Something in Common (Dreamspinner Press Bundles)

by Talia Carmichael

  “So you got into enough mischief outside.” Taggart leaned down and ruffled the dogs’ fur and stood, coming around the island and taking the backpack. Rhodes turned his stool. Taggart took the bag and the dogs followed him. He opened the larger zipper, pulled out a blanket, and spread it on the floor close to the back door before he upended the bag. Toys fell out. The puppies lay on the cloth and played with their toys. Taggart put the bag on the chair by the door and returned to the other side of the island. He washed his hands before going back to cooking. Rhodes shifted back to watch him.

  “Didn’t you just get your dogs a month or so ago?”

  “Yes. Why?”

  “You seem to have a system already of what to do when you take them to someone’s house.” Rhodes looked briefly at the dogs lying on the blanket before focusing on Taggart.

  “I researched it. This is the first place outside my house they’ve been to.” Taggart lifted his head to study him. “You said to bring them with me the next time I came.”

  “I did. I’d heard you had gotten a gift of two dogs.” Rhodes placed his elbows on the counter and put his hands under his chin.

  “Wipe that smirk off your face. I know folks were laughing at me getting the surprise gift of my dogs from my friends from Encounters. But the last laugh is on them. I love dogs.”

  “Your brother moved to Encounters. That’s in Texas.”

  “Yep. He took a job there as the second-in-command of the fire investigation unit.” Taggart sighed, lifting his shoulders. “We all miss him.”

  “Who’s we?”

  “My family. I’m the oldest.” Taggart moved the bacon to a plate to drain, then placed it on the island close at hand.

  He cracked some eggs, whisked them, and afterward he put them in a pan with some butter.

  “We’re having scrambled eggs.”

  “Good of you to ask me. I love scrambled eggs.” Rhodes cocked his head to the side.

  “I know that already.” Taggart turned his spoon in the pan, glancing at him. “Like I know how you like your coffee. I observe.”

  Taggart focused on the eggs cooking. When they were finished, he divided them onto two plates. He set those on the table, along with utensils, before pouring coffee in two cups and putting them on the table. Taggart put the creamer Rhodes used by his cup. He came around the island and sat beside Rhodes, who waited for Taggart to speak again, knowing he had something else to say.

  “What I don’t like is, when I called in to report, that you seemed to know about my military background and inferred about possible operations I took part in. Ones no one except those there or given clearance should know about.” Taggart spooned sugar into his cup before he spoke again. “I was routed to someone who had the audacity to tell me I shouldn’t worry about things above what used to be my pay grade.” Taggart turned his spoon in his coffee. “That you’d called and if I had any questions, I should come to you. Which makes no sense, since I know you won’t tell me what you did when you were a spy, then a mercenary.”

  Rhodes lowered his cup he had just picked up and stared at Taggart, surprised but not letting it show. Taggart took a sip of his coffee, his eyes steady on Rhodes. Taggart lowered his cup, smiling.

  “I find it interesting that, although you started working for money, the CIA would still take your calls. Much less pass on messages from you.”

  “You are really turning out to be quite a surprise.” Rhodes meant it too.

  Not many people surprised him, yet Taggart had in many ways. He didn’t know how Taggart had figured out part of what he was, and he didn’t ask. Just as he wouldn’t say anything in response, he already knew neither would Taggart tell him how he got his information.

  “I know you won’t confirm anything and I know your reasons why. I can’t talk about lots of stuff either.” Taggart steepled his hands under his chin. “Now I know why I couldn’t figure out an answer to my most important question I had about you.”

  “What question is that?”

  “Why, even though you pissed me off with your all-knowing attitude, I still felt attracted to you.” Taggart’s gaze was intent. “It was the enigma you presented that intrigued me. Now I know I don’t have that anymore.”

  “And the attraction. Has that passed too?” Rhodes mirrored Taggart studying him.

  With his steely blue eyes, light-brown—dirty-blond—hair and rugged features, Taggart reminded him of a Viking. He had an ingrained sense of honor, followed his own rules, and had a fighting nature.

  “We’ll have to wait and see. Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold.” Taggart gestured to his plate.

