Page 80 of Finding Elodie
Elodie realized for the first time that they’d begun to walk much faster as they were talking. Maybe it was a subconscious attempt to make sure Scott didn’t overhear.
Without thought, she turned and yelled, “What? Can’t keep up, Aleck? Wuss!”
Everyone laughed, and it felt good to be joking around with these guys. Aleck and the others jogged to catch up with them and a good-natured shoving match occurred between the guys, who were all trying to take over the lead. Elodie stepped out of the way and watched with a huge smile on her face. She turned to Scott, who’d come up next to her. “You aren’t joining in?”
“Hell no,” he said. “I only brought one change of clothes, and the last thing I want to do is drive to Aleck’s condo covered in mud.”
The guys quickly got themselves sorted out and they were once more walking toward their vehicles. They passed groups of hikers every couple minutes, and Elodie was glad they’d gotten up early to beat the crowds. Her stomach growled, and she realized it was close to noon.
Without her having to ask, Scott dug out a granola bar and handed it to her.
Smiling, Elodie sighed in contentment. She was truly happy. Her life wasn’t perfect, she still had a pretty damn big cloud hanging over her head, but right now? Walking in the mud with these six men and being treated as one of the team? She was content.
Chapter Sixteen
Mustang stood under the gazebo and watched as Elodie stood with Jag at the grill and helped cook their burgers. She’d done exceptionally well that morning, and he’d been relieved she seemed to have a good time. He’d taken a risk with the hike, but had chosen a relatively short and non-strenuous one, and he’d loved seeing the way she laughed and talked with the guys.
“She’s good people,” Midas said as he stood next to Mustang, drinking a bottle of water.
She was. Definitely. “You think she’ll be all right when we head out next week?” Mustang asked.
“Yes,” Midas said without hesitation.
His immediate response made Mustang relax a fraction.
“Pid’s been monitoring Paul Columbus and all his capos and everyone is where they should be. In New York.”
“That doesn’t mean they can’t call in a hit man or send a soldier to do their dirty work,” Mustang said. It was something they’d talked about in the past, and it had bothered him ever since.
“True. But at the moment, Paul is floundering as the head of the family. Sounds like he’s got his hands full with Jerry Columbus trying to take over. I’m not saying he’s given up, because a man like that never forgets someone who betrays him. He’s also not going to want to admit that he let Elodie escape his grasp; it’ll make him look weak. But I’m thinking at the moment, her whereabouts are still a mystery to him.”
“Elodie didn’t betray him,” Mustang said harshly.
“I didn’t mean it that way. I know she didn’t, but that’s not how he’ll look at it. She was an employee of the Columbus family, and they’re expected to always obey whatever the boss says. And she directly defied him by refusing to poison that food. He’s not going to want to let that go.”
Mustang nodded and took a deep breath. “Right. I know.”
“Good. Do we have any estimation on how long we’ll be gone for this mission?”
“A week. Maybe ten to twelve days.”
“She’s gonna be okay, Mustang,” Midas said. “She’s smart, doesn’t take chances, and was able to get away from him on her own for months.”
Mustang nodded again. His friend was right. Elodie wasn’t stupid. She was extremely cautious, and she was doing everything possible to stay under the radar. He hated having to call her “Melody” when they were in public, but he understood why it was necessary. They spent a lot of time together in his apartment. Watching movies, cooking, making love, and simply enjoying each other’s company. She didn’t seem to need a lot of social interaction and he knew that was helping to keep her safe.
“Burgers are ready!” Jag called out from near the grill.
Mustang moved closer, as did his teammates, and they all filled their plates with food. He took a bite of his hamburger—and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head.
“Holy shit, Jag, this is fucking amazing!” Aleck said with his mouth full.
“Yeah, what’d you put in this?” Midas asked.
Jag shrugged and gestured to Elodie with his head. “Wasn’t me. When I went upstairs to the condo to grab the meat, Elodie was tinkering in the kitchen. That’s the result.”
Mustang beamed as his team praised Elodie and begged to know what she’d done to make the hamburgers taste so good. He’d been giving her space all day, wanting her to get to know his friends, and for them to know her. He’d been ready to step in if someone overstepped their bounds or made her uncomfortable, of course, but he’d been thrilled to see that Elodie could hold her own when the teasing got a bit intense.
“You guys are acting like you’ve never had a good hamburger before, jeez,” she said with a shake of her head.
