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He sat back and rubbed his eyes. Cody took the opportunity to jump onto his lap, lost his balance, and tumbled back to thefloor. Hez laughed and leaned over to scratch his dog’s huge, scraggly ears. Cody gave a doggy grin and panted, alerting Hez to the fact that no one had given his dog a brushing chew while he was gone.
Hez coughed and waved his hand in front of his face. “Whew! What did Savannah let you eat?” He got up and walked over to the dog closet. “Actually, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”
Cody’s grin widened at the sight of the bag of brushing chews. He ran over to his bowl and wagged his tail in anticipation. Hez dropped two chews in the bowl for good measure. Then it was back to work while Cody gnawed on his treats.
Hez stared at the screen for a long moment. Should he call it a day? He’d put in two hours, and his brain was starting to feel like oatmeal. His discharge instructions said he should try to go for at least one walk per day. Maybe he should take Cody for a short trip to the beach and then let that nap take him. He could give the loan documents a fresh look tomorrow.
But would tomorrow be too late? He remembered the urgency—almost fear—in Jess’s face when she pressured him to look over the documents two days ago. Was there something she wasn’t telling them? Were their enemies putting some secret pressure on Hornbrook that only she knew about?
He sighed and forced himself through the remaining pages. He wasn’t retaining much, but there probably wasn’t much worth retaining. Twenty minutes later, he reached the end. Finally.
He created a reply to Savannah’s email and typed, “These look fine.” He paused for a moment, then added, “Nice work by Jess.”
Then he hit Send.
***
Savannah hurried through the bustling administration building, making a beeline for Jess’s office. She rapped her knuckles on the door, then pushed it open. “I have what you’ve been waiting for.”
Jess looked up from the computer, and her gaze fell to the papers in Savannah’s hand. “You signed the loan papers?”
“I did. Hez said they looked fine.” She had called him as soon as she got his email, happy for an excuse to hear his voice. “He was impressed you got such a great interest rate and terms.” Savannah slid the papers across the desk and watched Jess snatch them up.
“Oh, I did.” Jess held up the papers in a triumphant gesture. “This will make my upcoming trip to New York City much less stressful. I was so worried we would lose out on this outstanding deal. Let me shoot the financiers an email to let them know I’ll upload the signed documents in a few minutes.”
“You’re going to New York?”
Jess didn’t look up as she tapped away at her keyboard. “It just came up.” She pushed back from her computer when she was done. “That reminds me—can you watch Simon for a few days? I leave on Tuesday. I know that’s only four days out, and I’m sorry for the short notice.”
Savannah hesitated. Her nephew would have to be kept in the dark about her plans to trap the smugglers. Simon tended to rush in without thought of his own safety.
Jess eyed her when she didn’t reply. “I know you’re busier now that you’re president, but Simon is self-sufficient. Heannounced a few weeks ago that only babies get walked to the bus stop, so he goes by himself now. And I haven’t even had to help him with any homework. I’ve been slammed here in the office, and he’s even started cooking dinner for both of us. It’s just warming up freezer meals, but he’s great at it. He won’t be a bother.”
“Of course he won’t. Of course he can stay. I was thinking through my week, but it will be fine. I love having him around.” Savannah tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and her ring caught the sunshine and glowed when she dropped her hand back to her side.
Jess’s eyes homed in on the dazzling light. “Let me see. And I want to hear the full story now that we have a little time.”
Savannah held out the ring for her sister to admire. “Isn’t it gorgeous? You’ll never believe how he proposed.” She launched into the story of how she tackled him into the mud.
Jess’s lips curved in a genuine smile. “I wish I’d seen that.”
“Blake got pictures, and I’ll share them with you when I get them. We’re going to have a big engagement dinner for friends and family. I’ll make sure it’s at a good time for you.”
A frown settled on Jess’s face. “What family will be there?”
There weren’t many Legare family members around, but Savannah knew Jess was asking about her father. “I’ll invite my dad, but he may not come. I’m not his favorite person right now. There’s really only you and Dad around, so it will be mostly friends. And Hez’s family. Would you be my maid of honor? I’d like to announce it at the dinner. I know you haven’t always been a fan of Hez’s, but I think you’re getting over it. And I want you to be happy for me.”
Jess held her hand to her mouth, and her eyes went luminouswith moisture. She came around the end of the desk and folded Savannah into a tight hug. “I want you to be happy and safe,” she murmured against Savannah’s ear. She stepped back and dabbed at her eyes. “Sorry for being so emotional. Things have been so hard, and I’m thrilled to know life will be better for you. You’re getting everything you’ve ever wanted. President of TGU, Hez back in your life, a close community of friends and people who love you.”
“And a nephew I adore,” Savannah added.
“That too.”
“He’d be a great ring bearer.” Her glance sank to the ring on her finger again. Though they hadn’t talked about it yet, she knew Hez would welcome the thought of a baby. She pictured Simon and their child playing and laughing together someday. The future looked so bright that it felt like tempting fate.
Chapter 24
Hez sat by himself at a table tucked into a corner at Petit Charms, watching the coffee shop’s door. While he waited, he sipped milky chicory coffee and took careful bites from a piping hot apple-filled beignet from the heaping plate in front of him. Winter rain streamed down the window, and it felt good to be warm and inside, especially since Cody had insisted on an unreasonably long business walk half an hour ago.