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“Agreed.”
They came to the top of the stairs and found Gretchen. Beside her was one of Eric’s pieces of luggage. “I took the liberty of packing for you.”
“How did you know?” Scott asked. Gretchen seemed to always be several steps ahead of them, whatever the challenge.
“Considering Megan’s situation and how you two already feel about her, I knew one of you would stay with her to be her bodyguard and one would charge off into the night to get the jump on whatever danger is stalking her. I had a fifty-fifty chance of picking correctly on the division of tasks. Pretty good odds.”
Scott grabbed her hands and squeezed. “Better than fifty-fifty, right?”
She tilted her head to the side and winked. “I’ll never tell.”
“Thank you.” Eric kissed her on the cheek.
“You’re very welcome. Now, go.” She turned to Scott. “I’ll get your bags ready for the meeting in New York. You’re still going, correct?”
He nodded, wondering how they’d ever survived without the amazing woman.
“Eric, go,” Gretchen said firmly. “I’ll take care that Scott and Megan get off tomorrow with a hot breakfast and both their bags packed for the meeting in New York.”
“We need to leave here no later than four,” Scott said. “You don’t have to get up that early.”
Gretchen smiled. “Don’t worry about me. It will be nice to have the house to myself for a change. I’ll cover things here. You both have work to do to help your lady.”
“She’s not our lady, Gretchen.” Eric’s words might be true but they were filled with something he’d never heard from his brother before. Eric was as interested in Megan as he was, but they both knew that being interested and actually winning her were two different things.
“Poppycock. I’ve never seen you two in this state before with any woman, and the saints and I all know there have been plenty of trollops traipsing through this place over the years. You’re in love.”
“We only just met her.” Scott put his arm around the sweet woman. “You’re a hopeless romantic.”
“Trust me. In seventy-eight years I’ve forgotten more than you two will ever learn.”
“I’ll confess that I’ve never met anyone quite like her before,” Eric said. Then his eyes widened. “I can’t believe it.”
“What?” Scott asked.
His brother placed his hand on Gretchen’s shoulder. “In the seventeen years you’ve worked for our family, you’ve never told us your age before.”
Her jaw dropped. “If you tell a soul, I swear on me parents’ graves I’ll make you pay dearly.”
Eric kissed her again. “I wouldn’t dare. Besides, you look twenty years younger than your actual age.”
“That’s enough of that, young man.” Gretchen’s cheeks were actually red. “Now be off with both of you. Megan needs you two at your best. Go get the bad guy.”
“I will.” Eric rushed out the door, heading to Walden-Jackson County Airport, which was over an hour from Destiny.
Living in the Rockies had so many advantages, but the one disadvantage was the lack of flat land to build airports. Walden-Jackson was the closest to them. He and Eric were working to get a single runway private airport built on one of the few pieces of acreage in all of Swanson County that would work for the project. The stretch was at the lowest elevation of the Stone Ranch and bordered the Steeles’.
He and Gretchen said their good-nights, and he went to his room. He pulled out his cell. It was still early, just after 5:00 p.m. This time of year with daylight savings in play, the sun didn’t set until after eight.
He clicked on Patrick O’Leary’s number.
“Hello,” his neighbor said.
“Hello, Patrick. This is Scott Knight.”
“Got the caller ID, lad. I know ’tis.” Patrick’s slight Irish brogue always made Scott smile. It got heavier whenever the man was tired or after a few drinks.
“I have a favor to ask.”
