Page 10 of Grant’s Heat

“Here you go. It’s hot. Be careful.”

“Thank you. And thank you for last night. You can call me anytime, Grant. Even if you’re a total jerk when waking a girl up.” She smiled while taking a sip from the cardboard cup.

The car service app signaled that my ride was nearing the house. “Let’s go. My ride’s here.”

I set the alarm, and we went out the front door. “Take care of yourself.” I gave Cybil a quick side hug, despite sensing she craved more. As I stepped toward the car, I hoped karma didn’t strike me on the spot for my behavior this morning. Because even I knew I was acting like an asshole.

By the time I walked into Sebastian’s office, it was just after seven o’clock. His assistant wasn’t at his desk, and the interior door to his office stood wide open, so I didn’t bother knocking.

“Good morning, sunshine.”

“You’re late,” my best friend grumbled from behind his bank of computer monitors.

“By whose standards? Most people don’t start work at six, my friend. That’s only you.” I made my way to his coffee bar. “You want a cup?”

“I told you to be here by six thirty. And no thank you. I’m on my third cup already, and my heart feels like it’s going to explode.”

“I was dead asleep when you texted me, man. I got here as quickly as I could. And I was in Naples, not downtown, so chill out.” When my coffee finished brewing, I went and sat in my usual spot on his black leather sofa. Eventually he would come over to join me. He always did.

My best friend had a lot going on in his life at the moment. “A lot” barely scratched the surface in his case. He had a baby on the way. A fiancée who hadn’t had an easy time with the pregnancy. Issues with various nations’ governments and maritime pirates along Shark Enterprise’s international shipping lanes. And now the issues with the crews at the construction site for the Edge, the building that had been his dream for at least a decade.

On top of that, the man was the definition of a control freak. He always had been, even when we were kids. I’d never faulted him for the behavior. We’d both dealt with our physical and emotional scars in our own ways, and Sebastian coped by trying to control everyone around him.

“Well, first shit storms first,” I said as Bas took the seat across from me. “I think I’ve already come up with a solution for the foreman issue.”

“Yeah?” He folded one leg over the other. “Let’s hear it.”

“Your brother-in-law to be. Sean Gibson.”

“What about him?” Sebastian narrowed his gaze. “I’m pretty sure the man already has a job. As a site foreman, if I’m not mistaken?”

“Yeah, but Rio has said on more than one occasion that he isn’t happy there. The project is much smaller than the Edge, but with some proper training, I think he’d fit right in. We could move Mahoney into the vacant night position and start Gibson on the day shift. I’m positive he could adequately fill the position.”

Bas rubbed a finger across his upper lip. I couldn’t read his thoughtful mien one way or another. He didn’t look completely thrilled about the suggestion, but he also hadn’t shot the idea down, so I laid out the most obvious reason the man would be our right choice.

“He’s your woman’s brother, for Christ’s sake. And essentially, he’s qualified. You’d score major points with Abbigail by giving Sean the job.”

At first, Bas still said nothing. After a long moment, he finally commented, “That is the most concerning thing I’ve heard you say in a long time, my friend.”

“What?” I countered while he shook his head in obvious dismay. My face ached already from twisting with such unnatural confusion. “What do you mean?” I couldn’t help but be affronted. “This is a great idea. What’s your issue here?”

“My issue?” Bas volleyed. “Is how little attention you pay to the people around you. You want to know the only trait more prominent about the mother of my child than her stubbornness? Her pride. The version of the stuff comes from generations of Irish honor and dignity. Generations that include Sean Gibson. I’m not so certain the man would accept a job handout from his little sister’s baby daddy for that reason alone.”

“Well, according to his wife, he’d be more than qualified for the job. And they definitely need the money. So if you’re telling me that some sort of ancient pigheadedness would get in the way of getting ahead financially and giving his wife what she wants most, the man’s a bigger idiot than I thought.”

“Why would you know that?”

“Know what?”

“All of it,” he clarified. “His qualifications. Their financial situation.” He shot up one brow. “Her fondest desires.”

“Because…” As soon as I stabbed my stare out the window, I knew it was the wrong damn move. Fuck it. Too late now. “We still talk. She tells me stuff.” I shrugged. Another crap move.

“What?”

“I’ve explained this to you before,” I defended, louder this time. “She’s lonely. We’ve become friends. I’m her friend, Bas.”

“Hmmm.”