Warily, each one nodded and came back in, both taking a seat on chairs set around a glass table in one corner of my office. We waited while Spencer shuffled around some papers and then took out a pen from his pocket. He stared at my dad first. “When did you first meet Ms. Elliot?”
“Mrs. Heath,” I growled. The moment we’d had earlier was souring quickly.
“Of course.” He glanced at me and then bent his head, scribbling on a piece of paper. I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair, one hand rubbing gentle circles on Zoe’s back and the other toying with her hair. She was tense but relaxed a bit under my ministrations.
Spencer finally returned his expectant stare back to my dad and waited. I hid another grin when he met Spencer’s look stonily and sat there in silence, making him wait, just to put him in his place. I learned everything I knew from my dad.
“I met her on her first day with Heath Construction. Could have told you right then that she’d end up as my daughter-in-law,” Dad informed Spencer smugly. “Anyone could see my boy was a goner.”
After scribbling a little more, he asked, “How long have Mr. and Mrs. Heath been together?”
“I believe my son asked her out that very same day.”
Spencer’s hand was poised in the air, just above his document, obviously waiting for my dad to expound. Instead, Dad winked at me and grinned. “Like I said, that boy moves fast.” Stephanie laughed, and even Zoe let out a little giggle.
Spencer looked around at each of us with a deadpan expression before silently putting his pen away and stuffing his papers back into his briefcase. “I think I’ve got all I need for now,” he said as he stood. “I’ll be in touch.” I didn’t bother to stand, that would have meant having Zoe leave my lap, so I simply reached across the desk to shake his hand.
As he left, I turned Zoe’s head so I could see her face, and brushed some errant curls away before kissing her nose. “Ready to go home, baby? I’m still on honeymoon time.” I winked and leaned in to brush my lips over hers. Stephanie’s sigh broke the magic of the moment, and I scowled at her as Zoe blushed and ducked her head.
“You’d best give your mother a call tonight, son,” my dad warned. “She’s going to want to plan something”—I opened my mouth to tell him I wasn’t ready to share Zoe yet, but his look shut me up fast—“and I’m telling you right now, you’re going to let her.”
‘Yes, sir,” I grumbled in annoyance. He ignored me and walked over to my desk to take Zoe’s hand and help her to her feet. “I am truly happy to have you as family, honey.” He wrapped her up in a big bear hug and Zoe closed her eyes, returning his embrace. Well, as best she could since I hadn’t let go of her other hand. When they let go and she stepped back, I heard a little sniffle and jumped to my feet.
“What the fuck, dad? You made my wife cry!”
He threw back his head and roared with laughter while Zoe smacked my arm and huffed. “Don’t yell at your dad, Landon! I wasn’t crying and even if I was, they would mostly be happy tears. He was being very sweet and it made me miss home, that’s all.”
“Your home is with me,” I growled and tugged her against me. It only made my dad laugh harder. When he settled down, he cuffed me on the shoulder affectionately. “Chip off the old caveman.” He continued to chuckle as he walked into the hall but stopped at the door. “Let’s meet tomorrow, I want to discuss the bid I was looking at.” I lifted my chin in acknowledgement and he nodded, then tapped the door frame and left.
“He’s totally right, bro,” Stephanie muttered. “I can already tell that you are going to be as bad as Dad is with Mom.” I shrugged unapologetically. Like I said, learned from the best.
“Did you know Penderson Builders was bidding on this project?” my dad asked as he strolled into my office the next day.
I looked up from the paperwork I was studying and frowned. “Which one?” I asked, holding my hand out for the paperwork. Irritation coursed through me as I quickly scanned them. “They really think they can win this?”
Steve Penderson had flunked out of college his freshman year, ruining his father’s dream for him to follow in his footsteps and become a senator. Instead, Daddy had funded his construction start up, probably hoping to gain some respectability out of his son being a business owner. Except, Steve was a snake in the grass. On the outside, they looked respectable and clean, but it was only a matter of time before they bit you by cutting corners and using cheap materials. We’d been hired several times to clean up their mess.