Building Ties (Military Romantic Suspense) (SEAL Team Heartbreakers Book 4) (20 page)

But had they been? They were pouring an entire floor of an apartment complex. Had every square inch of structure been checked during that process? With all the activity in preparation for the concrete being poured, and other work continuing in other areas of the structure, probably not.

Tess moved away from questions about the accident to concentrate on the number of people who were employed by the company and the company’s achievements.

Nicholas Brittain took another sip from his juice container. “You’re asking about things that throw a different light on my company than what the other reporters were interested in. Why?”

“I’ve researched your safety record. This is the second accident in ten years, which is a better safety record than any other company in the area. I’ve also done some research about the different buildings you’ve designed and constructed. A company doesn’t just suddenly drop their standards unless something major has happened to them financially. I’ve studied the information you had to provide to the board when you submitted the Ellison Project bid. There was nothing there to raise a red flag. I’m not out to crucify you or your company for this accident. I’m more interested in the people who work for you,” she gestured expansively, encompassing the office, the building, “and how all this works together, and how it can continue to do so.”

Brittain settled back on the couch for the first time since they’d walked into the office. He shook his head. “I don’t know why you’re doing this, but thank you.”

‡

B
rett glanced at
Tess as he merged into traffic. She had tilted the seat back and closed her eyes. “You’ve already put in a full day’s work and it’s past lunch time. What do you say we get something to eat and then go to my apartment for a short nap?”

“That sounds wonderful, but I have to report in to Taylor first.” She straightened the seat and reached for her bag.

She was as driven as he was. He’d always known that. But she’d just experienced a trauma. She needed to pace herself. Yeah, like he had after waking from the coma? He’d been manic about getting back into shape and back to his team.

When Tess ended the call she said, “Taylor’s more interested in the pieces I’m doing than anything current. He told me to stick with what I was doing for a few days.”

“Good. You have the list Brittain gave you to work on tomorrow. I located a restaurant that can take us for the rehearsal dinner, if you’re up to looking at it.”

“Oh my God, I can’t believe you found a place. Was that what you were working on while I interviewed Lisa Gooding?”

“Yeah.” He rubbed his fingernails against his shirt. “Piece of cake.”

Tess narrowed her eyes. “How many restaurants did you call?”

“Today or in all?”

“All together.”

Too fucking many.
“Thirty.”

“As much as I appreciate your finding a place, if you tell me a SEAL never gives up, I’m going to punch you.”

Brett laughed. “I don’t have to, babe. You just did it for me.”

She groaned. “I can’t believe you got us a place.”

Relief slammed through him at her enthusiasm. There had been a moment in the newspaper break room when he’d had doubts the wedding would go forward. “Well, we need to check it out first and choose what we want them to serve. It could be a total dump.” He glanced in her direction. “We could go there for lunch. It’s past time for the noon crowd.”

“Okay.”

He drove to South Park. The restaurant was nestled in the midst of an older community of one-story houses. Parking was limited to a small area in back of the restaurant and along the street. The exterior wasn’t much to look at, and the outside seating was very limited, but the interior was neat and clean. The bar was small, but one entire wall behind it was dedicated to a wide variety of wines, and they had several good beers on tap. Despite it being late for lunch, there were more than twenty people still dining.

After the waitress had shown them to a table, they studied the menu. Brett asked for the manager. The waitress went to the phone at the bar and after a few minutes a slightly built man with graying hair and a mustache appeared from the back of the restaurant.

“How may I help you?”

Brett stood and offered his hand. “I believe we spoke on the phone this morning, Mr. Rizzo. I’m Brett Weaver and this is my fiancée, Tess Kelly.”

“Yes, we talked about your rehearsal dinner. I’m so glad you’ve come in. Why don’t I go get the menu we reserve for parties and see if you find it satisfactory?”

“Thank you.”

Brett reached for Tess’s hand. “I know this isn’t fancy, more family-oriented, but if the food’s good—”

“The food’s all that matters…and the service, of course.”

The manager returned with the menu, sat at their invitation, and went over the wine list and dishes in depth.

After a few moments discussion, Brett suggested, “Let’s both order two things from the menu and do a taste test.”

Rizzo laughed. “That’s an excellent idea, Mr. Weaver. You order the entrees you’d like to try, and I’ll have the staff prepare a sampler of the different salads and our desserts, free of charge.”

“That would be great.”

“A very small sampler,” Tess added. “I don’t want to have to be rolled out of here like a meatball, and I do have to fit into my wedding dress in a little over two weeks.”

The man laughed again and Rizzo went off order their sampler while they settled on the entrees.

Brett settled on the
osso buco
and ravioli. Tess chewed her bottom lip as she looked over the choices and he smiled. She took everything so seriously. But then her job dealt with serious issues, more serious than he’d ever expected.

After she ordered the risotto with grilled salmon and the lasagna she handed the menu back to the waitress.

Brett grasped her hand. “When’s the big bachelorette party?” he asked.

“Oh, God!” She raked fingers through her hair, looking like she was tempted to pull it, and it tumbled out from between them in a copper waterfall. “I had hoped I could talk Zoe out of it, but she’s got a whole list of things planned, all guaranteed to be excruciating for me.”

