Page 22 of James (Big Northwest #6)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

PHILLIP

I GUESS SO .

Instead of focusing on the list of things he was supposed to be doing, he’d spent all afternoon picking those three words apart.

He had clients to call. Trips to schedule. Destroyed rental cars to pay for. But all he wanted to do was read into what James said. Find the spot where he could unravel the claim she made and twist it into something new. Something that would keep her close to him instead of across the country.

“Hey, Phillip.” Nathan strode into his office. “I’ve got James’s license being overnighted to us so you two can fly out as soon as possible.” He dropped a stack of papers listing out an itinerary for their trip to Shadow Pine. The top sheet was a scanned copy of her ID.

Why in the hell had he rushed to send someone to collect it? Without it she wouldn’t have been able to fly. He could have had more days with her. Time to figure things out. Time to convince her that maybe going back to Shadow Pine wasn’t what would make her happy.

Nathan lingered, explaining more about the trip he was dreading. “I only scheduled you for a one-night stay once you get there. I figured you’d want to get back here so you’d have time to get ready for your upcoming trip.”

“That’s fine.” He normally loved going to Europe, but this time it held little appeal. “Thanks.”

Nathan continued standing in front of him, looking like he had more to say.

“Is there something else?”

Nathan had worked for him for years. Probably knew him better than anyone, so he wasn’t surprised when he said, “Don’t be a dumbass.”

Everyone saw what happened between him and Enzo. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out where the tension really came from.

“She wants to go home.” It didn’t sound right even when he said it. “I promised James’s family I would bring her back, and that’s what I’ll do.” Beyond that though, he wouldn’t be making any more promises.

Nathan glanced over his shoulder, looking out at where James sat with Theo and a few of his other employees, soaking up every bit of information they’d give her. “She likes it here.” He turned back to where Phillip sat. “You like having her here.”

He wasn’t going to deny either of those things. He knew James wasn’t cut out for life in Shadow Pine. He’d been there. Knew what awaited her. And it wasn’t even close to anything that would make her happy.

But that wasn’t his call. “If she wants to go back to Shadow Pine, that’s where I’m taking her.”

He was stubborn. Always had been. It’s part of what made him good at the two career paths he’d taken in life. It was also part of what he worried would make him a bad husband. Why he’d tried to suppress it when women were involved. Did his best to be agreeable and chill.

Except with James. She brought out the side of him he’d thought was keeping him from what he wanted. Had it rearing its ugly head over and over.

Only it wasn’t so ugly around her.

So even though he wanted to take her to his house and lock her in until she admitted staying in Shadow Pine wouldn’t make her happy, he wasn’t going to do it. She needed to face it. See it for herself and then decide what she wanted.

If she wanted to stay in the tiny town with her sisters, he’d find a way to get over it. She’d gone through too many unhappy years to spend any more doing shit she didn’t want to do.

Nathan shook his head, blowing out a breath. “That’s up to you, I guess.” He backed toward the door. “But I’d be careful. I’m not sure Enzo will be as willing to let her go.”

Fucking Enzo.

He should have shot him.

The sound of James’s laugh carried in, dragging his attention her way as she stood up, giving Nathan a smile as he passed her on his way to his desk.

Great. Now he wanted to shoot Nathan too.

James turned his way, her brows lifting as she wandered into his office. “Are you going to be done soon?”

He’d promised to finish as fast as he could so she could go back to his condo and rest, but everything went to shit when Enzo showed up, putting him further fucking behind. There were emails still to be read and responded to. Phone calls to return. Reports to order.

And he wasn’t going to do any of it because his time with James was running out.

“I’m done now.” He stood, grabbing his jacket from the hook beside the door and sliding it on before resting one hand on her lower back and leading her through the office.

“Are you sure?” James’s brows pinched as she looked up at him. “I really don’t mind if you need to stick around.”

“I don’t need to stick around.” And he didn’t fucking want to. Not when it might be his last night of having her all to himself.

