clearly sharing a special friendship, a kinship born of many years. They seemed as close as brothers, and to respect each other's opinion in a way that Ethan and Drew didn't.
Finally, Kevin shrugged and leaned back. Ethan smiled grimly, an indication he'd made his point. He looked at Jordan apologetically. "Sorry. I didn't mean to exclude you." He nodded at Kevin. "He takes some persuading."
"He's a good friend." She glanced at the pub owner, who gave her a smile of thanks.
"Then he should understand why I need to do this."
"He's worried about you."
Ethan stared at them, then took up his wine. "To friendship," he said, raising his glass to each of them in turn. "Objections and concerns duly noted and greatly appreciated."
After they acknowledged the toast and sipped the light, fruity wine, Kevin rose from his place and put a hand on Ethan's shoulder. "As you well know, I'm partial to green-eyed honey blondes. Best hold on to this one, mate, like I did mine." He left them to consider their wine and their menus, while Jordan made a mental note to watch for potential and unwelcome matchmaking schemes.
Hours later, they stood beneath a crystal chandelier in the white and gold lobby of her hotel. Ethan’s eyes were soft as he asked, "Have breakfast with me tomorrow?"
Don't be stupid, she thought, but some impulse led her to nod in agreement. His smile warmed her.
"I'll meet you here around nine,” he said.
Why did you do that, she chided herself. You’re supposed to be a pro at keeping your distance. Yet with the Caldwells you’ve broken all your own rules. She sighed. Dinner tonight, breakfast tomorrow - she needn't have worried about matchmakers like Kevin Durgin causing trouble. She was doing a fine job all by herself.
Still, as he turned to go, she called out, "Be careful tonight."
With a look of surprise, he lifted two fingers to his brow and left.
When Ethan reached the site he found it shrouded in darkness, except for pools of blue light cast by the safety lamps and a glow from the windows of the construction shack. He approached the small trailer and looked through the dusty glass. The night watchman leaned back in his chair, watching a row of monitors scanning the site. On the floor beside his chair lay a German Shepherd that looked powerful even in repose. When the animal sat up on his haunches and growled deep in his throat, the old man scratched him behind the ears, settling him down again.
“Easy does it, Smokey. It’s probably our old friend Ethan, is all. He won’t do us no harm.”
Ethan smiled. Old Lucas - a friend letting him onto the site when the builder locked him out. He watched the man rub the back of his neck at the same moment the dog pricked up his ears again. A pounding on the same door Ethan had used to enter sent him back into the shadows. Time to go, he decided.
Leading the Shepherd on a short leash, Lucas left the trailer and headed for the door. Ethan moved further into the cavern that would have been the central plaza for the complex and waited. The watchman returned with two enormous figures trailing close behind.
The men went inside the trailer only to emerge a few minutes later. "Let's check this place out," he heard one of them say. "The boss said to expect visitors tonight."
"Maybe we should take the pooch," another voice said. "If anyone's here that shouldn't be, he'll sniff 'em out."
"I'll have to come with you," Lucas said. "He won't mind no one else."
Ethan heard Lucas summon Smokey. The door to the trailer closed and the footsteps and voices moved away. He followed upwind of the small party at what he hoped was a safe distance. The trek would be worthwhile only if he heard something useful and if his presence remained undiscovered. Quite a trick, if he could pull it off.
Chapter 3
At Jordan ’s hotel the next morning, nine o'clock came and went without Ethan, as did the following three hours. Finally, she got Kevin's phone number from
Finally, Kevin shrugged and leaned back. Ethan smiled grimly, an indication he'd made his point. He looked at Jordan apologetically. "Sorry. I didn't mean to exclude you." He nodded at Kevin. "He takes some persuading."
"He's a good friend." She glanced at the pub owner, who gave her a smile of thanks.
"Then he should understand why I need to do this."
"He's worried about you."
Ethan stared at them, then took up his wine. "To friendship," he said, raising his glass to each of them in turn. "Objections and concerns duly noted and greatly appreciated."
After they acknowledged the toast and sipped the light, fruity wine, Kevin rose from his place and put a hand on Ethan's shoulder. "As you well know, I'm partial to green-eyed honey blondes. Best hold on to this one, mate, like I did mine." He left them to consider their wine and their menus, while Jordan made a mental note to watch for potential and unwelcome matchmaking schemes.
Hours later, they stood beneath a crystal chandelier in the white and gold lobby of her hotel. Ethan’s eyes were soft as he asked, "Have breakfast with me tomorrow?"
Don't be stupid, she thought, but some impulse led her to nod in agreement. His smile warmed her.
"I'll meet you here around nine,” he said.
Why did you do that, she chided herself. You’re supposed to be a pro at keeping your distance. Yet with the Caldwells you’ve broken all your own rules. She sighed. Dinner tonight, breakfast tomorrow - she needn't have worried about matchmakers like Kevin Durgin causing trouble. She was doing a fine job all by herself.
Still, as he turned to go, she called out, "Be careful tonight."
With a look of surprise, he lifted two fingers to his brow and left.
When Ethan reached the site he found it shrouded in darkness, except for pools of blue light cast by the safety lamps and a glow from the windows of the construction shack. He approached the small trailer and looked through the dusty glass. The night watchman leaned back in his chair, watching a row of monitors scanning the site. On the floor beside his chair lay a German Shepherd that looked powerful even in repose. When the animal sat up on his haunches and growled deep in his throat, the old man scratched him behind the ears, settling him down again.
“Easy does it, Smokey. It’s probably our old friend Ethan, is all. He won’t do us no harm.”
Ethan smiled. Old Lucas - a friend letting him onto the site when the builder locked him out. He watched the man rub the back of his neck at the same moment the dog pricked up his ears again. A pounding on the same door Ethan had used to enter sent him back into the shadows. Time to go, he decided.
Leading the Shepherd on a short leash, Lucas left the trailer and headed for the door. Ethan moved further into the cavern that would have been the central plaza for the complex and waited. The watchman returned with two enormous figures trailing close behind.
The men went inside the trailer only to emerge a few minutes later. "Let's check this place out," he heard one of them say. "The boss said to expect visitors tonight."
"Maybe we should take the pooch," another voice said. "If anyone's here that shouldn't be, he'll sniff 'em out."
"I'll have to come with you," Lucas said. "He won't mind no one else."
Ethan heard Lucas summon Smokey. The door to the trailer closed and the footsteps and voices moved away. He followed upwind of the small party at what he hoped was a safe distance. The trek would be worthwhile only if he heard something useful and if his presence remained undiscovered. Quite a trick, if he could pull it off.
Chapter 3
At Jordan ’s hotel the next morning, nine o'clock came and went without Ethan, as did the following three hours. Finally, she got Kevin's phone number from
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