Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 107352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Jared Colter was a fearsome man. He was scary, no two ways about it. But he also possessed a kind, gentle heart, and so he took a seat on the bench close to us and smiled at the little girl.
“Sweetheart, I have no intention of taking Nash away. I’m just here to offer him a different job and give him his new phone.”
She perked up. “Really?”
“Cross my heart,” he promised.
Her sigh was long.
“And Owen brought doughnuts.”
“You did?” She was very excited.
“We flew into Seattle, so we stopped on the way.”
Owen put his laptop bag down on the table and took the other one, the important one, the one with deep-fried goodness, to the kitchen.
Viola was stunned to find visitors as she returned with Griff’s ibuprofen for me. As most people, she was charmed by Owen but in awe of Jared. It was the height and the muscles, how solid his stare was, the laugh lines, and the deep rumble of his voice. No one was impervious to the lure of Jared Colter. Even John, emerging minutes later, seemed more than a bit overwhelmed in my boss’s presence.
I was given a fancy new cell with all the bells and whistles, in a case I was certain was drop-proof, shockproof, and waterproof. My previous phone had a case I’d picked out, so apparently, that was no longer my choice. It was also loaded with everything my old one had, plus whatever improvements Owen had seen fit to install.
“What job?” I asked Jared.
“Chief Higheagle called for a reference on you,” he said, picking up the ibuprofen and moving it out of my reach. The man was not big on drugs. There was always some natural remedy he preferred. “She has a job proposal. She thinks you’re strong, steady, a problem solver, and that you have a very calming effect on people.”
I scoffed.
“Knock it off. You know it’s true. After Darius, you’re the steadiest person I know.”
I held his gaze.
“I don’t want to lose you, so I’ll make you the same offer I made Croy. I want you to remain on my payroll, and if I need you away from Eena, you’ll go, like he does, at the most overnight. In the meantime, while he excels at finding lost people and unraveling mysteries, you’re better at the interpersonal piece. So arbitration here in Eena, and on call when I need you for backup.”
I turned on the bench to face him. “Why?”
“You’ve been with me the longest. I count on you. You’re my sounding board, same as Dante and Darius. You have to hold on to your friends, and so I am. I’m not letting you go.”
“You’ve let many fixers go.”
“You’re not just a fixer, and you know that.”
“We’ll still be friends even if I’m not with Torus.”
“Yes, but this way you can’t say no when I need your particular skill set.”
I shook my head.
“It’s done. She’s making you the offer on Monday. Don’t annoy her or me.”
“Heaven forbid.”
“Get up,” he muttered.
“I’m broken, and you took my drugs.”
“All you need is fuel.”
He meant food. “I’m too old to fight younger men in the street in the rain.”
“You can have one, but that’s it, and you still have to eat first.”
I grunted. “You don’t want me taking drugs because you don’t want to be reminded that you’re old when you have a hot young husband.”
“You will soon have a younger husband as well. Maybe you need to stretch more.”
“Go to hell.”
He laughed as I got up and swung my leg over the bench.
When I turned to him, he grabbed me. Tight, hard clench, and I could feel the shudder run through him. “Shaw is there,” I said, “so is Cooper, you’ve got great new people, and best of all, my buddy Rais. You’re good.”
He held on.
“And, you know, there’s that Owen guy too.”
“I’m simply happy for you, so don’t be a dick.” I chuckled, and he eased back. “I’ll miss you. You’ve been the anchor.”
“Change is good, Jared,” I promised him, then kissed his cheek. “And you’ll always be my friend. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
“Nothing’s ever easy with you,” he murmured, giving me a last pat before letting me go.
When I glanced toward the kitchen, Owen was standing there with swimming eyes.
“Look what you did,” I grumbled at Jared, quickly wiping under both eyes.
“Stop that,” Jared ordered Owen, who just smiled at him.
He groaned like he was dying.
“Mr. Colter?” Luke came into the room, hand out. “Thank you so much for sending Nash to me—I mean, us, sir. I can’t thank you enough,” he said as Jared took his hand.
“Well, the thanks goes to your brother-in-law. Perhaps you might reach out to him. It seems to me your kids have an uncle worth knowing.”
Luke nodded. “I certainly will.”
Owen walked over then, having met Luke’s parents, and took a seat at the table, powering up his scary laptop, not at all something normal-looking, more like a box that should contain deadly serums or some kind of new-age tactical weapon.