by Autumn Reed
“So did you actually want to dance with me, or were you just trying to scare off other guys?”
“A bit of both.” He smirked, looking pleased with himself and causing me to roll my eyes. “But I’d say it was about eighty-twenty.”
I raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for clarification when he leaned into me, his scruff brushing my skin as he spoke into my ear. “Only twenty percent was about the other guys.” Distracted by his proximity, it took a few moments for his meaning to sink in, but once it did, I felt a blush spread across my cheeks.
He backed away, widening the space between us once more. Too intimidated to look directly in his eyes while we danced, I glanced around and spotted Melissa and Charlie, but other dancers had filled in between, providing a barrier. I could see the astonished look on her face and had to admit that I was as shocked as she was.
When the tune changed to a faster-paced song, I thought Knox would bolt for sure, especially when it became clear that it was a line dance. I liked one of the earlier line dances once I got the hang of it, and this one seemed even easier, since the song practically told you what to do. Knox hesitated momentarily, watching the others around us. But then he quickly jumped in, his execution of the dance flawless.
“Who are you, and what have you done with Knox?” I finally said over the music, laughing as he moved in a smooth slide.
“I can’t let Theo have all the fun.” He grinned, his green eyes gleaming.
I was still fighting the urge to pinch myself when the music slowed again. Knox gently lifted my hands to his shoulders, then trailed his hands down my back and rested them on my waist, his fingers brushing along the bare skin at the top of my jeans. My senses electrified, I moved with the beat, bewitched by his intense stare and the almost surreal feeling of being in his arms.
When a tap on my shoulder brought me back to reality minutes later, I removed my arms from Knox’s shoulders and turned around to find Melissa grinning at me. “Sorry to interrupt,” she shouted, “but we’re getting ready to leave. Do you need a ride, or is Knox . . .”
Knox moved to my side. “I’m taking Haley home.”
“Great! If you guys are ready now, you can get your bag out of my car. Or, I can just bring it to work Monday.”
I shook my head forcefully. “No, we’re ready,” I replied, following Melissa through the mass of bodies and toward the exit.
Now that I had distance from Knox’s intoxicating nearness, it was like waking up from a dream. I suddenly remembered that I was angry with him . . . and why. The music throbbed painfully against my temples when mere moments ago, the sensual rhythm had drawn me in. And my heels no longer felt sexy; my feet hurt, and I could practically feel the blisters forming on my pinky toes.
Once outside, I immediately felt the difference in temperature and crossed my arms over my chest, attempting to preserve heat. Even though I’d been a little chilly while we’d stood in line outside the club earlier, the temperature had dropped at least ten degrees, and I had to clench my jaw to keep my teeth from chattering.
Megan and Liz were walking in front of us, their voices a low murmur. More than once, I noticed them watching Knox, and, of course, I wasn’t surprised. Although Charlie and Luke were both cute, they looked like skinny school boys in comparison to Knox’s broad-shouldered masculinity.
After the girls gave me a quick hug and invited me to hang out with them again soon, Charlie glanced at Knox, then simply gave me a wave. “It was nice to meet you, Haley.”
“You too, Charlie. Bye, Luke.”
Melissa handed me my tote, leaning in close to whisper, “Have a fun ride home,” before winking and skipping away. “Good night, Haley. Knox.”
Knox stared at her car as it squealed out of the parking lot. Shaking his head, he said, “That girl is kind of a trip.”
Feeling defensive of my only female friend in the state, I replied, my voice obviously annoyed, “She’s nice. And fun.”
He stared at me for a few seconds before tugging on my arm. “Let’s go. The truck is this way.”
Once we were on the road, Knox ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “Okay, Haley. You might as well get it over with. I know you’re mad.”
“Oh, yeah. How could you tell?” I said, the sarcasm thinly veiled in my tone.
Knox chuckled lightly. “I’m incredibly observant, didn’t you know?”
