“They’re my teammates and help keep the mountain secure,” he whispered.
“They’re very large,” she said, trembling.
“Why don’t I introduce you?” he said, his arm curled around her side, making her feel secure with his body.
Tess walked into Taco’s outstretched arms, and the others approached their spouses, making them seem less scary as the men’s expressions changed upon seeing their wives.
Whiskey entered the kitchen and smiled at her as he kissed Samantha. “Sorry, I’m late,” Whiskey said, sounding harassed. “I called the sock company and they said you agreed to a six-month auto delivery. What will we do with thirty thousand socks?”
Leo groaned as he wiped his hand over his face. “I’ll take care of it later. Did you interview anyone today for the position?”
“There’s no one interested, Boss. Not even the veterans want to deal with ‘sock gate,’” Whiskey explained.
“Welcome to the chaos, Hannah. Ty has graciously brought us lunch. Since you’re our guest of honor, why don’t you and Cole go first? I’m sorry, Kit Kat, I have to try to deal with this situation,” he said tiredly.
Catherine put her arm around him. “Why don’t I fix you a plate, and I’ll join you in your office?”
“I can’t think of anything better,” Leo said, kissing her forehead.
Hannah watched the gentle gesture from the giant of a man, determining Leo seemed safe.
Cole handed Hannah a plate. “When’s the last time you got to pick out your own food?”
She paused. “I haven’t done it in over two years.”
Cole grinned. “Let’s rectify that, shall we?” They went down the mini buffet line, and Cole saw her hesitation. “You can have as much or as little as you like. Then, we’ll sit in the corner where you can see everyone,” he said softly. “If you’re unsure, try it.”
She nodded and picked up a serving spoon, dipping it into the mac and cheese. “Did you tell them to make this?”
“I might’ve hinted,” he said, placing a significant portion of salad on his plate. “If you mix the grilled chicken with the pasta, it’s outstanding.”
She took the tongs and picked two pieces of meat, mulling over his suggestion. She added a small salad and bypassed the bread.
“Do you want a roll?” he asked.
She shook her head and visibly shuddered. “No. I don’t like it.”
Sensing she held something back, he didn’t push as they sat at the table. Taco brought over three pitchers of water, two iced teas and Saint set an assortment of sodas on the table.
The women all sat down beside their spouses, except for Catherine, who took two plates down the hallway.
“What’s wrong with your boss?” she whispered.
“He accidentally ordered a crapload of socks. They’ve sent two shipments and we have them everywhere. As you heard, he signed up for an auto-shipment. Whiskey’s overloaded with hiring the new guys and setting up another team in Texas. It’s turned into a thorn in his butt,” Cole explained. “How do you feel? I thought Scarlett planned a meeting with us. I didn’t realize she planned to ambush you.”
“They surprised me. Scarlett told me about what these women went through and they survived. I did, too,” she said, watching the group.
“Anytime you feel overwhelmed, I want you to call me,” Cole said as he signaled Brody to lie down between him and Hannah.
Hannah’s gaze fell on the man beside Victoria. “Is he the Russian?”
“Yes, he’s Victoria’s husband, Ivan. He’s pretty cool,” Cole said, mixing his chicken with the mac and cheese.
“Victoria said she kicked you in…” She blushed and mimicked his actions, stirring the meat and pasta together.
Cole smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, she did. All of these women, including Sparky, have learned self-defense. You might want to think about it. It’ll make you feel more in control of your surroundings.”
“Hannah,” Samantha spoke up. “When you feel up to it, you can come down to the spa, or I can bring my bag to the hospital, and I can trim your hair. Kassie mentioned it to me and we never got any further with it.”
