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The other, a couple who’d been married within the past year, Elliott had only seen twice in the three months he’d been around the place.
Liam concluded the meeting and while Marie served coffee and cookies, Gabrielle answered a flurry of questions from the people who’d gathered around her. Elliott wanted to help. But he stood back.
Watching.
Because that was the job he was being paid to do.
* * *
“CAN I TALK to you all a minute?”
Elliott turned around at the door of Marie’s apartment as she asked the question. Liam and Gabrielle had come in with him, as they had the night before, as he assured himself that nothing had been disturbed. He’d expected to be alone in his room within the next five minutes.
Needed some time alone. To assess. Plan.
To have a good long talk with himself. And pray that it worked as well as it used to do. Before he’d set eyes on Marie Bustamante.
“Something wrong?” Liam asked, placing his hand on Marie’s shoulder. He was closest to her. And not for the first time, Elliott had to bite back a hint of irritation at the other man’s perceived ownership of Marie. Gabrielle was his wife.
Of course, he knew the threesome had been best friends for more than a decade. Knew, too, that Liam would give up his life for Marie.
And knew that he had absolutel
y no business whatsoever feeling as though he was on the outside looking in. Or rather, being displeased with the feeling. Of course he was on the outside looking in. The Arapahoe belonged to the three of them. The friendship belonged to the three of them.
He was on a job.
Marie sat down and Gabrielle took a seat next to her, concern on her face. “I’m so sorry this is happening, Marie. You’ve had nothing to do with any of this and it’s your shop that’s taking the hit,” Gabrielle said.
“What?” Marie looked at Gabrielle and then up at Liam. “Hey, we’re in this together, you guys. I’m upset about the brick through the window because it means you’re still in danger.” She looked at Liam. “But I’m not upset with either of you.”
“Then what...” Gabrielle’s voice faded as Liam took a seat in the armchair perpendicular to them, leaving Elliott to remain where he was. By the door. An almost outsider.
He had a pretty good idea he knew what was coming. And wished it wasn’t. Barbara Bustamante’s call an hour ago had given him a headache that wasn’t going to go away anytime soon.
“If you’re worried about loss of business, I’ll take care of it,” Liam was saying, his elbows on his knees as he leaned toward the two women. “I’ve already spoken to one of Connelly’s top marketing people and will have something more solid for you by Monday...”
“No!” Elliott was a bit taken aback by the look of dismay on Marie’s face as she replied to her friend’s offer before he’d even had a chance to finish making it. “Business is booming and right now I can’t afford to expand. We don’t have the space, and I’m not prepared to hire and train more people. Besides, we promised that we’d keep Threefold and Connelly Investments separate entities.”
She turned to Gabrielle. “Tell him, Gabi...”
Gabrielle smiled. “I already did. Before he made the call and afterward, too.”
Marie stared at Liam, who looked prepared to stand his ground. Elliott had been right where Marie was. And was a bit curious to see if she’d get at least a compromise—which was all he’d ever been able to get out of the stubborn man.
Marie didn’t blink. Neither did Connelly. Gabrielle looked from one to the other of them, her lips turned up in a slight smile.
No one said a word.
And Liam Connelly bowed his head in defeat.
Impressed, Elliott had to restrain himself from sporting his own grin. He’d wormed agreement out of Connelly several times—but only by proving that Liam’s physical safety and the safety of those he cared about was at risk.
“So, if this isn’t about the brick, what’s going on?” Liam asked. He glanced in Elliott’s direction.
All hint of humor evaporating, Elliott kept his expression neutral. And hoped he was wrong about what was coming.
“My mother’s getting married.”
