Saving Brielle

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Allen

We have been in our Wednesday morning meeting all of two minutes when I drop my bombshell on him. Grant stares open-mouthed at me from behind his desk before he finally finds his voice.

"What do you mean, you're leaving?"

"Just what I said," I reply calmly. "It's time. You knew going into this that I had plans to start up a security company. It's time for me to switch gears and focus on that."

"I know. I just didn't expect us to have this conversation before the first of next year."

"Grant, you've got a great thing here. It's solid, with an excellent team in place. Trust me, the way this company is structured, now is the optimal time for me to go my own direction. I'll still be your partner, Grant, just a silent one."

The younger man considers for a moment, then nods.

"Were you planning to stay around here?"

"I'm thinking a bit further north, actually. I have been considering the Dallas/Fort Worth area for a while now, specifically Pantego. It's situated about halfway between the two, so it's the ideal location."

"So, what comes next?"

"I'm going to travel up there next week and have a look around. Some friends of mine recommended a realtor that can help me find office space and a house."

Grant grins despite the circumstances.

"Not gonna do another apartment? Had your fill of yelling couples and screaming kids?"

I chuckle. "And how. Nope, I am going all in. A space all to myself that with any luck will have at least fifty feet of yard all the way around it so I can control how close my neighbors get."

"When do you think you'll make the move?"

"By the end of the summer, at the latest," I answer honestly. "At least, I hope it doesn't take longer than that. I have been restless for a while now. This is something I really want, Grant, and I need to get started."

Grant stands and extends his hand.

"Let me know if I can help in any way."

"Thanks, man."

When I get back to my desk, I pull out my cell phone and navigate to the last text message I had seen from Kenneth Myers, my roommate from college.

Here is the number of the realtor we used. Extremely helpful, knows her stuff. She will do right by you.

The text ends with a name and phone number.

Drumming my fingers on the desk, I dial and wait. Four rings later a rich, sultry tone fills my ear, making the blood in my veins rush to places that it has no business traveling to while I am sitting at my desk in an office with glass walls.

"You've reached the voicemail for Brielle Cerver," the smokey voice intones. "I'm terribly sorry to have missed your call. Please leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

I clear my throat and fervently will my body's reaction away as I wait for the obligatory beep.

"Ms. Cerver, my name is Allen Jones," I say into the phone I am now gripping tightly in my effort to focus on the task at hand. "I'm looking to buy both residential and commercial property in Pantego, and you came highly recommended."

I pause, barely stopping myself from adding 'and you sound hot as hell'.

What are you, sixteen? i***t. Get it together.

I clear my throat again and press on.

"If you could please call me back, I'd appreciate it. I'm planning to travel to that area next week and I'd like to line out some showings."

I finish the voicemail by reciting my number, then disconnect the call, and am immediately struck by the sudden urge to call her number a second time just to hear that sexy, breathtaking voice again.

Somehow, I overcome the impulse, and purposely wait several minutes to make sure I will not be embarrassed before I stand up to walk to the conference room for my ten o'clock planning session with the engineering group.

I nod at each team member as they enter the room and take their seats, pushing any thought of Brielle Cerver - and my very out-of-character reaction to her - firmly to the back of my mind for the moment.