After spending a few minutes talking with the mayor and his party, and politely declining an invitation to some political function, Scout made a point to stop by each occupied table, making sure they had everything they needed. It was still early on that Wednesday evening, so the restaurant wasn’t filled to capacity yet, but within an hour it would be. Sapphire’s head chef and staff had developed a considerable following since the place had opened, and they rarely had a slow night.
Having done his duty and asking Rebecca to have someone send the night’s beef special up to his penthouse in about an hour, Scout headed back out to the lobby in the direction of the elevators. He was looking forward to getting out of his suit and into a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. There was a new James Rollins thriller waiting for him on his coffee table, and reading was his only plan for the next few hours. He was what his mother called an introverted extrovert. While he loved to socialize, a few nights a week he liked to be on his own, kicking back and either reading or watching TV. He enjoyed the solitude and quiet. Some of the guys he’d dated in the past had understood that and had either joined him in a peaceful evening or left him alone. Others, though, couldn’t understand why a wealthy man, who could afford to do anything he wanted in his spare time, would want to spend it behind closed doors instead of partying every night. Those guys had rarely reached boyfriend status, as Scout had ended things after only a week or two, when it became evident they were only dating him for his money and social status.
As he was passing the hotel’s lobby bar, a man sitting on a stool, with his back to Scout, caught his eye. A quick glance in the mirror behind the rows of alcohol confirmed his suspicion. After a moment’s hesitation, Scout altered his course and approached the bar, taking a seat next to Alex Shepherd. The man barely acknowledged him before returning his attention to the chilled, full glass of beer in front of him.
Scout ordered a club soda with lime from the bartender, who also didn’t recognize him, and thanked him when it was promptly delivered. He suddenly realized his lack of facial hair gave him an opportunity to observe some of his employees and guests without being identified. He sat there in silence for a few moments, studying the reflection of the man next to him in the mirror. Clean cut, with dark eyes, brown hair with hints of red highlights, and kissable lips. The man was very striking and, clearly, still depressed about missing his interview.
Scout didn’t know the name of the cologne Shepherd was wearing, but, whatever it was, it was damn enticing. Unable to resist, he took a sip of his drink, then asked, “Rough day?”
Shepherd spared him a quick glance before eyeing his beer again. “Yup. Lost out on the job I really wanted.”
“That sucks. What happened?”
A loud sigh proceeded the answer. “It was my own damn fault. I was late to the interview and got blocked at the guy’s door by his secretary. All because of a dog that got hit by a car.”
Scout’s eyes narrowed at the odd revelation. “A dog? What does that have to do with you missing an interview? Did you hit it?”
“No! No. The ass that did kept going. I stopped. There was no one around, and the dog didn’t have a collar on. She was hurt pretty badly. I keep a blanket in the trunk of my car, so I used that to scoop her up and rushed her to a vet. That’s why I was late getting to the interview. I was going to call on my way here to say I was running a few minutes late, but somewhere in that mess I lost my phone. It’s definitely not in my car, because the Bluetooth wasn’t picking it up. I called the vet’s office from one of the house phones in the lobby, and they don’t have it, so I probably dropped it on the road, and it’s been smashed by a semi by now.”
Of all the things the man could’ve said, rescuing a dog was the last excuse Scout had expected. His gaze remained on the man’s reflection, looking for any signs he’d recognized the owner of the Paradox and was trying to snow him. However, there was nothing but disappointment on Shepherd’s face. Scout found himself asking, “Is the dog going to be okay?”
“Yeah, the vet seems to think so. I asked when I called about my phone—she’s got a broken leg and some bruising and road rash. They’re going to keep her for another day or two. It’ll cost me over a grand to have her fixed up. From the condition she was in, even before the car hit her, it’s obvious she’s a stray. If I didn’t agree to pay the vet bill, they would’ve put her down—humanely, of course.” His disgusted snort said he didn’t think there was anything humane about euthanizing a dog simply because it was homeless. Scout silently agreed with him.
“Wow. That really sucks.”
“Tell me about it. I can’t let them kill her, and my apartment building doesn’t allow pets, so, somehow, I’ll have to find a home for her before they release her. On top of all that, I have to go get a new phone now and start looking for a job again.”
“What happened to your old one? Your job, I mean. I assume you had one.” Of course Scout knew that from the man’s résumé.
“Yeah. One I really liked, but my mom had a mild stroke two months ago. She’s okay but needs to use a walker now. My dad and sister are able to care of her without any problems, but I couldn’t sit back in New York and let them deal with everything here.” He shrugged as if the decision had been a no-brainer. “So, I gave a month’s notice and moved back to the Bay Area to help out however I could.”
“Just like that? Without having another job lined up?”
“I thought I did have one. Three days before I was supposed to start, the hotel announced it was being sold in a merger and all personnel decisions had been put on hold until further notice. Even though I’d been offered the job, I hadn’t started yet, so . . .” He shrugged instead of finishing the sentence.
Scout knew exactly which hotel Shepherd was referring to. In fact, he’d considered trying to acquire the property, but, after getting a consultant’s report, he’d decided against it.
Shepherd had a huge heart to go with his impressive résumé. Scout didn’t know many people who’d willingly be late to an interview with him to save a dog’s life. Shepard had also left a job he’d loved to be near his parents and sister. Family was important to Scout—he was very close to his—and Turner Continental was an extension of that. Alex Shepherd was the type of man who would fit right in with the company.
A decision made, Scout pulled his wallet out of his pants pocket and tossed a twenty next to his soda, indicating to the bartender he was also paying for the other man’s drink. He then retrieved a business card and dropped it in front of Shepherd. “Call my secretary in the morning and reschedule the interview for tomorrow afternoon. I rarely give second chances, so don’t be late this time.”
He almost laughed out loud as Shepherd’s eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets when he read the card then stared at him in disbelief. “You’re—you’re Scout Turner?”
He smirked. “Minus the beard and mustache, yeah, I’m him. See you tomorrow.” He started to turn away, but then paused. “Bring the dog’s vet bill with you. I’ll take care of it.”
If Shepherd’s jaw dropped any further it would’ve hit the bar. “Mr. Turner, I-I don’t know what—”