Page 33 of Inevitable

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Tuesday, August 1st

Brady sat at his desk, looking at the plans for a building that they had to do recon on at the end of the week. The company wanted their security protocol tested, so he was in charge of putting a plan together for the team. It was an old building built in the ’50s, which sometimes presented certain problems if they had to drop down from the roof. He wrote a couple of notes and then heard his name being called. Looking up, he saw Brock stride into the room. “What’s up, brother?”

“Not much. Just dropped Erin off with Hunter. She was over at the house working with Lilly on a project.”

“The project that’s going to land them in hot water?”

“No. In fact, Lilly swore to me that she wasn’t up to anything and had no pranks planned.”

“And you believe her?” Brady asked suspiciously.

“Yeah, I do. She’s too busy writing and fixing up the house to spend any time scheming.”

Brady leaned back and crossed his arms. “Claire said they were working on a blockbuster, which made me think she was yanking my chain.” Scraping his hand over his face, he sighed. “Truth is, I have no idea if she’s being honest or messing with me.”

“Women like to think they’re a mystery, so it’s best if we just go along with it and make them happy.”

“No going along on my part. Claire is a mystery and I don’t expect that I’m ever going to figure her out.”

“Got to learn her love language and then make sure you speak it every day.”

“What the hell is a love language?” Brady asked with exasperation.

“It’s the thing you do that makes your partner feel loved. Lilly has this book by a guy named Chapman and it’s all about giving your partner love in a way they recognize. Lilly and I have been figuring it out for the last four months and I’ve got to say it’s made our relationship stronger.” Brock ran his hand over his neck and grinned. “Ask Claire and then have her tell you what hers is. Once you two have that figured out, the rest will come along.”

Narrowing his eyes, he studied his brother. Brock had been completely transformed and Brady wasn’t sure what to make of it. His uptight, perfectionist brother was gone and had been replaced with a happy, easygoing man. Lilly Bertrand was responsible for the modern-day miracle standing before him and he wondered if Claire had similar powers.

Speaking of magic powers, he saw his sorceress walk into the room and light it up with her smile. He stood, walked over, and swept her up into his arms. “Hi.”

Resting her hands on his shoulders, she gave him a small smile. “Hey.”

“Give me a kiss,” he said as he leaned forward. All he got was a quick closed-mouth one. Which wasn’t what he had in mind. Not at all. When she wiggled to get free, he let her go and set her carefully on her feet. He heard his brother laugh and decided to ignore it.

Claire patted her hair down, ran her hand over her dress, and stepped away. “Behave and don’t be smooching me in the office.”

“You’re no fun,” he replied as he took her hand.

“That’s not what you said last night.”

The prim smile that followed the comment was damn entertaining. “You’re right.”

Brock went over to his desk and sat. “Brother, you would be wise to learn that there will not be a time in your life when Claire will not be right. Even if she isn’t…she still is.”

Claire walked over, lifted her hand, and high-fived Brock. “That’s what I’m talking about.” She looked over her shoulder at Brady and grinned. “Your brother has figured out the key to happiness.”

“True,” Brock responded.

“What’s true?” Kane asked as he walked in.

“The woman in your life is always right, even when she isn’t,” Brock said.

“Damn true,” Kane responded.

“Now that we have that settled, I need some help,” Claire said as she set her laptop on Brady’s desk. She opened an app and then stood back. “I’ve got Erin’s stalker idling in Houston and I was wondering where I should send him next. He has been dutifully following the trail that I’ve made. Now I’ve got him three hours away and I don’t know what the next step should be.”

Brady looked at the blinking dot on the map that lit Claire’s screen and considered the options. “How long has he been there?”

---