Page 54 of Hearts of Fairlake

"Ira," Bennett sighed. "You know you can't chase people off for doing their jobs."

"I chase you off all the time."

"Yeah, but not for doing myjob. And what do you think is going to happen if people find out we couldn't celebrate the anniversary properly because you kept interrupting the construction over your latest smutty book?"

"I'm sure they wouldn't be surprised," she shot back, and it was my turn to sigh.

"Ira, I’ve been working my ass off for days, weeks, and now I have to work even harder. And that goes the same for my team," I said, advancing. "I swear to God, I will buy you some noise-canceling headphones, but if you don't let my people work in peace, I am going to lose my mind!"

Bennett blinked at me as Ira stared. After a few beats, he slowly turned to her. "I think...you might have pissed him off. Normally only I hear that tone of voice, and that's when I'vereallyscrewed up."

"So I see," she said, closing the book. "Or hear, I suppose."

"I am sorry. I've never spoken to you this way," I said, my fingers gripping the counter even more tightly. "But I am almost to the finish line, and then I get a nice, relaxing vacation where I'm not being made to feel like if I fail, I'm letting down an entire goddamn town. So, can youpleasework with me on this?"

"I suppose times like this call for cooperation," Ira said slowly, looking down at her book sadly. "Though perhaps...those headphones you mentioned?"

"I have a pair at the house you can use until we can find time to go out and get some," Bennett said, sounding relieved. Clearly, he must have thought it would be a bigger hassle than it was proving to be. "Will that work for you?"

"I can agree to that," Ira said. "But you'll have to get them today. There's no way I'll be able to focus with all that racket...even if a few of them are quite easy on the eyes."

"Let me guess...James," Bennett said with a sigh.

"Dark hair, big, with the tattoos?" Ira said with a gleam of pleasure in her eyes that I wasn't completely comfortable with.

I blinked. “You sound like you're describing Chase."

"Chase is far grumpier-looking," Bennett said with a wave.Look, I'll get it cleared with the Chief and get the headphones for you. In the meantime, can we let them get back to work before I get back?"

She frowned. “I won't be able to focus."

"It will take half an hour at most, just go on your lunch break and read in the break room," Bennett said.

"And to think, you're both pretty and smart," she said, patting his hand. "A good idea. I brought some of my roast beef with me, and I'm making a lovely sandwich for myself."

"Oooh," Bennett cooed with delight. "Remind me to hash out how to convince you to give me some of that. Your roast beef is divine."

"We'll see," she said with a chuckle, though from the pleased look on her face, Bennett's complimenting her food had already got him halfway to what he wanted. Bennett was just genuinely nice, and along with his quick humor and good looks, he was incredibly charming, always by accident. He could charm just about anyone to get what he wanted but never understood why. He just assumed that was how things were for him.

I didn't see the point in disabusing him of that belief.

"You're the best," Bennett said, slapping the counter. He turned to grin at me. “Want to come join me while I talk to the Chief?"

"Sure," I said as I pulled out my phone and began typing a message to Phil so he could get everyone working again. Thankfully, they didn't need me around to finish things, so I could afford to take a lunch break.

I followed Bennett back to the office, where he knocked on the door frame before letting himself in with a loud, “Chief Price! I have a favor to ask."

"No," Trevor said without looking up.

"I didn't even get to ask."

"I don't care."

"But why?"

"Because I don't like you."

Trevor had to know better than to try that tactic because only someone who liked Bennett would put up with the shenanigans that came with knowing him. Any other boss would have thrown Bennett out on the street after some of his antics. That included a burning Roomba, a confetti bomb, and I hadn't got the details, but apparently Bennett had once thought of ordering a stripper for the chief's birthday, but no female ones were available. That was before Ethan came into the picture, and to this day, Bennett lamented that he didn't just order the male stripper...specifically in a policeman outfit.

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