Star of His Heart - Brenda Jackson [34]
“Then it’s about time that I get rid of that bee, don’t you think?”
Rome figured if any man could, it would be the colonel. He was one tough marine. However, knowing Nettie, the assignment wouldn’t be an easy one.
At that moment Jada walked past their table again and immediately captured Rome’s attention. Ashton shook his head, smiling as he watched the younger man’s mind drift off again.
Chapter 10
The next morning Netherland sat across from Rome, eating breakfast, refusing to give in to the urge to ask what went on with him and Ashton last night. It had been late when he had gotten back but she had refused to rush out of her bedroom for details.
“You’ve made a number of changes at Sisters and all of them I like,” Rome said, breaking the silence.
Netherland took a sip of her coffee before saying, “Thanks. Business has increased over the past year so I decided to stay on top of things. If you’re good to your business, then it will be good to you.”
Rome nodded and cleared his throat before saying, “I also note you have a lot of new people working for you.”
Netherland lifted her gaze from her coffee cup when she heard the tightness in her brother’s voice. She could always tell when something was on his mind by the tone of his voice. “Yes, I’ve got a number of new people working for me. Any one of them in particular you noticed right off?”
“Now that you mention it, there was one person,” he said, casting one quick look at Netherland to see if he had her attention. “It’s one of your hostesses, a woman by the name of Jada.”
Netherland frowned, nodding. “What about Jada?”
Rome shrugged and to Netherland’s way of thinking her huge hunk of a brother suddenly became somewhat shy. “She’s beautiful.”
“Yes, she’s certainly that.” Netherland studied her brother and slightly curved her lips in a smile. Of her four brothers Rome was the most easygoing. He was also the only one of them who didn’t make it a point to constantly be in and out of relationships. This was the first time she had known him to show any interest in a woman since Kimmy’s death. Rome’s fiancée, Kimberly Albright, who’d also been a marine, had died when the military aircraft she’d been a passenger on had gone down somewhere over the Pacific Ocean due to mechanical failure. That had been nearly five years ago, and Rome had taken her death extremely hard.
Netherland then thought of Jada and all the things that had gone wrong in her young life. If Rome was interested in Jada, he had her full blessings. Both Jada and Rome were individuals who should experience happiness. But still she felt she needed to inform Rome of some things. “Jada just got out of a bad marriage, Rome. If you’re interested in her, she may not easily reciprocate.”
Rome smiled. “In other words she may be difficult with me the same way you’re being difficult with Sinclair?”
Netherland slowly fingered the design on her coffee cup, for the moment refusing to meet her brother’s gaze. “I’m not trying to be difficult with anyone. Ashton just doesn’t want to accept what is not to be.”
“He’s a good man, Nettie.”
Netherland lifted her gaze. “He’s military.”
“And because of it you’re condemning him?”
Netherland’s gaze narrowed. “I am not condemning him. I made it clear to him when we first met nearly three years ago that I had no interest in anyone in the military.”
“It didn’t look that way to me.”
Netherland lifted a brow. “What?”
“That you aren’t interested.”
Netherland pushed away from the table and stood. “So we can turn each other on. Big deal.”
“Yes, I think for Sinclair it’s a big deal. And the sooner you realize that, the better. I don’t think he’s going to give up until he has you just where he wants you. You’re one battle he’s determined to win.”
“Then he’ll continue to have one hell of a fight on his hands.”
A slow smile touched Rome’s lips. “I believe he knows that and has gotten prepared for it.”
Netherland glared at her brother. “Then he’s in for the fight of his life.”
“Or you’re in for the fight of yours.”
Netherland sighed. Over the past