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The next Monday found the Alvarez core employees in the large conference room for their weekly meeting. While Alvarez Security had a number of people employed, it was this group of trusted friends that were the heart and soul of the agency.

“Gabe get off okay?” Tony asked, referring to the honeymoon.

“Yeah,” Vinny answered. “He’ll just be gone a week, but they’re heading to the sunny Keys.”

“That sounds lovely,” Lily said softly. “This winter has been harsh. I’m so not a fan.”

Looking down at his agenda, Tony began the briefing. “We’re pulling out of the Hollywood starlet securities after the fiasco a few months back, but we have some requests from agents with some artists or musicians signed that would occasionally want our services. I’ll take those on a one at a time basis with no long term contract unless we have been with them and want their business.”

“You get any female rockers that need an escort, I’m your man,” Vinny joked. The team laughed as Tony just shook his head.

“Next up, home and business security. Jobe, what do you have on that?”

“The new equipment that we’ve ordered has come in and when Gabe gets back, we’ll look it over and start installing it on newer customers. Didn’t know if you want us to offer upgrades to existing clients?”

The group discussed the pros and cons of the equipment contracts for several minutes. Making their decisions, they moved to the next topic.

“Had a request to help find two sisters who have been missing a month,” Tony mentioned, opening the file in front of him. This got the immediate attention of the group. “Their grandparents have employed us to look in this area. They are from the D.C. area and by all appearances, they ran away together. According to the grandmother, their step-father may have been abusive. It was reported to the D.C. police, but they’re strapped for manpower and the trail is a bit cold. The grandparents hired a PI in the D.C. area and he thinks they took a bus to Richmond. So they have contracted us to see what we can dig up.”

“You giving this to one person?” Jobe asked. “Cause if so, I’ll take it.” The group knew of Jobe’s overwhelming sense of responsibility when it came to his own sisters and Tony knew this would be a personal mission for him.

“I was thinking of you and Terrance working on it, and with BJ getting his PI license, he can work on it with you. I told the grandparents that we would see what we could find from the bus station security but that they shouldn’t get their hopes up too high since the girls left a month ago.” With that, he slid the folder over to Jobe who began to thumb through it.

Moving to the next item on his agenda, Tony continued. “As you know, the Richmond Police have worked with us in the past and even paid Lily and BJ for their time for some of their computer skills. The Chief knows our reputation and with our friendship with Matt and Shane, it’s been easy.”

Lily smiled. Her husband, Matt Dixon, and his partner, Shane Douglass, were detectives that had close ties to Alvarez Security and worked with them even when not sanctioned by the Chief.

“Well now, it seems as though we have the attention of the Mayor and Governor as well. So that will probably lead to us having more and more contracts with city as well.”

“You okay, Captain?” BJ asked. “You’re giving us good news, but seem…I don’t know…kind of bored.”

“Nah, it’s all good. Business is up and you all should be expecting raises by next month.” This news was met with cheers all around. His gaze wandered around the room to his core employees. Lily, happily married to Matt and expecting their child. BJ married his long time sweetheart months ago and is now the proud father of twins. Gabe, who was on his honeymoon, was also on his mind. Jobe was still single, but Tony knew as soon as the right woman came along, he’d snatch her up. Vinny on the other hand, was a hound-dog at heart. He was too into tits, ass, and one-night stands to ever fall in love. Then there’s me. I am getting morose.

Jerking himself out of his musings, he dismissed the meeting and headed back to his office. A moment later, Lily knocked on the doorframe.

Smiling, he stood, motioning for her to enter. Beautiful, blonde hair that just skimmed her shoulders. Neat slacks, professional blouse, and her trademark, colorful tennis shoes. As a below-the-knee amputee, she always wore tennis shoes.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, ushering her to a seat.

“I’m fine. Actually, more than fine.”

She sat, awkwardly quiet for a moment. Finally looking at him, she said, “Sir?—”

“Lily, we’re too good of friends for you to call me ‘sir’.”

