I look from Brooke to Maren, eyes dropping to the badge clipped to Maren’s hip before they go back to Brooke. “What is she doing here?”
Both women look at me like I’m a little bit of an idiot. Brooke sets down the notepad in her hand, concern pinching her brow. “Working. Are you feeling okay?”
“I thought her contract with the temp agency was up?” I know damn well it is. I wrote it down so I would remember.
“It is.” Brooke smiles looking excited. “She works here as a permanent employee now.”
What the fuck? “Who hired her?”
I don’t know which of my brothers is responsible for this, but?—
“I did.” Brooke hesitates. “I know you were willing to bring her on in your warehouse, but I thought that was just so she’d have somewhere to go, not because you genuinely needed her there.”
“I mean…”Shit. I don’t want Brooke to feel bad, especially when she’s not panicking over the possibility I could be upset. “She’s a really good worker.”
“Awe.” Maren gives me a grin. “It’s actually pretty flattering so many people wanted me.”
I scoff. “Who else wanted you?”
“Tucker put in a bid for her to come do some sort of paperwork thing in his division, and Walker made an offer for her to be a warehouse supervisor.” Brooke smiles slowly. “I might have told them if they didn’t back off, I was going to let Copper and Bruno shit in their yard.”
My plan to hire Maren so Brooke would be happy has gone down the toilet, but Brooke still seems happy, so I’m not going to complain.
Maren raises her hand. “Can we also have the dogs shit on Trevor’s grass?”
I chuckle, because she’s going to be pissed as hell when she finds out Trevor tried to block her hiring.
But not nearly as pissed as Trevor’s going to be when he finds out all of us were going to bring her in any way. Though I think my brothers’ motivations were quite a bit different from mine.
“I guess I’m going to have to start looking for somebody to run my stockroom.” I lean toward Maren, lowering my voice while still keeping it loud enough Brooke can hear. “Is shepaying you well? Because I might be able to find a little extra?—”
Brooke points a finger at me, her eyes widening. “Don’t you dare. I got her fair and square.”
Maren leans my way, her voice mirroring mine. “How much extra?”
Brooke’s mouth drops open. “Are you kidding right now?”
Maren laughs, waving one hand. “Of course I’m kidding.” She turns to me, shaking her head as she mouths the words,I’m not kidding.
These two are perfect for each other. Maren would have fit in well in my wing, but she’s going to be so much happier here working alongside Brooke. It’s probably technically where she’s most needed anyway. Titus is going to be off once the twins are born, and it will be nice for Brooke to have someone helping carry the load of running his department.
With a sigh, I accept the loss. “What do you girls want for lunch?”
Maren perks up. “You’re still going to buy me lunch even though I didn’t come work for you?”
“Of course I’m still going to buy you lunch.” I look her over, wondering if maybe Brooke isn’t the only woman in the office who’s been fucked over by a shitty man. “I’ll even throw in dessert if you promise to get her home on time every night.”
“Deal.” Maren doesn’t hesitate. “I really like chocolate.”
“Good to know.” I turn to Brooke, unable to hide my smile at how beautiful she looks standing here in her element, growing into the woman she wants to be. The woman I’ll never get enough of. “I’ll see you?—”
Her phone starts to ring, cutting me off.
Brooke reaches for it, her expression changing the secondher eyes land on the caller ID. Picking it up, she manages a weak smile. “Kirk. How are you?”
Kirk is calling her? As in, the attorney handling her lawsuit, Kirk?
“I’m going to go get some”—Maren’s eyes dart around the room—“stuff from… somewhere.” She ducks out behind me, closing the door as she leaves.
