“Nice of you to show up for work,” Presley said, leaning her slender arm on the door frame of his office. “How come you get to show up late and they still give you the office with the view?” She craned her long neck, admiring the view of Lafayette Park from his window. "I’m here every damn morning on time and I’m shoved in a cube.”
“Don’t be a techie geek then.” Scott glanced up from the box he was unpacking and grinned at her. “How’s it going, Pres?”
“Good.” She unfolded her arms and walked into the office. “Where were you last week anyway?” She flopped in the chair across his desk and ran her tattooed fingers through her short, black, pixie cut.
“Packed up my gear in the glades and Tori and I went to a resort in the keys.”
“A romantic weekend away? That’s unlike you two.” A sly grin crept across her thick lips. Presley had this wide, crooked smile with perfectly straight white teeth. That paired with silver eyes that alternated between blue and green made her look like she was up to no good. “Damn that’s like a full week of sleeping with the same chick. This must be some kind of record for you.”
A smirk tugged at his lips, but he didn’t comment. Office gossip spread like wildfire and he preferred his privacy. Scott reached into the box, pulling out a photo of him and Tori, and placed it next to his computer.
It looked much nicer sitting on the dark-red, mahogany desk than it did on the rusted, old, metal one in his bunker in the glades.
“And you’re staying put… are you actually retiring your manwhore status for this girl?” Presley snagged the frame and eyed it. “What is going on in this photo, anyway?” She laughed. “Is this the Netherlands?”
“That was shortly after I lost my leg. She took me to Amsterdam.” Scott chuckled. The picture had been taken in front of the canal with Tori lifted above his shoulders like a barbell. “The dude didn’t think my prosthetic was strong enough for a tandem bike. We proved him wrong.”
“What else did you do there?” Presley’s eyes narrowed.
“We don’t talk about Amsterdam.” Scott tried to hide the wicked grin spreading across his lips.
“You love her…” she chimed in a silly sing-song voice. “You want to marry her…”
“You done?” Scott wrinkled his brow at her as he snagged the photo back.
“So, when do I get to meet this chick?” Presley asked. “Ooh, you should totally come over tonight and bring her. Cards game is on.”
“I don’t think baseball would entertain her.” Scott chuckled.
“Oh; so she’s a girly girl? Doesn’t like sports.”
“I have no clue if she likes sports,” he answered. Their time catching up with each other over the years didn’t involve much talking. “Anyhow, I need to pack my condo tonight.”
“Pack?”
“I’m moving in with her.”
“You what?” Presley’s jaw flopped open. “How much do you know about this girl?”
“Pres, I’ve known Tori for ten years.” He shot her a glare.
“And yet you can’t tell me if she likes baseball.”
“You know she’s blind, right?”
“So what? She can still listen to the calls on the screen. For a man with his own disability you’re pretty ignorant.” She gave him a wink. “Now tell me, what’s her middle name?”
“Rose.”
“Parent’s name?”
He scratched his temple, racking his brain. Finally, it came to him. “Her mom’s name is Maureen.”
“Dad’s name?”
“Dad’s dead.”
“How’d he die?”
“I don’t know.” He frowned.
Her brow arched. “You’re moving in with this girl and you don’t even know how her father passed away?”
Scott was getting irritated, but Presley brought up a valid point. What was her father’s name? How did he die? Those were all still huge mysteries. He'd asked once, several years ago, and Tori had clammed up. He knew better than to even touch on that subject again until she was ready.
There was a knock at the door and they turned.
Rebecca, secretary to the CEO Jack Riley, stood in the doorway. She pushed her glasses up on her nose and glanced down at her feet. The poor girl could never stare Scott square in the face.
“Scott, Jack needs to see you in his office.”
“Ok.” He nodded, thankful for the interruption. “You could’ve called. You didn’t have to walk all the way down here, Rebecca.” Scott flashed her a grin.
Her cheeks flushed as her eyes darted from him to Presley then back to her feet.
