Chapter 3
Three
F uck. Figuring out the issue inside the simulator coding for The Trident was going to be the death of him. Every time he fixed one problem, he ran into fifteen more.
The guys had successfully launched the training facility before the holidays, and from the feedback they’d gotten in the months since the doors opened, it was a huge success. They were swamped with SWAT and FBI teams coming in to use the simulator, which happened to be the first and only of its kind in the nation. Not everyone had a rich ass boss that could sink a few hundred million dollars into completing a project as quickly as they had with The Trident. Never mind what it must have cost Sebastian to get access to the kind of technology they were using to create realistic tactical simulations for the trainees. And it wasn’t just the simulator bringing clients to Silver Springs. They had requests from nearly every law enforcement agency in Texas asking to book out their shooting range and teaching classrooms. Although work on The Trident wouldn’t truly be complete for another year or two, the spaces they had operational were really helping to make a name for the business.
Gage was swamped making sure that all the scenarios each group requested could actually be performed on the simulator floor, on top of making sure all the security measures for the company were tamper-proof.
Seb had hired out an entire team of cyber-security guys to help get not only The Trident on complete lock down, but also Montgomery Defense and the building as a whole. Sloane’s office was the only other business in the complex, but the guys all lived in the apartments above, and safety was always going to be their top priority. Was it a little overboard to be so secure in the sleepy little town of Silver Springs? Yeah. But who was Gage to argue with Cap? The guy had gone through the worst situation with his fiance, Emma. Whatever he wanted to do to feel like his friends and family were safe, Gage wasn’t going to begrudge him. Hell, if he’d been able to throw money at saving his family… he’d have spent every last penny and then some to make sure they were okay.
His eyes dropped to the bottom of his screen. A program was running in the background, one that he always kept open since a beautiful redhead walked into his office almost a year before asking for a favor. The cursor hovered over the icon as he tried to resist checking on her.
Not surprisingly, he failed. A second later, the program was up, front and center, on his monitor. The worry in his chest eased as he watched the beacon flash from inside the building. She was safe at work.
“Yo, Tracker.” Hawk strolled into the office with a shit eating grin on his face.
“What’s got you so happy?”
“Just saw Jessie. She’s been my server the last couple of times I’ve been to Dolly’s. Can’t say I mind.”
Gage took a deep breath and forced himself to stay calm.
“You’re going to get yourself in trouble with her. She’s barely legal.”
“She’s twenty-five, grandpa. I’m not crossing any lines I shouldn’t.”
“I don’t want Dolly coming in here trying to beat your ass for messing with her daughter. Christ! You’ve met Jessie’s brothers. You think Beau or Colt are going to take kindly to you messing around with their sister? I’m not standing between them and you if they come in here looking to defend her honor.”
“You’re fucking wound up this morning. It’s nothing more than a little harmless flirting.”
“Right. Look, have fun, but please don’t get us banned from the diner. You know her rhubarb pie is my favorite. And it’s not like we’re going to be able to convince Rudy that pie needs to go on the menu at Davney’s.”
“Gage, you’re such a suck up, I have no doubt even if Dolly did get pissed at me, she’d still let you have your pie.” Hawk brought his coffee cup up to his mouth and took a long sip.
“Why are you in my office? Just to gloat about chasing your girl or what?”
“Nah. You know I’m not really chasing her. It’s just fun to flirt. To know I still got it. Not like I want to settle down just yet. I’ve still got some wild oats in me to sow.”
“Careful, Phoenix. One of these days you're gonna go up in flames and not come back from it.”
“Just because you never go out and have fun doesn’t mean we all have to lead boring lives.”
“Yeah, well. My whole world disappeared in a single blink, Hawk. You wouldn’t want to go out either if that happened to you.”
The air in the room changed, and Gage forced himself not to apologize. Was it a dick move bringing up his dead wife and son? Yeah, probably. Doesn’t mean Hawk didn’t deserve the reminder.
“Fuck, Track,” he groaned. “I’m sorry, man. You know I was just busting your balls. I loved Mel and Mikey, too.”
“I know you did. It’s fine. I’m just in a bad mood.”
“Wanna vent?”
“Nah. It’s just Sloane.”
“What’s up with the good doc?”
“She’s hiding something.”
“Like a new kitten from her landlord something? Or like a basement full of bodies sort of something?”
“I have no clue. I need something to take my mind off of her. I’m itching to run a search on her name and I don’t want to violate her trust like that…”
“Just yet.”
“Huh?”
“You don’t want to violate her trust like that just yet. Meaning, you will if you think something bad is going on.”
Gage scratched at his jaw, knowing he damn well would. “Yeah.”
“Alright, well, you gotta turn off stalker mode for a few hours at least. Cap and Reap let me know we’re needed on site for a job this afternoon.”
“Shit. I’m supposed to be working on some coding for The Trident. What’s the job?”
“The new clinic. Apparently Dr. Rahni’s ready for us to go over and run an estimate for security on the place. Needs cameras, alarms, keypad access points, the whole nine yards. I’d ask Stone, but Gunner already put him on the bed and breakfast job in Lark Lake.”
“What’s Nash doing?”
“He’s over at The Trident, trying to finish up the protocols for that team of Rangers coming in next week.”
Shit. He couldn’t get out of it. His day had just gotten exponentially longer.
Gage groaned and shut his laptop. He’d spent more time warring with himself over looking deeper into Sloane’s background than he should have. Getting out of the office would be good. He’d be able to clear his mind, focus on work.
