“You got it,” she assured him.
Chapter16
Flippingthrough the dresses hanging in her wardrobe, Naomi sighed. It would have been nice to actually dress up to go out to dinner, but the only dresses she had were either from Florida, definitely not suited to a chilly November evening in New York, or were suitable for working in the Bookmobile in Manhattan. They were nice enough, but they looked, well, business-like. Which they were supposed to, of course. She was definitely going to have to do some major shopping for clothes that weren’t for work.
She wasn’t totally bereft of warm clothing, though. With a pleased smile she chose a pair of chocolate brown wool trousers, and a soft, thick cowl-necked sweater in a soft green color. She pulled a brush through her hair, letting it settle in soft waves down her back. A pair of neat black pumps completed the outfit, and she was ready to go.
Heading down the stairs, multiple voices alerted her to new arrivals at the bed and breakfast. Liam met her at the foot of the stairs, and gestured to the two men standing at the registration counter.
“Naomi, meet Joe Malloy, one of our local… community.” He glanced toward the lounge, but the doorway obscured the sight of anyone who might be in earshot.
“You’re good,” Angus assured them from where he sat behind the counter. “No one’s around to hear who shouldn’t.”
Liam grinned. “Good to know. And this is his brother, Jake, just in from California.”
“Oh!” Her smile encompassed both men. “Nice to meet you. Jake, did you fly out to be with your family for Thanksgiving?”
Jake shook his head, a glint of humor in his eyes. Both men looked markedly similar, with stocky builds, tan complexions, shaggy russet hair with shades of red mingled with the brown, and hazel eyes that were more green than brown.
“I heard about the goings-on here, and the gathering of supernaturals in the area,” Jake told them. “There’s no way I wanted to miss being a part of this. So I rented a truck, packed up everything, and drove across country.”
She stared at him in amazement. “Just like that? You quit your job and everything?”
Jake gave her a charming, self-deprecating smile. “I did go online and apply for a new position before I came. As soon as I got the confirmation that I had the job, I put in my notice, and here we are.”
The printer whirred behind the desk, and Angus put a sheet of paper on the counter. “If I can get your signature, you’re ready to go, Jake. Here’s your room key.”
Jake signed and took the key, shoving one hand through his hair. He looked tired, Naomi noted, and said so.
“Yeah,” he admitted. “Been on the road since six this morning. I’ve got to find some food, then I’m crashing.”
“We’re about to go out to dinner, why not come with us?” she asked impulsively. Belatedly she looked to Liam, who seconded the offer.
“There’s a steak house that Douglas told me about, over by the mall,” he said. “He said they have some corner booths that would give us privacy to talk, if we can manage to snag one.”
“Steak,” Jake repeated longingly, dragging a hand over his scruffy jaw. He glanced down at himself. “I’m not dressed for a steak house, though.”
“Different kind of steak house. Apparently it’s more western themed, with peanuts.”
“Oh, yeah,” Joe enthused. “I’ve been there before. They have these buckets of peanuts roasted in shells on the tables. You shell them and toss the shells onto the floor. The bus boys come through with push-brooms now and then and clean them up. There’s also a big barrel of peanuts in the lobby so you can help yourself while waiting for a table.”
Naomi couldn’t help giggling. “How fun!”
Jake’s gaze took in both of them. “You sure you don’t mind us tagging along on your date?”
She felt her cheeks warm, and darted a glance at Liam, who just winked at her.
“It’s not so much a date,” she told the brothers, stifling that little part of her that rather regretted that it wasn’t.
Liam chuckled, coming to her rescue. “It’s a celebration,” he said, seconding her. “Naomi just got a job. We can celebrate Jake coming home at the same time.”
“Congrats on the new job,” Jake told her, giving her a wide smile and a thumbs-up.
“How about we all go in my truck,” Joe suggested. “I’ve got a crew cab so we’ll all fit.”
“Hell, yeah, I can have a couple beers if you’re driving,” his brother approved. “After these last three days, I need it.”
Naomi wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. “You won’t be able to sleep anyway,” she told him. “If my own experience driving up from Florida is anything to go by, you’ll be experiencing road noise the minute you try to close your eyes.”
