Page 14 of Hale Yes (Highway to Hale #1)

CHAPTER EIGHT

That could spell trouble

Helix

It’s Wednesday, and Phoenix, Dutton, and I lounge on the pool chairs while we watch Reece and River running through the sprinkler I set up for them. River is Dutton’s son, who is only three.

Our cousin has been through some shit in the past five years.

He’s no longer the fun, light-hearted cowboy he was at Phoenix’s bachelor party.

Hell, none of us are the same as that night, but Dutton has changed the most. He’s dark now, only showing his softer side when he’s with his little boy.

But I guess that’s understandable after what happened to him.

“When does the new lab manager get to town?” my twin asks.

“She arrived in Houston yesterday to get settled,” I say, taking a swig of my beer. “She starts work on Monday.”

“Hopefully she’ll work out. I know it’s hard losing Abigail.”

“Definitely, but she deserves to retire.” Abigail has actually been with the company longer than me but had no interest in becoming the director, so that position went to me when our old director had to retire for health reasons.

“What about you, Dut?” Phoenix turns to our cousin, who’s staring at the kids. “Anything new with you?”

“No,” he says gruffly. “River, the ranch, that’s it.” He sits up as his little one runs over.

“Daddy, we want to go shwimming,” he announces in his adorable little voice.

“I’ll get in,” I offer, but Dutton shakes his head.

“I got it.” He takes River’s tiny hand and pads across the stone to put his arm floaties on him.

“Poor guy,” my brother mutters, watching him kneel and gently get his boy ready to swim.

“How’s the ad campaign going with the football player?” I ask Phoenix, and he grimaces.

“She’s a pain in the ass and so damn hostile toward me.”

That surprises me. Everyone likes Phoenix, especially those of the female persuasion. “What’s the problem?”

He shrugs. “Hell if I know. I’m charming as fuck, but it doesn’t seem to work on her.”

I roll my eyes. “You’re not hitting on her, are you? She’s pretty young.”

“Not at all,” he says quickly. Maybe a little too quickly. “Jordie just isn’t a makeup kind of girl, so I’m trying to make her feel more comfortable.”

“So let me get this straight. You offered a huge endorsement deal from our cosmetics company to a woman who hates cosmetics ?”

He sighs. “Yeah, maybe not the best idea. She’s completely gorgeous though and will look great in the print ads and videos once we get started filming.”

I let an idea ruminate for a moment before speaking again. “Why don’t you play up the more natural angle and her all- American looks? You know, instead of trying to make her some glam queen?” Phoenix swivels his head toward me, his eyes searching my face as he nods slowly.

“Yeah,” he draws out, “that might work. I want her to be comfortable.”

“I’ll work on a color palette for her, something softer.” I picture Jordie McNamara in my mind. She is a pretty young woman with blonde hair that’s always in a ponytail, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her with makeup on her face. “The Dragons’ team color is purple, right?”

“Purple and silver,” he affirms.

“We could do lavender for eyeshadow.”

Phoenix crosses his legs at the ankles and thinks about it.

“That could work. All she cares about is football, so if we correlate the makeup to her team, she might like that.” He takes another sip of his beer.

“She’s very authentic, and I don’t want to hide that.

It’s one of the reasons she’s the golden girl of women’s football. ”

“And because she’s extremely talented,” I point out, and my brother laughs.

“That too.” His gaze seems to defocus as he stares at a spot on my tall wooden fence. “Jordie’s eyes are the most stunning color of aqua. I’ve never seen eyes like hers before.”

The dreaminess in his voice has my eyebrows making a trek up my forehead. “And you’re sure there’s nothing going on with you two?”

He snaps his face toward mine, his cheeks a brilliant pink color… and I’m pretty sure it’s not from the hot July sun. “Nothing at all.” His brow crinkles. “I think I annoy her.”

“Understandable. You annoy the shit out of me too.”

My brother flips me off before setting his empty bottle in the drink holder and standing. “Come on, asshole. Let’s get in the pool.”

Pushing out of my chair, I walk behind Phe toward the pool. I’m going to have to keep an eye on him because I think he has a bit of a crush on a certain female football player.

And that could spell trouble.

After my swim on Monday morning, I shower and get dressed in charcoal-gray trousers, a pale-blue button-down, and navy suspenders, the last being a tribute to my Grandpa Hale.

As I drive to work, I get the sense something is on the horizon. Something big, though I can’t put my finger on what it could be. The only new thing about today is that Dr. Bell will be starting at Hale Cosmetics. Maybe it’s like a premonition that she will bring something new to the company.

That must be it. Fresh eyes, new perspective, incredibly brilliant mind. Yeah, Dr. Bell will definitely be a difference maker.

For the lab, that is.

I arrive at the building before anyone else, stopping first at our microbiological and chemical analysis area on the second floor to flip on the lights and equipment before taking the elevator up to the third floor.

