Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Not that he apparently needed to.
The house was as silent as a tomb when he reached the main living space. There was only the sound of the air conditioner putting out a steady stream of cool air and the soft hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen. A glance at the microwave revealed that it was nearly nine in the morning. He should have been up and logged in already. Rowe might have given him some time off, but he was fully planning to work. Gidget and Quinn could rely on him.
And in truth, it wasn’t really a hardship to spend his “vacation” working. He loved his job. Ward Security was more than simply backing up the security agents and monitoring home security systems. With all the insanity Rowe, his friends, and the Ward Security employees got themselves into, Cole had found his skills pushed to the ultimate limit. There was no high like tracking a bad guy by hijacking surveillance cameras along an escape route or providing cover for a group as they sneaked into a warehouse to take down a gang of drug dealers. None of it had been in the job description, and he loved it.
The job could be stressful, though. Maybe some time off to decompress from all the chaos that had been happening wasn’t a bad idea. The bodyguards were all booked, but the jobs appeared to be low-key and normal. Quinn and Gidget didn’t have any crazy projects on their plates. Maybe he could be online a little less. For a day or two.
In the kitchen, he found a clean mug next to the coffeemaker and a sticky note attached to it. In bold, block lettering that reminded him of Noah’s and Rowe’s rough handwriting, he found JB had written:
Head to the office when you’re up.
Anyone can point you in the right direction.
We’ll go for a ride.
JB
Cole’s mouth twisted at the note. Seeing more of the ranch and learning how it all worked could be fun. Just talking to JB last night over dinner, it had been clear that he didn’t have a clue as to what went into running a cattle ranch of this size.
The only problem was that Cole had never been on a horse. He really didn’t love the idea of making an ass of himself in front of a bunch of experienced ranch hands, but he didn’t think JB would do more than the kind of gentle teasing he already experienced at Ward Security. It would be a good experience. At least it would get him outside and away from his computer for a few hours.
Cole made himself a mug of coffee and a bowl of instant oatmeal. It wasn’t his usual breakfast of egg-white omelet, but it would at least keep him going for a few hours. Cooking in JB’s kitchen was weird, and he wanted to keep it to a minimum for now. He was already invading the man’s space far too much.
With his bowl and mug in hand, he quickly crossed to the temporary office he’d set up in the den before going to bed and logged in to the Ward Security system. Naturally, Gidget was right there to greet him in their joint chat. It was strange. Despite the fact that they all sat within a few feet of each other during the day, they tended to have most of their conversations on the chat.
Good morning! I was beginning to fear the cowboys stole you! Gidget wrote.
Still alive and caffeinating. What can I do to help today?
Nothing! she replied.
Are you sure?
OMG! You picked the best time to hang out with cowboys, Quinn chimed in. Cole could almost hear the man’s bored groan.
Completely agree. It’s quiet. All the guys are out on jobs. Rowe and Noah are huddled up discussing the Monique Briggs case, but that’s largely in the hands of the police now. We’ve turned over all the evidence we’ve gathered.
I finished the new celebrity stalking request I mentioned yesterday. Andrei popped his head in and threatened some more team building. He wants me to RUN. Quinn’s statement was followed by wailing and sobbing emojis. I’ll be hiding under my desk until you return.
Cole grinned. Quinn was slender and muscular, but he was one of the few who came by it naturally. Quinn liked to brag that he only ran when zombies chased him. Cole might have mentioned that once to Andrei, and he was still waiting for the Ward Security COO to put that information to use.
Andrei, Rowe, and Noah fully believed in making Ward Security feel like a tight-knit family. And that meant all of the company going out and doing physical activities together—not just the bodyguards.
Wow. It would be such a shame if I had to stay in Texas for a loooooong time, Cole teased.