not because of that stupid deal. If he wasn’t around, anything could happen to her.
“I’d pay good money to know what’s going on in your head right about now. You look like you’re trying to figure out the meaning of life.” Izzy’s silvery voice tugged him out of the clouds.
He ignored her statement. “Where to now?”
“The copy shop, then the police station.” She hugged the pad to her chest.
She was quiet so he didn’t bother trying to talk either. He had too much to think about. Like the fact that if he stayed on this path, he’d end up falling hard for the one woman he could never have. In his gut he knew he’d already crossed a line though. He wasn’t just falling for her. He had fallen for her.
“Shit.” The reality of his situation was starting to settle in and spread like acid through his system.
“What’s wrong?”
He hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud. “Uh, I need to fill up with gas.”
She eyed him warily, but she didn’t comment as he steered into the parking lot.
As they walked through the automatic glass doors of the copier store, his cell phone rang. When he saw his brother’s number, he immediately tensed. “You go ahead and make those copies. I’ll be right here.”
Her flips-flops made squeaking sounds as she walked across the linoleum floor. The store was basically empty, but he kept his eyes trained on her as she asked an assistant for help.
“Hey, Ben.”
“Hey, brother. How’s it hanging?”
Despite the constant tension flowing through him, he smiled hearing his brother’s voice. “Could be better.”
“Then I’m about to make your day. Hell, I’m about to make your year.”
“I don’t have time to play twenty questions. What’s up?” He watched as Izzy walked to one of the big copiers.
“I just spoke to Rick Devlin. After he read over the portfolio for the project next month, he wants to lock us in for all their international security work for the next year.”
His words hit Adam with the force of a Tomahawk missile. “Rick Devlin, as in—”
“The CEO of The Devlin Group. Yep.”
“What kind of numbers are we talking here?”
“Ten mil.”
It was impossible, but he felt his heart stop. The amount wasn’t entirely profit and The Devlin Group didn’t have ties to the government, but this was what they’d been working toward.
“Did you hear me?” Ben asked.
He cleared his throat. “Yeah. I don’t even know what to say. Good work.”
“How about you pack up your stuff and head home? We’ve got work to do.” The excitement in his brother’s voice almost convinced him to do just that. Almost.
“I can’t.” He couldn’t leave Izzy. Not now.
“If this is about Ballantine, forget it. I know landing the Forester job is your dream, but we don’t need him anymore. This job will open up so many doors for us. We’ll get those government contracts on our own.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what? It’s not as if he’s going to blacklist us. He’s eccentric, but he’s not an asshole. I thought you’d be happy.”
He snorted. Happy couldn’t describe what he was experiencing. But that feeling was overshadowed with a sense of responsibility. One he hadn’t counted on. “I am. I can’t leave Izzy right now.”
Silence.
“Are you still there?”
“I’m here. I just can’t believe you’re falling for another rich girl.” The bitterness in his brother’s voice was almost palpable. Adam wasn’t the only one who’d gotten hurt by Amanda all those years ago. Ben had been a few years younger and while he’d never admit it, he’d had a small crush on her. She’d always been so sweet to Ben and their sister. When she’d admitted she thought they were nothing more than white trash completely beneath her, it had crushed his brother. But Ben didn’t know Izzy the way he did.
Adam gritted his teeth and bit back a sharp retort. His brother was only looking out for him. “Izzy isn’t like Amanda. Not even
“I’d pay good money to know what’s going on in your head right about now. You look like you’re trying to figure out the meaning of life.” Izzy’s silvery voice tugged him out of the clouds.
He ignored her statement. “Where to now?”
“The copy shop, then the police station.” She hugged the pad to her chest.
She was quiet so he didn’t bother trying to talk either. He had too much to think about. Like the fact that if he stayed on this path, he’d end up falling hard for the one woman he could never have. In his gut he knew he’d already crossed a line though. He wasn’t just falling for her. He had fallen for her.
“Shit.” The reality of his situation was starting to settle in and spread like acid through his system.
“What’s wrong?”
He hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud. “Uh, I need to fill up with gas.”
She eyed him warily, but she didn’t comment as he steered into the parking lot.
As they walked through the automatic glass doors of the copier store, his cell phone rang. When he saw his brother’s number, he immediately tensed. “You go ahead and make those copies. I’ll be right here.”
Her flips-flops made squeaking sounds as she walked across the linoleum floor. The store was basically empty, but he kept his eyes trained on her as she asked an assistant for help.
“Hey, Ben.”
“Hey, brother. How’s it hanging?”
Despite the constant tension flowing through him, he smiled hearing his brother’s voice. “Could be better.”
“Then I’m about to make your day. Hell, I’m about to make your year.”
“I don’t have time to play twenty questions. What’s up?” He watched as Izzy walked to one of the big copiers.
“I just spoke to Rick Devlin. After he read over the portfolio for the project next month, he wants to lock us in for all their international security work for the next year.”
His words hit Adam with the force of a Tomahawk missile. “Rick Devlin, as in—”
“The CEO of The Devlin Group. Yep.”
“What kind of numbers are we talking here?”
“Ten mil.”
It was impossible, but he felt his heart stop. The amount wasn’t entirely profit and The Devlin Group didn’t have ties to the government, but this was what they’d been working toward.
“Did you hear me?” Ben asked.
He cleared his throat. “Yeah. I don’t even know what to say. Good work.”
“How about you pack up your stuff and head home? We’ve got work to do.” The excitement in his brother’s voice almost convinced him to do just that. Almost.
“I can’t.” He couldn’t leave Izzy. Not now.
“If this is about Ballantine, forget it. I know landing the Forester job is your dream, but we don’t need him anymore. This job will open up so many doors for us. We’ll get those government contracts on our own.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what? It’s not as if he’s going to blacklist us. He’s eccentric, but he’s not an asshole. I thought you’d be happy.”
He snorted. Happy couldn’t describe what he was experiencing. But that feeling was overshadowed with a sense of responsibility. One he hadn’t counted on. “I am. I can’t leave Izzy right now.”
Silence.
“Are you still there?”
“I’m here. I just can’t believe you’re falling for another rich girl.” The bitterness in his brother’s voice was almost palpable. Adam wasn’t the only one who’d gotten hurt by Amanda all those years ago. Ben had been a few years younger and while he’d never admit it, he’d had a small crush on her. She’d always been so sweet to Ben and their sister. When she’d admitted she thought they were nothing more than white trash completely beneath her, it had crushed his brother. But Ben didn’t know Izzy the way he did.
Adam gritted his teeth and bit back a sharp retort. His brother was only looking out for him. “Izzy isn’t like Amanda. Not even
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