I fought a smile, wanting to hang onto my indignance. But between the heat enveloping me and the exhaustion of the long day finally hitting me, I just wanted to climb into bed.
“Look, Knox. I don’t want to argue with you, but you can’t be surprised that I’m frustrated. It’s been what, a whole week since you guys agreed to drop my protection schedule? Is this how it’s always going to be? I feel like I’m taking one step forward and three steps back.”
“This wasn’t about the protection schedule. This was about you going to a club in a not-so-great part of town with people you barely know. Look what happened at the jazz club when Liam and Theo were only feet away. There’s no way I could leave you to fend for yourself, and you needed a safe ride home.”
“How did you even know I was there? Did you follow me?”
“Your cell phone has a tracker.” He held up a hand. “And before you get all bent out of shape, you should know that all of our phones have them. It’s a safety feature.”
I let that information sink in. It was so obvious, I didn’t know why I hadn’t already considered it. Of course my phone location could be easily monitored by all the guys. Although I understood the reason, it gave me pause. Were they tracking my every move in other ways? How would I ever make it to San Francisco and back undetected, even if I left my phone behind?
“It may be a safety feature, but you used it to spy on me. I’m not okay with that.”
He was silent for at least a minute, then finally said, “Is there any room for compromise here? I shouldn’t have used your phone to find you, but I had no idea where you were apart from off somewhere with Melissa. Will you at least warn me before going out like that again?”
“And you’ll let me go? Alone?”
He laughed. “No promises. But I will at least discuss it with you first.”
I considered his proposal, finally relenting. “Okay, you have a deal.” Although I wanted to assert my newly-won independence, it was nice to know someone was looking out for me. At least Knox was honest about his intentions. And after so many years of having little or no say in my life, I could work with compromise.
Small Cheer
“I heard that you went clubbing last week,” Ethan said, glancing at me from the driver’s seat with a smile.
My laugh was humorless. “Of course you did.” I had no doubt that the entire team heard all about my evening out with Melissa and her friends.
“What did you think? Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes and no. It was kind of overwhelming, all the people and noise. But once I relaxed a little, I had fun dancing.” Especially dancing with Knox, I added silently.
“Who knew there was a social butterfly hiding under your bookworm persona?”
I bit back a snort. “Hardly. I’m perfectly happy to be a card-carrying member of the Reclusive Bookworms Club.”
Ethan’s deep voice rumbled with laughter. “I didn’t realize they passed out cards.”
“Shhhh,” I said, pressing a finger over my lips. “We like to keep it a secret.”
I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes, taking a few moments to mentally prepare for the evening ahead. With Knox and Theo out of town, Ethan had volunteered to drive me to Patrick’s for Thanksgiving dinner. I wasn’t exactly dreading the dinner, but I wasn’t in a particularly social mood either.
Not surprisingly, the holiday reminded me of my dad. Since it was always just the two of us, we never made the day into a major event. But, we had our own little traditions of watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and then football in the afternoon. Sometimes I would even convince h
im to watch Miracle on 34th Street with me in the evening—if I bribed him with his favorite pie.
Sensing Ethan watching me, I opened my eyes and straightened my posture. I knew the best way to divert attention from myself was to shift it to him, so I found myself asking, “Do you normally go to Patrick’s for Thanksgiving?”
“I wouldn’t say that I have a ‘normal’ when it comes to holidays.”
I recognized his vague response as a brushoff, but I decided to delve further anyway. All I knew about his background was that his mother had been ill at some point, and he lived in an apartment above his aunt’s garage.
“You don’t spend holidays with your aunt?”
“Sometimes. She’s out of town visiting extended family, but she’ll be home for Christmas this year.”
Sheesh. Getting him to open up is like pulling teeth. I hesitated, trying to decide if I should pursue my next question or not. Just do it, Haley. “And your parents . . .?”
Ethan remained silent, staring straight ahead. I felt a pang of guilt when I noticed his knuckles turning white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly.
“I shouldn’t have pried. You don’t have to answer.”
