Page 22 of The Operator

Julie was the receptionist at the B&B and the sister of someone. I wasn’t sure how she fitted in. I knew that once the Salingers invited you in, they didn’t let go. Almost like a cult, but in a good way.

“I will check it out today. The sooner I can have Skylar and Everly away from that cottage, the better.”

“How are you all getting along? Anything I can do to smooth things along?” Nick was being helpful, yes. But he was also being nosy.

I shook my head and stopped my smile. “I think you’ve done enough.”

At least Nick had the decency to look apologetic. “It wasn’t my intention to blindside Everly. I didn’t know if you were the correct Noah. And I didn’t want anyone getting their hopes up in the event I was wrong.”

I guess I could understand that. Didn’t mean I believed it.

“Did you for one moment think you could be wrong?”

It was a fair question, even if I already knew the answer.

“I saw your eyes in that picture we had on file, and I knew. Add that to the small amount of detail I had? Yes, I knew I was right.”

“It’s true.” Bex smiled next to her brother. “You two have the same eyes. All brown and soulful with those specks of gold. She looks like you, Noah.”

“Maybe.” I wasn’t used to people outside of my team being so close and… intrusive. “But her mannerisms are all her mother's.”

Everyone seemed to agree with that.

Bex scrunched her face. “Uhm… who’s car is that. She pointed over my shoulder, and we all turned at once.

Alertness turned to annoyance as I recognized the car from a few days back.

Nick was the one to answer, though. “Trey Gosling. He’s here for an interview.”

Bex turned to Nick. “I thought the car looked familiar, but I didn’t know we were hiring. I thought with Noah and Damon Cross, we’re full up for now?”

Nick shook his head and frowned. “Nope. I wanted the rest of Noah’s team as well, but they’ve headed up home to Oregon. Apparently, life in Fable Falls called to them. And Damon still has a few months left on his enlistment.”

I turned to Nick and frowned. “You wanted me in the interview, right?”

“Yes.” He shook his head and smirked at me. “You’re going to give him a chance though. Just because he had a conversation with your woman and gave you some glares does not mean he is not good at his job.”

Nick was right. I knew he was. That didn’t mean I needed to like the guy. But if he was going to be working with us, weneeded to get along. He’d be part of our team. One I would be leading regularly. It wouldn’t do if we couldn’t trust one another.

There was, however, one thing he was wrong about. “Everly is not my woman. She is free to date whomever she pleases.”

Nick smiled at his sister. She, in turn, burst out laughing. Bex just shook her head and patted my shoulder.

“This would be a lot easier if you could just admit that you’re interested.” Bex nudged me as we all walked into the Salinger Security lobby.

I was the last to walk into the rustic lobby. “Interested is not quite the word I would use. Am I attracted? Yes. Do I want a clear idea of who plays a significant role in my daughter's life? Also, yes. But as long as whomever she dates is not a douche to her or Skylar, it is not my business.”

Bex snorted as she turned to face me. “You really believe that, don’t you? Well at least it will be fun to watch.”

“Really?” I figured I could get a dig in while I was at it. “If we’re talking about this, we may as well discuss how, when I offered to distract you at that Holiday Party, your new sister-in-law chose to warn me against a certain doctor.”

I had never seen two confident women blush so fast before. Anna stood at the reception desk and turned when we walked in. She had obviously spoken out of turn when she warned me against Logan, and it seemed I had hit a nerve with Bex.

She recovered quickly, though. “We’re not talking about me. Besides, I’ll deal with those issues when I’m ready.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to say I would do the same, but then that would imply that I had issues with Everly. And I didn’t. Instead, I turned to focus my attention on the woman sitting at the reception desk. I recognized her from the Holiday Party. She was the administrator for Salinger Security. “Morning… Sue, is it? I got your email you sent me on Saturday. You said you have some paperwork I need to fill out?”

Her light blue sweater that seemed to wrap around her body stood out on her dark skin. “I do.” Sue’s dark curly hair was tied up with what looked like a pencil. “But first, you, Nick, and Lilly have an interview. I think Oliver will be joining you too. There’s the candidate now.”

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