Page 60 of Fierce-Zander

“Hopefully Zander isn’t there and Betsy can fill you in better than me right now.”

“Then I’ll scoot over there and see what I can gather,” she said. “Don’t forget to check out Payton’s deli. You’ll love it.”

“I’ll go do that right now,” Miles said. “And by the way, Regan has no clue what you guys are doing. I’m not sure if it’s best to keep her in the dark or not.”

“I’ll talk to Betsy and think about it. Zander clearly knows what we do, but I haven’t talked to him much about it since Royce’s wedding. Even then it was as a joke.”

“But he knows to expect it,” Miles said. “Does he know you’re thinking of Regan?”

“I don’t believe so,” she said. “That is the fun part. I haven’t said Regan’s name to him once. I don’t believe Grant or Garrett have either, but I’ll find out.”

“If not, then it seems if we are right, they might be doing this on their own.”

Diane rubbed her hands together. “Those are even better. Then we only have to nudge things along. Or you two do by the sounds of it.”

“I’m doing my part,” Miles said. “I drop Zander’s name all the time in the context of her needing some action outside of work. You know, the hot PI next door and all.”

“Whatever works,” she said, grinning and all but dashing out the door and over to see Betsy.

“Morning, Diane,” Betsy said. “Coming to see if I’ve got anything to report?”

“I just spoke with Miles after I left Trent’s office with Regan. He said you’ve got some news to share.”

Betsy turned her head and she looked over to see a man in the other office on the phone. “Why don’t we take a quick walk,” Betsy said quietly. “I could stretch my legs.”

“You can walk me out,” Diane said. “And I can tell you how excited I am that I’ll be getting another grandson next month. I’m sure it’s going to be the last one I’ll get, but my son Ryder is over the moon to hold his son soon.”

Betsy winked at her for changing the subject and she watched as Betsy stood up and walked to the doorway of the other room and waved her hands as if she was walking out and the older man nodded his head.

“Sorry about that,” Betsy said when they were outside the office. “Zander’s father is now coming in a few days a week and helping out.”

“Good to know,” she said. “Don’t want anything to get back to Zander. So fill me in.”

She listened while Betsy told her about the dirty plates from a few days ago, then the dinner for two on a receipt, and something about Zander and Regan sharing a client. She didn’t care about the details and knew she couldn’t be told.

All she was concerned about was that Regan and Zander would be seeing each other on a professional level and that maybe it’d turn into more if it hadn’t already.

“So you see, Miles and I are still sorting it out, but we’ve got our eyes open. I’ll start dropping Regan’s name more now when she comes over. Or if I don’t see her, I’ll ask if it’s after hours. I’ll have work as an excuse.”

“Even better,” she said. “Glad to know you two are on the case.”

“Good one,” Betsy said.

Diane took her leave thrilled to know that she had more to report than her husband had been able to do.

18

SET THEM UP

At the end of the day, Zander was left alone in his office finishing up paperwork. Betsy had left at four to go mail a few things.

He’d noticed that Miles was sitting at his desk when he walked by to get to his office, but since it was early afternoon, he didn’t expect any differently.

His father and he met and went over a few things and then his father left for the day. It was such a relief to know things were getting done faster with his father pitching in and he didn’t have to worry about turning down work.

Betsy had told him earlier one of the biggest companies in the building needed background checks done on all their employees and wanted to contract the service going forward. That they weren’t happy with the company they’d been using.

Since that was work Betsy or his father could do, he didn’t see any reason to turn it down and would have a contract sent over once he met with them in a few days.

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