The Finder (Wolves of the Northwoods Book 1)

by A J Manney

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said.

  Madison crossed her arms, unrelenting in her glare. He just chuckled and pulled her into his arms, kissing her and talking quietly to her. Emma smiled and looked away. Once Madison had some coffee in her, she was much better. Emma took that as a sign they could get started.

  The front door opened and Emma looked up in surprise. Garrett came in and closed the door behind him. The guys called out greetings to him. “You’re just in time,” Liam said. “Emma made breakfast, and it’s amazing.” He took another bite of cinnamon roll and groaned. “You need to marry me, woman,” he said. Garrett smacked the back of his head, and Liam started choking. Kyle laughed loudly.

  Emma was still in the kitchen when Garrett came into the kitchen. She looked up and froze. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a short-sleeved black t-shirt. His hair was still damp. She had never seen him in anything but a suit before, and while he rocked a suit, there was something about the outfit he was wearing that screamed all man to her. She knew he had muscles, but the shirt showcased them perfectly. She couldn’t get over all those muscles.

  He came and stood behind her, not touching her but close. He bent down, towards her shoulder. “Smells amazing,” he said in a low voice. Emma didn’t move. His masculine scent and whatever cologne he wore wafted over her and she had to grab the counter to keep from swaying. She was sure he was talking about the food, right? Only when he moved away from her could she breathe again. She looked up and saw Madison smiling at her. She looked down and focused on filling a plate of food. She turned around and handed it to Garrett. “Thanks,” he said.

  Emma filled the last plate and took it out to the table. Once she passed it off to Levi, she walked back into the kitchen. Garrett was still standing there. Emma began filling a plate for herself. When she was done, he took it from her and walked out to the table. She decided to grab him a cup of coffee since he had her plate. She poured a mug for him and carried it out to the table.

  When she got to the table, Garrett pulled out her chair for her. She settled into her chair and leaned across Garrett to put his coffee in front of him. “Thanks,” he rumbled in her ear. Emma sat back and tried to act normal. She picked up her fork and tried eating. She took a few small bites, listening to the conversation around her. She laughed at Liam’s antics and eventually got lost in the conversation. She finally relaxed enough to be able to eat.

  Once they finished, Emma and Madison worked on dishes. The guys all thanked her for the meal and left together, except for Wyatt. Garrett told him to stay. He wandered off somewhere in the house.

  “What do they do for work?” Emma asked, curious once they had all cleared out.

  “Garrett runs a brokerage firm in town. The guys all work for him,” Madison said.

  “Huh,” Emma said. She hadn’t really pictured the guys in stuffy offices all week, but what did she know.

  “Garrett owns most of the town. So, he spends a lot of his time checking up on businesses and seeing what he can do to make things better for the owner and for the town.”

  "Hmm,” Emma said. That seemed more like something she could picture him doing.

  “He also owns a lot of property, so he spends a lot of time making sure...things run smoothly,” Madison said after a pause.

  Emma looked at her. That sounded kind of odd, but what did she know. The girls finished cleaning the kitchen and putting everything away. Emma was faced with time on her hands, something she didn’t get a lot of.

  “So, what do you want to do for the day?” Madison asked.

  “I don’t know. I just have to be ready to go out at seven tonight. The rest of the day, I’m free,” Emma said.

  “You going out with Kevin again?” Madison asked, not acting too pleased.

  “What’s wrong with Kevin?” Emma asked, curious.

  Madison shrugged. “He’s just not for you,” she said.

  “Well, I’m not sure what that means but I’m not going out with him tonight. I’m going out with Garrett,” Emma said.

  Madison squealed. “Really?”

  Emma’s eyebrows rose. “So, you’re okay that I go out with Garrett, just not Kevin.”

  “Exactly,” Madison said. “We have so much to do.” She grabbed her phone and made a phone call. A few minutes later she hung up. “Okay. First, we need to fit in your training for the day; then we are hitting the road.”

  “Where are we going?” Emma asked warily.

  “We’re getting you date-ready,” Madison threw out over her shoulder as she went up the stairs.

