Her Silent Revenge novel Chapter 21

"You've heard of AirBnB and Vrbo?" Dexter asks. "We run on the same principle, but we specialize in high-end properties. Think hotels with great service, but exclusive. Many people don't want old-school hotels anymore

—at least, not in the traditional way we think of them." Evelyn nods. "I see. And you have properties in Omaha?"

I'm surprised she knows about our most recent acquisitions.

From the way Archer hesitates, I can tell he wasn't expecting this, either.

"That's right," he says. "It's a real work in progress and we won't have anything running until next year. For now, we're only operating in Missouri."

"Ah, that's sensible." Evelyn clears her throat. "You see, if you're expanding out of state… I just wondered if you ever might consider anything farther north? Like Minnesota?" She smiles at each of us. "I have a few proposals I think you'd love to hear."

Archer blinks.

Dexter glances at both of us to check we've heard her right. It's hard to process what's happening.

Evelyn Hibbing, Mom's oldest friend, who only seconds ago could barely understand our company and never normally talks business at all, suddenly has a suggestion for expansion.

The silence goes on too long.

"I'd be happy to talk anytime, Evelyn. You'll have to buy me coffee, though," I tease. Mom smiles at me approvingly.

The surprise isn't lost on her. She probably knows I offered out of politeness, but that's more important to her than anything else.

Still, by stepping up here and being the model son in a business sense, I can stay in Mom's good graces. I'd like to think it helps make up for never being the big family man Dexter and Archer turned out to be.

And if I can keep Mom smiling with my head to the grindstone, maybe it'll keep her from forcing any matchmaking bullshit on me.

True to her word, Salem isn't late.

I get to The Cardinal at nine o'clock sharp and find her waiting by the front door in black pants and a pinkish blouse, her dark hair pulled back from her face. She climbs into my SUV quickly.

"Mr. Rory," she says stiffly as she settles in her seat.

"Again with the Mr. Rory shit? I said you could call me Patton." "What if I prefer Mr. Rory?" Her gaze darts to me and away again. I snort loudly.

Goddamn, I hate being Mr. Rory.

That was my dad's name, not mine. I've never felt big enough to fill his shoes just yet—but if that's what she wants to call me, I sure as hell can't force her to do otherwise.

The girl behind the register greets us and I order my usual: double espresso mocha with plenty of dark chocolate.

Salem scans the menu and orders a latte that sounds like a splash of decaf in a glass of cream with honey.

Fuck everything about decaf.

I don't know how people drink the stuff and pretend they're doing anything to jump-start their day.

She glances at the drink in my hand and smiles while we head for the car.

"If I drank that, I'd be bouncing off the walls for days," she says. "When you work as many hours as I do, you need rocket fuel. How do you function without caffeine?"

"Oh, I actually had a little coffee while I was waiting at The Cardinal. I didn't realize we were going to stop."

"Common courtesy," I lie, trying not to grit my teeth. "I thought you'd enjoy something from the best coffeehouse in Kansas City." It takes all my willpower not to point out that the cup she's holding now doesn't actually contain real coffee.

Still, it's nice to know she's not a caffeine-hating lunatic.

"Thanks. It's tasty enough," she says, though she doesn't sound like she means it. She glances at my cup as I put it in the cupholder between us. "Do you always like your drinks so sugary? You asked for extra chocolate." "You sound like my brother Dexter," I tell her.