He wanted to make her dinner. Curl up with her on the couch. Show James what her life could be like here in Chicago.

With him.

Taking her down to the parking garage, he settled her into the passenger seat of his SUV, closing her in before taking his spot behind the wheel and pulling out into the afternoon sun.

James leaned to peer up at the buildings through the tinted windows as he drove them home. “Do you like living here?”

“I love it.” He slowed down, giving her more time to take it in. “It can get cold and snowy in the winter, but I love that too.”

James smiled. “I don’t mind the snow either.” Her eyes swung to the river as he turned. “I kinda missed it when I was in Vegas.”

“Do you think you’ll miss Vegas at all?” He was curious to hear her answer. For any insight it might bring him.

“I think in some ways.” James continued soaking up the city around them. “Vegas could be really fun and exciting. There was always something going on.”

“Even when you weren’t climbing out of buildings and hitting men with your car?” It was a fucked-up thing to consider a fond memory, but he was starting to realize he was a fucked-up kind of guy. The sort who got hard over women with a violent streak and slept like a baby knowing he’d rid the world of terrible men.

James winced. “I’m surprised Enzo wasn’t mad about that.” She turned her attention from the buildings to him. “I’m also a little disappointed it wasn’t that guy who came today that I took out.” She wrinkled her nose. “He’s the one who got Enzo on my list.”

Phillip nearly hit the brakes. “He didn’t fire the fucker?”

“I guess not.” James sighed. “But to be fair, I’m not sure the guy told him what happened, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to. I didn’t know who Enzo would side with.”

“My guess is he’d side with you.” The man chased her across the country, acting like a fucking knight in shining armor, thinking he was going to save her and bring her back to his lair.

“Probably.” She shrugged. “I guess it doesn’t matter now.”

No. It fucking didn’t. She’d never see Enzo or that prick at his side again.

Leaning back in her seat with a sigh, James rocked her head to look his direction as she changed the subject. Probably on purpose. Hopefully she was as sick of talking about Enzo as he was. “The people who work for you are really nice.”

“They are.” He’d spent years building his team. Training everyone until they worked together like a well-oiled machine. “They seemed to like you.”

She laughed. “I don’t know why since I broke a cup and spilled coffee all over the freaking place.”

He knew why they liked her. It was the same reason he liked her. Because she was sweet and charming and funny and easy to be around. He thought he was trying to find a certain kind of woman, but it was worse than that. He was trying to find one kind of woman.

Her. And there was a chance he’d never see her again after he took her to Shadow Pine.

Pulling into the garage at the back of his home, he parked and shut off the engine, closing the overhead door as he met James on her side of the car and led her inside. She peeked back at his SUV. “I know I said that other car was perfectly fine, but now I can see why you weren’t such a big fan.”

“I was just being a brat.” He opened the door, urging her in. “The car was fine and it got us where we needed to go.” Closing and locking the door, he reset the alarm out of habit. Now that he knew it was Enzo they’d been running from—and why—his nerves were less on edge.

But his ass was more chapped.

“It did, but it makes sense why you were so ready to get your car brought from the airport.” James kicked off her shoes, lining them into place under the entry table before padding barefoot across the kitchen floor. “It’s way more comfortable than the car was.”

He hadn’t accomplished much while he was at work, but having his car brought back was worth it if it helped make the short trip home more enjoyable for her. “You can drive it to the airport tomorrow if you want.”

Her eyes jumped to his. “Tomorrow?”

He nodded, choking a little on the words when he said, “Now that everything’s resolved, your sisters will be eager to see you.”

James chewed her lower lip. “I guess so.” She wiggled her toes against the tile, looking down at them. “I just didn’t expect to have to leave so soon.”

“I don’t know if you know this…” He went to the fridge and pulled out a couple of the steaks Morris purchased, lining them onto the counter to warm up. “But your sisters aren’t the most patient people in the world.”