  Rhodes picked up his fork. “Pot. Kettle. Black. On the all-knowing attitude.” He paused, then couldn’t resist adding, “Although you are partially wrong in your assumptions of what I used to be.”

  He saw the flare of interest in Taggart’s gaze and then it faded.

  “Uh-huh, you’re not raising my interest in unearthing who you used to be.” Taggart picked up a forkful of eggs. “I want to know who you are now.”

  “I’d like that.” Rhodes scooped up some eggs.

  “Although I can say with a certainty that your attitude will still piss me off.”

  “Ditto.” Rhodes gestured with his fork.

  They shared a laugh and ate without speaking. Rhodes was curious what would happen now that Taggart had admitted he was attracted to him. What he was sure of was that it was going to be interesting.

  Chapter Two

  RHODES LOOKED at the reports on his screen, then typed in some information about the security checks they had done on some of the recent residents who had been brought to the center. He picked up the file Taggart had brought, placed it before him, and opened the folder. It was a neatly typed list of possible contacts they could use when they needed help with the center. The information wasn’t urgent, and they didn’t need it right away. Now, with what Taggart had revealed a few days ago, he knew it had only been an excuse. His phone rang, capturing his attention. Rhodes glanced at the ID and saw it was the man he was thinking of, but it wasn’t a number he recognized him using before. He pressed the button to use his headset.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, Rhodes. Are you busy today?”

  “It’s my day off, as I’m sure you already know.” His brow furrowed.

  “I do. I have the list of who to call if something comes up.” Taggart laughed. “I’m not asking about work. I don’t know if you had any plans for today.”

  He looked back at the report on the computer monitor, saying, “Nope, not busy today. Why?”

  “You say that so suspiciously.” Taggart cleared his throat. “I’m going to the boxing match at the Paget Park arena—the smaller one. Would you like to go with me?”

  “I like boxing.” Rhodes leaned back in his chair. “But to be clear, why are you inviting me?”

  “You’re asking things that are obvious. I’m asking you on a date. You know what that is, right? Two people meet up and go somewhere to have some fun. If you’re lucky, I might even treat you to a meal.”

  “I do know what that is.” Rhodes laughed, then sobered. “But since you’re taking care of the boxing, I’ll pay for the meal.”

  “Call me old-fashioned, but I asked, so I take care of things. Maybe when you do, you can handle the money aspects.” Taggart didn’t seem as if he would budge on his statement.

  “What time should I be there?”

  “The match starts at twelve thirty. I’ll be there to pick you up at ten.”

  “It doesn’t make sense for you to make the hour-plus drive out to get me,” Rhodes pointed out.

  “My date. My rules. Be ready.” When Taggart spoke next, Rhodes realized he wasn’t talking to him. “Pebbles. Bamm-Bamm, what have I told you about messing with my suits? Don’t use those puppy-dog eyes on me. Go back to your own room.” There were woofs, followed by the sound of running. “Sorry about that. I—”

  “They have their own room?” The i
dea made Rhodes smile.

  “Yes. They need their own space and things.” Taggart sighed. “Although they seem to like mine more. Maybe I should give them my room instead.”

  Rhodes stifled a laugh. “Ummm… I don’t think the room would matter. They want to be near you.”

  “I let them sleep on the floor of my room.”

  “And that’s good. But they’re puppies. They’re like little kids and will get into mischief. You could start training them to behave, but you need to be firm.”

  “You sound like you’ve had a dog before.”

  “We always had them running around the farm when I was a kid.” Rhodes shrugged, then stopped, realizing Taggart couldn’t see him. “So I’m used to them. Haven’t had one since I left. Wasn’t in one place long enough to think of having one.”

  “Farm? Where are you originally from? Not long enough in one place? Didn’t you live in Rhode Island and work at Guardian Shield Security for over ten years? Although you defer to Lawrence as the main man of the company, you’re actually an equal partner and have another partner too. From what I can tell, you’re well versed in all aspects of security. Although you’re the one who lays out the security plans and contingencies. Lawrence is the electronics and computer system man. The other partner is the inventor and makes some phenomenal stuff for your firm, which is what makes you so sought after. You moved here to California about the same time as Lawrence, leaving your other partner to run the Rhode Island office. Although you’re all thinking of closing the Rhode Island office and having your other partner move here. With the time you’ve been living in one place at any of those times, you could have gotten a dog.” Taggart fired off the facts and questions fast and precisely.

