Kyle scratched at his chin stubble. “Dinner? Tonight? I didn’t assign you to the dinner detail.”
“I know. She’s not going to dinner with the rest of the group.”
Kyle cleared his throat. “Why is that? Is she avoiding this Jerold guy, or does she want to spend alone-time with you?”
Now Brock was getting angry. “Like I said, I’ll find out tonight. What does it matter if she wants to spend time with me?”
It was Kyle’s turn to look angry. “It matters because you have a job to do and I don’t want you distracted. I’ve seen what can happen when security is wanting to date a client and it ain’t always pretty. Mistakes are made. Judgment is compromised. And technically, Brianna is one of our clients, even if she isn’t personally footing the bill.”
“I promise, that isn’t going to happen here.”
Kyle leaned forward. “Make sure it doesn’t.”
Chapter 7
“Thank you for coming out with me,” Brianna said as they followed the host to their table at the Mexican restaurant.
“Of course.” He pulled a chair out for Brianna and then sat across from her. The place was fairly crowded, so they’d requested a table outside toward the back of the deck overlooking the river. “But I have to say I’m surprised you invited me out. Shouldn’t you be at the pizza place with the others?”
Brianna had hoped Brock wouldn’t ask that. She smiled at their server and took the menu from him even though she knew every item by heart.
“Can I start you out with a couple of drinks?” the server asked Brock. “We make the best Margaritas in town, frozen or on the rocks.”
“That sounds good. On the rocks for me, and…?” He looked at Brianna.
“Frozen, but make mine a virgin,” she said nervously. When she noticed Brock tilt his head slightly, she added, “Gotta keep sharp if I want to do my best at the workshop.”
He nodded. “Smart. So, you avoided my question. Aren’t you supposed to be out with the others?”
What do I expect from a badger? “It’s not mandatory, though encouraged. But I needed a break.”
Brock frowned and set the menu down. “Is Jerold still harassing you?”
“Not like he was this morning or even yesterday, thanks to you.”
What she didn’t say was that Jerold had not stopped, just changed tactics, harassing her subtly. After Brock had put him in his place earlier, Jerold stopped confronting her directly, instead using eye rolls and body language to get across his utter disdain whenever she asked Anthony a question or it was her turn to practice a new technique. It unnerved her and wasted her energy trying to block him out along with the voice in her head that told her she wasn’t good enough, that she was a complete fraud who didn’t belong here. That she should just go back to being the ‘coffee girl’ at Riversong. Help out her uncle and aunt who deserved her loyalty and hard work after practically raising her whenever her parents had ‘hassles’ as they put it.
But being with Brock took away those doubts. All she had to do was remember the look on his face when he watched her play. Even before she sent off the video, she’d always secretly in her heart of hearts known she’d had some talent, but seeing it reflected from someone else gave her the validation she needed. Sure, Anthony, Rachael, and Amber had offered their praise too, but those treacherous voices in her head told her they didn’t mean it.
“You’re deep in your head tonight,” Brock said. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
She took a sip of the water the waiter left. “Nothing. Just enjoying the nice breeze out here and the company.”
“Excuse my language but that is utter bullshit.”
That made her sit up straighter. “Excuse me?”
Brock shook his head. “Look, I know you don’t know me well, and I’m probably overstepping—again—”
“Well, they do call you Badger,” Brianna tried to joke to lighten the mood, but he didn’t laugh.
“—But I’ve found that when people get quiet like that they’re thinking about things that bother them. It’s gotten me in deep trouble before when I’ve let it sit, and the last thing I want is to be in deep trouble with you. So, are you going to tell me what’s going on and why you aren’t with the group? Are you here because you want to be or are you using me to avoid the others?”
Wow. All that before we’ve even ordered. Maybe asking Brock out hadn’t been such a good idea. But, he had a point, and he deserved her honesty.
“Okay, maybe I did ask you to dinner because I’m avoiding the others.” She reached across the table and grabbed his hand. “But there’s no one else I’d rather be with right now. I felt bad today after telling you that the timing was bad.” She grinned, looked around, and lowered her voice. “The truth is that when you were kissing me earlier, I wanted to spend the rest of the day licking you like a Popsicle on a hot day.” She grinned at the red climbing his throat “But it’s more than that. I can’t believe I just met you, and…” She bit her lip. “And you’ve already earned my trust. That just. Doesn’t. Happen.” She shook her head. “Truth is, I was just thinking about how you put me at ease and I’m trying to figure out why that is.”
Brock smiled softly. “That means a lot to me. You can’t imagine.”
