“What about James?” She turned to face me with one raised eyebrow and a small smile.
“Of course I want you around here. I hate that you’re so far away.”
“It’s settled, then. We’ll find someplace here so we can spend more time with our family.”
“Let’s drink to it,” Papi said, grabbing the bourbon and snifter that Izzy must’ve set out for him.
“Just one before we retire and you two get back to relaxing.” Mama smirked.
Whatever Izzy and I were doing before they’d arrived was over. But the plus side was that her mind was no longer dwelling in dark places. My mother wouldn’t allow Izzy any time to worry. My parents being here was the best thing that could’ve happened to us this week.
* * *
“It’s quiet without Flash, ya know?” Bear said, sitting down to our Monday morning meeting to go over the week’s assignment load.
“Don’t be an asshole. He’s not loud,” Morgan told Bear as he straightened the pile of files he had in front of him. “Not like you, at least. If you weren’t here, we’d probably finally enjoy some peace and quiet.”
Bear touched his moustache, running his fingers through the hair that was longer than usual as he stared at Morgan. “You’d miss my beautiful face.”
Morgan rolled his eyes. “Don’t push your luck.”
“Who’s your daddy?” Bear teased, elbowing him in the arm.
I cracked up. Morgan fucking hated when Bear reminded him about their unique relationship. But the one thing I did know was that Morgan respected Bear and had actually grown to love the man. Who couldn’t? He treated Fran like a queen and had turned out to be the best possible match for her.
Kind of like me and Izzy. The strong Gallo women needed someone who was stronger than them to keep them in check, or they’d end up halfway to crazy town. Out of the three ladies—Maria, Izzy, and Fran—I’d say Fran had to be the mouthiest, bossiest woman in the family. And that was saying something, knowing Izzy as well as I did.
Thomas sauntered into the conference room wearing a white dress shirt slightly unbuttoned at the top and a pair of perfectly pressed black dress pants.
“Hot date?” Frisco teased Thomas before he had a chance to sit.
“It’s my anniversary, and I’m taking my girl out to dinner after work today.”
“An expensive dinner,” Angel said from the doorway after she popped her head into the room to say good morning. “I’m only working a half day today, boys, so you’re going to be on your own this afternoon.”
“We got this,” Bear told her with a chin lift and a flirtatious wink.
“Does anyone need anything before I seal you inside?” she asked.
She made it seem so ominous, as if we were being sequestered like the papal conclave at the Vatican when electing a new pope. We were only closing the door so potential clients who arrived early for their appointments didn’t overhear us.
“We’re good, baby. Thanks,” Thomas said before he started to slide folders down the table for each of us to take.
Angel closed the door and headed back to the front of the office to man the phones and keep us organized. It wasn’t an easy task either. Keeping seven of us in check had to be a pain in the ass, but she always had a smile on her face and never hassled us for being the assholes that I knew we were.
“Let’s start with Matías. Where are we with him?” Thomas asked as we flipped through the extra-thick folders filled with assignments and details outlining the current status of the case and any headway that had been made.
Ret spoke first. “I have feelers out to all my community contacts. I expect to hear something today. We should be able to move soon.”
“Let us know as soon as you hear something,” I told him.
“I will, boss.” He smiled.
“Next order of business. What cases are we closing out this week?”
“I have a hell of one that I can finally say is over. Cheating husband and shit got ugly.”
Bear loved those cases. Anything that involved salacious acts, he’d call dibs on before anyone else could claim the cases. I didn’t know if it was the possibility he’d get a sneak peek into their bedroom antics or if it was catching someone red-handed that made him happier. Either way, he was up to his neck in cases like that, which left the best stuff for the rest of us.
