m on track to becoming the top broker in the market. My interest lies in cultivating people who can help me get ahead and closing large property deals, not sitting around with a bunch of women gossiping.”
Damn. That didn’t go as expected. Titus didn’t understand Darcy’s comment. He’d talked to several of the women before, and they were all interesting and successful in their careers.
The bakery comment reminded him that Lilypad Confections was open. He’d spotted the new owner once or twice walking down the alleyway. Although he must have been busy because he never got her name or said hi.
He wouldn’t worry about Darcy. If she was content not knowing the other women, why should he care about her lack of connection? It wasn’t as if he and the other guys double-dated.
Darcy had other attributes he liked, which he would enjoy later. He wasn’t planning on marrying her.