“No buts, Lucky. Rett and I both have concealed carry permits, and are pretty good with a gun and our fists. Besides, have you seen her? Who in their right mind would make a move on me with her around?”
No argument there, nor could he win an argument when a Lucklighter made up their stubborn mind. “Okay, but you be careful. Call me if you see anything suspicious.”
“Yes, Mother.” She rolled her eyes again, fit to give Ty a run for his money.
When she walked away, he dug into the closet for his Oreo stash. Aha! One unopened pack, one half empty. He left the full package on the kitchen counter as a peace offering, and took the other with him.
He’d need a junk food binge today.
Lucky got to work a little early, hoping to avoid any questions, but only managed to get two feet from the elevator before Lisa jumped out from behind the reception desk. “Lucky… I mean… Mr. Harrison. How’s Charlotte? Is she okay? I just heard about what happened. I’d have come over this weekend if I’d known.”
“She’s a Lucklighter. They’re tougher’n a pine knot.” He tried to step around the petite blonde, but she cut him off.
“Tell her I’m thinking about her and if there’s anything I can do…”
He tamped down his irritation. Lisa was good people, and her concern genuine. No fair taking his bad attitude out on her. “I’ll tell her.” Inspiration struck. “She loves the banana pudding you make. You know, like you brought to the last cookout.”
Lisa’s face lit up. “Then I’ll make one and take it over.” She nearly bounced back behind the desk.
Bo stepped up behind him. “Funny, I’ve never heard Charlotte mention Lisa’s banana pudding. You, on the other hand…”
Lucky grabbed Bo’s arm and pulled him down the hallway before he cost Lucky a treat. “Banana pudding makes me happy. Charlotte wants me to be happy, so that means she likes Lisa’s banana pudding.” Besides, Charlotte seemed equal opportunity when it came to sweets these days.
Bo closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “I can’t even begin to understand your logic. You can justify anything, can’t you?”
Just about. Not that Lucky would say so out loud. “It seems folks here heard about Friday.”
Bo snapped into professional mode. Speaking of… The man looked good in the navy-blue suit, even if the color matched the official SNB polo shirt. “Yes. Though we’ve managed to keep the media away. We can’t blow an ongoing investigation. But you know how people talk, and they’ve all worried at one time or another about someone coming after their families. Throwing drug dealers in jail tends to make us unpopular. Damn it all to hell!”
“We were lucky.” Lucky couldn’t trust his family to luck. And he’d overlook their agreement to try to cut back on swearing. Sometimes, “asshole” and “damn it all to hell” were the only right choices to get the message across.
Bo nodded, a muscle twitching in his jaw. “Yeah. I’ll admit, it sure scared the hell out of me. It could have gone so wrong, if those two bastards had been professionals, and if Charlotte hadn’t been capable of taking care of herself.”
Taking care of herself.Could she? Really?
The snakes wriggling through Lucky’s guts every time he thought of what could have happened gave a twist. Was it too early to call and check on her?
“C’mon.” Bo caught Lucky’s arm. “Drop your computer off at your desk. Walter wants to see us.”
Not comforting words this early in the morning. “Be right there.” He dropped his computer bag on his chair—not enough free space on the desk—and rejoined Bo in the hallway.
They strolled side by side to Walter’s office, Bo in his suit and tie, Lucky in jeans and a t-shirt. Just looking at Bo’s dress shoes hurt Lucky’s feet. Ow. He’d take his worn boots any day.
Bo knocked and waited for Walter’s, “Enter,” to open the door. Why? Bo shared the office.
Oh. He had reasons. Jameson O’Donoghue rose from the chair in front of Walter’s desk. As long as the fuckwad stayed on this side of the desk, Lucky would tolerate him. Somewhat. Just the same, his ass better never sit in Walter’s chair again.
“Jameson,” Bo said in passing.
Lucky didn’t acknowledge O’Donoghue, and O’Donoghue returned the favor. Lucky stared down at the seat ofhischair. How dare the dickhead leave his butt print in Lucky’s chair! He eased down. Ugh. Still warm.
Walter took a sip of coffee and placed his cup on the desk. “How is Charlotte?”
Lucky shrugged. “I think she’s shook up, but you’d never know it to look at her.” Yeah, she got the bravado honestly. A true Lucklighter.
Walter locked eyes with Bo and then Lucky. “Yes, she is a tough, independent woman. Even so, I have an agent watching your house.”
“Oh, Charlotte’s not going to like that,” Bo said.