He always assumed Rebecca had a thing for him. She was cute, in a reserved secretary type way. She was no Tori, that was for sure. His mind flashed to Tori throwing her head back and screaming his name last night. His cock tingled.
Work thoughts, dude, work thoughts.
She bit her lip. “Um. I tried that. There was no answer.”
“Thanks, Rebecca, I’ll be right there.” Scott nodded to her and she shuffled away.
Scott frowned and picked up the phone, placing it to his ear. There was no dial tone. He dropped the receiver back down to deal with later; he didn’t feel like crawling under his desk in his khakis.
Presley groaned from under his desk. When did she get there? It was obviously bugging her much more than it was him. “Ah ha!” Presley’s head popped back up, and she leaned her elbows on the desk with a glare. She batted her eyes at him as she twirled the end of the jack. “You have to plug it in for it to work. God, Harris, what would you ever do without me?”
“Thanks, but I think I could’ve figured that one out.” Scott rolled his eyes and walked past her.
“Don’t act like you aren’t wowed by my amazing technical skills!” She called behind him.
Scott chuckled as he marched down the hall and took the elevator up to the next floor. Once there, Rebecca grinned at him from her desk and waved him into Jack’s office.
“Scott, hey. Can I ask you something?” Rebecca stopped him as he started to turn the handle.
“Sure.” He turned back to Rebecca who was biting her lip.
“I was wondering…” Her voice lowered.
He groaned inwardly. He’d let her down gently. He’d have to get used to this, after all. He may have poked fun at Tori for how many dudes she’d slept with, but he was sure his number was higher. He just didn’t boast about it as much as his girl did.
Rebecca continued “…If Presley was seeing anyone.”
You cocky son of a bitch.
He let out a chuckle and scratched his temple. “I don’t think so.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “You should ask her out; I’m sure she’d take you up on the offer.” Scott knocked on the desk, winked, then went into Jack’s office.
“Harris! Glad to have you back!” Jack grinned and rose from his seat, greeting Scott with a hearty handshake. “How was Florida? You get everything all squared away there?”
“Sure did.” Scott nodded as Jack patted him on the shoulder.
“Have a seat.” Jack motioned to the armchair as he circled back around his desk and settled into his brown, leather chair.
Jack removed his glasses and leaned back. He smiled wide, flashing his pearly white veneers at Scott. Jack had a grin that was more suited for politics than for the Air Force, but the array of military awards framed on his wall begged to differ.
“So, what’s up?” Scott asked.
“I need you to get a team together.”
Scott cursed inwardly but tried to keep his composure. Jack and he had a deal. Months ago—when Tori was in O&M training and Scott was back in town for a few days—he’d gone to Jack’s house after a long talk with Keith. Scott could still remember Keith’s words: “Get the girl, Scott. It’s time for you and Vic to have a happily ever after. Stuff down that big ego of yours that fears she’ll say no and tell her how you really feel… get hitched and make pretty babies.”
Something inside Scott had stirred from Keith's words. He’d marched straight to Jack’s house and asked to get out of the field, or he was giving his resignation. Scott had poured his heart out to Jack that night, something he rarely ever did. He’d told Jack all about Tori while they shared cigars and drinks over a game of pool.
“Give me a few months,” Jack had promised Scott. They’d shook on it.
Scott rubbed his neck that was growing hot. “Jack, I thought we agreed after Qatar no more field work…”
Jack held up his hands and chuckled. “Before you say anything, this isn’t what you think it is.”
Scott raised his brow.
“We have a LEO unit just outside Austin,” Jack began, “that wants third-party help to set up their training facility and programming. I want you to lead it. This is right in your wheelhouse—keeps you out of the danger, but still keeps you doing something you enjoy. You’re a damn good instructor, Harris.”
Austin was the magic word that dissolved his aggravation.
“How long?” Scott asked.
“A few weeks, maybe a month tops. Just long enough to get them up and running. I had a hunch you wouldn’t mind going back to your hometown.” Jack’s blue eyes creased in the corners as he grinned at Scott. “Anyhow,” he waved his hand, “I’ll email you the details of the contract and you can prepare a team. I’ll give you four other people to take with you, one needs to be a techie. I’m assuming you will pick Shey,” he said in reference to Presley, “since you two work well together. Whoever else you want on the team is your choice. I need you there in a week.”
