Chapter 11
Eleven
Present Day
Bronwyn hadn’t expected to be escorted into her office by four large and, it was finally dawning on her, very angry men. When they walked over to her office, she’d been surprised to find Gray and Donovan leaning against Gray’s Explorer, which was parked in her space.
They’d smiled and laughed and put on a good show for anyone watching.
They claimed that Gray was dropping off Donovan because the newlywed wanted to spend the evening close to Cassie.
They pretended to be interested in what Bronwyn wanted to do with her office, and since Cassie was in the middle of the dinner rush, Donovan wasn’t in a hurry. They’d just come along to see.
The story worked because it wasn’t unusual for Gray to drop Donovan off at The Haven. But that wasn’t why either of them were here tonight.
Bronwyn had always been sensitive to the emotions of others, and even though she couldn’t explain how she knew, she was certain that none of the anger she was picking up on was directed at her.
No. These men, Mo included, were angry on her behalf.
But they kept up the lighthearted charade as they filed into her office and even after they were inside.
Donovan and Cal chatted about her desk while Mo and Gray walked around the perimeter of the room in a way that might have passed for casual and relaxed if someone had managed to plant surveillance cameras and was watching a live feed.
“Cal,” Mo said in a relaxed voice that set every one of Bronwyn’s nerves on edge, “have you ever made a desk before?”
“No, but I don’t think it would be too difficult.”
“I’ll tell you one thing I’d be sure of.” He pushed her chair away from the desk and knelt in the space behind it. “I’d make the leg space bigger than the standard.”
“Bronwyn’s not a giant, Mo. She doesn’t need extra legroom.” Cal’s voice held a hint of amusement that Bronwyn might have believed had she not been looking at his face.
“Everyone needs extra legroom. And Bronwyn likes to sit cross-legged in her chair. She needs a desk that can accommodate that.” To emphasize his point, Mo sat in her chair, then pulled his legs into the position that, in fact, she did enjoy sitting in. “Look. There’s not enough room for her knees.”
Cal groaned. “Mo, the desk is for Beep. Not you. She can decide what she wants or doesn’t want.”
“Actually, he’s right.” Bronwyn almost laughed at the shocked expressions on every face in the room.
Even Gray turned around to look at her. “What? I do like to sit that way, but I don’t do it because I can’t with this desk setup.
And because it would look very unprofessional.
But in my off hours, I would love to be able to sit cross-legged. ”
Mo didn’t make eye contact with her, but his smile was smug when he stood from the chair.
Bronwyn tried to smile, but she couldn’t.
They’d agreed before they left that they would hold to the plan and keep up the story until Mo and Gray gave the all clear.
She’d kept waiting for them to tell her everything was fine.
But neither had.
Cal glanced at his watch, then pulled his phone from his pocket.
“Sorry. Hang on.” He tapped his screen for a few seconds before turning to her with an apologetic slump of his shoulders.
“I’m so sorry to do this, but Landry isn’t feeling well.
I think she’s tired. She hasn’t been sleeping much.
” He waved a hand around the room. “I’ve seen the space.
Would it be okay if I come back later to take measurements?
I can work up some ideas for you and then we can decide exactly what you want. ”
“Of course.” Bronwyn had to work to swallow, her mouth so dry it felt like her tongue was coated in sandpaper.
Mo hadn’t even glanced in the direction of her computer, and it didn’t look like he planned to.
“Let’s go back to my place so you can take her home.
” She tucked her hand in Cal’s arm. “I’m so glad she has you.
I love how you love her.” Words she didn’t have to fake.
Thank goodness for that, because she’d lost the ability to pretend.
“She’s easy to love.” Cal’s words were soft, his smile real. “She makes every day beautiful.”
Gray and Donovan coughed and pretended to gag. Bronwyn turned on them. “Excuse you? Should I tell your beloveds that you mocked Cal for expressing his devotion to Landry?”
They chortled. Gray recovered first. “I’m all for talking like that to Meredith. But I’m certainly not going to say anything that mushy in front of these yahoos.”
“Exactly.” Donovan gave Gray a fist bump. “Keep the mushy stuff at home. Please.”
Cal shook his head. “Ignore them. I’ve seen and heard them.
Gray is so disgustingly in love with Meredith, I can barely stand to be in the same space with them sometimes.
