“What happened last night? Between you and Tayla?”
Oh, good grief. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lied. If Knox really wanted to know something, he was going to have to press harder than that.
“I assumed after I went to bed that you two just said ‘goodnight’ and that was that. But this morning in the kitchen, there was some intense electricity between you two.”
Jason gave him what he thought looked like a you’re-crazy-so-shut-up glare. But apparently he didn’t school his expression enough. Because Knox started laughing.
“Oh, man! Wow. I was just messing with you. But obviously, something really did . . . oh wait, did you kiss her?”
The elevator doors opened. Mercifully. And the hallway was empty.Thank you, God.
Jason stepped out of the elevator. But Knox grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from walking down the hall to their suite.
“Hey, not so fast. I need answers,” Knox said, sounding downright giddy. He studied Jason’s face, which still wasn’t cooperating. Knox laughed again, then lowered his voice. “Youdid. Youkissedher. Oh, man. This is fantastic. Really. I mean, Leland will probably leave you in a shallow grave somewhere if you break her heart, but I’m happy for you. She’s great.”
“We’re not engaged, you idiot. I don’t know what I’m doing. We haven’t talked about it. Yes, I like her. But that doesn’t mean this makes any sense.” He started down the hallway.
Knox kept in step at his side. “I get it, I get it. But, hey, I’m going to say something I haven’t mentioned in a while, then I’ll drop the subject. Well, I’ll drop it for now.”
“What?”
“Leah wouldn’t have wanted for you to be alone forever. She’d want you to be happy. Some people are very happy staying single, and that’s great for them, but I think you’d like to find someone again. Maybe you have. Maybe—”
Jason stopped walking and silenced Knox with a hand on his shoulder. “You’re rushing things. I appreciate what you’re saying, but let’s just . . . just drop it for now.”
“Okay, I hear you.”
They resumed their trek through The Mandeville’s maze of hallways to their rooms.
“So,” Knox said, “just to be clear, you’renotgoing to tell me about the kiss?”
Jason didn’t slow his pace. And his low growl silenced Knox’s questions.
A series of knocks drew Leland to the suite door. Tayla stayed in the living room, but she heard him unbolt the lock. “The party paid off,” was her uncle’s only greeting to Jason and Knox.
“Good morning to you too, Leland,” Knox said.
Tayla was sure the micro-smile on Jason’s face was solely for her. But before it had the two seconds it needed to make her breath hitch, Leland slapped a notepad against Jason’s chest and said, “Read that.”
Jason took the notepad and looked at the first page.
“That’s a list of the people we tagged last night who were discussing a new job opportunity,” Leland said.
“Jobopportunity?”
“Yes.” Leland pointed at Rowan. “The kid has several conversations recorded from last night. Someone is recruiting muscle for something scheduled to take place tonight.”
Jason looked at Rowan with his brows raised.
Rowan crossed his arms over his chest. “Tell him not to call me ‘kid.’”
Fixing a patient stare at the young IT genius—who was sporting a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt—Jason decided not to address his complaint. “Show me what you found.”
Rowan sighed and returned his hands to his keyboard. “I’ve been listening to what our devices recorded last night. Most of the devices are still active, but since they were stuck to the clothes the targets were wearing last night, I’m not hearing much today.”
He clicked the keys for a second, then pushed back from the table to allow Jason to see his screen. “Here are some interesting transcripts from the recordings. Word passed around last night that anyone who could lift at least fifty pounds, owned their own gun, and wanted to make a few hundred dollars in one evening should report to Rock Point Pier at nine tonight.”
Tayla watched Jason work his jaw, skimming the transcripts with interest. She was curious about this development. She was also interested in what Frederick said at their brunch meeting this morning. But she couldn’t look at Jason without thinking about that kiss last night. And wondering what it meant, if anything. His strong arms around her . . . felt so right, but she needed to be careful.
