Faith enters my office Monday morning, without knocking, and seats herself in one of the chairs located in front of my desk. “So… Heidi?”
“Yes…” is my only reply, because I’m still pissed at the stunt she pulled. She had no right visiting Heidi at R.A.D. I had to sweet talk Heidi all weekend long. She wasn’t angry, but the sudden appearance of Faith and Julia was a surprise. And Heidi doesn’t like surprises.
Now, I refuse to bow down to this busybody of a woman. A man has a right to privacy, away from meddling women. And Zane and Andre should have better control of their wives. I imagine those fuckers were cheesing it up the whole time.
“Are you going to tell me about her?” Faith pries.
“No.” I continue shifting through the résumés the guys—Jax, Damon, Duke, Zeke—sent me. They want to hire more men, and my job as head man requires me to read through the résumés, check qualifications, their history, and call to double check facts with our sources. When all is said and done, I’m to return names. The guys will then move forward to pick new recruits.
“Gunner!” Faith’s high-pitched voice assaults my ears. Ignoring her is futile, so I sit back and raise my eyes to her.
“Yes?” My impassive voice matches my face, void of all expression.
Faith is one of my best friends, but she can be ruthless—a mama bear.
“Heidi,” she hints, eyes widening and her head slightly tilting forward, ordering me to answer.
“What about her?”
“I met her,” she informs me.
“She told me.”
“Well, have you looked into her?” Her question puts me on edge. This is the question I wanted to avoid.
“No. And you’re not going to either,” I order, sitting forward. With a shake of my head, I stop her response. “If you do, so help me, Faith. I’ll never speak to you again. This is my life, and you’re not going to interfere.” It’s careless not to look into Heidi, but I want her to open up to me on her own. I don’t want to learn her life story from an invasion of privacy. Our relationship shouldn’t start with lies.
“But—”
“No, Faith. There are no buts, and I better not hear of you sneaking behind my back. That is something you and Julia would do”—I raise my pen and point at her—“and don’t deny it.”
“She’s also Rylee’s friend. I have to—”
“No, you don’t.” My voice is firm, a voice I’ve rarely directed at Faith, and a sign not to push. “Leave Heidi alone, Faith. She’s mine and, therefore, my concern.” Leaning back in my black office chair, I twirl my pen and keep eye contact with her, refusing to back down. She always gets her way, but not on this. Not this time.
“Will you at least let me finish a sentence?”
“When you start being reasonable.”
“Gunner!” She leans forward.
“Faith,” I draw out her name.
She narrows her eyes, huffs in annoyance, then sits back in the seat.
“So… that serious?” She can’t help but ask.
“As serious as can be.”
“Okay.” She concedes when there is no further explanation. “But if I smell anything, I’m digging into her.”
“No, you’re not. If I have to get Zane involved, I will. Stay away from Heidi if you’re not going to bring her into your fold. Understand?” I warn.
Faith looks at me intently, measuring my seriousness. She stands and straightens her suit jacket. “Fine. I’ll leave her alone… for now.”
“Forever, Faith.” My eyes look up at her. “Don’t touch her.”
“No, Gunner.” She shakes her head at me. “You know me better than that. She’s involved with two of my loved ones. I can’t leave her alone forever, but I’ll back off, for now.”
“Fine,” I concede, knowing she’ll never leave it completely alone. The woman is like a dog with a bone when a family member, or friend, is involved. But when the time comes, I’ll deal with it and with her.
“Are those the résumés?” She changes the subject, nodding to the sheets of paper in front of me.
“Yes.”
“Anyone promising?”
“A few.” I point at the thin stack to my right.
“Wonderful. The guys could use a break after they train the new recruits.”
“You mean, have them come visit more often.” Her desire to have us all close and her sneakiness never fails to amuse me.
“The girls miss their uncles and the twins… they’re getting older. Maybe—”
“No, Faith. Get that idea, of getting the guys to settle down, out of yours and Julia’s heads. Let things roll out on their own.”
“But—”
“No.” Settling my elbows on my desk, I lean forward. “I’ll give them the heads-up if you start scheming.”
“Spoilsport.” She looks at me through narrowed eyes, unhappy to have her plans derailed.
“Brat,” I throw back, one eyebrow raised and smiling.
She gasps, and I roll my eyes at her dramatic flair, knowing the girls got their theatrics from their mother.
“Fine, but it would be wonderful if they could visit more often.” Her voice is soft and wistful.
“That it would.” I agree with her and turn back to the résumés before me after she leaves my office.
As I’m reading through, two thoughts strike me. I didn’t give Faith her way, like I normally would, and my heart didn’t ache at the sight of her. Not one bit.
Things couldn’t be better.
That night, I find myself wiping the last of the day’s makeup off, marking the last part of my bedtime hygiene routine.
“I’m telling you, Zane. There’s something about her.” I throw the dirty towelette in the trashcan.
Pausing, I wait for a response. When silence follows, I peek my head out of the bathroom door in search of my husband. He’s lying in bed, an arm behind his head, and he’s staring intently at the ceiling, lost in thought.
“Zane!” My voice is louder.
Snapping out of his musings, he jackknives up. “Yes?”
“I said, there something about her,” I repeat.
“Who?”
“That Heidi woman Gunner is seeing. I mean… I—”
What can I say without sounding irrational, crazy, or God forbid, jealous. Gunner has been a part of our lives—the girls’ and mine—for as long as I can remember. He was Jake’s best friend and my shoulder to lean on for the longest time. He’s never been serious about anyone, until now. Until this woman that both he and my daughter seem to adore.
“What about her?” Zane prompts.
“I don’t know. There’s just something about her. I feel like I’ve seen her before, but that’s silly.” My eyes meet his for confirmation. “She would have mentioned it. Wouldn’t she?”
Zane smiles at me, putting me at ease and causing my heart to do flips. My life didn’t go as I planned, but I’ve been blessed with a second chance at love. Thus, I should be happy Gunner has found his chance. So, why do I feel so uncomfortable about this woman?
She seems respectable, is a businesswoman, and always has time for Rylee. What is it about her that throws me off? Something niggles at the back of my mind, but I can’t seem to bring it forth.
“Faith, you’re thinking too much. Just come here, love.” He opens his arms, offering an enticing invitation. With work and two infants, not to mention our Skylar, our alone time has been limited. “Come here before those greedy little monsters, I call my sons, wake and demand your attention.”
“Zane. They’re our babies,” I scold him, but I completely understand him.
Though I wouldn’t trade our life for anything else in the world, there are times I crave the time we had before the twins were born. A time without interruptions and being able to do things spur of the moment without having to pack for a month-long trip when, in reality, we are only leaving the house for a few hours.
“Yes, our greedy, needy, little monster babies.” He moves to the edge of the bed. With each movement, his muscles ripple, showing off his toned, mouthwatering physique.
“Oh, like you’re not.” I smile coyly and can’t help but flirt with my husband.
“Not what?” He looks at me innocently.
“Needy,” I respond with a raised brow.
“Yes, well, I’m your husband. It’s my duty to need you. To desire you. To crave you like a starving man craves food. Your duty is to satisfy me. Now, come here, wife, before I start getting impatient.”
Walking toward him, I shed my nightgown and drop it on the bedroom floor as I climb into bed with him. “We wouldn’t want that?”
Before I settle into him, he brings his lips to mine. Impatiently, greedily, and demanding, igniting a fire within me. Within seconds, those thoughts about Heidi are long forgotten, and Zane is my sole focus.