Page 6 of Her Billionaire Hero
“A girl.” Lisa ducked her head as she took the seat behind the desk. “I swear it won’t happen again, Mr. Nash.”
Sloan looked at me over her shoulder. “I can answer phones if she has problems with her baby, Baldwyn. I don’t mind at all.” Looking back at Lisa she asked, “Is she your only child, Lisa? Oh, and my name’s Sloan Rivers.”
Lisa accepted Sloan’s extended hand, shaking it as the two smiled at one another. “She is my only child, yes. It’s nice to meet you. But aren’t you one of the engineers? You can’t be answering phones. I’ll do what I have to so I won’t be late again. Maybe my sister can come over when I’m having trouble with the baby.”
“Great idea.” I liked a person who could figure things out before they got to be too much of a problem. “We’re heading out to lunch. I’ll bring something back for you. If you skip your hour lunch break and both thirty-minute breaks, I won’t have to dock your pay for your tardiness.”
“Thanks, boss.” Lisa pulled open the drawer of her desk to get to work. “I really appreciate you doing that for me. Anything you bring back for me will be fine, sir.”
“So, we get an hour lunch?” Sloan asked as we headed outside.
The noise of traffic moving by on the interstate ablock over made it hard to hear, so I had to speak a bit louder than I had been. “We get as long as we want.” I stepped in beside her, steering her toward my car. “You like sushi?”
Stopping, she looked me square in the eye. “You don’t have to come to lunch with me.”
“You’recoming withme.” Bumping her shoulder with mine, I moved her farther in the direction I wanted her to go in. “Come on, I’ll drive. Lunch is on me. It’s a write-off, so don’t argue about it.”
“And the apartment?” she asked as the argument I’d half-expected from her didn’t come.
“Yes, it’ll be a write-off too. So, I don’t want you thinking I’m doing you any real favors. I’ve got my financial reasons for giving you all I’m going to give you. How’s your car situation? Do you have a reliable one?”
“I do have a reliable car. No need to get me one.” Running her hand through her hair, she smiled as she looked up at the bright blue sky. “It’s nice out today.” She looked at my car as I hit the key fob to unlock it, then her eyes met mine. “What do you say to eating al fresco, instead of sushi?”
“Do you know a place?” I didn’t know much about the surrounding area yet.
“Joe’s makes insane street tacos. You into Tex-Mex?”
“I’m from Houston, Sloan. Tex-Mex is life there.” I held the car door open for her and she looked up at me, as I was a good foot taller than her. “So, Joe’s it is.”
“Thanks, Baldwyn.” Taking a seat, she put on her seatbelt as I closed the door.
The traffic was stop and go and I knew I should’ve been used to it since I was from a big city as well, but this was worse. I didn’t understand why. “This traffic is out of this world.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “The population has been booming in recent years. Seems the city is having a hard time keeping up. It’ll be great to have a restaurant inside the resort so people don’t have to leave to get something to eat.”
The GPS told me that Joe’s was just ahead on the right. A line of people went around the corner and my mouth began to water. “Looks like this is a great place to eat.”
“It is,” she gushed. “One of the best. They close at three each day, so people have to get his tacos while they can.”
It took an act of congress to find a parking spot, but once I did, we both nearly sprinted to get a place in the long line. My cell rang just as we got in line. “My brother, Stone,” I let her know as I swiped the screen. “What’s up, baby brother?”
“I’m at the stop light right behind you. What are you doing and who are you with?” he asked.
Turning to find him, I saw his car and three more heads were in it. “You brought the pack, huh?”
“Yeah, we all rode in together. Do I smell tacos?”
“You do. You should park and come join us. Our lead engineer, Sloan Rivers, says they’re great.”
“So that’s who she is,” he said with a laugh. “Get a table big enough for all of us.”
Ending the call, I grinned at Sloan. “You’re going to get to meet my brothers.”
Tension made her body ridged as her jaw clenched. “Oh, good.”
“You’re not nervous, are you?” I asked.
“What’s to be nervous about?” Her hands fisted at her sides. “It’s just lunch with five men who happen to be my bosses.”