  “I don’t think I’m going to like this,” Emma called out to her retreating back.

  “Too bad,” Madison said before disappearing into her room.

  Emma sighed and went to her room to get dressed for working out. Two hours later, Emma trudged upstairs and took a shower. “We’re leaving in five,” Madison yelled from the hall. Emma got dressed quickly and grabbed her purse and coat. She had no idea what Madison had in store, but she was not looking forward to it.

  The day ended up being just as crazy as Emma thought it would be. First, Madison took her to her hair salon where her favorite stylist had been able to squeeze Emma in because Madison had told her it was an emergency. Then they were off for manis and pedis. Madison dragged her to her favorite boutique for a dress, since Emma didn’t have anything that would work, according to Madison.

  When they got home, Emma thought she would be able to rest. She was wrong. Madison got started on her. She made her shower and shave, while keeping her blowout dry. Then she did Emma’s makeup and touched up her hair. Finally, she made Emma get dressed. Now, it was just before seven, and Emma was exhausted.

  “All right, are you ready to see the final product?” Madison asked.

  Emma nodded. Madison took Emma’s hand and pulled her into her room where there was a large mirror hanging on the wall. “Close your eyes,” Madison said. Emma obliged. “All right, you can look.”

  Emma opened her eyes and stared at the person in the mirror. She didn’t recognize herself. The hairdresser had taken several inches off her long hair to get it healthy again. She had layered it and put light blonde highlights in it. Then she had given her a blowout. The hairdresser said it would last anywhere from three to five days. Emma couldn’t believe how soft and shiny it was. She loved it. She wasn’t used to seeing it straight. Next, she took in her dress. Emma hadn’t been convinced a dress was the best option for tonight, but Madison had proved her wrong. She was wearing a thin navy-blue dress that sported the cold shoulder look. She hadn’t known it was called that until Madison told her. The dress came almost to her knees, and Madison had paired it with a pair of nude heels, and a pretty long necklace and earrings. Emma actually really liked the outfit. Lastly, she looked at her makeup.

  “You should really become a makeup artist,” Emma said.

  Madison laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment.

  Emma just stared at herself. She loved the blush and lipstick Madison had used, but what really caught her attention were her eyes. Madison had gone for a smokey eye look that Emma could never reproduce in a hundred years. Her eyes popped, but it wasn’t overly dramatic. She really liked it. Madison gave her a clutch to borrow for the night. Emma turned away from the mirror. “I don’t know. I look really dressy. What if we go somewhere casual?”

  “First of all, you will be fine in that outfit no matter where you go. Second of all, it’s Garrett. He's going to take you somewhere fancy.” She sounded so sure. Emma really hoped she was right. Madison and Emma both stopped what they were doing when they heard the front door open. They heard the guys talking, and then she heard Garrett’s deep voice. Panic hit her then.

  “I don’t know if I can do this,” Emma said, turning to Madison.

  “Breathe. You’re going to be fine. I promise. Now go,” she said, waving Emma towards the door.

  Emma took a deep breath and walked out into the hallway. When she got to the top of the s
tairs, she froze. Garrett stood by the kitchen looking up at her. He was wearing a suit and looked amazing, as always. He moved towards the stairs as she came down. She stopped on the first step, and he came and stood in front of her. With her heels and the added height of the step, she was eye-level with him. “You look beautiful,” Garrett said in a low voice. He reached out and ran his fingers through her hair. “You got your hair done.” Emma nodded. “It looks really good,” he said softly. “Are you ready?”

  Emma took a deep breath and nodded. He gently wrapped his hand around her elbow. He turned so he was no longer blocking her from the room. Whistles and catcalls sounded a moment later. Emma’s face blushed, and Garrett scowled at the guys. Liam called out, “If he doesn’t treat you well, give me a chance.” Emma chuckled and Garrett growled. Then they were out the door.

  Garrett led her down the steps towards a car, a really nice car. Emma stopped and stared at it. She wasn’t a car person, but she knew just by looking at it that this was top of the line. “What kind of car is that?” she asked.

