Deadly Ever After (Hardy Brothers Security Book 6) (13 page)

“What are you looking at?”

James glanced up from his computer screen, smiling when he caught sight of Mandy hovering in his office doorway. “What are you doing here? I thought you had work.”

“Well, I have an early wedding gift for you,” she said.

James glanced around the office. “Shut the door. Finn and Jake are around, but hopefully they won’t interrupt us.”

Mandy rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I had in mind.”

Disappointment rolled across James’ face. “I thought you got a gift for me?”

“I did,” Mandy said. “I wasn’t thinking that sex on your desk when anyone could walk in off the street was much of a gift.”

“We could go upstairs,” James offered. “Although, to be fair, sex on the desk would be a great gift.”

Mandy sighed. “Do you want to know what your gift is?”

“I’m not sure,” James said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Everything you offer me now is going to pale in comparison.”

“Somehow I think you’re going to survive.”

“Fine,” James said, holding out his hand expectantly. “What did you get me?”

“You’re really ruining this,” Mandy complained.

James forced a look of contrition across his face. “I’m sorry. What did you get me?”

“Well, I talked to Judge MacIntosh today,” Mandy said. “I asked him how much of a problem taking the week off would be. I explained that I knew that a two-week honeymoon was already putting him out, and another week off would just be adding to the problem, but I asked him anyway.”

James straightened in his chair, hope welling in his chest. “And?”

“Oh, now you’re interested.”

“You’re killing me, baby.”

“He thought it was a good idea,” Mandy said. “He said he was going to suggest it himself, but he wasn’t sure how to broach it without pissing me off.”

James heaved out a shaky and relieved sigh. “Thank you.”

Mandy moved behind the desk, running her hand over the back of his head as she pressed closer to him. “You’re welcome. I thought one less thing to worry about – especially since you’re staring down the barrel of the marriage gun and, well, an actual gun – would make things easier for you.”

James wrapped his arm around Mandy’s waist, tumbling her into his lap. “This is the best gift you could’ve ever given me.”

Mandy smiled, pressing her lips to his chin. “I love you.”

James kissed her deeply, crushing her body against his chest. “I love you. Now, do you think we can add dirty desk sex to the gift?”

Mandy pulled back, taking in his sparkling eyes and wide smile, and couldn’t resist. “You’d better make it good.”

James’ hand was already tangled in her hair as he shifted her, his mouth fused to hers. He pulled back suddenly, searching her face. “Do I ever make it bad?”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

James acquiesced, his tongue slipping into her mouth.

“Shouldn’t you be saving that for the honeymoon?”

James froze, shifting his gaze from Mandy’s rapidly coloring features to the two figures standing in the doorway. “Mom. Dad.”

“James,” Rose Hardy said, her eyes twinkling as she took in her eldest son and the blonde on his lap. “Have we come at a bad time?”

“No,” James said, pushing away from his desk so Mandy could stand on her own two feet.

“Rose,” Mandy said, regaining her composure and racing across the room. “I’m so excited to see you. I didn’t know you were coming today. I thought you were coming with my mom.”

Rose hugged Mandy, patting her back. “We wanted to spend more time with our offspring,” Rose said. “While your wedding is the main event, I still want to meet Jake and Emma.”

Mandy smiled and turned her attention to the man standing a few feet away. “Louis,” Mandy said, throwing her arms around his neck. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“That’s what happens when you’re lips are glued to someone else,” Louis said, winking as he gave her a hearty hug.

James was on his feet and hugging his mom, who was small in stature, especially next to her swarthy son. The Hardy children had inherited their coloring from their mother, but their height and eyes came from their much fairer father. Louis gave his son an affectionate one-armed hug, never moving his other arm from Mandy’s shoulders.

“You look good, son,” Louis said. “You look happy.”

“He is happy,” Rose said, her hand clutching her son’s arm. “He’s so happy he’s practically floating.”

“Oh, jeez,” James said.

“You look happy, too,” Rose said, turning to Mandy. “Your skin is almost glowing.”

“I think that’s because she and our son were about to dust the desk,” Louis supplied.

Mandy’s mouth dropped open, while James’ cheeks flushed with color.

“Louis,” Rose chided. “You’re embarrassing them.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” James said. “I’m just excited to see you. Where are you staying?”

“Grady’s house,” Louis said. “It’s small, but he says he spends most of his nights with Sophie.”

“Where are they?” Rose asked. “I’d love to see Sophie again.”

James faltered. He’d never been overly chatty about his job with his parents. The idea of telling them what was going on now filled him with dread.

“They’re out of town,” Mandy answered. “James had a quick job, and Grady took Sophie to make an adventure out of it. They should be back tomorrow; the next day, at the latest.”

James shot Mandy an appreciative look.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Rose said. “I was hoping to get to spend some time with her. She’s a nervous little thing.”

Mandy furrowed her brow. “I’ve never thought of Sophie as nervous.”

“She was fine,” Louis said. “I think she was just a little out of her element.”

“She was nervous,” Rose corrected.

“What about this Jake and Emma?” Louis asked. “Where are they?”

“Well, Emma doesn’t usually hang around the office,” Mandy explained. “We can set up a dinner tonight, though, and you can meet them there.”

“Is Emma as pretty in person as she is in photographs?” Rose asked.

“She is,” Mandy said. “She makes me feel ugly whenever she’s in the room.”

James made an exasperated sound in the back of his throat. “Will you stop it with that? You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“Good save, son,” Louis said.

“It wasn’t a save,” James replied. “Emma is very pretty. She’s doesn’t hold a candle to Mandy.”

