Taking Shots (Assassins, #1)(81)

“Oh, come on, Elli, like I would.”

She shrugged her shoulders, “You’re right, I didn’t tell you cause I don’t tell anyone in Nashville, the only people that know is here in town. My family don’t even know how much I have, or will have, they just all know I have money.”

“Only I do,” Michael said with a small smile, “What can I say, Shea, she’s a complex gal.”

“You can say that again,” Shea agreed as he started eating again. They were going to have a long discussion tonight, well on second thought, tomorrow probably…on the way to the airport.

When he felt Elli’s hand reach for his, he looked up at her. She gave him a weak smile, and he squeezed her hand. He couldn’t be mad at her, he loved her too much.

“Shea, did I hear right yesterday, your family lives in Boston, right?”

Shea nodded his head as he looked up at Michael, “My mom and dad do, my twin sister lives in Nashville.”

“I’ve heard of her, she’s a big party planner.”

“Yes.”

“She married James Justice. He owns a lot of real estate up in Nashville and some surrounding counties right?”

Okay, should he be creep out?

“Yes, how do you know that?”

“I know James’ co-workers, I play golf a lot with them. They had mention that you were his wife’s brother.”

“Oh, I thought maybe you did a background check on me or something,” he said with a nervous laugh.

Elli laughed, and then smiled at her father, “Hell, don’t put it past him, Shea, he probably did.”

Shea looked from Elli to Michael, Michael was laughing, “Oh, I did, but can you blame me? My daughter is dating you.”

Shea smiled nervously, “I guess not.”

“Daddy, your creepin’ him out, quit,” Elli said, smacking Michael playfully on the arm. Michael let out a booming laugh and started eating again. Shea looked over at Elli and she was smiling sweetly at him. He smiled back, taking her hand in his since she had moved it to the table. They continued eating, talking about Elli’s business, the weddings she had been doing, since apparently a lot of them were clients or friends of her dad. They talked hockey, which was cool since Michael kept up with him and Elli. A fruit parfait was brought out while Michael was in a story about Elli singing for the first time when she was three. Shea happen to look up and saw his boss walking towards them, a big grin on his face.

“Oh, hell.” Elli and Michael looked him questionably as Bryan Fisher’s booming voice greeted them.

“Eleanor Fisher, you best get on up and give your Papa a big ole’ kiss and hug,” Elli whipped her head around, and then stood up quickly, wrapping her arms around Bryan with a squeal. Bryan was bigger than Michael, he had more muscle to him, but seeing them together, you couldn’t deny they were brothers. Which pissed Shea off; he should have noticed the family resemblance sooner so he could have went to Bryan, talked to him about dating Elli.

Michael stood up, shaking hands with Bryan, then giving him a back slapping hug as Shea stood up, too.

“Well I’ll be, you’re the last person that I thought would be sitting at this table, Shea Adler,” Bryan said shaking Shea’s hand tightly, while giving him a look that scared the living shit out of him. “I thought when Michael told me one of my players was dating my Eleanor, it had to Jakob or Sergei, but not Shea Adler.” Bryan went around the table, sitting between Michael and him. Shea looked over at Elli, and she looked nervous, but had a smile on her face.

“What, Papa? I ain’t good enough for Shea Adler?” She teased boldly. Shea smiled before looking over at Bryan.

“Oh no, sugar plum, you’re way too good for him, but here’s my question,” He paused as he narrowed his eyes at Shea. Shea felt his heart pick up in speed, this man was his boss, he signed the million dollar checks that Shea got, “Is this serious or is she just like all them other girls I’ve seen coming in and out of your box.”

“Papa, leave him alone,” Elli complained, grabbing on to Shea’s hand and giving him a forgiving smile, “Papa is a little hard to deal with when it comes to me,” she bit her lip and smile nervously, “I guess I should have told you that, huh?”

“It would have been nice,” Shea said with a laugh, “And no, Bryan, she isn’t like those women. I think we both know she’s different.”

Bryan laughed loudly, turning heads of the other patrons, “Oh, I know that, I’m just making sure you do.”

“I do.”

“Well, good. I really hate to get my ass kicked when I try to kick my 6’3”, 230lbs star captain’s ass, I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t look good.” Everyone laughed at that, and with that breaking the tension, the rest of the morning went great, that was until Elli had to go to the bathroom. She left the guys at the table after shooting her dad and uncle a look. Nothing was said as all three men leaned back in their chair, looking each other over.

“So here’s the deal, Adler,” Bryan finally said, leaning onto the table, Michael sat back in his chair, shaking his head. “You’re too good of a hockey player for me to ruin your career so I’ll just break your pretty little face if you hurt my niece. I should just go ahead and do it because you weren’t even man enough to come and tell me you were datin’ her.”