He shook his head as if to clear his mind. “My father was killed in the line of duty when I was eight. Shortly after, my mom became ill and her health slowly deteriorated until her death seven years ago.”
I reached my hand out to place it on his forearm but stopped myself since he was driving, and I didn’t want to distract him. “I’m so sorry, Ethan. I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t worry about it. It is what it is.” Easier said than done; I could tell his parents’ deaths still weighed heavily on him.
“Your father was a police officer?”
“Yeah, a homicide detective, actually.” He laughed darkly, “So it’s not like he was home for Thanksgiving every year anyway. But, man did he love his job. He would tell me things that no boy that age should hear, and I worshipped him. Wanted to be just like him.”
Ethan finally looked at me and must have noticed my somber expression because he said, “Don’t be sad. I have plenty of happy memories from my childhood. And it’s not like you’re a stranger to losing a parent.”
I smiled weakly. No, but at least I had—have—my dad.
* * *
Patrick raised his glass. “Small cheer and a great welcome makes a merry feast.”
I raised my glass to meet Patrick’s before clinking glasses with Jackson, then Ethan.
“The Comedy of Errors, right?” I asked.
Patrick nodded, clearly impressed.
“Thanks again for inviting me; this looks delicious.” I eyed my plate full of food. Moist turkey, cranberry sauce, roasted potatoes, gravy, and green beans vied for space on my dish. The smells wafting through the house were so incredible, I would have never guessed the food had been catered.
“Anyone who can appreciate a Shakespeare reference is always welcome. And we are happy to have you with us for Thanksgiving.”
I couldn’t help watching Jackson after Patrick’s statement; I was pretty sure Jackson was not happy to share his holiday with me, but his face remained an impenetrable mask. He may have put on a good show for Patrick, but I knew better. Ever since the gala, things had gone from bad to worse with Jackson, and my strategy to avoid him had been mostly successful.
If only Knox and Theo were here, I thought. When Knox shared Patrick’s invitation earlier in the week, he encouraged me to accept and mentioned that he and Theo were heading out of town for a few days. Apart from a text message from Theo wishing me a “Happy Thanksgiving from the Bennett brothers,” I hadn’t heard much from them.
Maybe they went home to visit family? I didn’t even know where “home” was for them. But I imagined if that was the case, they would have told me. And what about Chase and Liam? While Chase was probably spending time with Kyle and his grandmother, I had no clue where Liam was. He wasn’t on a work assignment on Thanksgiving, was he? Just because they aren’t here doesn’t mean they’re working, I thought. But when I realized that any one of them might be at a girlfriend’s house, I decided I preferred the work assignment theory.
Jackson, Patrick, and Ethan conversed easily while I ate silently and glanced around the room. Patrick’s home seemed even more welcoming than normal. The fireplace roared in the background and music played softly through invisible speakers. The large wooden table looked like an upscale magazine spread, topped with candles and a display of pumpkins and crimson flower arrangements.
Patrick cleared his throat. “We have a tradition for Thanksgiving. As Jackson and Ethan know, I like to go around the table and ask everyone to share something or someone they are grateful for. Jackson, why don’t you start.”
Jackson wiped the corner of his lips with his napkin before returning it to his lap. “I am thankful for you, Uncle, as always. And, I’m thankful for supportive friends, even when they disagree with me.”
Interesting. I noticed a subtle shift in Ethan at Jackson’s statement.
“Ethan, you’re up,” Patrick said.
“I’m thankful for my aunt’s fiancé, Jonathan, for giving her the happiness she deserves.”
Patrick raised his glass. “To the happy couple. I guess he finally proposed?”
Ethan nodded.
“Are they kicking you out of the nest?” Jackson interjected.
“And risk losing their live-in handyman?”
“Surely Jonathan can handle it?”
Ethan just laughed in response.
“Alright, Haley. Your turn.” Patrick smiled gently, encouraging me to speak up.