  “A Bugatti,” Garrett said with a shrug, as if it were no big deal.

  Emma would have to look it up later on her phone to see what the thing was worth. Garrett opened the door for her and Emma awkwardly climbed into the car. It was low to the ground. The interior was immaculate, just what you thought the inside of an incredibly expensive car would be. Garrett came around and slid in smoothly, making her envious. She had no idea how he did that with his large frame.

  “No Max tonight?” Emma asked.

  Garrett shook his head. “Nope. Just you and me.” He looked over at her. “You ready?”

  Emma took a deep breath. “Yes.”

  Garrett pulled out, and Emma couldn’t help but wonder what the night would hold.

  Chapter 26

  They drove in silence except for the soft music playing on the radio. Emma focused on calming her breathing. She was so nervous. Finally, they pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant. Emma didn’t recognize it, but it looked fancy. They drove up to the front, where a valet met them. Garrett climbed out and came over and opened her door. Taking his hand, she allowed him to help her out of the car, which she tried to do without flashing anybody. It was harder than she had anticipated.

  Once she was out, Garrett extended his arm and she wrapped her hand around his huge bicep. She knew his muscles were big, but feeling them was another story. She tried to focus on staying calm and not tripping in her heels. The hostess greeted them with a smile. “Mr. Lozano, right this way.” She led them to a private room, seated them at a table, and left the room. They were seated in such a way that they sat almost next to each other instead of across from each other. This way they could look at the beautiful view. Emma looked out the French doors that led to what looked like a private balcony. Beyond the balcony were beautiful fountains that were lit with color-changing lights.

  “This is beautiful,” she said quietly.

  Garrett looked at her. “It is,” he agreed.

  “Do you come here often?” Emma asked. She couldn’t help herself. She didn’t know him very well. She didn’t know if this was a common thing for him. Maybe he brought all his dates here.

  Garrett put the menu down and sat back in his chair, watching her. Emma nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. “I come here from time to time for business meetings. Do I bring other women here? No.”

  “Oh,” Emma said. Thankfully she was saved from having to say anything else when their waiter appeared. Emma looked at the menu, trying to decide what in the world to get. Everything was so expensive. She finally decided on king salmon, whipped potatoes, and creamed spinach—it was the cheapest thing on the menu. Not that it was cheap of course. She saw so many things she didn’t recognize. Garrett ordered a ridiculously expensive steak and asked them to bring out truffle mac and cheese first. Emma had no idea what truffle mac and cheese was, but anything mac and cheese had to be good. Right?

  After the waitress left, Garrett turned his full attention on her. Emma felt her nerves hit her afresh. “Thank you for bringing me here,” she blurted out.

  He nodded. “I’ve wanted to have a chance to talk, just the two of us. Emma, there are some things I need to discuss with you. Some things I haven’t told you about myself. I don’t want there to be anything but truth between us.”

  “Okay,” Emma said slowly.

  “Emma, I—” he started.

  Emma put a hand up stopping him and cringed. “If we’re going to be honest with each other, you should probably start by calling me by my real name.” He didn’t respond, didn’t blink. She took a deep breath and continued on. “My name isn’t Emma. I-I changed it when I got here for fear of my step-brother. My real name is Emersyn,” she said softly. Then she waited to see how he would respond.

  “Emersyn,” he said softly. “It’s beautiful,” he said in a deep voice. He reached up and touched her hair gently. “It suits you.” Emma smiled. He pushed her hair off her shoulder and behind her. Whatever he was going to do next was stopped when the door opened to their private area, and the waiter came in. He set the truffle mac and cheese down in front of Garrett and left the room. Garrett picked it up and placed the dish in front of Emma. “Try that,” he said, nodding at the dish. Emma picked up her fork and took a small bit.

  Flavor exploded in her mouth, and she made a small sound. After swallowing, she looked at Garrett with big eyes. “That’s amazing. Have you tasted this before?” He nodded with a smile. Emma took another bite. “That is literally the best thing I’ve ever tasted,” she said when her mouth was clear. “You’ve got to try some of this.” She held out a bite to him. He opened his mouth and took the bite from her, holding her hand still. He watched her as he swallowed and didn’t release her hand.

