Page 11 of Flirting With Forever
Gage opened his mouth to call her out on the deception. Did she know who he was this morning?
Just as quickly, he locked his jaw and nodded, even though he wasn’t sure why. He’d play along. For now. “Sloane.”
“How’d things go today?” Cole asked. “The new schedule work out okay?”
“Yeah.”
Cole frowned at his one-word answers. The schedule had worked out well and was a far cry from the disorganized ones that usually listed a name and little else. So Sloane was responsible for the new and improved version?
He reined in his chaotic thoughts where Merida—Sloane—was concerned. Especially seeing as how he’d spent the last two nights thinking of her curly, dark-copper hair and gorgeous green eyes.
“Well, you’ll be happy to hear this. Sloane and the tech guy think they’ve figured out the issue. They have another call scheduled for tomorrow morning. Until then, here’s an old-school paper copy of tomorrow’s schedule.”
Cole handed over a sheet of paper, color coded like before.
“A few more days of training and Sloane could run this place solo.”
Gage stiffened, and even though he told himself not to judge, he did. Sloane slept in her car. Obviously didn’t have the money for a place to stay. Yet Cole was talking about leaving her unattended with the cash register? People’s credit cards?
Not a good idea.
But did he bring that up now or in private? “I think it’s way too early for that.”
Sloane’s bright green gaze met his, and her cheeks took on color again. She knew exactly what he implied and why. But she was the one who should be embarrassed. What kind of game was this?
Cole’s head shot up at Gage’s words, and his brother glared at his rudeness before glancing between the two of them.
“Well, she’s temporary but certainly capable,” Cole said. “She’ll be a great help when it comes to hiring and training someone else.”
“Um, well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head out for the day. See you tomorrow,” she said to Cole.
“Not so fast,” Gage said. Maybe he ought to have this conversation with Sloane in private, but under the circumstances, he felt it best to come clean while Cole was there to witness it. And security cameras were there to record it all. It paid to be safe these days.
Sloane stopped in her tracks and turned warily to face them, giving a deep exhale. “So is this it? I’m fired?”
Cole tilted this head to one side and stared at Gage. “Why would you fire her? Sloane’s done a great job since she’s been here. You can actually see the counter today, too.”
“That may be so, but Sloane hasn’t been entirely truthful.”
“About what?” Cole asked, exchanging a glance with both of them before groaning. “Please don’t tell me you two have hooked up or something. Is that it?”
Sloane had crossed her arms over her chest and stood glaring at Gage, a proud but vulnerable expression on her beautiful face. She wore a bit of makeup that enhanced her features and freckles but didn’t have that slathered-on look some women had. She was the fresh-faced girl-next-door type, except that her eyes held too much wariness and pain and made him wonder at the cause. “We haven’t hooked up. But I met Sloane a few nights ago.”
“Okay. And?”
“When she was parked in back sleeping in her car. And again last night when she was sleeping in her car outside my house.”
Cole turned his full attention to Sloane. “Are you stalking him?”
“What? No. I swear it. Both times were coincidences that have nothing to do with you,” she said to Gage. “Look, I’m…short on cash and, yeah, sleeping in my car. I try to pick quiet spots where I won’t get hassled, but I had no idea you lived there. That truly was an accident.” She grimaced. “Though I suppose I should’ve guessed you worked here considering the resemblance and how we met outside. I just hoped maybe it was at least in the other building or somewhere else. Cole said not all the brothers work here so… Is that really a reason to fire me? Because I’m between residences?”
“No, it’s not,” Cole said. “But if you work for us, we need to know you’re safe.”
She brushed her hair back over her shoulder. “I’m fine. This island is practically Mayberry.”
Gage snorted. While the island was on the low end when it came to major crime, it didn’t mean crime didn’t exist. Drugs, theft, drunk and disorderly. They happened everywhere, and Carolina Cove had their share like any other city. “Hardly. How long have you been here? The truth. Was there actually a roommate that kicked you out?”
Gage watched as she sank her teeth into her lower lip and grimaced again.