Smiling, she nodded. “I just wondered…well, that is to say…I thought that...” Sighing, she said ruefully, “I’m not making much progress here, am I?”

Tony chuckled and agreed.

“Tony, when I first met Matt, I thought that I had nothing to give him, other than a life with an amputee and that didn’t seem fair. I found out later that because of the large scar on his face, he felt the same. That all he had to offer was life with a man with a damaged face. But we were wrong.”

Not knowing where she was going with the conversation, Tony just sat quietly, allowing her thoughts to come out in her own time.

Looking down at her hands for a moment, she unconsciously splayed them across her slight pregnancy bulge. Gazing back up into his eyes, she continued. “We’ve all had pain, Tony. Things that marked us. Changed us. Hurt us. Made us feel like the sun was never going to shine on us again.”

Leaning forward, she placed her tiny hand on his much larger one. “I can’t begin to imagine your grief and pain. And it’ll never go away. I know. I’ve grieved the death of my sister for ten years. But if you don’t allow yourself to feel again, hope again, dream again…you’ll never find happiness again.”

Seeing him about to protest, she interrupted. “And you can find happiness again. We all did and want that for you as well.”

The lump that formed in his throat threatened to choke him, so silence was the only solution. He blinked and nodded, feeling her words slide through him. Not reaching the darkest places. But warming him, nonetheless.

She stood, and walked out of his office saying nothing else. He sat, looking at the papers on his desk but not seeing them. The hall was quiet and he knew he was alone. Pulling out his wallet, he slid the old, faded photograph out. Running his finger over the face of Marla and Sofia once again, he wondered if Lily was right. Was there such a thing as happiness again for him?

* * *

Sherrie walked into the lawyer’s office where she was a paralegal, greeting the receptionist as she moved to her small office. Looking at the pile of files on her desk, she heaved a huge sigh. She used to go to the State Capitol often for business, even if it was just delivering files to a client. But ever since the Senator had been caught in a huge scandal involving payoffs and mob bosses, Attorney Ashton Marks had scaled back as he was winding down his career. He kept his business to just family law, dealing mostly with wills and trusts. Necessary, but to Sherrie, it was a little boring.

She was tired of spending her days stuck in the tiny office, completing legal forms for the clients. She could not help but smile at the memories of helping Jennifer with a little reconnaissance a few months earlier. She had felt alive and needed. Her gaze moved from the pile of folders to a small picture frame on her desk. She and Charisse, her sister. Raised in foster homes, she had gone the route of being a good student and Charisse had decided that prostituting herself for drugs was the way to break out of the system. Where are you now, sis?

“Ms. Mullins?” a deep voice called from the door.

Jumping, she exclaimed, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t hear anyone there.”

A tall, handsome man wearing a nice, if inexpensive suit, walked in with his hand out. “I’m Simon Tolbert, Mr. Marks’ new partner.”

Jumping to her feet, she shook his hand, saying, “That’s right. I totally forgot it was your first day here.”

Seeing the look of disappointment cross his face, she explained, “I was involved in a friend’s wedding last week and am afraid my mind was completely pre-occupied.”

He smiled and nodded his understanding. “Well, I’ll be settling into my office today and I’m sure I’ll see you later.” He turned and headed back out of her door.

She did not have to wait long for the next time she saw Mr. Tolbert, when Mr. Marks called an office meeting. The receptionist stayed for just a few minutes of introductions and after she left, Sherrie and the two attorneys continued their meeting.

“My specialty is family law, Ms. Mullins; and Mr. Marks tells me you are a CASA worker. I will be making some visits to children in foster care and would like a female to go with me when I am interviewing a child. I find that it makes them more comfortable. With your special training, you will be an invaluable asset. Other than that, I would expect that my needs for your services will be similar as to Mr. Marks’.”

Smiling as she walked back to her office, she thought of working on some cases with children as well as her CASA assignment. This just might be the spark I needed.

