CHAPTER Five Tate

"Mr. Browning to see you, Mr. Finnigan," the voice of my assistant came through my office phone. "Shall I send him in?"

Jesus! He frikken owns the company. What the hell do you think?Those were my thoughts, but of course, not how I answered. "Please send him in right away, Tyler," I responded. "And call me Tate, please," I added, disliking formalities, since in my opinion, I was far too young for boring names like sir.

My office door opened and there stood Alec Browning, the man I'd met on Zoom and one of the partners of my new employer. "Welcome, Tate," he said. "How are you settling in?"

I stood and held out my hand. "So far, so good," I began. "Tyler is scheduling my days and catching me up on pending cases. He has been excellent at steering me along."

"Good to hear," he replied, gesturing to the chair on his side of my desk. "May I?"

"Of course," I answered, waiting for him to be seated. I felt uncomfortable that a partner was sitting across from me on my first day in the office. "Nice to finally meet you, Alec. May I call you Alec?"

"Absolutely, you can. We're all on a first-name basis here, and we are thrilled you've joined us, Tate."

My realtor, his Aunt Sarah, had been correct; Alec was the whole package. He was understated in his dress, but you couldn't hide expensive when you had taste, and he had it in spades. He was my height, but our coloring was opposite. Whereas I had a caramel tone to my light brown hair, Alec had black hair. I was tan from laying in the sun for two weeks in Cabo before I moved to Bend, while he was paler and had a few freckles on his blemish-free face, giving him an incredibly boyish, yet stunning look.

His freckles hadn't been apparent in the Zoom meetings. Oddly, he wasn't a ginger, and by pale, I didn't mean he was ghostly white either. Maybe Nordic was a better description. But did Scandinavians have black hair? The origin of his dark hair and freckles didn't matter because he was very handsome indeed.

"I've felt very welcomed so far," I stated. "And Tyler is amazing," I repeated.

"We brought him over from finance where he assisted one of our VPs," he said. "I knew he'd fit well with you."

"Thank you," I said, studying him as we chatted. Alec was confident yet spoke engagingly, quick to put me at ease. I liked him immediately and not just because he was gorgeous.

"So," he began. "I understand that you've met my aunt Sarah."

I let out a chuckle. "So I have," I agreed. "She called you?"

"She did," he confirmed. "I hope she didn't prejudice you about me."

"Only if you're concerned that she views you as being the single most handsome nephew in the world," I said.

"And let me guess, she told you she doesn't understand why I'm single? Am I right?"

"Something like that," I responded. "I have a mother that says the same sort of things."

"Aw, so you're single too?" he asked.

Alec stood and went to the window, gazing outside at my tenth-floor view, leaving his question to dangle because I avoided answering. His position facing away gave me the time to truly appreciate what Sarah was talking about.

He was lean and very fit. The expensive jeans he wore were tight in all the right places, hugging two perfect globes. The V of his back was pronounced, proving he worked out religiously. Alec turned toward me and smiled. Damn, he's striking to look at. A noticeable bulge revealed itself through the front of his jeans. I swallowed hard. This would be more difficult than I imagined.

"Yes," I said, gathering my senses, and deciding I needed him to know. "I am single."

Strangely, just as my mind was filled with images of him naked and me exploring the obvious, Luke's face appeared in my mind and shut down my desires. A surprising thing for sure, replacing the hunk in front of me. Like the past few days, the boy at the bakery was once again front and center in my brain.

Alec was definitely a ten, and he was also my usual type. He'd be fun, hot even, but I'd had that with Thomas and the one or two guys I'd dated since, but Luke had something I couldn't stop thinking about. The problem? I hadn't been able to figure out exactly what that something Luke undeniably possessed was.

"Perhaps we'll have the occasion to right these wrongs," he said. "You know, the two of us being single, part," he added, sitting down again. "Maybe a drink after work if you're free?"

"Is that a usual occurrence?" I asked, being careful to gauge exactly what he meant. "The staff mingling with the primary partner?"

He grinned and stared directly into my eyes, the deep green color of his eyes causing heart palpitations. "More like the boss making sure his newest team member is settling in," he pointed out. "Make sure you know where all the best spots in Bend are."

I knew better but couldn't resist. "Then I guess I better take you up on the offer, being that Burger King has been my only hotspot so far." He didn't need to know about a hotter spot outside of Bend, in Madras.

"You don't look like a guy that eats fast food," he remarked. "You're teasing me, right?"

"I wish I could say I was. I'm at the Bend Motor Lodge on the highway," I stated. "It was the closest to work with a long-term stay I could find until my new place closes."

Alec's eyes widened, and a laugh escaped his pouty lips. "No, you aren't," he argued, shaking his head and frowning. "That place is a shithole, Tate."

I immediately noticed his well-crafted demeanor crack for just a moment as he imagined himself staying at the motor lodge. He appeared disgusted by the notion, but quickly regrouped.

"It's true, I am staying there, but calling the place a shithole seems a bit rough," I replied. "It'll do just fine for three weeks."

"Absolutely not," he disagreed, pulling his cell phone from his jeans pocket. "I can't have my lead criminal defense attorney staying at that dump. I'll get you a place at a nicer resort."

I raised my hand to get him to relax for a second. "I can't have you do that."

"Yes, you can," he stated. "River's Edge Country Club has everything you'll need. Plus, we can share a drink or two in their amazing bar."

Alec walked toward the door, out of earshot, and had a conversation with someone on his cell phone. Three minutes later, he turned to face me. "Done," he said.

"Done? Just like that?" I asked.

"Just like that," he replied. "I'll meet you downstairs at five and we can pick up your belongings and head over to River's Edge," he added. "Trust me, you'll like it there."

He smiled and reached for the door handle, turning to look at me again. "Thank you for that?" I half asked, half stated.

"You're in good hands with me, Tate. I'm wired into this town and I'll get you on the right track as well," he said. "I'll definitely introduce you to the right folks."

Alec walked out of my office, leaving me wondering what had just happened. He clearly had money and looks, but also likened himself to having power in Bend. He reminded me of Thomas and what money could do for entitled people. That was the first red flag. However, he was also stunning to look at, and maybe I shouldn't hasten my opinion about an obviously connected man.