For as long as he had known Xander, he had never seen him in a gathering like this, cultivating the idea that he didn’t like people. That was true, Xander wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and Logan figured there weren’t a lot of people his boss could gel with. For a huge corporation, they kept their teams small, and Xander vetted everyone who worked for Axis Management up the wazoo but watching his paler than normal expression, Logan wondered if something else was up with his friend. The look on his face was one Logan recognized. Novice climbers were usually sure they could make it up the hill, but at the halfway mark their faces got all ashen and they froze, suspended between going up and going down. That’s exactly the expression Xander wore right now.
“So this should be fun,” Logan sat back in his chair, drumming on the table with his palms, Xander glanced over at him.
“You couldn’t get out of this one either?” Xander asked.
Logan spread his hands wide, recognizing that his boss had noticed how he was observing him. Xander did not miss a single thing.
“Ed insisted,” Logan said, standing up as he saw the Jensons approaching their table.
“Logan! Good to see you, you should come out with me on the golf course.”
“My golf game isn’t up to snuff,” Logan said, returning the man’s handshake.
“Please go with him and let him beat you. It would be good for his ego,” said Mrs. Jenson.
“I’ll consider it,” Logan said.
“Mr. Montague, I saw how much money you donated. The Firefighters’ Association is very grateful.”
Xander merely grunted at her.
Logan put a hand on Mrs. Jenson’s arm. “I think they are going to start the speeches now. We can catch up after dinner.”
“I’ll have you booking a time with me by the end of the evening,” Mr. Jenson said.
“I’m sure you will,” Logan said.
The owner of the largest shipping company on the West coast went back to his table with his wife.
“Are you really going to golf with that fucker?” Xander asked.
“They aren’t that bad,” Logan said.
“A captain of one of his barges fell asleep on the job,” Xander said.
And that kind of behaviour wouldn’t be acceptable to Xander.
“Okay, he’s awful,” Logan said.
Harper laughed, her face relaxing and her green eyes twinkling. Xander’s lips turned up slightly.
On the stage, a white-haired man in a suit tapped the mic. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for coming…”
As his speech droned on, Logan watched Harper take out her phone and furiously text. He couldn’t wait to get her on the dance floor. Over the last couple of months, they had gone out for two breakfasts and three lunches, and one time, Logan had brought her to Club Bandit, the BDSM Club he was a founding member of, for one of the intensive rope seminars he gave to its members. He had hoped to have her in rope by the end of that night, but work called her away.
“We would especially like to thank our top donor, Axis Management, for their generous donation of ten thousand dollars. Mr. Montague, please come up and say a few words.”
Xander got that frozen look on his face again and remained in his chair. Harper patted his arm. A few people in the room coughed and stared.
Logan jumped out of his seat, striding up the two steps to the stage. He smiled at the director and stood behind the podium.
“Before we hear from Mr. Montague, I have an announcement,” he said.
“Thank you for letting me interrupt, and folks, I’ll be short. I know we are eager to eat the wonderful food they are about to serve us.” The crowd laughed. “The dedication of firefighters is unlike anything else. I would like to announce that SolCan is going to donate one hundred thousand dollars.”
There was applause at this, and Logan continued talking about how they all had to support the services and called on his fellow business leaders to match the donation. When he saw the servers wheel out trays, he stopped. “Now it’s time to eat! Thank you all and have a good night.” As he made his way back to his table, he shook hands here and there.
“Is Ed Greyson going to be okay with that?” Xander asked quietly as Logan took his seat again. Xander was the only one who knew who Ed was and why he was here. It was the hard part about being on Team Stealth, which they unofficially renamed Bandit Brothers as a tribute to his buddy Jordan. Xander and Ares knew everything about each of the guys on the team.