“Oh, you two are so cute I could just cry,” Rose said, pinching a cheek on each of them. “So cute.”

“Well, if we can’t meet Emma, where is this Jake?” Louis asked.

“Why do you keep calling him ‘this Jake’?” James asked.

“No reason.”

“Your father has convinced himself that Jake is wrong for Ally,” Rose said.

“You haven’t even met him,” James said.

“No one is good enough for my Ally,” Louis said.

“He’s very nice,” Mandy said, shooting Louis a conciliatory smile.

“He’s a good guy,” James agreed. “Be nice to him. He’s a good worker, too.”

“You don’t have to fire him,” Louis said. “He had just better not paw my baby in front of me.”

Mandy bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. “You know, he’s very good for Ally.”

“How?”

Mandy was taken aback. “How what?”

“How is he good for her?”

“Well, he’s very calm,” Mandy said. “When Ally flies off the handle, he’s the one who reins her in.”

“You do that, too,” Louis said. “She can date you.”

Mandy looked to James for help.

“Listen, I wasn’t sure about Jake and Ally at first either,” James said.

“Because he’s … doing things with my daughter,” Louis said.

“It’s not like that,” Mandy protested.

“Oh, he’s not doing stuff with my daughter?”

“Oh, he’s doing stuff with your daughter,” Mandy said. “The good news is, I’m pretty sure Ally likes it.”

Mandy had never seen a dark look on Louis’ face where she was concerned. She took an inadvertent step back now, smacking into James’ chest when Louis shot an angry look in her direction. James wrapped an arm around her, securing her to him.

“Dad, you can’t jump all over Jake,” James said. “He’s a really good guy, and I have a feeling he’s going to be around for a really long time.”

Rose clapped her hands together. “They’re getting married, aren’t they?”

“No,” James said hurriedly. “They’ve only been dating for like six weeks. What are you even thinking?”

Mandy smirked. While James had accepted Jake as part of his sister’s life, he was nowhere near ready to face the prospect of the two of them marrying. “They’re not getting married,” Mandy said. “They are very close, though.”

Louis narrowed his eyes. “How close?”

The sound of the bell jangling over the office’s front door caught Mandy’s attention. “Uh-oh.”

Jake was fixated on a file in his hand when he moved into the room. “So, I think I might have something.” He paused when he caught sight of Louis and Rose. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you had clients.”

“Jake, this is my mother and father,” James said. “Meet Louis and Rose Hardy.”

Jake stiffened as he regarded the two people in front of him. “Oh, hi.”

“Hi.” Rose greeted him warmly, looking him up and down.

Jake recovered his faculties quickly and extended his hand. “I’m sorry. It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Hardy.”

“Call me Rose,” she said, shaking his hand and smiling.

Jake shifted and offered his hand to Louis, who shook it, but not in the same warm manner his wife did. “Mr. Hardy.”

“Oh, call him Louis,” Rose said.

“Mr. Hardy is fine,” Louis said, his tone gruff.

“Mr. Hardy,” Jake said. “It’s really nice to meet you both.”

“Well, we’re happy to meet you,” Rose said. “We’ve seen pictures, of course.”

“You’ve seen pictures? Ally sent you pictures?”

Rose shook her head. “Mandy did.”

Jake shifted his gaze to the lone blonde in the room. James didn’t bother hiding his broad grin.

“Get used to it,” James said. “They’re codependent that way.”

“They’re not codependent,” Rose said.

“You’re right,” James conceded. “They’re gossipy.”

“I am not gossipy,” Mandy said.

“You’re totally gossipy, baby,” James said, kissing the side of her head. “I love you anyway.”

“Oh, so cute,” Rose said, pinching James’ cheek again.

“So, Jake, what are your intentions toward my daughter?” Louis’ question took everyone by surprise, casting a pall over the room.

“Wow, it’s fun out here in left field,” James said, trying to rescue his friend. “Why don’t you start with something a little simpler, Dad?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, why don’t you ask him what his favorite baseball team is or something.”

Louis ignored his son, keeping his gaze on Jake.

Jake worked his jaw as he shifted uncomfortably. “I care about her a great deal.”

“See, that’s sweet,” Rose said, patting Jake on the arm. “My, you work out, don’t you? You’re very firm.” Rose turned to Mandy. “Have you felt his arms?”

“No,” Mandy said.

“Come and feel.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Come over here and feel his arms,” Rose ordered.

Mandy exchanged a look with James but then did as her future mother-in-law requested. “He’s very firm.”

“Right?”

“Okay,” James said, stepping forward and retrieving Mandy. “Stop feeling up Jake.”

“He’s fine with it,” Rose said. “Aren’t you, dear?”

Jake looked like a deer caught in headlights. “Sure.”

“Well, I’m not fine with it,” James said. “Watching my girl feel up another man doesn’t exactly fill me with love.”

“Oh, get over yourself,” Rose chided. “Mandy is clearly in love with you.”

“She’d better be,” James said. “I wouldn’t have bought her a house if I thought there was a chance she wasn’t.”

“Ooh, the house,” Rose said, clapping her hands. “When do we get to see it?”

“When do you want to see it?”

“As soon as possible.”

“I’m sure we can arrange a tour,” James said. “We have a bunch of furniture being delivered this week. We’re going to be in and out.”

“When are you moving in?”

“Not until we come back from the honeymoon.”

“You never said, where are you going on your honeymoon?” Rose asked.

Mandy turned to James expectantly, waiting.

“It’s a secret,” James said.

“You can tell your mother.”

“No, I can’t,” James said. “I want it to stay a secret. If I tell you, Mandy will know in five minutes flat.”