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“No,” Marshall replied with a sigh. “I’m more than well aware of the bond, thank you very much.”
“You’ve both been okay this time? Being apart from each other?” Blake asked, his hazel eyes flashing to the yellow of his panther.
“Mostly, yes.” At both Saint and Blake’s enquiring looks, Marshall elaborated. “A bit of queasiness every now and again. But no headaches or muscle pains.” He coughed. “We can still sense each other through the bond, although it’s a little more muted than normal.”
The feline shifters both regarded him for a moment before relaxing.
“So, what’s this grand plan of yours?” he asked Saint.
“I think we should open another branch.”
Marshall blinked slowly.
“Another branch? When we barely have enough staff to run the three we have? Not to mention finding the capital, a building, plus all the permits and licenses.” He stared at his best friend. “Did you take a knock to the head the last time you and Wakanda over there sparred?”
“Oooh, I like that one,” Blake said with a grin, cuffing Saint over the shoulder. Saint shrugged him off, his eyes never leaving Marshall’s.
Marshall stared back, trying to figure out what Saint was saying, without actually saying a word. Saint cocked a pale blond eyebrow at him, and suddenly it hit Marshall.
As understanding dawned, a slow grin split Saint’s features.
“Am I brilliant, or am I brilliant?” he crowed.
“We’d still have to staff it, plus add extra staff here.”
“True, but it’s not like you don’t have access to a lot of people now.”
“Wait. Are you guys suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” Blake asked.
“I think we should open a branch in Bakersfield,” Saint confirmed.
Marshall leaned back in his chair, his brain running over various scenarios. It could work. Of course, he’d have to run it past Aaron and the Pack Elders. But it wasn’t a bad idea. They could train up some of the Pack Enforcers to teach. Of course, he’d still have to come into Stone City a couple times a week, but it could just work.
“Okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He grinned at Saint, who fist-pumped the air.
“This calls for celebratory drinks.”
“Don’t get too excited,” Marshall cautioned, but he was grinning. “I’ve still got to run it past Aaron. I can’t just go poaching his staff just so I have something to do when I’m in Bakersfield. Plus, we’ve got to look at finding a building and all those kinds of things.”
“I think Aaron will love the idea,” Blake said. “As for a building, there may be a couple you could use in the town, but in the short term, you could probably use the gym at the pack house.”
“I’m sure it will thrill your brother to have the general public traipsing around the pack house,” Marshall told him with a grin.
Blake waved a dismissive hand in the air. “Eh. He needs to learn to lighten up.”
Before Marshall could respond, his phone rang, and his heart gave a flutter when he saw it was Aaron.
“And I think that’s our cue to leave,” Saint said, pushing out his chair. “We’ll meet you at the bar when you’re done.”
Marshall waved them off as he picked up his phone. “Hey, you. I thought you were in meetings all day?” he greeted his mate.
“Hey yourself.” Aaron’s rumbling reply had Marshall relaxing, making him realize how tense he was.
“Is everything okay?”
