Down-home cooking was the best, and a breakfast favorite at the McKenzie household.
Patting her shoulder, Bernard promised, “They’ll soon have their mouths too full to make you screech.”
Oh, God, she had screeched.
Bernard sat across from her and gave each of her brothers a look. “Anyone not enjoying my breakfast will immediately lose his plate.”
Cade lifted his hands.
Reyes lifted his fork.
After all, her brothers were bossy, and pushy in the extreme, but they weren’t fools.
“Thank you, Bernard,” Madison said sweetly. “You’re too good to us.”
With a long-suffering sigh, Bernard said, “Indeed, I am.”
At sixty-five, Bernard had been with them for over twenty years. He ran the household, served as her father’s assistant and made the very best of chefs, covering everything from fine cuisine to comfort food. Even better than that, he was like family. Yes, quirky family, since Bernard liked to put on lofty airs, especially whenever they had guests. Tall, thin and silver haired, Madison often wondered if he stole that impersonation from Alfred, Batman’s butler.
Once everyone was peacefully eating, Parrish regained their attention by saying, “I spoke with Crosby recently.”
The statement dropped with the impact of a thunderclap.
She and her brothers started asking questions at the same time.
Lifting a hand, Parrish said, “He applied as a corporate security manager.”
What? Crosby had applied for a job with her father? That sneaky bastard. She specifically remembered asking him what he planned to do now that he wasn’t a cop.
“When did this happen?” Madison demanded. “At which business?” Her father had a great many interests, and even more financial investments. “Did you hire him?”
Unfazed by her rushed questions, Parrish said, “He applied a few weeks ago, the position is at Cornerstone Security, and yes, I did.”
Slowly, she let out a breath. Did that mean he’d already been hired on before the conflict at Winton’s store? At least Cornerstone was one of her father’s local businesses, run in conjunction with the task force that helped victims of crime, specifically victims from human trafficking.
Crosby wouldn’t be leaving Colorado.
Not that it mattered, since he’d made it clear he wasn’t interested.
Gathering herself, she sipped her juice and waited, knowing her brothers would ask the rest of the questions she wanted answered.
Reyes took the first shot. “What exactly will he be doing?”
“He wanted as close to regular hours as he could get, so I’ve adjusted things to suit him. Big picture, he’ll coordinate the security for the business and for the people we’re helping, as well as organize and train the staff hired to see to the physical protection. He’ll also secure the facility, handle risk assessment and any immediate threats that arise.”
Cade whistled. “That’s a job for one person?”
Shrugging, Parrish said, “Jones, who had been in charge of staff, recently put in for retirement. I was relieved because his methods were dated anyway. The security system is getting old and I want it updated. That’s actually one of his talents. I was overseeing the rest of it before meeting Crosby, but I like him. More than that, I trust him. He’ll be able to handle it.”
Inwardly, Madison beamed. She was the one who’d declared Crosby trustworthy after a thorough background check. For her family, though, she kept her expression impassive.
“When does he start?” Reyes asked.
“Monday.” Parrish checked the time on his phone. “I’m meeting him in thirty minutes to go over everything.”
“You’re going to the facility?” Cade asked.
Attention on his plate, Parrish shook his head. “Crosby is coming here.”
Shock left them all silent. Generally speaking, her father’s home was off-limits. That hadn’t stopped Cade from bringing Sterling into the mix, or Reyes from bringing Kennedy. But they’d married those women, and both she and her father had known from the onset that they would end up as family. How her brothers had been with them was telling. Love, at least in the case of her brothers, was easy to see.
Crosby, though? If Dad was matchmaking—an unbelievable prospect, for sure—then he was doomed to disappointment.
Her family had been at odds with Crosby for some time and the man didn’t even like her. “Maybe I should clarify something.”
Bernard stood to start clearing away the empty dishes. Reyes grabbed the last of the potatoes and Cade snatched up another piece of toast.
Her father refilled his coffee cup.
They all waited.
Madison started to shift, but that was such a clichéd reaction to discomfort, she resisted. “If any of you are thinking that Crosby and I...that he might...” Double damn. She wasn’t sure what words to use. Blowing out a breath, she admitted, “I chased after him, yes, but his total disinterest was too obvious to miss, so end of story.”
“Is it the end?” Cade asked.
“Absolutely. Having him here isn’t necessary because he won’t become a permanent fixture.”
“He seriously turned you down?” Reyes asked, as if he couldn’t fathom it.
Sibling loyalty was a wonderful thing to have. She couldn’t help but smile. “I didn’t make an offer, so no. But he’s made it very clear that he doesn’t return my interest.”
Cade shook his head. “You know men can be idiots sometimes, right?”
“Not you.”
He flashed a grin. “No, but Reyes did a lot of denying with Kennedy before—”
“Bullshit,” Reyes said. “Kennedy was the one doing all the denying.”
Parrish gave them quelling looks. Yeah, at least her dad noticed how that made her feel. Her brothers had gone after the women they wanted, which more or less proved that Crosby had no intention of getting involved with her. He’d probably taken the job despite the family relationship, certainly not because of it.
Doing her utmost to appear nonchalant, Madison closed her laptop and stood. “I think I’ll head back to my house. I have a lot to get done this afternoon.”
Watching her, Cade also stood. “Madison—”
Parrish gestured for them both to wait. To Cade, he asked, “How are we proceeding on the nail salon?”
“Star got her nails done there the other day with me at the pawnshop across the street, just in case.”