The Possessive Groom (Groom 2)

Now it’s my turn to be confused…and a little irritated that he failed to mention this during the merger.

“Oh really?” I let out a long sigh because it’s not her fault. “I’m Gibson.” I hold out my hand and try to keep my cool.

“Lindsey.” When she puts her hand in mine, that warm, soft connection comes back, and I like the way it feels when I’m holding her. “Glad you could make it, Gibson.”

She doesn’t look at me when she says it, and out of the corner of my eye I spot a short, gray-haired woman walking over. Lindsey takes her hand in mine, and for the hundredth time today I’m annoyed.

“You must be Gibson. I’m Mary. Darian just sent over your paperwork today. It must have slipped his mind now that he’s retired.”

Lindsey and Mary laugh at their own inside joke, and I don’t like being out of the loop.

“Come with me, and we’ll get you a schedule,” Mary says, and then the woman from before is beside Lindsey again.

“Okay, Peter and I have reevaluated the game and we have an even better idea this time.”

I don’t hear the rest of the conversation as I’m forced to follow Mary. But as she goes over the activities of the weekend and expectations, I can’t keep my eyes off the redhead in the room.

This is an unexpected surprise.

Chapter 3

Lindsey

I don’t hear a word Cora is saying about the new game idea as I watch Gibson and Mary wander off together. The buzz of the shots simmers through me, at least I think that’s what I’m feeling, because now I’m flushed and feeling really warm all over.

It was easy to sip on a drink with everyone. I think Peter and Cora caught on to the fact that I wasn't throwing them back at the same rate as everyone else. When shots came into play, I couldn’t fake those.

For a brief moment, I’d gotten lost in the games, and they were actually working. As silly as it looked and sounded, I was getting to know people, and everyone was relaxing. The more time we spent together, the more I felt like I fit. Then again, we haven't been talking much business or anything that went over my head.

Then there was Gibson. He was sobering and what felt like a knock right back to reality.

When I look back, I see him glancing over his shoulder at me. His eyes lock with mine for a brief moment before Mary says something that snags his attention. I can’t tell if he’s irritated, but he didn’t look like he was okay with the knowledge of my brother's departure from the company.

“I know,” Cora says, plopping down in the seat next to mine. “He’s more handsome in person.”

When I look back to where he was standing, I realize he and Mary are gone. Handsome? That was putting it mildly. He’s a mountain in a suit. Short dark hair with a dark gaze to match. His suit was expensive but functional. No extra flair or a need to draw attention to himself. He had a strong and steady vibe to him, and in the brief encounter I could tell he’s most likely a man that gets to the point. He was irritated he had to be here to begin with and I’d gone and pushed him right over the edge.

“Who is he?”

Cora is the bubbly one of the group. She reminds me a little of the twins, but that might be because she’s about their age and I’m missing them a lot lately. She also doesn't have much of a filter. Allison and Amber don’t have a single one between the two of them. They could be a little quieter apart, but together they’re hell on wheels.

“Gibson Fox started off owning a few warehouses that helped relieve some of the shipping demands in the city. He grew from three warehouses to thousands. Then he built software that helped them be more efficient. After that he invented that robot thing that can make deliveries too and something with drones. I thought he’d be a lot older.” She scrunches her nose.

I’ve noticed she does this a lot when she’s thinking. Cora is head of human resources, and I thought she was a little young herself for the job. Then I watched her work the room and saw she could strike up a conversation with even the most introverted person in the vicinity.

“I guess Darian is young, too, for all he’s done,” she says, then nods, agreeing with her own conclusion. “A lot of companies have been trying to buy him out. It’s pretty cool your brother snagged him up. Why haven't I gotten the paperwork yet?” She mumbles the last part to herself.

I know of the name Fox because I’d read an article a year ago about the robot. I remember telling my brother about it and how I thought it was interesting. I guess Darian took a deeper look for himself.