As the car weaved through the traffic hejust kept going, getting more animated as he spoke. Yeah, it was easy to seewhy Wade hadn’t wanted him to drive. Trouble kept throwing his hands in the airand at one point turned himself around backward while he was still buckled.
Yep, I was team driver.
In no time, we started to slow and thedriver pulled to a stop on a quiet street. I could see why Austin liked thearea. It was cute in a sad, run-down kind of way. But he was right about howmuch money the project was going to take.
“We’re here?” Austin stopped midsentenceand turned to stare out the window. “Isn’t it pretty?”
Not really, but it had potential.
“I can see why you like it.” The area wasfilled with older homes and the main street had probably been a treelined areawhere everyone had done their weekly shopping. Now it had an empty, neglectedfeeling.
“It’s going to be wonderful.” He wasbeaming as he unbuckled and started to jump out of the car.
The driver seemed to be trying to raceAustin for the door, so I distracted Trouble, trying not to laugh. “Wait forme.”
As he turned, the driver made it around intime to open the door. He looked utterly relieved, and again, I wanted toquestion their relationship.
“Hurry, there’s so much to show you.” Hisexcitement was almost infectious.
“I’m coming.” Shaking my head, I climbedout of the car following an almost bouncing Austin.
He took my hand as I stood and startedpulling me toward the buildings as he called out over his shoulder. “We shouldbe done in about an hour, Mike. I’ll text you when we’re ready.”
Mike?
There was definitely a story and I wasbetting Trouble was behind it.
Chapter 7
Austin
“Okay, that didn’t go as badly as it couldhave.” I grinned and bit into another cookie as Silas chuckled. He gesturedtoward the front of the store where Rita was helping her husband clean up. “Youknow I’m right.”
Her husband was a quiet man who seemed tofind his fiery wife endlessly entertaining. I wouldn’t have survived that muchdrama in a relationship, but as long as he was happy, that was what wasimportant. For some reason, Silas had liked her and had ended up talking thecrazy woman down every time she started to get worked up.
“I think it’s going to work out well in thelong run.” For the time being, they were going to keep the deli open and I wasgoing to step in as a silent partner to help the transition to a full-servicerestaurant cooking the Greek food that she’d grown up making. “The area needsmore variety in restaurants.”
My accountant was going to go crazy havingone more project to keep track of, but considering I paid him enough to put allfive of his kids through school at some of the top universities in the country,he couldn't complain. Now there was an omega who could pop out kids without missinga day of work. It gave me hives just thinking about it.
“You ready to be a restaurant owner?” Silashad found the entire thing hilarious. I was just glad he was patient and hadn’tgotten frustrated at having to deal with it before we could go out to dinner.
“I’m already part owner of six fast-foodplaces and two Italian restaurants, so this will be a nice change.” I needed tolearn how to tell people no, but when they had a sound business plan and onlyneeded starting capital, it was hard to turn them down.
Silas chuckled. “That doesn’t surprise meat all.”
Because he was fabulous. Nothing seemed tosurprise him. The guys were going to love him once they got over theirreservations. Shane thought he was a nice guy, so Tanner had backed off a bit,but everyone else was driving me crazy.
Not that I was going to let that stop me.
“What can I say? I like to diversify.” Thatwas a better way of explaining it than saying I was a sucker for a good idea.
“Yourdiversificationis one of thethings I like best about you.” Silas gave me a dirty leer that sent my heartfluttering.
I couldn’t stop smiling. “I’m sure you’llfind other things you like just as well later.”
Like how deep I could take him down mythroat and how long I could hold my breath.
But since that wasn’t exactly appropriateinformation to give him in my newest place of business, I just returned hisdirty smile. “Are you ready for the next part of our evening?”