The motion-detection lights come on one by one as I walk down the dove-gray corridor.

I do the same for the quality control area and then head for the development lab, where I get everything ready for the day’s work.

When I’m done, I unlock the door to my corner office and take a seat behind my sturdy walnut desk. Most of the administrative offices are on the first floor, the exceptions being mine and Abigail’s. Or I guess Dr. Bell’s now.

I pull up her personnel file on my computer and review it, something I do with each new hire who will be working for me.

My eyes scan down the medical section, noting Dr. Bell doesn’t have any known allergies or major medical conditions.

It may seem invasive to ask those questions, but they are things we need to know for safety reasons.

For example, if the employee is diabetic or has epilepsy, we’ll know how to handle any emergency situations.

My head lifts and tilts to the side when I hear a noise from the lab manager’s office next door. Rising, I put on my white lab coat and exit my office to find Dr. Bell’s door standing ajar.

A woman with dark hair pulled into a tight bun stands in front of the desk with her back to me, and I clear my throat to get her attention.

She makes a squeaking yelp and spins around, bobbling the pair of glasses in her hand.

In two strides, I’m in front of her, catching the frames before they hit the ground.

The woman reaches for them at the same time, and her small hand closes around my fist. I cough to cover the sharp intake of breath at the electricity that shoots up my arm. What the fuck was that?

Now, a normal person would hand over the glasses and apologize for startling her, but I seem to have lost all my faculties as I stare into the most piercing green eyes I’ve ever seen.

They are sharp and incisive, surrounded by a frame of dark lashes.

Her rosy lips are parted, showing off a hint of her pink tongue.

And why the fuck am I looking at my lab manager’s tongue? I’ve never looked at Abigail’s tongue. Or any of my employees’ for that matter. This is strictly a non-tongue-staring establishment.

My brain does a color assessment of her aura in about two seconds. Red. She’s scarlet red. Like a red flag, maybe? Or like fire? Probably best not to ruminate on that too much.

“Dr. Hale, I presume? Rescuer of spectacles?”

I can’t help but laugh, and she smiles too. She’s really pretty when she smiles. “I am. And you’re Dr. Bell?”

“That’s what it says on my jacket,” she says, and my eyes drift down to the name embroidered on her chest. And now I’m looking at her boob. Fuck’s sake, at this point, she’s going to file an HR complaint before lunch.

However, I still find myself looking at the soft round shape when she asks, “Um, Dr. Hale, can I have my glasses now?”

That’s when I realize I’m still clutching her glasses and hand them over with a mumbled, “Yeah, sorry about that.”

My eyes sharpen on the parting of her lips when she blows a light mist onto the lenses and then uses the tail of her coat to wipe them clean. I have no idea what’s come over me today with all this lip and tongue and boob scrutinizing I’m doing.

“I’m really happy to be here,” she tells me, fitting the glasses back onto her face. They don’t detract at all from the vibrant color of her eyes. If anything, they make her more attractive. “Your facilities are very impressive.”

“We’re lucky to have you,” I tell her, taking a step back because I’m standing way too close to Nicolette Bell to be work-appropriate.

“Knock, knock,” someone says from the doorway, and I recognize the voice immediately as Abigail. I turn and find her smiling with a familiar bakery box in her hand.

“What are you doing here, Abigail? I thought we got rid of you,” I tease.

“Well, I just wanted to drop these off for Nicolette’s first day.” She lifts an eyebrow. “But if you’re gonna be an ass, I’ll just take these goodies home and eat them all myself.”

Nicolette raises her hand. “I’d just like to point out for the record that I’m not being an ass.”

We all laugh, and Abigail sets the box down on the desk. “Okay, I’ll leave them and let you decide if you want to share any with the boss.” She checks her watch. “I need to skedaddle. My daughter has a doctor’s appointment, and I’m going with her. Nicolette, I hope you have a great first day.”

Once Abigail is gone, Nicolette lifts the lid off the box, and the aroma of fresh blueberry muffins fills the room.

“Wow, these smell amazing. Would you like one, Dr. Hale?”

Damn, I like the way Dr. Hale sounds coming from her lips… which I’m definitely not looking at. Nor her pink tongue. It doesn’t escape my attention that I didn’t notice Abigail’s tongue a single time while she was here.

I can feel myself sinking into troubled waters, and I know I need to tread carefully. This woman is an employee of my family’s company, and she will be an incredible asset to my laboratory. I can’t lose her over something stupid.

So I’ll remain completely professional, aloof even, and that starts with not having breakfast with her.

“I think I’ll just grab one and eat it in my office. I have some things to do before everyone else gets here.” I select one and give Dr. Bell a curt nod. “See you in the development lab in fifteen?”

Something trickles down my spine when her smile fades a bit. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, so I’m going to have to work hard to walk a tightrope between formal and cold.

Because if I don’t, I could see myself toppling off and crashing to the ground.