“I didn’t hate him.” He didn’t like him, but she didn’t need to hear it. “He wasn’t right for you is all.”
“When are you coming back?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, where are you?”
“I’m not sure how long I’ll be out of town.”
“Are you on a secret mission or something?”
He smiled at that. “I’m not a SEAL anymore, remember?” Though he supposed he was on a secret mission. Just not the kind he was used to.
“But your company is so secretive. You’re always saying you can’t give details. It’s annoying.”
“We provide security to high profile businesses and individuals. We need to be.”
“Whatever.” Iris cleared her throat. “Since you’re not home do you mind if I stay here? I don’t want to give her the satisfaction.”
Byher,he knew his sister meant their mother. She was a hard-ass, but then she’d needed to be, raising four kids on her own. Still, she seemed to be harder on his little sister than she’d been with the boys.
“You can stay as long as Mom knows where you are.”
“But then I’d have to tell her that you’re not here.”
Fuck.She was good.
“Do you want me to do that? Have a chat with our mother?”
“Just water the plants,” he said gruffly. “We’ll talk soon.”
“Everything okay?” Hal asked when he sat down.
“All good.”
Gus tucked into his plate and did his best to ignore the couple beside him. The young woman and her sugar daddy were doing shots, and her loud, high-pitched voice was something else. He was about to tell them to tone it down, but thankfully, the woman teetered by on heels that were at least two inches too high for her state of mind and headed inside.
He finished his plate in relative peace and was about to ask for his bill when Rolex man leaned over.
“That’s some tattoo you got.”
Gus gave a nod but said nothing. He glanced up at Hal, who was already reaching for the bill pad.
“What is it? Like a frog or something?”
He ignored Rolex man and grabbed the bill from Hal before withdrawing cash from his wallet. Gus handed it over to Hal, but with half a mug of draft to finish, he kept to his seat, well aware that the dickhead two stools down was still looking his way. He wasn’t in the mood and grit his teeth when Rolex man leaned forward once more.
“You military? On leave or something?” The question came out slurred, and God help him, but Gus wanted to smash the man’s nose into tomorrow. He knew the idiot was too drunk to know how close he was to having his ass handed to him, so he finally looked his way.
“Yeah, I served.”
He was saved from any more conversation when a woman slowly approached the bar and stopped a few feet from Rolexman. It was the woman he’d given a ride to the day before. The ball cap was gone, and her hair, the color of a fall sunset, fell over her shoulders in waves. She wore a loose dress that went a long way in hiding her shape, and despite the heat, wore a sweater. On her feet were a pair of flip-flops, which showed that she’d recently had a pedicure. They weren’t painted neon pink or sparkly blue but were done in a classic nude. Her eyes were hidden behind black sunglasses, and he noted a sheen of sweat across her forehead. Her lips were pale, and her cheeks had no color. She didn’t look good, and he frowned.
She glanced his way, and he found himself wishing she’d take off her sunglasses. She gave a half wave before turning to Hal. “Excuse me, are you the owner?” Her voice was husky.
“The one and only. What can I get you?”
She cast a furtive look toward Gus and then cleared her throat. “Tully told me to swing by. She said she called ahead and talked to someone named Samantha about a job.”