“Ok, Boss.” Scott tried to hide his excitement. This was his hometown and a job right up his alley. No sneaky pickups, no terrorists, no training ass-hats. Just guns and good old boys in Texas. “And I can have anyone I want?”
“Even your buddy Hodges, if you want. Although we both know he’s got a few screws loose.” Jack made a sour face.
“Eh, Hodges is doing pretty darn good…” Scott defended his best friend Ian Hodges, a.k.a Blaze.
“Good deal.” Jack dismissed Scott with a wave of the hand. “I’ll be in contact.”
A warm grin crept across Scott’s lips as he walked out of the office. He was going home. He could practically taste his mom’s homemade sourdough biscuits and smell the bacon frying in the pan.
“Oh, and Harris, one more thing.”
“Yes.” Scott wiped the smirk off his face and turned around.
“I’m not as upset about you leaving the field as you think. You’re damn good out there, but it was always a hard sell getting most people past the nub. But I know one thing—you aren’t suited for a desk job. Contracts and negotiations isn’t your passion. I understand why you’re doing it for your lady.” Jack gave him a long stare. “If Victoria is half as amazing as you’ve said she is, I’m sure your mom and dad will love her.”
Scott patted the door frame and smiled. Sneaky Jack. He was paving the way for him to take Tori home to meet his folks.
“Thanks, Jack.”
“Anytime, Harris.”
“Well, your man sure cleans up nice!” Keith said to Tori as she assumed he eyed Scott walking into the restaurant. “I didn’t know he owned anything other than jeans and snug t-shirts with irreverent phrases on the front. He looks amazing.”
“You’re such a brat.” Tori smirked as she sipped her water. Keith had a point; in her ten years of knowing Scott she’d rarely ever seen him dressed up. “Well, don’t leave me hanging. At least clue me in a little.”
“Navy khakis, brown oxfords, matching belt and a cornflower-blue dress shirt rolled at the sleeves,” Keith informed. “He’s pulling off his sunglasses and tucking them into his chest pocket as he saunters over here.”
Tori’s mouth watered at that mental image.
“Hey, pretty lady,” Scott said as he planted a kiss on Tori’s cheek. “How was the doctor?” His chair scraped across the floor as he settled in next to her.
“Not broken, thankfully.” Tori fiddled with her sunglasses and winced. They were killing her nose. She wanted to rip them off her face but she was trying to hide her two black eyes from the world.
“That’s good.” Scott exhaled in relief.
The waitress came for their orders and brought their drinks. “So, how was the first day back in the office?” Tori unfolded her silverware.
“Interesting.” Scott cleared his throat. “I was actually going to talk with you about that.”
Tori frowned. That tone told her he was about to tell her he was leaving town. “You’re traveling again, aren’t you?” she huffed. “God, I knew it!” She tossed her napkin in her lap. “I knew you wouldn't stay put!”
“First, before you go getting all hot and bothered, I warned you I’d still have to travel occasionally, but this isn’t what you think it is. No overseas.”
Tori crossed her arms over her chest. “Continue.”
“I’m going to Texas. Back home—just outside Austin. I’ll be setting up a training facility for law enforcement and instructing there for a few weeks is all. Nothing dangerous.”
Her anger dissipated but she still wasn’t thrilled with him leaving. She’d just gotten him back and now he was taking off again. She uncrossed her arms and let out a breath.
“I want you to come with me.” Scott reached over and squeezed her hand. “I want my family to meet you.”
Um, come again?
Tori’s heart pounded in her ears and she swallowed a lump in her throat.
“That was one of your conditions for marrying me, right? Meet my parents?” Scott reminded her.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Tori blinked behind her sunglasses, at a loss of anything to say. She figured meeting the parents was far in the future. Scott really wanted to fast track this marriage thing.
