Read Online A Place to Rest My Heart by Galen Rose - Free Book Online Page B

one-on-one personal guard but also trained people for other companies. Much of the research I had come across had been pretty positive. So much the better, I thought. I really was clueless as to how the next few months would change me.
    Probably better that way. Had I known, I might have headed to the bus station.
    On Monday I walked into the reception area of Woo with a small case of the jitters. A tall, blonde-haired man was sitting on the corner of the receptionist’s desk with some flowers in his hand. The woman seated behind the desk was scolding him and trying to shove him off. He sighed with a smile as he stood up, leaving the flowers on her desk but he didn’t go far. He walked right up to me and extended his hand.
    “I’m Dallas.” His voice said New Orleans, chickory, and beignets. “You have to be Laney.” He brought my hand to his lips. “I have to kiss the hand that punched Sean.”
    I pulled my hand free before his lips made contact. “You people must not have enough to do, if my decking Sean seems to be the biggest topic of conversation.” Dallas started to say something but the woman at the desk had come up behind him and grabbed his ear.
    “Go find someone else to bother, Dallas,” as she tugged him toward a door. She opened the door and pushed him through, then turned back to me. “My apologies Miss Murphy. Dallas is harmless. I’m Stacey Taylor. I believe you’ve met my brother Mike? I’m sorry for that, too.” She was a slim blonde with the most vibrant smile I’d ever seen. How on earth was this woman related to Mike? “Chase will be with you shortly. Can I get you something to drink?”
    “No, ma’am.”
    She laughed. “My name is Stacey. No, ma’ams necessary.”
    Her phone rang and I took the opportunity to have a glance around the waiting area. It was tastefully decorated but not corporate tasteless. It had warm desert beige and dusky red tones for carpeting and furniture. The art on the wall was real. Not copies put up just to impress, but moody cityscapes that captured San Francisco’s timelessness. I’d bet any money they were local artwork.
    Chase came out with Mike right behind him. “Good morning, Laney. Welcome to Woo,” Mike said, walking right up to me and placing a finger under my chin to look at my fading bruise.
    “You don’t seem too worse for wear since the other night.”
    I batted his finger away and stepped back. “I sure wish everyone would please quit acting like it was such a surprise I survived.”
    “Not surprised,” he said stepping back and heading to the front door. “Just pleased. See you at noon.” He winked at me and walked out.
    “Jesus, does everyone come fully loaded with ego around here?” Chase just chuckled and motioned me to follow him. Once through the door the room opened up into a larger area that was split off into several rows of cubicles.
    “Everyone shares cubicle space with someone else. Usually your counterpart works a different shift. But first let’s go to my office and get the nasty paperwork out of the way.”
    As we walked along the aisles of cubicles I saw quite a few people I had already seen at Muldoon’s. Interesting that so many seemed to fancy the same place — almost like cops with a donut shop. I also passed Sean’s cubicle. He did a double take as we walked by and stood up to watch me. I turned and blew him a kiss. Lord help me. I don’t know why but that inner demon that liked pushing his buttons reared its ugly head. Sean just stared, open mouthed, before realizing he had been talking on the phone and quickly sat back down. I must admit to some small satisfaction that I could cause him a momentary loss of balance. Okay, well, it wasn’t small satisfaction. It felt damn good.
    Chase’s office was at the rear of the rows of cubicles. Now here was a lived-in office. A long leather couch sat against one wall with pillow and blanket set neatly on one end. It did not surprise me to know he slept here. From