“Huh. I heard about her indirectly. But she’s only been here a couple days, is that right?”
“Yes. So what?”
“So…you’re already seeing her?”
“Well, as long as it’s okay with you. Gosh, Kendall, I totally forgot I had to ask your permission to see new women,” he responded with lots of sarcasm. “Oh wait a minute. I don’t. That means she’s none of your fucking business. Just let her in, will you?”
Kendall laughed. “Cool your jets. I didn’t know you were so seriously involved with anyone. Especially not someone you trust enough to give the punch code to the compound gate.”
“Stranger things have happened. For instance, you got married after swearing you’d never even entertain the idea.”
Kendall pushed out a long sigh. “You can’t use that against me forever, Garrett. Besides, I already let your girl go through before I called you.”
Garrett was the one now shocked. “Oh? Why’d you let her in?”
“She had the code. Which I’m assuming you gave her. Way to keep the compound safe, Garrett,” he said with mock annoyance. “I also let her in because she’s very attractive. Is that why you boycotted our afterhours party a few days ago? Because you found a beautiful girl all on your own?”
“No comment.”
“Which means yes.”
Garrett rolled his eyes. He didn’t like the direction this conversation was going. He didn’t respond, but it was hard not to. He bit the inside of his cheek and cleared his throat. He couldn’t think of what to say, deciding silence was his best option.
“Wow. No argument from you? That’s interesting. Not as much as you giving a girl the punch code—which was pretty fast, by the way—but very interesting, coming from you. The former prosecutor in you must be buried deep.”
“Bite me.”
More of Kendall’s laugher erupted through the line. “You’re so fun to toy with, Garrett.”
A short time ago, Kendall had been a man even less willing to consider marriage than he was. That had changed a while back when Kendall and his best friend, Logan Pearson, had met and then shockingly married Jocelyn, a computer security specialist. She was as well-regarded as Clay in many computer security circles.
Jocelyn, together with her brother-in-law Clay, were probably the reason Kendall was upgrading the call box today. Even he was willing to admit they were a power to be reckoned with as far as computer or security issues were involved.
He heard Jessica pull into the driveway. “Sorry, Kendall. I’ve got to go. My girl is here.” He hung up before hearing a response.
Garrett didn’t wait for her to come inside. He hurried out and greeted her on the driveway.
“Nice wheels,” he said. As he got closer, he noticed what looked like a large pile of dirty, dusty clothing piled in her backseat.
She got out from behind the driver’s seat, and he noticed she was also covered in dirt from head to toe as though she’d been rolling on the ground fighting with tumbleweeds all afternoon.
“Interesting first day?” he asked. “I didn’t realize you’d have to help with the actual construction of the building.”
“I know. I’m a big mess. Whoever stole my car unloaded absolutely everything I own from my carefully packed suitcases and dumped them into the Montana wilderness up north of here. Did you know that Montana is one of the ten windiest states in the country?”
He chuckled. “I suspected that about the wind here, but never had it confirmed until now.” He glanced inside her car, then gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, honey”
She shrugged, looking anything but upset. “Thanks. But I don’t care. I have my car back and that’s more important.”
“Good. Have no fear. We are a full service guest house. There is a laundry room at your disposal. I’ll even help you get started.
“Thank you.”
“Did you have to gather this all up yourself?”
“No. Duke helped for a little bit and—”
“Duke?” He hadn’t meant to sound so sharply jealous when he broke in to her casual statement.