She could hear Keith’s whimpers of mirth as he tried to hold back a laugh. God, she could just imagine his cheeks turning as red as his hair and the stupid, buttery grin plastered on his face.
“So, what do you think?” Scott asked.
Butterflies danced around her stomach. “Scott, I have a job here. I can’t take off as I please.”
“You could go for a weekend, Vic,” Keith chimed in—trying to be ever so helpful.
“Yeah, you could leave Friday and fly back on Sunday night. Come spend the weekend with me.” Scott rocked her thigh back and forth. “It's great timing. My sister is about to pop her baby out any day now. I’ll get to meet my nephew while I’m there.”
Oh yay, and a new baby to boot.
She bit the inside of her cheek. Did he not recall she just lost their child? Had that completely slipped his mind? Yeah, they hadn’t talked about her recent tubal pregnancy; but still, you’d think he’d tread a little lighter.
“Well, yes, I suppose I could do that,” she croaked. Suddenly, her mouth became dry. Tori nodded, reached for, and gulped her water.
“Actually, Vic, wasn’t that blind painter from Texas? The one you were trying to recruit for your exhibition? What if you pitched to Natalie to go down there scouting him out? That would give you even more time to spend down there. Make it a work trip.”
“Well… yes… he’s in San Antonio.” Tori wanted to kick Keith under the table. He wasn’t helping. Or was he? God, it would be fantastic to go down there and experience his studio first-hand and pick his brain for techniques.
“San Antonio isn’t a far drive from Austin. It would totally be doable to get you down there. If I couldn’t sneak away for it I know my mom would take you,” Scott suggested.
Scott sounded so excited about that prospect. All Tori could think about was hours of awkwardness in a vehicle with someone that may not even like her. She’d never won over many parents in her lifetime and that was back when she had two working eyes.
Scott rambled on for several minutes about all the great things to do in Austin—trying to win her over—up until their food arrived. All Tori could hear was the ringing in her ears. Scott’s parents thought highly of him. What would they think about the fatherless girl with a junkie mom, who had a sex scandal with a congressman and was now blind and possibly barren? There was also the looming issue of her sordid past that she hadn’t even divulged to Scott yet. Scott was so far out of her league it was laughable.
“Austin is a great city, full of artistic culture and great music. Vic, you’re going to love it there. It’s all weird and hippie chic—like you,” Keith said. “They also have great clubs. They even have a countryfied, gay-biker bar. God, how fun would that be?”
Tori snickered, imagining Keith in such a place. He’d look almost as ridiculous as Marty McFly did pretending to be Clint Eastwood in Back to the Future Three.
Scott snorted. “They do not.”
“Yes, they do. I swear it,” Keith said. “Read all about it in OUT magazine.”
“They have gay clubs and biker bars, but I’m from there and they do not have a gay-cowboy biker bar,” Scott said with conviction.
Keith and Scott continued to argue about this for several moments while Tori picked at her food.
“Babe?” Scott rested his hand on her thigh. “You ok?”
His touch radiated love and warmth. How did she deny that for so long? Why he even loved her was beyond her comprehension. “Yeah, I’m great. Just hungover. Austin sounds fun!” Tori plastered on a phony grin. “I’ll talk to my director and pitch ideas to her and see if I can make this a business trip.”
“Fantastic.” Scott rubbed her thigh under the table. “Hey, random question. Do you like baseball?”
“I loathe baseball.” Tori snarled.
Keith giggled like a kid from across the table.
“What’s so funny?” Scott asked.
Tori nodded toward him. “Tell him Keith.”
“At the end of her O&M training she had to fly out of state and back. She didn’t know where she wanted to go so she let me pick the trip.”
“He sent me to Atlanta. To a Braves game,” she groaned. “Asshole.”
Scott snorted. “What did you end up doing?”
“Went to the Braves game.” She shrugged. “Sat in the bleachers with a bunch of dudes and downed beers while they gave me a play-by-play. I was a delight.”
“That’s my girl.” Scott chuckled and kissed her on the cheek.