* * *

Sherrie had her first time visiting a foster care home with the attorney that week. As they drove the short distance to the pleasant house, he asked her to call him ‘Simon’. “I know Mr. Marks believes in formality, but I prefer a friendlier atmosphere at work.”

Nodding, she added, “And you may certainly call me ‘Sherrie’.”

Arriving at the home, she followed his lead and sat with the child at the kitchen table as Simon asked them some questions. She could not help but look around at the pleasant surroundings. It reminded her of one of her earlier foster homes. When she and Charisse had been younger, the homes were nice. But as her sister’s behavior became more erratic, they had been shipped from one house to another. And a few of them, not very desirable.

The interview went quickly and Simon called the DSS worker assigned to the case. After conferring with her for a few minutes, he turned back to Sherrie. “Want to grab some lunch while we’re out?”

“Sure, anywhere’s fine,” she answered.

“Do you know of any good places near the office? I’m still new to this side of town.”

“There’s a great deli a few blocks from us. Good menu and good prices.”

“Sounds like just the place for me,” he laughed.

They soon were seated at a table near the back and welcomed the warm cup of cider from the owner. “Ahh,” Sherrie said. “This hits the spot on a cold day.”

As they were eating, she asked, “Tell me about the cases you’ll be working on.”

“Special interest?” he asked.

“I was raised in the foster care system. Me and my sister.”

At this, Simon’s surprised look had her wondering if she should have shared the information. “I hope that wasn’t too personal,” she said nervously. The crowd in the restaurant was noisy and she found herself leaning in close to be able to hear him.

“No, not at all,” he assured her. “I just wasn’t expecting that. Please accept my apology for my stupid reaction.”

“It wasn’t stupid. I just caught you off guard, that’s all. But when I was in the system, I never questioned it. But now, well I’m curious.”

They continued their conversation for several more minutes while eating. She enjoyed learning about some of the cases he would be working on. It sounded much more interesting than delivering files for Mr. Marks.

Lunch was now over and she rose to put her coat on as Simon made his way to the front to pay. Wrapping her scarf around her neck, she dropped her gloves from her pocket. Glancing around to see where they fell, a strong arm snaked out and snagged them. Still bending over she looked up to see who was holding them out to her. Tony. Just the sight of him had her heart pounding. Taking the proffered gloves, she noticed he held her elbow as she came to a stand.

“Thank you,” she said, wishing his eyes were not so warm. So deep. As though… stop. He doesn’t see me that way.

“You’re welcome,” he said, his voice raspy in a way that made her want to hear it when she first awoke in the morning after a night of… Jesus, stop. Just stop, she silently admonished herself.

Glancing to the side, she saw Vinny and Jobe grinning from a nearby table.. Nodding to them too, she realized that Tony’s eyes were now cold and hard as he was peering over her shoulder. Twisting her head to see what he was scowling at, she saw Simon standing almost right behind her.

“You ready to head back, Sherrie?” he asked.

“Yes.” She turned back to say goodbye, but Vinny and Jobe were already out of their seats and standing next to Tony creating a wall of masculinity.

Feeling self-conscious, she said, “This is the new attorney Mr. Marks hired.” I don’t owe him an explanation, she thought angrily, but could not seem to keep her mouth from running as she made introductions. “Well, goodbye,” she mumbled, and with one last look at Tony she turned and walked away.

Tony watched her walk away, having seen the hurt in those sky-blue eyes. And you put it there, you prick. Turning angrily back to toss some bills on the table he caught the look of censure from his friends.

Vinny and Jobe wisely kept quiet as they walked out into the brisk winter air. The three of them continued their silence as they drove to the job site. Tony did not usually do the security equipment installations but felt the need to work with his hands in the cold air as they worked on a new home in an expensive neighborhood—one where millions were spent on not only the homes, but the pools, tennis courts, and state-of-the-art security systems.

If his men were surprised with his presence on the job, they did not say anything. They all knew what it was like to fight the demons in their heads with physical work. And if this was how Tony wanted to fight, then they would allow their Captain anything.