“Your bank accounts are frozen. How can you be so calm at a time like this?”
“It’s nearly one in the morning on a Saturday. No matter what I find out, there isn’t anything that can be fixed until at least Monday morning. I’d much rather enjoy the evening with you,” he said.
“I can’t believe I actually fell for that guy who said he was with the exchange commission and was going to stop talking to you all together,” I muttered. “How does he play a role in all of this?”
“Maybe that was his purpose? Maybe he wanted you to stay away from me so I’d be hurt? I have no idea; I’m just glad we are straightening this part of things out. I hated that for a moment I thought you might have been involved. I couldn’t believe it, though. I just knew it wasn’t true.”
“You didn’t know,” I teased. “You were angry with me – I saw it in your eyes when I turned around outside.”
“Not exactly angry. I was confused. But that’s just normal life for me when I’m around you,” he laughed and I laughed and our connection eased the tension between us. “Now let’s forget about that for just tonight. There will always be tomorrow to worry about this mess. Can we just have tonight?”
“Yes, we can have tonight.” I leaned in and put my head on his chest.
The chaos of the last few days wasn’t lost on me. I knew there was still so much we had to figure out, but in Brandon’s arms, I also knew I felt safe and I trusted that feeling more than the chaos and noise going on all around us.
His hands were like home as he wrapped them around my back and pressed me up against him. The warmth of our bodies offered comfort, and I felt that warmth exploding across my body.
Whatever else was going on in both of our worlds didn’t seem to matter in that moment. We swayed in perfect time with the music and the club belonged to us. I relished his touch as his hands moved up and down my back.
“I hate to interrupt, but am I on my own for the rest of the night?” Mattie said as she tapped me on the shoulder.
“Crap, I should probably check in with Josh,” Brandon added. “How about you two come sit with us. I can get a VIP… Oh wait, I can’t,” he started to laugh. “I don’t have any money! Well, we could just join Josh and all hang out.”
“But he thinks I’m a horrible person, remember?” I was joking a little bit, but I was a little serious, as well.
I didn’t feel comfortable hanging out with the guy who had convinced Brandon I was after him. Even if there had been a little circumstantial evidence, it would be really uncomfortable for me.
“Oh, he’ll get over it. Let me go talk to him for a minute and then you guys can come over.”
As much as I didn’t want to be around his friend, I really did want to be around Brandon, so I agreed. He went off to find his friend and straighten things out. I was left to straighten things out with Mattie because I could tell by the look in her eye that she did not agree with the way Brandon and I had been dancing.
“So apparently, his friend convinced him that I had something to do with his financial information being stolen. And, I guess the computer consultant who was at my desk probably was the same guy who threatened Brandon. Basically, I don’t think he’s under investigation for real, but I do think he’s still got someone after him. I know I really should stay away from him, but he was outside when I went out there and I couldn’t resist.”
“I think you should give him the benefit of the doubt.”
Of course, that was what Mattie thought. This was the same woman who continually took her no-good boyfriend back after he cheated on her. But in this circumstance, I was glad she was a forgiving soul and could go with me and let me give Brandon a second chance.
“Thanks, Mattie. I’m sorry I always give you a hard time about Markus. I won’t do that this time if you decide you want to give him another chance.”
“Oh, heck no! I’m done with him,” she said. “I gave him plenty of chances, and he proved they weren’t enough for him. I’m moving on. But, I do think giving Brandon the benefit of the doubt is a reasonable thing to do. You like him, and I can tell by the way he looks at you that he likes you. Things will either work out, or they will get worse, right?”
“Yes, exactly. Thanks, Mattie! I was so worried after that investigator came in and told me about Brandon. Now, it seems even he was a fake. It’s all a ridiculous mess.”
“I’ve got a picture of the investigator if it helps?”
“You do?”
“Yep, when we were taking our selfies, he had come up behind you. Here, look at this one; you can see his face perfectly.”
“Oh, that’s awesome. Let’s find Brandon and show him.”
It took us nearly twenty minutes of walking around the club before we finally found Brandon and his friend Josh. As nervous as I was, I was also excited to be able to show Brandon the picture of the guy who said he was with the SEC. Hopefully, he would be able to use the picture to figure out who was after him and why.
“Hi, ladies, glad you found us. I was all the way over here when I realized it was going to be messy finding each other in this busy place. Delilah, this is Josh; Josh, this is Delilah and her friend Mattie.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Delilah. Brandon says an apology is in order,” Josh said as he held his hand out for me to shake. “I was just going with my gut. I hope you can appreciate that I just wanted to protect my friend.”
“Sure, I understand.”