Trust (Temptation #3)(23)
Rachel tapped her nails on the bar and leaned in. “I know, but don’t let that stop you. You have me and Mase. Josh is in construction, Logan is good for all the licensing and legal stuff, and the others, well… They like to eat and drink. So see? You already have a whole team of people who would love to help you out.”
Tate put a hand over hers and gave it a light squeeze. “Thank you.”
“Stop thanking me. We’re practically family.”
He thought about that for a second and was surprised he wasn’t at all freaked out by it. After all, the only way he’d ever really be family with Rachel would be if he were to marry— Yeah, okay. I was wrong. That definitely freaks me out to think about.
“And how is Logan?” she asked, changing the subject. “He seemed upset the other day when he left, and Cole didn’t want to talk about it, so I’m assuming they’re both being stubborn and butting heads?”
Logan hadn’t said much about his visit to Cole’s except that his brother was pissed off about the Chris situation. But Tate was also under the impression that, some way or another, Cole had planted a seed of doubt in Logan’s head when it came to his trusting him—and that irritated the hell out of him. He did trust Logan when it came to Chris, and the last thing he needed was Cole playing big brother and screwing shit up.
“Tate?”
“Sorry. Yeah, I’m thinking they’re still being…obstinate.”
Rachel sighed and shook her head. “I swear those two argue worse than females. God only knows how they ever got their practice up and running without one of them killing the other.”
Tate agreed as he thought about the two men under discussion. He’d seen them both in action, and both were equally formidable when they wanted to be.
“I’m sure they’ll work it out soon enough. But for now, I plan to stay out of it,” she said, perusing the bottles of liquor behind the bar. “It’s a pity I’m pregnant. Otherwise I’d make you get up and mix me a drink or three.”
“At nine thirty in the morning?”
Rachel’s laugh filled the room as she nodded. “Hey, sometimes, living with Cole drives you to drink.”
“Now that I can believe.”
She bumped shoulders with him, then said with a conspiratorial wink, “I’m sure it’ll be the same when you move in with Logan.”
His mouth practically fell open as he turned his head toward her and thought, That scheming asshole. “When did he call you?”
Rachel sat up and put a hand to her chest, feigning shock. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Bullshit,” he fired back good-naturedly.
“I really don’t know what you’re—”
“He is unbelievable,” he said under his breath. Then he smiled at her. “When did he call you?”
She tried her hardest to fight back a grin, but in the end, she lost it and admitted, “Last night.”
“Of course the sneaky shit waited until he got home.”
“So you’re playing hard to get. I totally understand.”
Tate quickly stood, unbelieving of where the conversation had gone. “I’m not… What? No, I’m not playing hard to get. He already got me. Obviously.”
Still not quite comfortable sitting around and discussing his relationship, he crossed his arms and looked back through the restaurant.
“Okay. I’ll leave you alone,” Rachel relented and slipped off her stool to stand behind him. “So, when are we going to start staking out locations?”
* * *
Logan swallowed past the lump that had formed in his throat when Cole had stepped through his office door and firmly shut it behind him. Chris still had his fingers wrapped around his arm and was standing much too close for his liking—and Cole’s, if the fulminating expression that had crossed his face was anything to judge by.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” was the first thing out of his brother’s mouth, and the message couldn’t have been clearer than if he’d flat-out said, “I better not be interrupting any-fucking-thing.”
Logan tugged his arm away, and this time, Chris was smart enough to let it go. “No, you aren’t. Not anything important anyway.”
Cole’s eyes continued to shift from him to Chris, and they finally came back to him. “Good. I trust you got the files you need to go through with Mr. Walker.”
Becoming more irritated by the second, Logan glared at Cole and bit out the word, “Yes.”
“Good. And, Mr. Walker, do you have any questions?”
Logan wondered if Chris would be dumb enough to try anything with Cole, but he should’ve known better. It seemed as if his main purpose today was to provoke.