Page 28 of Snow

His statement set off about five different alarm bells in her lawyer brain. Before she could press further, he motioned toward the door behind him.

“We should head inside. Everyone’s waiting.”

“Everyone?” she asked cautiously.

Mr. Silverman released a sigh. “You’ll see once we get inside.”

Nova’s professional instincts screamed “bad idea,” but Mr. Silverman had never given her reason to mistrust him. And technically, she was there on his dime. So, with one last wary glance at the warehouse, she nodded.

“Lead the way.”

As they stepped inside, Nova looked around. The space was cavernous and mostly empty, except for a long table in the middle of the room with a group of very large, male figures sitting around it.

The moment that the door clanked shut, all conversation amongst the mysterious group ceased, and heads turned in her direction. Every single man at the table locked their eyes on her as if she had suddenly turned into a Vegas showgirl wearing neon lights and some big feathery-looking hat.

“Well, this is not at all intimidating or creepy,” she murmured under her breath.

Her brain immediately launched into rapid-fire thoughts:

Why are they all looking at me like I’m a giraffe that wandered into a biker bar? And why do I feel like I’m about to get drafted into something I absolutely did not apply for?

“Gentlemen,” Mr. Silverman announced, “May I introduce Ms. Nova Hart, the attorney representing the law firm handling our acquisition review of Gulf Tide Ventures.”

Her eyes swept around the table. There were nine men in total, and all but one had their eyes locked on her. And it wasn’t a subtle glance, nor did it seem casual. It was the kind of collective stare that made her feel like she had just stepped onto a stage she hadn’t known she was auditioning for.

All of them had broad shoulders, hard expressions, and a mix of curiosity and calculation in their eyes. They definitely were not your everyday office guys.

Her pulse kicked up a notch as she resisted the urge to fidget, lifting her chin just slightly instead. If they expected her to shrink under the attention, they were about to be very disappointed.

Her gaze drifted toward the far end of the conference table, settling on the man who seemed completely engrossed in whatever was displayed on the tablet in front of him. His head was lowered, making it difficult to see his face. But the more she studied him, the more familiar he seemed.

Just then, the man lifted his head, and as soon as their eyes met, she felt a jolt of electricity hit her.

Of all the people she could have run into again, it had to be the gorgeous stranger from the plane—Mr. Sexy Blue Eyes.

And judging by the faint flicker of recognition that crossed his face, he remembered her too.

Ignoring the awkwardness in the room, she slowly turned back toward Mr. Silverman, her voice much tighter this time. “What’s going on? And who are these people?”

Mr. Silverman opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the sound of a chair scraping against concrete as one of the men stood up.

He looked a bit older than the rest, though he was built just like the others. He carried himself with an air of authority as if he were the man in charge.

He stepped forward and extended his hand. “Ms. Hart, I’m Commander Derek Connors. United States Navy.”

Nova’s spine straightened instantly as she shook his hand. “Nova Hart, Corporate Counsel for Mr. Silverman.”

He gave her a knowing smile. “It’s good to meet you. I can see you have a lot of questions. Why don’t you have a seat? Then Mr. Silverman and I can walk you through what this is all about.”

Nova glanced back at Mr. Silverman, who was still wringing his hands like a man halfway into a confession. She then looked back at Commander Connors and nodded.

She chose the chair nearest the head of the table, and Mr. Silverman sat beside her. Commander Connors took the seat across from her.

She slid her backpack onto the floor, rested her hands on the table, and took a breath.

“So, what exactly is going on here?”

Mr. Silverman leaned forward first, clearing his throat. “Nova, first, I want to thank you again for coming. I know this is unconventional, and you’re probably wondering why I brought you to a place that looks more like a villain’s lair than a boardroom.”