Page 17 of Wyoming Bodyguard
Chapter 7
By the time Madden dressed, brushed his teeth and led Lily back down to the office, Reid and Peggy had arrived for the day. He wanted a private word with Reid before having Lily sign on the dotted line to make his job official.
He led Lily into the front of the office. “Do you mind sitting in the waiting room while I speak with my business partner?”
Before she could answer, Peggy shot to her feet and hurried to wrap her arms around Lily. “How are you doing, honey? How’s your dad? I can’t believe what happened yesterday. It’s just so horrible.”
Lily rested her head on Peggy’s shoulder and leaned into the hug. “Thanks, Peg. Dad’s in critical condition but stable, and I’m figuring out what I need to do next. Luckily, I have Madden helping me with that.”
Peggy shifted to face Madden while keeping one arm hooked snuggly around Lily’s shoulders. Her gray eyebrows rose high. “Oh really? I’m so glad to hear that.”
Madden ignored his receptionist’s unspoken curiosity. “I’ll be right out, Lily. Peggy can make sure you have anything you might need.”
Peggy gave Lily a little squeeze. “Sure will, dear. Let’s have a seat and I’ll grab you some water or coffee or anything you’d like.” Peggy steered Lily toward the seating area.
Knowing she was in safe hands, Madden walked back to Reid’s office and dropped into the seat across from his partner’s desk.
“You look rough,” Reid said, leaning back in his chair. “Tough night?”
“You can say that again.”
“Didn’t expect to see you coming down from your apartment with Lily Tremont first thing in the morning.”
Madden rolled his eyes. Gossip in a small town was as natural as the spring water trickling through the mountains, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be at the center of it. “We were up there for all of ten minutes. I stayed at her place last night.”
“Excuse me?” Mischief sparked in Reid’s brown eyes.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Madden evened his temper before he said something he’d regret.
Like Lily had.
She appeared remorseful for her comments about his family, but that hadn’t lessened the impact. Especially after seeing firsthand the toll the years had taken on her land.
“She called when she realized someone had broken into her house.”
Reid sat up straight. “Was she hurt?”
Madden shook his head. “The intruder was gone by the time she got there. When I arrived, deputies showed up and told her that her father had been attacked again in the hospital. He’s in critical condition with a guard outside his door. She was scared and wanted to hire Sunrise Security.”
“Wow. Sorry to hear all that happened to her, but glad for her business. We can keep her safe while the authorities figure out who’s after her father. Set up some cameras on her property, if she agrees to that. Switch who’s staking out her house. If she’s really nervous, we can even take turns being with her. Make sure she’s never alone.”
The thought of Reid spending time alone with Lily in her home—of her making him breakfast in her short shorts and fitted tank top—fisted Madden’s hands. “She wants more than that.”
“How much more can we do?” Reid asked, frowning.
“She asked me to help her find the person who’s after her father.”
Reid barked out a laugh. “What? She knows we’re a security company and not private investigators, right?”
Madden shifted in his seat. Reid had been his best friend and partner in crime since they’d met in boot camp twelve years before. Reid had stuck by his side through more than one storm, always believing in Madden even when he didn’t believe in himself.
But what he was about to suggest was different. It was changing the entire business model they’d agreed to, that Reid had invested his time and money into.
“But what if we were?”
The amusement fled from Reid’s expression, leaving him slack-jawed. “We have no experience with that. Hell, we hardly have experience as a security company because no one in this damn town will hire us.”
Madden winced but pressed on. “I know. You’re right. But we could be good at this. We tracked down terrorists overseas. We understand how to get information and put pieces together until we get a clear picture. Business sucks right now, but offering something more might be the ticket. Might be what turns things around for us.”
