Page 12 of Love In Hiding

“In business or life?” he asked. Might as well throw it out there.

Braylon smiled. “You know?”

“It’s my job to know who I’m working with and their background. Not just their professional careers either.”

“Good,” Braylon said. “I’d hoped you’d figure it out.”

“Why not tell me yourself?”

“Because we didn’t want you to think you had to treat them differently or walk on eggshells because they are our first cousins.”

Made sense. He still felt he was going to. “Should they know I know?”

“They don’t want anyone to know,” Braylon said. “They are bent on making a name for themselves. Few know that West’s first name is Westerly. Or they’ve forgotten. Those that know his history know he was named after our mother’s maiden name. It will get out at some point and everyone is aware. Give me your professional assessment, not personal. Don’t worry about offending me. This is business. West feels the same way.”

He knew West helped family, but he didn’t give anyone a free ride.

From what he’d researched and found, this was a beneficial business for all parties and a good way for Westerly Consulting to get started having The Carlisle Group as their first and biggest client.

“From what I can see, they are both driven but in their own way. Paris comes off as the polite sister, but she’s not afraid to threaten London coming in to get people to do her bidding.”

Braylon laughed. “Paris was like that as a kid too. Don’t let her kindness fool you. She’s just as much of a shark, butshe’s wrapped in rainbow and glitter and if she can get her point across that way, it’s her preference.”

“Good description.”

“London on the other hand. She’s a cactus. You know what you’re getting right away. If you keep your distance and follow along, no one gets poked. If you get too close, you might bleed.”

“Not sure how she can be effective that way,” he said.

“She is. She doesn’t get that way at first. Not from what we’ve discovered. And only is that way when she’s pushed back. The thing is, those girls are judged when they walk in the door.”

“I’m sure.”

How could you not with how they looked? Especially when men still dominated senior management positions.

And he hated it crossed his mind, but he was being realistic at the same time.

“London is about making sure that she’s no pushover. She’s not crude. At least I don’t believe so. Or hope not. That will be your job to let us know.”

He opened his mouth, his tongue twisting while he tried to get the words out politely.

Nope. No way to sugarcoat this. “I’m babysitting?”

Braylon angled his head, a smirk filling his face. “No. I wouldn’t do that to anyone. You’ll travel with her and Paris at times. You need to be there for other reasons for businesses that are struggling. But it will let us know what may or may not need work. If she is leaving too many needles in her wake. The truth is, some of those people might need to get jabbed some.”

“Does she know I’m traveling with her? I don’t know if I’m her favorite person after that meeting.”

“Dude,” Braylon said. Again, the guy just got so comfortablewhen he pulled you in. Nothing Spencer ever felt in his past job. “No one is London’s favorite person. She’s a lot of bark, just remember that.”

He’d have to take his boss’s word for it, because he was already not looking forward to their first trip.

Not because of her attitude, but because he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her and knew that was a big no-no for a man who always followed the rules.

4

FEAR OF FAILURE

“What do you think of Spencer?” Paris asked once Spencer was out of their office suite.