Brett laughed. “Like what?”

“Well, at least we aren’t going to do the club thing. We’re doing a full day of manicures, pedicures, hair treatments, a massage, lunch, and some kind of party at the house with finger foods.”

The waitress brought their drinks and left.

“That doesn’t sound like too bad a day. You won’t have to face a night of drinking, gambling, and the general mayhem that follows a group of Navy SEALs when they get together to party.”

“I can’t imagine Hawk getting too wild. He seems Mr. Controlled-and-Responsible.”

“You’ve never seen him when he drinks.” Neither had he, come to think of it.

“I didn’t even know he did. Well, other than an occasional beer.”

“Since he hooked up with Zoe he sticks to beer and he never drinks hard liquor.” God, he was such an asshole, playing her like this.

“So, it’s going to be a night to tie one on.” Her brown eyes settled on him with a look that said,
are you kidding me
?

“No, I’ll want to at least know where I am when we get to the strip joint.”

Silence reigned for at least five seconds while her eyes narrowed. “Does Zoe know Hawk is going to take you to a strip joint?”

He controlled his smile for another five seconds, then laughed. “Hawk would never take me to a strip joint, even if I begged him to. He’s too,” he started to say pussy-whipped and thought better of it. “He’d never do anything to hurt Zoe. I think we’re going night fishing on Doc’s boat.”

She leaned back in her seat and her dark eyes searched his face. “I never know when you’re kidding me.”

“I was kidding about the strip joint. Truly. We really are going fishing on Doc’s boat. Just the eight of us.”

“It would be a real tragedy if all of you get drunk and drown.”

Brett threw his head back and laughed. “Nobody’s going to drown. You’re welcome to try and talk the guys out of bringing beer, but it won’t happen.”

Tess frowned.

Noticing her frown, he said, “You can come to the dock and see us off. Doc will even let you come aboard and check the boat so you’ll know we’re not bringing any women with us. With eight of us there won’t be any room left for anyone else.”

Tess covered her eyes. “Oh, my God, it’s getting worse every moment.”

“Tess.” He grasped her hand and eased it down to look into her face. “I know SEALs have a reputation for being cowboys and wild men, but if we get arrested, they can bust us down in rank or shit-can us altogether. None of us wants any of that to happen. So we’re careful. I may tease, but I’ll never lie to you. All we have planned is a fishing trip where we can relax, drink beer, and play poker.”

After a deep breath, she said, “Okay.” But she still looked concerned.

Luckily the waitress chose that moment to arrive with their salad sampler and two plates, and for the next hour and a half, while their different courses arrived, they concentrated on eating. And eating. And eating. They discussed the food and family. By the time Brett took the last bite of tiramisu, his eyes nearly rolled back in his head and he decided he must have grown a second stomach, like a cow. Tess hadn’t done too badly either, though she’d flagged at the end and only taken one bite each of the desserts.

They narrowed it down to two entrees, two desserts and a single salad. The waitresses boxed up the remaining food for them to take home while they settled the bill. The manager appeared to confirm their reservation for the rehearsal dinner and to note the menu they’d chosen. He shook both their hands and wished them well.

*

Tess rode a
romantic high as she watched Brett settle their bill. They’d talked and shared bites of each other’s food. They were falling back into the groove of being a cohesive unit. Now that she’d made a decision about the job, despite those moments of disappointment she experienced every time she thought about it, she felt lighter. The invisible boundary she’d felt between them was gone. They were looking forward to their wedding. Working toward that goal together.

A man came into the restaurant and sauntered past them to a table. Something about the shape of his face, his hair, struck a chord of familiarity. Where had she seen him before?

“I need to check the car before we leave, honey. Stay here and I’ll pull around front.” He picked up the bags and walked out the door.

Reality was a bitch. And Brett’s words brought Tess back to the here and now with a vengeance. They were no longer a couple planning their rehearsal dinner. They were targets again. Who had set the bomb? Were they terrorists targeting Brett? Or was it directed at her because of the information Mary had shared with her?

She believed the latter, but until the FBI came back and told her definitively, it was still up in the air. The car had a burglar alarm on it, but Brett insisted on checking it each time it was left unattended before he’d allow her get in.

A car pulled around the corner, but it wasn’t the rental car. It glided by and she watched it for a moment. A flash of orange caught her attention, an orange sticker with a logo was curved around the right-hand bumper. Was there something familiar about the sticker? A niggling feeling of anxiety settled in her gut and radiated out. Where had she seen it before?

Seconds ticked away as her emotional level spiraled. How long did it take for Brett to walk around and check the car and then drive it to the front of the restaurant? Through the front window, she scanned the row of older homes stretching diagonally away from the restaurant and the businesses directly across from it. She focused on the corner where Brett would have to brake before turning toward the front of the restaurant. One minute passed, then two. Her heart beat against her eardrums. The pressure built as she strained to hear every sound on the street. Her muscles tightened in alarm. When the rental car came into view she rushed out of the building before Brett had come to a complete stop. She jerked open the door and slid into the passenger seat.