On the other hand, there’s nothing that says I can’t have fun with him.
Unless he’s not up to it.
See, I haven’t been able to assess him. He’s hard to read. However, those times I’ve flirted with him, he hasn’t told me he’s not into guys.
The only single Aldridges are Mills and Vance. Mills is handsome too. He reminds me of Charlie Hunnam. We’re talking Pacific-Rim-King-Arthur-The-Gentlemen look. Not Sons of Anarchy. I wouldn’t care if it was either one, though. I’d eat him anyway. Not that I can. He’s a single dad. I try to avoid men with family because that means they’re into relationships.
“Hey,” I greet Vance once he’s close.
He gives me a look that says I’m a lost puppy but also says, get closer and I’ll bite your head off. Not sure how he can do both at the same time, but I find it cute. This man is an enigma.
“Are you having a bad day?”
He glares at me, literally glares at me.
“I thought we were past this stage.”
“What stage?”
“The one where you pretend to be a guard dog, but deep down, we both know you like belly rubs and playing fetch. You’re like a Labrador Retriever. No. You’re a Labradoodle.”
He glares at me. “What?”
“You’re a yellow lab wearing a wolf’s coat.”
His upper lip trembles slightly. The guy is trying not to laugh. I grin because I’m getting under his skin. Maybe if I try harder, I can get under his belt. Now that’s something I could do while I continue getting acquainted with this town.
“Would you like a chocolate croissant?” I ask, tilting my head toward the bakery. “It’s on me.”
“I have work to do.”
“Really? What do you do other than look hot flying the helicopter?”
“I work at The Lodge.”
“Interesting. I lived there for a couple of days, and I never saw you. So, if I ask for room service, you’ll be the one coming into my room?” I wiggle my eyebrows.
“I work security,” he answers, annoyed. He begins to walk toward The Lodge. “Have a nice day.”
“You can run, but in the end, I’ll know why you hide behind that grumpy face. Or maybe it’s a way to beg for a kiss.”
Chapter Thirteen
Vance
Why is it that Darren gets on my fucking nerves every time? Like seriously, dude, get a grip. I don’t want to talk to you. He compared me to a fucking yellow lab. What is a Labradoodle? And that comment about the room service? I’m not sure if he realizes that whatever he says in town gets posted on social media within seconds.
At least he didn’t say anything about the romantic dinner he promised last night—our second date. We haven’t had a first date.
Is he for real?
This would be an excellent moment to record a day in the life of Vance. I’ll show it to Dr. Sanders. He thinks everything that happens to me should bring different emotions. Darren Russell keeps pissing me off. That only causes me to get angry. No. Fucking angry.
Sure, he’s hot in a Patrick Dempsey kind of way. It’s freaking hilarious that the guy is also a neurosurgeon. No one should judge me for knowing a little pop culture. Also, Leyla is the one who brought that up last week, after she met him.
One of the things I find tedious about him is his flirting. He teases me every time he has a chance to touch me or just say something completely inappropriate.
I should be on the lookout for him every time I’m walking around town so I can avoid him. Since Hayes lets him take his daily run on our property, I changed my daily schedule. What else is he going to fuck up?
One of these days, the nonsense he says is going to fuck with my life. I’ll have to kill him and bury him under a rock.
When I arrive at The Lodge, the person at the front desk greets me, “Good Morning, Mr. Aldridge.”
“Hey,” I answer and walk toward my office.
Well, that room shouldn’t be called an office. It’s a conference room that’s been going through several changes. Pierce and Henry transformed it into offices when we first arrived. After each one moved to their private office, they put it back as a conference room. The day I asked for an office, they transformed it again. Like them, I should do what my brothers did and buy a house. I’d have some privacy and a home office where no one will interrupt me.
Of course, I’ll have issues with Henry, who’ll say that as head security for all the businesses he owns, plus his hotels, I should be here all the time. I’m not a robot.
There are days he makes me feel like a mall cop. That should be over once we meet all the stipulations. But then what am I supposed to do with my life?
I hate not knowing my next move. It irritates me to no end. If only I could let out all the energy that’s stuck in my body. I need a fucking outlet. It makes me want to jump out of my skin or run away from this town. According to the wheel of emotions, that’s not a feeling, just a state of mind. I bought a book about emotions that’s helping me understand the nonsense.
Well, I use the word understand as a loose term.
I can’t comprehend shit. It’s like a different language. One that’s spoken in a galaxy far, far away.
When I open the door of my office, Pierce is there, waiting for me. Would it be okay if I shot him?
“Yeah?” I ask instead of greeting him.
“Are you okay?”
I glare at him. He could’ve asked me that at home. “Why does everyone ask that question over and over again? Do you really want to know, or is that just some polite way to greet me?”
“So, you’re having a bad day. I’m asking because you’re fuming. The signs are right there. Flaring nostrils, smoke coming out of your ears”—he pauses and waves his fingers around his ears, laughing—“And bulging eyes.”
I glare at him. “You’re not funny.”
He smirks. “I think I am. You just don’t like to admit it. As an added bonus for my own amusement, everything I say upsets you. I have fun with that.”
Pierce walks closer to me and pats my shoulder. “So, what’s happening with you? I know you don’t like us to ask, but we’re all concerned about you.”
“I’m fine.”
“Dude, you killed your ex a few weeks ago. That’s not okay.”
I blink a couple of times. We already had this conversation seven times.
Seven.
Yes. I’m counting them. I’m unclear on why he does it, though. Is this his way of saying I fucking care about you? If so, I don’t like it.
“Why is everyone obsessed with that? We slept together. He’s dead. It’s time to move on.” I pause, study him for a minute and say, “Is this a lawyer thing?”
“What?” He gives me a confused look.
“Badgering the witness until he says what you want to hear?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Denial.”
“I’m not in denial. It was him or Grace. I chose her. If she had died, Beacon would be devastated. Plus, the asshole was trying to kill my family, and then me.” I point my index finger at him and pretend to pull the trigger. “Pow. Pierce and family are gone. The end.”