Chapter 29
Nolan hated every word Helena was saying.
He hated this plan. It would put them all at risk.
However, he couldn’t deny that it was a good plan, strategically.
Greer thought she was in charge, but this was a multi-pronged attack plan masquerading as a party—several of them in fact—so Prince Mo’s executive assistant, Veronica, took over the planning.
She really should take over the world. She would bring world peace, solve hunger, and scare criminals straight.
Now most of the town was crammed into the Blossom Café where Veronica had giant poster boards with the layout of every party and call lists as if people were learning which parts in a play they got.
“Yes!” Pam said, pumping her hand in the air. “I’m at the military training center.”
“I’m at the café,” Aniyah said with a smile. “I get the best food.”
“I’m at the bed and breakfast,” Quinn said with a slight chuckle. “I think this means no one thinks I can take someone down.”
“That is the point,” Veronica said, standing there in a pencil skirt that stopped at her knees, sky-high pointy-toed stilettos, and her blonde hair in perfect waves around her shoulders.
“I divided the town based on fighting skills. But don’t worry, just in case we’re wrong about the threat level at each location, there are at least three strong fighters at each of the softer targets,” Veronica said, using a laser pointer to point to a final board for her presentation.
“So, I can still shoot someone,” Aniyah said happily, reaching into her bag and pulling out a gun. A collective gasp echoed throughout the room as everyone dove for cover.
“Baby,” her husband, DeAndre, said calmly, “remember not to pull out your gun until you have your glasses on. Don’t want to accidentally shoot another toe off when you’re aiming for their chest.”
Aniyah grimaced. “One time . . . okay, maybe like three or four times.”
“I think it was six at the last count,” Ahmed told her. “Wear the glasses, they’re sexy.”
Nolan pursed his lips not to laugh as Aniyah, who liked to offer spicy sex oils, actually blushed. “Anything for you, tiger.” Aniyah pulled out her cheetah print glasses with a diamond cat’s-eye and slid them on. “Nolan! I didn’t see you. How long have you been there?”
“Not too long,” Nolan said, trying not to laugh. He’d been next to her for the past thirty minutes.
“I have a question,” Poppy said, stopping the snickers. “If I’m at the bed and breakfast, then who is going to be the waitress here?”
“That would be me,” a woman in a police uniform answered, raising her hand. “I’m Officer Elisha Elkins, Lexington Police Department. Quinn asked me to come help out.”
“Oh, thank you. I’ll put together a basket for you to take home as a thank you,” Poppy told her. “But with a group this big and it being a party we need someone else too.”
The bell over the door rang and a beautiful young woman with long black hair with just the right amount of a sexy wave to it hurried inside. “Sorry I’m late. I got stuck on a flight from Switzerland that was delayed due to the weather. Now, I was told I was needed for an international mission?”
“Faith,” Veronica said with a smile as Faith’s parents, Nabi and Grace, hugged their daughter. “You’re right on time. You’re going to be working with Officer Elisha Elkins here at the café.”
“That’s Faith?” Kori whispered to Nolan, his jaw practically dropping. “She looks nothing like the college graduation photos at Nabi’s house.”
Nolan glanced at Faith. She was about to turn twenty-three and had been working in Switzerland. Nolan had known her since she was born. “I guess since I haven’t seen her in a while I can see some changes. She’s matured. She was always such a skinny, willowy kid.”
“She’s not a kid anymore.” Nolan glanced at Kori and fought the urge to place a bet on the app about Kori’s love life. No, Faith wasn’t a little kid anymore. Gone were the knobby knees of a gangly teen and in her place was a curvy, professional-looking, knockout.
“I still don’t know how you haven’t met her before now,” Nolan whispered to Kori.
“I guess I was always out on a mission when she was in town. Then between college, her summer internships, and such, we never really crossed paths. I probably caught sight of her from afar once or twice, but she looks way too sweet to be stationed at the café. Veronica should put her at the bed and breakfast.”
Nolan looked at Kori as if he’d lost his mind. “Her father is your boss, and you think she doesn’t know how to handle herself? Have you sustained a head injury I don’t know about?”
“Knock it off, this is serious. She’ll be in danger.
Oh, damn. It’s Wick who is stationed here.
