Page 58 of Ewan

And while they aren’t the model type, they do know how to rock a dress and hold the men’s attention.

The men seem enthralled with them without losing their heads over them.

And the man who renders me breathless?

He seems to be the focal point of the entire story.

Whatever happens around the table seems connected to him.

Men look at him, and women are reverential to him.

His eyes exude power.

His gestures are imbued with it.

They’re clipped, confident, and poignant.

His words are scarce but carry the weight of a hammer. People don’t talk over him, and whenever he asks a question, the answer arrives promptly.

The more I study their dynamic, the more I think he holds power over them.

Can he be their employer?

It’s not unusual for corporate employees to celebrate the holidays here.

What else can it be?

Are they family?

No.

They don’t look alike.

Although the men are all his type.

Athletic guys with piercing eyes. People who possess tactical knowledge. Are they former military? Hard to tell.

They could be.

There’s one interesting fact about this, though.

The vibe I got from him two nights ago was that he was more of a lone wolf.

I couldn’t place him anywhere.

He seemed to have the freedom to react with honesty and wasn’t bound to anything or anyone.

The dynamic around the table says he’s a boss.

Although, if you ask me, I got the impression he hated being bound to structured environments and hierarchy.

Things don’t make sense.

Someone bumps into me, and I steady myself and turn around.

“Oh. It’s you,” Sammy says as she pivots to face me. “Sorry about that.”

Smiling, she assesses the situation.

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