  “The best I've ever had,” he said in a low voice. Emma just stared up at him, captivated. He gently released her hand and looked out at the balcony, releasing Emma from the hold he had on her. She felt like she was finally able to take a breath. Emma looked down and focused on eating the mac and cheese. Just as she finished, the waiter came in and placed salads in front of both of them. It had a lot of stuff Emma didn’t recognize on the plate, but she picked up her fork and dutifully tried to eat it. She mostly ended up pushing the pieces around on her plate. “You don’t like the salad?” Garrett asked, watching her.

  “Oh no, it’s uh, it’s... good?” she finally finished, the end coming out more as a question. “It just looks like something they dug up in the backyard,” she said quietly.

  Garrett belted out a loud laugh. “Are you saying it looks like grass?”

  “More like weeds,” Emma said, wrinkling her nose.

  Garrett laughed again. “I’ll be sure to tell the chef. He’s a friend of mine.”

  Emma’s gaze shot to his. “Oh, no, please don’t do that. It’s fine. It's great, really.” She took a rather large bite to prove what she was saying was true and about choked on it. When she had finally gagged it down, she took a large drink of water. “Nope, I can’t do it,” she said, grimacing.

  He laughed and took the plate from her, putting it on top of his empty one. The waiter came after that with their meals. Emma took a bite. “Okay, this is much better,” she said. She tasted the whipped potatoes and smiled. She looked up and saw Garrett watching her intently.

  “You like it,” he stated rather than asked in a low voice.

  Emma nodded. After a few bites, Emma looked at Garrett. “So, what do you do for work?” Madison had told her of course, but she wanted to hear it from him.

  Garrett told her all about the work he did, explaining how he got started. Apparently, it was a family business, passed from his great-grandparents to his grandparents to his parents. Emma asked him questions about his work, and the time passed quickly. Soon, the waiter took away their plates and asked if they wanted dessert. Garrett ordered a coffee and a piece of chocolate cake. The waiter asked if she wanted anything; she shook her head no.

/>   The waiter was back momentarily with Garrett’s coffee and a large decadent piece of cake. When the waiter left, Garrett slid the cake over to her. She looked up at him with a smile.

  “I ordered it for you,” he responded with a smile.

  Emma waited about 2.1 seconds before she took her fork out to try a bite. She bit into the moist cake and her eyes widened. Her eyes opened and she looked at Garrett. “That is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted; actually it’s the best cake, period.”

  Garrett chuckled. “I’m glad you like it.”

  “Do you want a bite?” she asked.

  He smiled. “I’m good, thanks.”

  Emma slowly ate the cake, savoring each bite. She only got about halfway through it before she couldn’t eat any more. “I am so full; you’re going to have to roll me out of here,” she said. He smiled at that.

  He stood up. “Come on. Let’s go look at the fountains.” He put his hand out to her and she placed hers in his much larger hand. He closed his hand around hers and led her out on the balcony. They stepped up to the railing, side by side. Emma shivered. She’d left her coat at the table. Garrett dropped her hand and moved close behind her. “Cold?” he asked, close to her ear. Emma shivered again but for an entirely different reason this time. He eased out of his suit coat and slipped it over her shoulders. Then he moved closer behind her and put his hands on the railing on either side of her, effectively closing her in.

  Emma was very aware of him close behind her. She fought the desire to lean against his strong chest. She focused on keeping her breathing even and staring out at the fountains. “Are you still cold?” he asked in a deep voice next to her ear.

  “I’m better now,” she said, breathlessly. She felt him move even closer. Neither of them said anything more as they gazed out at the beauty surrounding them. Emma took a deep breath. All she smelled was Garrett all around her. It was a heady sensation. They stayed out there a few more minutes before Garrett led her back inside. Emma was reluctant to go back inside, not wanting the moment to end. She gave him back his coat when they got back inside. He paid the bill, then stood and offered his hand. Emma put her hand in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet. He helped her put her coat on, then led her through the restaurant and out front.