Page 60 of Sergeant O'
Me: Then I’m all set.
At the time, I thought that had been a reasonable solution. I’d learned my lesson about sharing a bed with Jade.
But, as the dude openly flirted with her in front of me, I was having a change of heart.
****
Jade
“I can’t get over this view,” I murmured to the guys as we sat on the back deck overlooking the ocean while eating the dinner that Alan had prepared.
“When my real estate agent sent me pictures, this view was the first one I opened. I didn’t even need to look at the rest, I told her to make an offer on the spot before someone else snatched it up.”
“Are you able to get here often?”
“Not as much as I’d like, that’s for sure. But I travel a lot for business, so...”
Brian’s brows furrowed. “Yeah, about that… why do you need to travel if you’re a homebuilder?”
Alan rubbed his chin and glanced away when he replied, “I, uh, do a little consulting work on the side.”
I paused as I brought my wine glass to my lips. “What kind of consulting do you do?”
“Oh, you know, a little of this. A little of that.”
Alan’s vague response was out of character from how boisterous, direct, and at times, flirtatious he’d been since we’d arrived.
I should have been a gracious guest and let it go, but I didn’t.
“No, I don’t know. What does that mean?”
Brian answered for him. “The kind of work that finds your sister when she’s been kidnapped and the police aren’t able to move fast enough for anyone’s comfort.”
I felt my eyes grow wide. “Ohhhh.”
Alan offered me a sheepish smile, and I found myself curious. “So, are you really not a builder, then? Is that like, a cover or something?”
“No, I really am a builder. My company was just awarded a grant to construct an affordable housing subdivision south of Lancastle, where I live. My contract work is on an ‘as needed’ basis.”
“This is so fascinating. How often are you ‘needed’? And, like, where do you go?”
“I can’t tell you where I go. That really is classified. And how often I go varies. I can be called away a few times in one month, then not hear from anyone for more than a year.”
“I guess we were fortunate that you were in Haven Springs at the right time and not off somewhere else.”
“When Adam called me and told me what had happened to him, everything else went by the wayside. Family always comes first.” He gave me a flirty smile. “That includes extended family, too.”
Brian jumped up from his seat and picked up his plate, then mine and Alan’s. “All right. Should we go into town for some dessert?”
“Leave those, Bri,” I told him. “I can get them.”
“It’s no problem. I can handle it, really. Let’s go find some ice cream or something.”
I couldn’t help but crack a smile. “There’s my JFJ. But I’m sorry, I’ve had two glasses of wine; I can’t drive.”
“I’ll drive,” Alan said as he stood up and grabbed the platter that had held our steaks, along with the bowl of remaining mashed potatoes. I moved to stand, too, but he gave me a head nod. “Finish your wine. Brian and I can clean up. The ice cream shop doesn’t close until ten—we’ve got plenty of time.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.”
