Page 11 of Unruly Defender
“Nonsense,pasticcino,” Clemente rumbles, and I’ve always loved the way his voice sounds when he speaks Italian, or English for that matter with a hint of an accent.“You would even look stunning if you’d be wearing a garbage bag.”
I rush over and give him a proper hug.“Stop calling me a cupcake unless you bring me some.No, on second thought, don’t bring me cupcakes.I’ll end up eating them and my ass is big enough as it is.”
A laugh rumbles through Clemente’s chest and he places a kiss on the top of my head.“That’s an absolute lie, Gracy.Your ass looks fine.”
“What the fuck is this?”an angry voice blares through the lobby and I instantly know it’s Henley.“Get your hands off her.”
I try to step away from Clemente but he holds me tight against him.“Henley Pierce, I presume?You look quite different than the last photograph my uncle had on file.”
“Yeah, well, I was expecting your uncle for the meeting I requested, and not someone else to represent him.Now, let go of my personnel.Gracelynn, go to your room.”
“Go to my room?”I gasp, completely stunned and becoming angry and frustrated of this whole situation.I have no clue what’s going on but I do know one thing.“What am I?Five?Besides, this is my friend and you’re being rude.”
“Do you know who your friend really is?”Henley says through clenched teeth.
Who my friend really is?What does he mean?
“Gracy, sweetheart, we’ll catch up later,” Clemente says and gives me another kiss on the top of my head before he addresses Henley.“Shall we?”
Henley points at the office on the left and Clemente heads in that direction.Henley stalks up to me and whisper hisses, “I thought you didn’t have a boyfriend or a dick to jump on from time to time.”
Another gasp leaves my mouth and I’m getting sick of his attitude.“That’s none of your business,” I snap.
I don’t say anything else and turn on my heels and stalk to my desk.Asshole.I can’t believe he avoids me for three whole days and suddenly pops up and starts to order me around.In front of a friend no less.Ugh.How embarrassing.Henley eyes me for a moment before he disappears into the office Clemente walked into and shuts the door behind him.
I grab the phone and call Travis to see if he can replace me.There’s no way I want to face Henley when he’s done with his meeting and I will call Clemente later to catch up.I wish we could have talked more but Henley ruined it.I never had any feelings for Clemente, other than friendship, but the way Henley whispered those words to me made me feel weird.
Travis walks in with a bounce in his step.He’s the kind of guy who is always wearing a smile and when you see his face with the warm and welcoming look, and the light brown curly hair standing on end, all you can do is smile back.
He stalks around the desk and bumps my shoulder.“Where’s the fire, girl?”
I point at the door and huff, “The boss is in the office and I would like to be gone before the meeting that’s going on in there is done.”
“Maggie?”Travis questions with scrunched eyebrows.
“If it was Maggie, I wouldn’t be calling you,” I grumble in frustration.
“Ah, the rugged, long lost son who got back a few days ago.Hmmm, did you notice how he always takes a run down the beach each morning and a swim in the ocean right after?And I’ve caught him doing this kick, punch, knee routine on a punching bag...you have to get up early for those, though.Ah, three days in and I know his routine where the man gets his sculpted abs from,” Travis states and his eyebrows are now dancing seductively.
Henley goes swimming early mornings too?Sculpted...“Travis, are you ogling your boss?”
That’s my job, not his.But I can’t help to tease Travis, and already my mood changes because Travis always has this effect on people.
“Girl, any man or woman with a pair of eyes would check out that man’s body.From the looks of it he did some hard work to get it in that shape, and he works hard to keep it that way, so it deserves to be ogled.”
“I guess I missed the memo,” I mutter and grab my stuff.“Thanks for taking over.If you need me for anything, call.I’m going to take Finn for a walk first, though.”
“All good,” Travis says and checks the computer for the new arrivals.
I point at a name on the screen.“Just one couple coming in today but their bungalow is all set.”
“Go, go, go, Gracy.I got this.”Travis ushers me out.
I pick Finn up who was sleeping on his blanket.Travis looks at Finn and I know he really wants to pet him because he loves animals, but he’s also very allergic so he can’t.If he did, he would be a complete mess with the sneezing and eyes watering.
Instead of taking Finn for a walk, I decide to get in my car and take a drive down to the marina.My grandfather used to own this marina but when he died it all went to my mother.Our name is connected to shipbuilding and port logistics.We own a lot of businesses, and this marina is also where Lightners Yacht Club is located.
All of it was once founded, and some bought by my grandfather.My mother’s father to be exact.My father took my mother’s name when they married because it came with a status.It’s what my mother used to say during some of their fights.
