Page 106 of Rut Bar

We’re all silent for a long stretch. “Inertia isn’t a person,” Brendan explains. “It’s when you get so used to something that you don’t do anything differently.”

“Oh, right on,” Jamie says, his head bobbing. “Going with the flow.”

“Right.” Brendan says, then turns back to Vee. “Anyway, your case will be reassigned, but I’m not sure which agent will take over. I can help you put the files they’ll need in boxes if you’d like. They’ll likely be taking the records back to the office instead of working here like I did.”

So my hunch was right. “Iknewyou were hanging out here because you had a thing for her,” I say.

“More like I have the world’s most annoying cubicle neighbor, but coming into Rut every day has its perks.” Brendan shrugs and gives Vee a soft smile. “I’m happy to help if you’ll have me. I’m sure I can come up with a few deductions you haven’t thought of already.”

Vee pushes her chair away from her desk and stands, leaning her weight on her palms. “That could actually solve one of my problems. My old accountant, Harvey, wants to quit. Or he needs to, anyway. Or… he sort of already did?”

“What?” I stare at Vee to see if she’s kidding. She’s not. How long has she known this, and why would she keep something so big to herself? “Harvey quit and you didn’t tell us?”

Her cheeks pinken as if she’s embarrassed. Veronica’s attention flickers from Brendan to me. “His wife is sick and they want to move out of state to be closer to family. He was going to see us through this audit remotely and refer me to someone, but… I hate to bother him while they’re dealing with her chemo appointments.”

She tucks her hair behind her ear. “You offered to help, but I don’t know if you’d ever be interested in actually working here—working for me—and I don’t want you to feel you have to say yes, but?—”

“I’ll do it,” Brendan interrupts her. “Of course I’ll do it, Vee. I’ll do anything for you. You don’t have to ask. What you’re doing here… It’s important. I’d like to be a part of it.”

He scrubs a hand along the back of his neck. “I spent my entire career working for an agency that mostly punishes people and small businesses for making stupid mistakes or trusting the wrong accountant. The huge billion-dollar titan industries with hordes of lawyers? They almost never get held accountable. I’m tired of being a part of something that I’m not sure is good. So whatever I can do to help… Wherever you need me, I’m there for you, Veronica. Put me to work.”

“Okay. You’re hired.”

He glances at the pile of cardboard file boxes and shoves his falling sleeve up higher. “All right. I should get to work before the new agent comes over. I’ll start by reorganizing the boxes I haven’t gotten to yet. We can fill out the new hire paperwork later. I found a few minor errors and missing receipts while I was working. If you let me use your computer, I can work on pulling those together before they get the case reassigned.”

I watch in awe as Brendan gives Vee gentle commands, and she listens for once in her stubborn life without a single argument. He’s a miracle worker. It usually takes me at least thirty minutes of arguing to get her to this point. I’m slightly jealous. But then again, maneuvering her is half the fun for me.

Would I like it if she didn’t fight me?Probably not.

Jamie scoots over on the couch so Brendan can pull certain boxes aside, and then every horizontal surface is covered with paperwork as he lays out the records he wants to tackle first.

Voices sound from the floor below, breaking through the murmurings of the talk radio playing over the speaker system.Sounds like the other staff are here.I dip out, motioning for Jamie to follow me. We leave them to it with the understanding that he’s got it handled.

I never thought I’d be grateful to have an alpha one day, let alone two. My experience is that most of them aren’t worth the trouble they bring, but here we are. A pack with two of them. It’s nice. I enjoy knowing I can leave her in his hands and know he’s got her. Whatever happens, he’ll handle it and keep her safe. This pack thing is working out better than I ever could have planned.

I wave in greeting to the other bartenders showing up for their prep work and chop the rest of Brendan’s stack of oranges. My wedges aren’t nearly as symmetrical as his, but they’ll do.

While the dancers cluster and Nick changes the music for rehearsal, I pop an orange wedge into my mouth and look up at Vee’s office. Veronica and Brendan are looking at her computer together. He towers over her at twice her size. She leans in closer to him, her body instinctively seeking the protection of his alpha presence.

She’s not a bad omega like she thinks. She only needed the permission to be soft and the security of a pack to let her guard down.

Orange juice runs down my throat as I smile and toss the rind into the trash under the bar. Yeah, this worked out perfectly. But now that we have her, we need to figure out how to keep her. Stop her from getting spooked and closing off now that she’s opened up to us and finally let us in.

Now all we have to do is figure out how to lock her stubborn ass down before she can panic and get in her head and self-sabotage our pack.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

VERONICA

I can’t believeit’s already time for payroll again. How has it already been two weeks since the last time? I swear I just did this yesterday.

Fuck. I need an assistant or something.

Especially if I’m going to be focusing on this presentation on franchise opportunities, I have to give in New York to those investors in ten weeks. I still can’t believe I let Anthony talk me into setting up meetings. It’s too early. I’m not ready, yet.

Sighing, I pore over Jamie’s time card. Eleven times. That’s how many times he’s forgotten to punch in or out in the last two weeks. Even for him, that’s a record. I thread my fingers through my hair and cradle my head.

Hands clap down on my tense shoulders and rub, thumbs digging into the ever-present knots there. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Brendan asks. “I can help. I’ve been told I make an excellent sounding board.”

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