The Safe Bet (Hidden Truths #1)(24)
But before the brawny man became a superhero, before he received the Purple Heart and Silver Star, before he became a superrich entrepreneur—who was he?
He grew up in a small town on the outskirts of Raleigh, North Carolina; his parents were both teachers. According to his parents, Michael was a gifted child. A prodigy. He enrolled at Duke when he was only sixteen and completed his Bachelor’s in Engineering by his eighteenth birthday. Then he went on to earn Master’s degrees in computer science and business at Yale, graduating at the top of both classes in 2001.
But when the tragic event of 9/11 occurred, Michael found himself pursued by government agencies and both the Army and Marines. They wanted him for his genius and his athleticism. So, Michael decided to serve his country and place his entrepreneurial desires on hold for the greater good.
He enlisted in the military as an officer and quickly worked his way up to First Lieutenant. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, completing several tours of duty for his country.
In 2005, a pre-unified command plan to fight against global terror networks was proposed, and in February 2006, in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, the Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) was activated. Michael became a member of the elite Special Forces after completing seven months of training at Camp Lejeune. In addition to the rigorous military training he’d already received, he trained in reconnaissance, maritime navigation, foreign internal defense, survival evasion, asymmetric warfare, close quarter combat . . . and the list goes on. After his training, he was deployed to Afghanistan on several reconnaissance missions, which was when Michael began working on building and refining his intelligence software and technology. He improved the tactical remote sensor system to better monitor enemy activity and helped develop more advanced SATCOMS.
But it was his experience before Operation Knife—
“Kate!”
Kate stopped reading the article and looked up to find Joseph approaching her. She pressed against the table and stood up, feeling like she had one too many to drink. As soon as she was standing, she found herself lifted into the air as Joseph spun her around.
He planted a kiss on both her cheeks when her heels found the ground again. “Nice to see you, too,” she said. Laughter filled her voice as she looked up at the bright-eyed chef. She’d forgotten how attractive he was. “How’s everything going?” she asked as they began walking toward the hotel’s industrial kitchen.
“Fantastic,” he remarked. “I procured all of the fresh food we need for tomorrow, and we’re good to go. My team is practicing the menu as we speak. The hotel servers seem competent and professional. Everything is going smoothly.”
“That’s great news. Anything I can do for you? Anything else you need?”
“We’re good. I’m just looking forward to seeing you in an evening gown tomorrow. You will dress for the occasion?” His green eyes widened with his smile.
“Yes, of course. I’m torn between red and navy. You know . . . I want to dress in our countries’ colors since the fundraiser is for veterans.” Navy would match Michael’s eyes, though.
“Red,” Joseph said. “Definitely red. With your long, golden locks, you absolutely must wear red.”
She gave Joseph a genuine smile and looked around as they entered the busy kitchen. “Smells fabulous,” she commented.
“Then my staff is doing an excellent job,” he replied. “I was wondering, instead of waiting until tomorrow to see you, maybe we could catch up over a drink tonight? I would love to take you to dinner, or even make you dinner, but I know I’ll be working in the kitchen all day.” He reached for her hands and held them in his own, keeping his eyes on her.
His touch suggested he had yet to give up on dating her, even though she’d lost count of how many times she had told him she wanted to keep their relationship professional. “One drink won’t hurt, I guess.” She squinted one eye at him, and her lips puckered, giving a playful warning that she suspected his intentions.
“I’ll be on my best behavior. Chef’s promise,” he said before leaning forward and kissing her hand.
*
“I should get back to the hotel.” Kate looked at her watch. It was close to ten, and she wanted to get an early start on the day tomorrow. Plus, she didn’t want to traipse around the city at night if someone really was keeping tabs on her.
God, she was eager to leave Charlotte on Sunday and carry on with her normal life.
Her father would be pleased when she told him she wasn’t going to consider Charlotte for a third location for the company. She had no intention of telling him why, but he wouldn’t care, as long as the topic had been shelved.
“One more drink.”
Kate looked up from her empty wine glass, feeling a little lightheaded from the alcohol. She had nursed only two glasses of Chardonnay in the last two hours, but the pours here were absurdly deep. “I need to get some sleep. I’m beat,” she said before faking a half yawn.
Joseph shifted on his barstool and motioned for the bartender. They were in the Epicenter, at a restaurant that turned into a nightclub around eleven. “Come on, Kate. I rarely see you. And one more glass will help you fall asleep that much easier.”
His Italian accent sounded thicker than normal. Perhaps it was the whiskey he was drinking. “Fine,” she agreed, wrinkling her nose. “You win.”