A Ford Bronco straight from the nineties pulls up. The thing appears in good shape, actually, even if it sounds like the engine has been swapped with something more powerful than anyone needs.
There are flames down the side, though.
Also, a roof rack with a massive light bar.
The truck screeches to a halt in front of the house, knocking over one of the garbage bins.
“Oh god,” Jordan mutters, and I try not to laugh. “Tate, I think this was a mistake.”
“Let’s give him a chance.” At the worry and panic in her eyes, I give her a reassuring smile. “I don’t expect perfection, Jordan. If he’s not the right guy, we go home and try again tomorrow.”
I don’t think she’s wrong, though. I’ve got that feeling again.
She gives me a strange look. “You’re in a good mood today.”
Am I? “No more than normal.”
“You’rewhistling.” She says it like I’m stealing a car or something, horrified and aghast.
I chuckle. I like scandalizing her like this.
“I had a good sleep,” I admit without thinking, and our eyes meet. Her expression is startled, like this is a completely inappropriate thing for her boss to say.
Which it is.
I’m holding her eyes, so pretty in the daylight, scrambling for something to say, when the door of the Bronco swings open andworn work boots hit the ground. A big, shiny belt buckle. A young guy with unruly dark blond hair, a mustache, an open Hawaiian shirt, and a Stetson cowboy hat slams the door closed. Under his shirt, he’s bare-chested.
As he makes his way to us, Carey Colworth whistles, long and low, shaking his head, glancing between me and Jordan. “There is a very strong sexual energy out here.”
Jordan gives me a horrified look that makes it hard not to laugh.
Colworth shakes his head. “Must be my belt buckle. Turns everyone on.”
“Even if he’s not our guy,” I say near her ear, “at least it’ll be interesting.”
CHAPTER 48
JORDAN
“So,I’m guessing there’s no actual internal development in this meeting,” I say later that week at lunch as Georgia steals the wasabi from my plate.
“Thisisthe internal development.” Hazel nudges her chin at the plate in front of me. “Are you going for that last piece of avocado roll or can I have it?”
“It’s yours.” I hand her the plate. “Why did Tate say this meeting was mandatory?”
Tate, who turned out to be just as warm as I thought he’d be when I woke up tucked against his firm chest.
“So he’s Tate now,” Darcy murmurs. Her eyes sparkle but she keeps her gaze on her plate, avoiding mine.
“I’ve noticed that, too,” Pippa says with a smile.
Tate, who told me I did a great job after we met with Colworth and signed him to the team.
“Excuse me.” I raise my eyebrows at Pippa while my face goes warm. “Why are you in this meeting? You don’t even work with the team anymore.”
She takes a sip of her miso soup, unfazed by me. “I still want the office gossip.”
“We do this every few weeks,” Hazel says. “We were waiting until you had some free time over lunch to do the next one.”
