Page 84 of Call it Reckless

I moved around the desk and gestured for him to sit at a table. “Sounds like you have a good background. Mind if I ask you some more questions?”

Several minutes later, my mind was made up. I reached into a drawer and pulled out some papers. “I have everyone start on a provisional basis for two months. After that, we’ll settle on a new contract with a pay raise. I know it’s short notice, but I need someone tomorrow. I suspect that with being in the Corps, you know how to adapt quickly. If you’re agreeable to all of that, and your references check out, you’re hired.”

“There’s one thing you should know.”

After the way things had gone, I waited for the ax to fall. Did he have a drug record? Felony?

Instead, I was surprised when he somewhat stiffly stretched his leg out and pulled the left side of his jeans up, exposing a titanium rod where his leg should have been. My heart ached, curious and sympathetic to what he must have been through.

“Will that be a problem for you to do your work?”

“No, ma’am. But it sometimes means I move a bit slower. I understand if you change your mind.”

I held his gaze. “Griff, I understand something about immobility myself. And so long as your brain and your hands do the right work under the hood, we won’t have any problems.”

Griff’s posture was still straight, but it looked as though he relaxed. “Thank you, ma’am. I’ll give you my best effort.”

“So long as your drop thema’ampart and call me Bristol, I think we’ll get along fine.”

He nodded and started filling out the paperwork. When he was done, he thanked me in his quiet, gentle voice and walked to a pickup truck parked outside, my eyes following behind. Despite his quiet manner, I suspected he was a force to be reckoned with, and my gut told me I might have been lucky to get the resignation news this morning.

The door opened again, but this time, it was two faces I knew and was glad to see.

“Hey, handsome. Hey, sweet girl.”

“Hi, Bristol.” Lexi ran to give me a hug.

I squeezed her back. “You’re the best thing to walk in here today,” I told her.

“Hey, beautiful.” He gave me a quick kiss, then greeted June with a smile that I was sure made her swoon a bit.

Lexi tugged on my arm. “Daddy said if you want, we can have pizza for dinner since we’ll be in town anyway.”

I gave Reid a confused look since we didn’t have previous plans.

“We thought we’d see if we could take you out to dinner before we go to the meeting,” he explained.

“Oh, gosh. I forgot that was tonight.” Part of me just wanted to skip the town hall meeting tonight, but at least Reid would be there. Em, Cam, and their friends said they always went, too. It seemed it was something of an event, although I couldn’t imagine why.

“Why don’t you go ahead and go,” June suggested. “Max and Chad are already closing down the garage. I’ll stay until they leave. Plus, Paige is here for just a little longer tonight.”

“You know what? I think I will.” I grabbed my purse and leather jacket from my office and met Reid and Lexi outside at Reid’s truck.

“Why don’t I drive? I’ll bring you back to your car later.”

We felt like a family as we drove the few blocks into town, and even more so as we sat down at the pizza place.

“So, what’s good here?” I asked Lexi.

“Well, I like pepperoni, but Daddy likes one called Margaret.”

He laughed. “It’s called Margherita.” He looked over his glass at me. “And for the record, I don’t share, so get your own.”

I laughed. “Well, in that case, I’ll have a pineapple and ham pizza, but a margarita drink.”

Lexi and Reid wrinkled their noses at me. “Fruit doesn’t belong on pizza, woman,” Reid said.

“It does if I want it to,” I retorted, making him chuckle.

---