Or, at least that was what he thought. But over the last two hours as he and Hawk walked down every inch of the new Silver Springs Health Clinic with Jake, the doctor who Seb was backing to open up access to medical care directly in Silver Springs, Gage’s mind still kept skipping back to Sloane.
“Come on, daydreamer. Gunner just sent a text. Lily convinced him to have family dinner at Dolly’s.”
“I wasn’t daydreaming.”
“You’ve been locked in your mind this entire time. How many key card entries did Jake tell us he wanted?”
“Five. One for the door from the waiting area into the exam rooms. One for the back door that has entry access in the alley. One for the supply closet and then one to get into the medication room, where there is one more needed for a specific level of medications that only Jake and his PA will have access to.”
Jake laughed. “I knew you were paying attention.”
“It’s almost as if Hawk can’t believe other people can multitask just because he’s incapable of doing that himself.”
“Funny,” Hawk said as he shoved his tablet where he’d been recording the list of equipment they’d need to order and install back into his bag.
“Jake, you wanna tag along with us to Dolly’s?” Gage asked. “The diner does this amazing Shepherd's Pie once a week. It’s to die for, honestly.”
“The mash potatoes probably have enough butter in them to kill a person, so he’s not far off,” Hawk joked.
“As much as I love Shepherd's Pie, and would like to hang out, guys, I’ve got a long night of organizing inventory here to get through. Thanks for coming out today to get the security figured out. I’ll feel better about stocking this place once I know that’s all installed and there’s an extra layer of protection.”
“Yeah, no problem.” Gage reached out and shook his hand. “It’ll probably take a week for the equipment to show up, and then just a day to install and set up the system.”
“Perfect. I appreciate it.”
* * *
“Looks like Dillon is giving the good doc a hard time.”
Hawk’s words as they walked into the diner had Gage’s head swinging around to see what he was talking about. His eyes narrowed as he watched the way Sloane sat, with her shoulders squared and unease written on her face. Their mailman might not have been the biggest guy, but he was clearly making Sloane anxious, and Gage didn’t like that one fucking bit.
“I’ll be right back.”
He stormed over to the table where Sloane was sitting. Was it all in his imaginations, or had she actually looked relieved to see him?
“Hey, Sloane. What’s going on here?”
“Oh. Mr. Gillus was just trying to get me to agree to put a mailbox on the outside of the building again. But like I’ve mentioned every time he’s asked, I just can’t in good conscience do that. My client’s confidentiality could be compromised and I’m just not willing to take the chance.”
“Ms. Donovan seems to forget that there are a hundred other stops I have to make during the day and none of them fuss about shit like that.”
Gage took a steadying breath. “Well, Doctor Donovan is just about the only other business besides Montgomery Defense that needs to keep confidentiality at the forefront of their business decisions. I don’t see you trying to convince Gunner, Sebastian, or any of the other guys, including myself, to put a mailbox on the outside of our office.”
“What you boys are doing matters though. You’re changing the community. Uplifting. That’s good, decent work. All this mental health nonsense?—”
“I’m gonna stop you right there, Dillon. What Dr. Donovan does for this community is desperately undervalued, exactly demonstrated in that idiotic and frankly sexist rant you were about to go on. She won’t be putting a mailbox on the outside of the building. Bring it up with your postmaster if you have to.”
The man stood staring at Gage, a flicker of anger dancing wildly in his eyes. Let him try something. Gage wouldn’t mind showing Sloane he’d step in and protect her. “Is there something else you need, Dillon? Because if that’s everything you wanted to say to Sloane, then I think you can move along now.”
Gage watched as Dillon walked back towards the counter, pulling out a stool and rounding his shoulders as he peered at them over a menu.
“Why are you sitting all alone over here?” Gage asked, his attention falling back on Sloane.
She lifted her head, looking away from what he assumed were her notes. “I’m just having a quick bite to eat before I head out. It was a chocolate pie kind of day.”
“Hmm… pie for dinner. That bad of a day?”
She smiled. “No, not bad. Fantastic, actually. Well, before that scene with Mr. Gillus. One of my long-term clients shared really wonderful news with me today. I felt like celebrating her, so I stopped in for my favorite pie.”
He studied her for a moment. “I would have bet money on you being a fruit pie fan.”
“Oh, I am. I mean, is there a wrong kind of pie? But chocolate pie is for celebrations.”
“I’ll have to remember that.” Gage’s hand went to the back of his neck as he looked down at Sloane. “So, we’re having family dinner here tonight. Just the guys, Mae, Lily, Sage. Would you want to join us? You can bring your slice if you want to.”
“I’m not part of the family., though.”
“Fuck that.” Sloane’s eyes went wide. “I just meant, of course you are. You’ll always have a seat with us.”
His hand landed next to hers on the table. He wanted to take her plate of pie, hold her hand, and drag her over to their table.
“I’ll have to take a rain check,” she said, putting her hand in her lap and ending any chance that he might have touched her. “I’ve got somewhere to be soon. Only stopped in for the slice of pie.”
“Oh, okay. Yeah, next time.”
“Gage?”
“Yeah.”
“Thanks for stepping in. And for the invite.”
“Anytime, Red. I hope you know that.”
She sighed, and he realized he’d used her nickname again.
“Shit, Sloane. I’m sorry. I’m trying to remember that you don’t want to be called that anymore. I’ll be better about it from now on. I promise.” Her eyes searched his, for what, he didn’t know. Gage rapped his knuckles on the table twice. “I’ll see you later.”
Gage turned to walk away, but Sloane’s voice calling out his name stopped him after only two steps.
“Yeah?” he answered.
“I was in a bad mood the other day. You don’t… you don’t have to stop calling me that.”