Page 15 of New Rules
She and Cat both looked at Axel expectantly, but he just shook his head.
“I’m just saying to be open to what the guys need to talk to you about, and understand that this is the best plan,” Axel said, and now I was starting to get a little anxious.
Why would the guys think I would fight them on a plan for finding the suspect? They knew I was on board with whatever they wanted to do.
“Come on, let’s go!” Ruthie said, shoving Axel farther behind the bar as she reached for me.
“What is left on the checklist?” Axel asked, clearly ready to take over duties until I returned.
I yelled out a few tasks as I followed Ruthie and Cat to the entrance of the pub and over to the office.
I had a strange feeling about this—mostly because of Axel’s cryptic words and edgy demeanor—but one of my specialties was staying calm under pressure.
I just wish I’d known how important that skill would be over the next hour so I could have channeled it even more.
There wereno words for the emotions that rolled through me the moment I stepped into that office.
I saw Wade, Archer, Jack, Vince, and Frank, whom I’d met many times at the bar. Everyone except Frank had worried looks on their faces. His had been half worried and half amused, which seemed odd.
I had no idea why until I saw the other man on the left. The same man who, not twelve hours before, had been inside me.
Deep inside me.
Vince spoke first. “Ray and my dad were in the Army together, and we asked him to come help us with the money thief.”
It took me a moment to register, but I realized there was no introduction. No “Tammy I’d like you to meet Ray. Ray, this is Tammy.” That—combined with their weird energy when I walked in—meant they knew.
They knew we’d already met, and not just in a casual friendly way.
I wasn’t usually the type to get embarrassed, but not knowing what all Ray had divulged left me in an uncomfortable state.
My brain did a quick memory scan of what Axel, Ruthie, and Cat had mentioned. Axel knew too and had tried to warn me. He thought I might blow a gasket, and clearly the other men did too. But why?
Oh my God.
“You think I had something to do with this?” I said out loud, my words leaving my mouth before I could think better of it.
“Tammy, we know you didn’t rob the place,” Archer said gently, clearly trying to either placate me or calm me down.
“Gentlemen, do you mind if Tammy and I speak alone for a few minutes first?” Ray said to the room, though his eyes were on me the entire time.
None of them said a word, but I watched as they all quickly got up and exited the conference room.
The tidal wave of emotions rolling through me right now was sky high.
Breathe.
Just keep breathing.
I let loose the instant we were alone. “Was your goal to get in my pants the whole time, or was that just a happy bonus for your investigation?”
I needed to know that answer more than any other that I had swirling in my brain.
“Frank told me his son’s business was robbed,” Ray said in a neutral tone. “I assumed he meant the security company. I had no idea they also owned the pub. I did a scan of the building last night and then came into the bar for a bite to eat and a drink, just like I told you last night. I didn’t know the pub was the place that was robbed until an hour ago. Going home with you last night was luck shining brightly on me and something I never would have done had I known we would be working together like this.”
I snorted instead of using words, which was probably the smart choice.
His response was quick and emphatic. “I don’t mean I regret last night. I don’t. Not even a little bit. I just mean I don’t usually date people I work with. I’m glad it happened, and I woke up this morning with plans to come back to see you again in hopes you’d give me the honor of another night.”
