Page 60 of The Barn: Frost and Q
Boone kind of blinked at him. “Really?”
“Yep. I mean, I wrote my job description. I should know what’s in it.”
“Do I have a job description?”
He was not going to laugh. Not. Notty not not. “You do. Your job description is…well, I don’t know. What do you do?”
This could be fun.
“Well, I guess I deal with problems. I chase off a lot of bears, and anytime anybody needs anything, I seem to be the one that they call.”
“Well, there you go. You’re like Chief Operations Officer, the COO.” He dragged out the ‘o’s so Boone grinned, plopping down on the sofa.
“What’s Frost?”
“Chief Financial Officer, CFO.” This was easy. “And Carson, CEO, he’s executive, he’s totally the suit.”
“What about Tug?”
“He’s the CBO.”
“Chief Business Officer?” Boone guessed, and Quentin shook his head.
“Try again.”
“Chief Bullshit Officer.”
That answer had Q applauding. Folks thought Boone was stupid, just a slow good old boy. Not even close. “Oh, I like that one, but I was thinking more Chief Bull Riding Officer. I think bullshit officer is even better. I mean, honestly, what does Tug do?”
“He brings in money, and he goes out and about and rides bulls and brings in famous people.” That answer had obviously been on the tip of Boone’s tongue.
“So he would be like the CRO, the Chief Recruitment Officer.”
“And you?”
Q nodded. “I’m head of security. I don’t want to be an officer; I work for a living.”
“You are a weird, weird little man.”
“I know; it’s okay with me, though.” Q blew out a hard breath. “I miss Frost.”
“Yeah, I bet. You just got used to having him back full-time, and now he’s off and saving the world.” Boone tilted his head, blinked at him. “Do you miss it? Saving the world, I mean.”
“I never saved the world. Never wanted to. I periodically saved the lives of a few firefighters.” He shrugged, looking down at the floor. “You know I don’t… I don’t know. I try not to think about whether I miss it, because what does it matter? I can’t do it. Seems like a waste of energy. Definitely a waste of time. I miss not being Frost’s partner out there. I miss not being in the thick of things and knowing I can help. That bugs the fuck out of me.”
“Well, he’s got people now to do it, you know that. They’ve got to be good at their jobs.”
“They’re not as good as I am.” He knew that. He knew that because he loved Frost. He didn’t want to have to worry, but God knew he did. He was worrying his ass off.
“How can I help?”
Just be Boone. That helped. “Hang out up here. Order some tater tots and grab me that paperwork off the printer. I want to check some of these wind patterns.”
“Hang out, tater tots, paperwork, I’m on it.” Boone stood and kissed his temple. “He’s going to be fine.”
Q rolled his eyes. “He’d better be. I didn’t survive being shot in the head for nothing.”
Boone stopped short, and Yukon damn near took out his ass. “You survived because you’re a stud. You survived for you.That’s one of the reasons that Frost loves you so much. You are a dogged son of a bitch.”
