Page 33 of Bear In A Bookstore
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“It was a really nice kiss.”
He huffed a laugh and shook his head, eyeing her with a soft expression she couldn’t read. Affection, maybe? Whatever it was grew more intense by the second until she nearly threw herself at him. Finally, he swatted her thigh. “Go find something to do. I’ve got work to do.”
So did she. Not that she’d be able to concentrate on a damn thing with him around. She turned toward her bedroom to get dressed when his voice stopped her.
“I think you should get outside and look for the treasure. Don’t just sit inside this house and unravel the clues from the pages. Getoutthere. I’ll help you if you want.”
“Really?”
“I think you’re right about the mine and, should you get the wild idea to poke around down there, I want to help. It’s dangerous and you shouldn’t go alone.”
Speaking of dangerous. It brought the worry she’d been pushing away to the surface. “Do you think someone is trying to scare me? By planting the bats, I mean?”
“Someone has been in the tunnels. Maybe they kicked up a bats’ nest and displaced them. Maybe they were planted. I’m not sure yet. But I’ll do everything I can to make sure your house and your business are secure, and if we need to get the cops involved, we will.”
She hugged herself. “Thank you.”
She really didn’t deserve his continued kindness and interest in helping her. He gave so freely. Her lips still tingled from the amazing kiss. If only things could be different, but her life was still messy. It would be selfish of her to drag someone else into her neurotic world.
Post traumatic stress disorder was a bitch, especially when it was wrapped in anxiety and deep fried in a batter of constant worry. Her therapist wanted her to take medications, but Kora was determined to beat it on her own. She just needed to try harder. Besides, she’d managed to stave off a panic attack and go down in the bookstore basement today, alone, in the dark. Progress, right?
If only she felt more confident about that.
Chapter Twelve
“I need you to go to Colorado Springs.”
Rowan worked through his third sticky bun in between gulps of steaming black coffee. The man was built like a stone slab, rock solid for his age and getting grumpier by the minute. The only thing that seemed to soften him up lately was his favorite bakery treat.
Desi wished he could get them by the truckload.
“Do I want to know why you need me in Colorado Springs, Dad?”
Mitchell Construction didn’t contract work that far away usually.
“I’m opening a branch there. Need you to meet the realtor tomorrow to look at a potential office space.”
His father paused, then took a sip of coffee. Desi arched a brow. “And?”
“I want you to spearhead the new office.”
Desi ran a hand over his mouth. Unbelievable. He’d grown up working for Mitchell Construction just like his brothers and cousins had. But like his brother Jett, Desi had taken his own path in life rather than falling into the business as a profession as Dax had chosen to do. The military had taken him places, shown him things, and given him education beyond building houses and pouring concrete. His only plan was to use what those enlisted years gave him to run his own business, and for some reason, his father refused to accept that.
“Dad—”
Rowan Mitchell looked out the window while he chewed. “This is important. Local competition is heating up and it’s time to expand or die. Colorado Springs is booming, and there’s room for a company our size to take some of the market share. This could put a lot of money in your pocket, son.”
Ah, there it was. The money. His family had enough socked away for two generations to literally do nothing with themselves and be fine. Hard work and good investments had paid off. His dad was sitting pretty, hell, all of them were thanks to the business shares their father had given them early on. The company grew and grew, taking over the majority share of corporate and development work in Estes Park and the surrounding areas. They’d never had a lack of work, and more referrals came in than they could handle. It seemed strange that they’d have to expand so far away.
“I don’t need money.”
“Right. Because the military paid so well.”
Desi scoffed at his father’s sarcasm. He wasn’t about to tell his old man how much private security paid for his time in Afghanistan, or what the contracts waiting for his approval were offering for his services.