James came to stand beside him, one hand toying with the hem of his jacket. “I’m nervous about going back.” She lifted her eyes to his. “Everything has changed. It’s going to be so different.”

“It is.” He reached out to slide his hands through her hair, carefully working loose a few tangles as he went. “But different isn’t always bad.”

“It isn’t always good either.” She twisted her lips to one side, inching closer. “They’re all married now and having kids and I’m just not sure where I’ll fit into all that.”

As much as he hated to admit it, he hoped she wouldn’t. “I don’t see you waiting to find a spot where you fit in the world, James. You’re the kind of woman who carves out a space where she wants it.”

Her mouth curved, hinting at a smile. “What if people don’t like me going around scraping into places they don’t want me?”

“Anyone who wouldn’t want you in their space is an idiot and you should shank them.”

She barked out a laugh, her head tipping back as both arms laced around his waist.

“Not that I’m encouraging violence.” He relaxed a little now that she was close. “God knows you don’t need anyone egging you on.”

James’s forehead dropped to the center of his chest, her laughter continuing. “You are probably the only man in the world who wouldn’t freak out over what I did.”

“Not the only man.” His arms circled her, pulling James against him. “Enzo wouldn’t have freaked out.” He was going to be pissy about the other man wanting her for a long time.

Maybe forever.

“Obviously, since it was his men who suffered bodily harm.” She sighed, turning her head to rest her cheek right over his heart. “It’s still so weird to me that he was the one behind all that shit.”

It wasn’t weird to him. He could completely understand why a man would go a little crazy over her. Why he would do whatever it took to find her with plans to bring her home.

At least Enzo gave her a choice. He had to give the man credit when it was due. When he’d first caught sight of the crime lord in his office, he nearly lost it. Was ready to shoot first and ask questions later. He assumed Enzo was there to take her by any means necessary.

But it turned out James knew him better than he did, and her claims that he wasn’t an awful person might have been right. He still didn’t think Enzo was a saint, but at least he wasn’t in the habit of taking unwilling women.

“I guess you made an impression on him.” He lifted his brows as she looked up at him. “Did you try to kill him the first time you met too?”

James shook her head, her smile widening. “Nope. Only you.”

“I’m flattered.” He backed away, catching her hand in his. “Come on. Let’s relax a little before I start dinner.”

James angled a brow at him. “You’re making me dinner again?”

“You’ve seen my Pinterest boards. Don’t pretend you didn’t already know I like to cook.” It was one of many things he’d tried to throw himself into over the years, hoping to find a hobby that would entertain him after leaving Alaskan Security. He’d abandoned most of them, but cooking appealed to him. It never stopped being a challenge and the spoils were immediate and enjoyable.

“According to your phone you also like plants.” She scanned the living room as they went in. “But I don’t see any.”

“It’s hard to keep plants alive when you travel as much as I do.” He sat on the sofa, pulling her down beside him. “And Morris already has enough to deal with. I felt bad adding more to his plate.” He shucked his jacket and tie before pulling her closer.

James curled right against him, her long body fitting to his perfectly as they stretched out together. “Then what do you use the plant identification app for?”

“I use it when I jog. I see something interesting and I want to know what it is.” He smoothed her hair out with one hand and reached for the remote with the other. “What do you want to watch?”

“Hmm.” She pressed her lips together as he scrolled through the list of streaming stations he was subscribed to. “What do you usually watch?”

“I usually work,” he admitted. “I’ll start something and then end up focused on my laptop.”

James lifted her head, frowning at him. “So you wake up early to work out, then go into the office all day, then spend the evenings working more? When do you relax?”

He shrugged. Moments like this were what he was working for. Taking some of them for only himself felt wasteful. Instead he busted his ass, banking them for the day he had someone to relax with.

“That’s stupid.” She laid her head back on his chest. “Someone needs to make you simmer down sometimes.”

He dug his fingers into her hair, massaging her scalp as he started one of the series he’d been saving for later. “Someone probably does.”