She’s definitely not safe.” Nolan tried to slyly slide his phone from his pocket, but Kori leveled him with a glare.
“Don’t you dare. I’m just worried about my boss’s daughter.
I couldn’t stand it for Nabi and Grace if Faith is hurt.
They’ve adopted me as if I’m their son. I’m worried. Don’t read into it.”
“Suuuure,” Nolan said slowly, putting away his phone and holding up his hands in surrender.
“So, that’s everything. Any questions?” Veronica asked and Nolan realized they missed the last five minutes, but Veronica being Veronica, had also emailed out a PowerPoint presentation that covered everything in even more detail than this in-person presentation.
Besides, Nolan knew his job. Protect Helena.
Helena and Quinn joined them and she looked pretty shell-shocked. “How did Veronica put this together in less than twenty-four hours?”
“She’s the most amazing woman in the world. I bow down to her on a regular basis,” Greer answered.
“Think I could hire her away to help me run our companies?” Lamya asked.
“Nope,” Greer answered. “Trust me, I’ve tried. Sebastian has tried. The President of the United States has tried. Veronica won’t entertain a single one of them.”
“Too bad,” Lamya said, sounding like a CEO already. “I think this plan will work. I don’t think I’ve said it before, but thank you all for everything. I’ve never seen anything like this.” Lamya looked over the full café with people talking and plotting and laughing.
“We like to help each other out and right the wrongs of the world. We’re also pretty big on protecting innocent people and taking down people trying to destroy all that is good. It’s a town hobby,” Greer informed her.
“It’s my country’s hobby to try to defend against Garang, so we have something in common.” Lamya looked at her brother and her friends. “Swear you won’t let anything happen to them.”
“I swear. We have some tricks up our sleeves to keep you all safe. What do you know about nanotechnology use in clothing?” Greer asked, putting her arm around Lamya and leading her away.
“Just give me the acid gun of death and I’ll take them all out,” Bella said, hobbling over to them on her crutches. “These are town activities I can get behind. This isn’t your weekly game of bingo or some cherry blossom festival. This might be my favorite place ever.”
“How has therapy been going?” Nolan asked Bella as the café began to clear out.
“Really well. I’ve done a lot of things I’ve never done before.
My upper body is sore, and I didn’t think we’d work it, but we did.
Layne’s on maternity leave now, but she’d left instructions with one of her therapists, and we’ve incorporated fighting, knife skills, shooting, and everything into our PT sessions.
Plus, Ahmed is letting me sit in on his classes with your witnesses.
I’m in awe of how he can teach. Pressure points I never knew about .
. . and did you know he did surgery on himself with a pocket knife? ”
Bella continued talking about her workout as Nolan opened the door and they began their walk up the hill to the bed and breakfast. The snow and ice left behind from the storm melted as soon as the sun came out early that morning and now that it was clear, everyone in town was out and about.
“Did you know they have a rocket launcher at the military training center?” Bella asked them. “That’s where I am going to be stationed since I can do it sitting. I can’t imagine a scenario where I would need to use a rocket launcher but man, do I hope I get to.”
“It sounds as if you’re ready to move here,” Nolan told her as he escorted her around the back to more easily enter the house.
“I would move here right this second if I could. Wouldn’t you, Hel?”
Nolan almost stopped walking as he wanted to know Helena’s response, but he knew deep down what it was. She had to be in New York.
“It’s certainly something to consider. Keeneston is unlike anywhere in the world.” Helena looked at him and smiled. Nolan’s whole world suddenly rocked.
“I’ve got it from here,” Bella told them as Nolan opened the door and she headed back into the kitchen. “Poppy has this hot chocolate to die for. I’m going to make some before bed.”
“You’re going to dream of the acid gun of death, aren’t you?” Helena asked with a giggle.
“You bet your ass I am. Goodnight you two.”
Nolan forced himself not to ask Helena about Keeneston until they were upstairs.
He’d dropped a bag off earlier that day on a lunch break from the feed store.
He didn’t want to miss one moment with Helena.
And since both Lucas and Talon were now staying here to help protect Helena and Bella, he didn’t want to risk having her stay at his apartment.
So he had kind of moved into the bed and breakfast with her.
Talk about waking up warm and happy every morning during the storm. He had no idea love could feel this . . . cozy.