“Well, since I’m noticing a theme here, I guess I’ll stick with it.” I paused. “I’m thankful to Knox and Theo for welcoming me into their home. Patrick?”
“I’m thankful for all of you—for being my family. And I’m grateful for my friendships with Kenneth, Marc, and Alan.”
Jackson nudged Patrick with his elbow. “Predictable.”
“Well, can you blame me? My life wouldn’t be the same without them, or you. Any of you. And I’ve known them over half my life.”
“Wow, that’s a long time,” I said, and then cringed when Jackson’s head tilted to the side, an impish grin forming on the corner of his lips. Shaking my head, I stuttered, “I didn’t mean a long time; you’re not very old. Shoot. I mean not old at all.” I huffed, feeling exasperated. “I’m only making this worse.”
“Pretty much,” Ethan said, but I could hear the amusement in his voice.
“It’s okay, Haley.” Patrick smiled warmly. “I know I have my share of gray hairs. Mostly thanks to this guy.” He cocked his head toward Jackson.
“Don’t you dare pin that all on me. We both know Liam had as much to do with them as I did.”
“Isn’t that the truth,” Patrick muttered to a round of laughter.
I looked down at my plate, surprised to find it almost empty. The food was delicious, and despite the unspoken standoff between me and Jackson, I was enjoying myself.
“If I’m not mistaken, you listed the Zenith co-founders as friends. Out of curiosity,” I said, hoping I wasn’t overstepping a boundary, “which came first, the business or the friendships?” I was genuinely interested about anything relating to Zenith, and my internet searches had returned next to nothing. For a company committed to their clients’ secrets, they were big on keeping their own as well.
“The short answer to your question is that we were friends before forming Zenith.”
“And the long answer . . .?” I asked, hoping Patrick would fill in the blanks.
Jackson folded his napkin and placed it on the table. “I need some pie if you’re going to tell this story.”
“I second that,” Ethan said, as he and Jackson rose from the table. They cleared the dishes, leaving Patrick and me alone in the dining room.
Patrick leaned back in his chair. “You really want to know?”
I nodded, encoura
ging him to continue.
“When I was about Jackson’s age, I joined a military special operations unit, and that’s where I met Kenneth Jones, Alan Smith, Marc Gonzales, and William Carlyle.”
“Carlyle? As in Liam Carlyle?” I asked.
Patrick nodded. “One in the same. William was Liam’s father.”
I let that information soak in as Patrick continued with his story.
“As you can imagine, with the nature of the work, we formed a strong bond. The five of us worked well together and completed a number of successful missions. Unfortunately, after a few years, we felt that we were being stifled.
“Long story short, assignments that should have been simple became bureaucratic nightmares. It seemed nearly impossible to get our jobs done; eventually, we all decided that we’d had enough and wanted out. We kept in touch but went our separate ways, taking civilian jobs and trying to live more normal lives.”
Jackson and Ethan returned with four plates of dessert. I smiled gratefully at Ethan when he placed one in front of me. A giant slice of pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream rested next to an equally large slice of apple-cranberry pie with ice cream.
“Um, wow. Thanks. Are you sure this is all for me?”
Ethan pulled out the chair next to mine. “Well, if you can’t finish, I’m always happy to help out.”
Jackson and Ethan grew quiet as they dug into their pie.
“Mmm, buttery, flakey goodness,” Ethan said quietly between bites, causing me to laugh.
“So what happened next?” I asked.
“A few years later, several of us broached the idea of forming a private security company. We were unfulfilled and bored, and we hoped that having our own company would free us from many of the constraints we operated under as part of the military.
“By that time, William had already moved to England to be with his wife and wasn’t able to join us. Alan, Marc, Kenneth, and I opened the office in D.C., and eventually the company grew to the four offices we have today.”
“Impressive. Do you still enjoy running Zenith?”
“Absolutely,” Patrick answered without hesitation as he dug into his pie. “Haley, this cranberry-apple pie is amazing.”