And Donovan? Why is this man even here right now?
It’s so he can make goo-goo eyes at his wife while she’s cooking for the celebrities, and then he can drive her home.
Because she’ll be so tired.” His voice kicked up an octave as he teased Donovan.
“And he wants to spend every possible moment with her.”
Cal patted her hand. “But that’s okay. Words are great, but actions are even more important. And their actions say everything. Which is good because I’d take both of them down in a heartbeat if they didn’t love my cousins the way they deserve to be loved.”
“Hear, hear,” Mo chimed in.
The four men teased each other until they were back at Bronwyn’s house and safely inside.
That’s when the mood shifted. Mo and Gray checked her living area and seemed satisfied that it was clear, but no one spoke until Meredith and Landry joined them.
“I’ve set Eliza up in the other room with a movie.
” Landry tucked herself against Cal. “She has on headphones. We can talk.”
Mo seemed to be ignoring everyone in favor of sketching something on a notepad he must have found in her kitchen.
“What did you find?” Bronwyn directed her question toward anyone who would answer.
Gray huffed out a breath. “There are three listening devices in your office, Bronwyn. And I think there’s a small camera.”
“There is.” Mo turned the notepad over, revealing a sketch of Bronwyn’s office.
“Here.” He pointed to the bookshelf. “In the lamp here.” He tapped a rough depiction of a small table.
“And here.” He used the end of his pencil to indicate the space under her desk.
“The camera is on the picture of The Haven while it was under construction. It’s tiny.
High end. Probably not on all the time to save battery.
I’m confident we found everything in the office, but there could be other devices throughout The Haven. ”
Bronwyn sank into a chair. “I wasn’t imagining it.”
“Not even a little bit.” Cal knelt beside her. “I’m not okay with this, Beep. You’re out here alone, and someone’s gone to a lot of trouble to spy on you in your office. It makes me wonder if you’re safe anywhere on the property.”
“Agreed.” It was one word, but Gray’s low rumble, combined with the set of his jaw, sent a chill racing through her. The police chief took the safety of everyone in Gossamer Falls seriously.
“You can’t live like this, Bronwyn.” Donovan leaned against the doorjamb, crossed his arms over his chest, and managed to convey menace with every breath.
“No. She can’t.” Mo’s demeanor hadn’t altered, but she’d known him most of her life. She sensed the burning fury that she couldn’t see. Felt the heat of it, even though to anyone else, he looked and sounded cold.
Once upon a time, she’d taken her broken and battered heart and hidden it away.
She convinced herself that needing people was a weakness she could no longer afford.
And for many years, she’d clung to her independence.
She’d pulled herself out of the hole she’d dug, stood on her own two feet, and had proven her worth and value. She’d done it all by herself.
She’d made a name for herself and a lot of money for her family.
She’d helped others.
She’d been generous with her time and resources.
But she’d locked away her heart, and only in the last few years had she allowed that poor, fragile part of herself out. And even then, with boundaries.
And in some cases, with silence.
But her heart was out of its cage, and in this moment, she allowed herself to absorb the protective anger surrounding her. These men weren’t toxic, but they were dangerous to anyone who thought to harm those they loved.
And somehow, that included her.
She looked around the room and for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, she asked for help. “I’m not leaving my home. I’m not leaving The Haven. I’m going to fight for this place, for my future here, and for the future of Gossamer Falls. But I can’t do it alone.”
Was it Mo’s imagination or did Bronwyn look at him a second longer than anyone else as she scanned the room?
Her gaze landed on him again.
Was she going to say something? Her mouth opened.
“We need to focus on keeping you safe. That has to be our top priority.” Gray’s pronouncement cut off any words she might have been about to say.
So close.
“And the second priority needs to be finding out who is behind this and why.” Mo patted his chest. “I’ll start my dive through the computer system as soon as we figure out how to do it without anyone watching.”
“That’s simple enough.” Donovan smirked. “Cassie can come by tomorrow and accidentally-on-purpose knock that picture off the wall. Problem solved.”
“How’s she going to do that?” Cal asked.
“The same way she knocked a picture off the wall in my office last week. She leaned against it and voila.” He made a flashing gesture with his hand. “Broken glass. Shattered frame. No more camera.”
“Is the photo one of a kind?” Landry asked.