Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
The rest of the meeting is more lax. Ford talks about Ollie’s last soccer game. I wait for a lull in the conversation before I butt in. “What’s the deal with Elle?”
They all turn to me, surprised. I look them each in the eye and stop on Lucas. “Your assistant. What’s her deal?”
He looks confused. I turn to Austin. “You saw her, Austin. She looked as if I was …” I cut off because what do I even say? She looked at me as if I’m a bad man that was going to do bad things.
“If you’re thinking about hitting that—”
I cut Austin off with a sneer. “Shut your mouth, Austin.”
He rears back, surprised, and Lucas cuts in. “She was hired just a few weeks ago. We don’t know a lot about her, but she does her job really well.”
“And?” I ask.
“And… we think she’s on the run. No one has been able to get her story. Not even Lilian. But—”
I tap my fingers on the table. “I want everything in her file.”
My brothers all look at each other. I know I’ve surprised them with my request, but they know me. Even though I’ve been away for most of the last twenty years, they know me. I’m not going to let this go. I wait for them to challenge me, but none of them do.
Chapter 4
Elle
I’m still trying to figure out how to apologize to Hudson when a delivery man walks in the door. “I have a delivery for Hudson Blaze.”
Lilian is down at the break room. Normally I sign for anything, but this is the first time something has been delivered to Hudson. I take the clipboard and am about to sign my name when the delivery man keeps talking. “It’s an 80K fully loaded Trail Boss.”
“A what boss?”
“Trail Boss. Chevy Silverado.”
“Did you say 80,000? Like in dollars?”
He nods. “I’m guessing. Maybe more, but with the custom wheels, I’m assuming it’s 80 minimum.”
I push the clipboard back into his hands without signing. “Right. So how about I go get Hudson and let him sign this.”
I walk down the hallway to the conference room. I take a breath, pull back my shoulders, knock, and push open the door. “Hey, I’m sorry to interrupt, but there is a delivery for Hudson.” My voice softens when I say his name, and I avoid his eyes. I don’t know what it is about him, and I don’t want to think about it.
Austin stands up, clapping his hands together excitedly. “It’s the truck. Let’s go look at it.”
I sneak a glance at Hudson, and his eyes are glued to me. I keep my hands fisted at my sides because if I don’t, I’m going to wave them in front of my face. It feels as if the temperature has gone up at least ten degrees.
They all stand, and I back out of the room. I make my way down the hallway and stand next to the delivery guy. Hudson looks between him and me, and I hold my breath as he signs the paper. I have plenty of work to do, so I back away and sit down. Everyone is heading out the door when Hudson stops. “You’re scared of me.”
He’s not asking me. It’s obvious that I’m tense around him, so he’s just stating the obvious. He nods his head toward the door. “But not that guy. Why?”
He’s referring to the delivery guy. The man is as short as me and not intimidating at all. I hold my hands together in front of myself. “I was nervous around Lucas, Ford, and Austin when I started here too. I think it’s the size difference that bothers me. I’m sorry… for how I acted earlier.”
He shrugs it off. “You can’t help it.”
I’m surprised by how perceptive he is. “No, I can’t. But I’m working on it.”
I wait for him to go, but he doesn’t budge. His voice is gruff. “Why? What happened to you?”
All the weeks I’ve been here, no one has asked me that. Not point blank. “Shouldn’t you go get your truck?”
I know I’m being rude. I mean, this is his company, and I’m practically pushing him out the door.
“I’m more interested in staying in here and talking to you.”
My mouth falls open. Is he flirting with me? Before I can stop myself, I say the first thing that comes to my mind. “Why?”
He takes a step toward my desk but stops suddenly. “Why do I want to stay in here talking to you?”
I nod with just a small movement of my head.
He puts his hands on his hips, and a small smile forms on his lips. “Because you interest me.”
My face heats, and I point at myself. “Me? I interest you?”
His eyes darken, and he leans toward me. “Yeah. Yeah, you definitely interest me.”