  “Whoa, you slipped into interrogation mode, Captain Monroe.” Rhodes smiled at calling Taggart by his police force rank. “Trying to get me to confess by hitting me with questions peppered with information?”

  “Force of habit, but I still want answers to my questions.”

  “The quick version. I’m originally from South Carolina, although I haven’t lived there since I left at eighteen. I grew up on a farm and we grew vegetables, which we sold at state fairs and such. My siblings live all over the world. My parents and brother with his own family are still living on the farm. I’m close with my family. I Skype with my parents on a weekly basis—on Sunday nights at nine o’clock. E-mail with my siblings, and we do group video Skype once a month, usually the last Sunday of the month. I did live in Rhode Island for as long as you stated, and yes, all the other things you said about our security firm are true.” Rhodes paused, then said, “But instead of maybe closing the Rhode Island office, we’re closing the building and moving the main operations here. Having the partners separated doesn’t work for us. We’re better as a team, so our other partner is moving here. As before, he and Lawrence will share duties when travel is needed. Our employees in Rhode Island will work from home and report to one of our best security experts there.” Rhodes turned his chair and looked out the window at the yard beyond. “And back to the point of the initial conversation. I suppose I could have had a dog at that time but never thought of it.”

  “Do you like dogs?”

  “Love them.”

  “Then you should get one.” Taggart made a soft sound. “Oh Christ. They ripped up another throw pillow.” He sighed. “God, I have to train them. I see lots of research in my future.”

  Rhodes laughed.

  “Not funny. Anyway, I want to know more about this Skyping with your family and other things. I’ll continue my interrogation when I come to get you.” Taggart chuckled.

  “I’ll be ready and I look forward to it. Although I reserve the right to plead the fifth.”

  “I sense some embarrassing stories you don’t want me to know about.”

  “Don’t we all have them? There was the time my brothers dared me to run naked through the cornfields. What they didn’t tell me was that Betty Anne, the most beautiful girl in class, was hidden in the fields—right where I was to end up.”

  Taggart laughed. “You’re making that up.”

  “Oh, I wish I was. There are pictures of me somewhere. Thank God it was before YouTube got so popular, or it would have been on there.” Rhodes smiled at the memory. “But my brothers’ plan of embarrassing me failed. Betty Anne and I dated most of high school—we’re high school sweethearts. In our senior year, when I figured out I was gay, she was a little mad. That leads to another story that we don’t ever talk about. But Betty Anne came around, and we’re still best friends to today. She’s actually one of the best security people in our company. Don’t say that I ever said this to either of them, but she’s almost as good as Lawrence with the computers.”

  “I’d like to see those pictures. Wait… Betty Anne? Is that the same Betty that worked on Treble Duo’s computer security with Lawrence?”

  “Yep, that’s her. She’s a true southern belle. A real lady.” Rhodes smiled as he said it.

  “Humph. A lady with a hell of a right hook. She knocked one of the construction workers on his ass.”

  “He deserved it. He shouldn’t have touched her without her permission.” Rhodes clenched his fist. “He’s lucky Lawrence or I wasn’t there, and he was fired by Del before we got there. They’d still be finding his pieces.”

  “Don’t worry. The others from your firm there with her had to be restrained to stop them from taking the man’s head off.”

  “Yeah, we’re protective of each other. I’m sure you’re the same with some people you work with.”

  “Yes. Since you called Betty Anne a southern belle, does that make you a southern gentleman?” Taggart sounded amused.

  “I’m not a true gentleman,” Rhodes said firmly.

  “I still hear a probable in there.” Taggart lowered his voice. “I’ll be there to get you soon. Bye.”

  “See you soon.” Rhodes hung up the phone.

  He focused on the screen cluttered with reports and shut it down. Rhodes stood and stretched before heading off to get ready for his date. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had one. Boxing and a meal sounded like a good date to him.

  At five minutes to ten, his cell played the alert tone that meant someone was approaching his house. He picked it up and saw from the code it was Taggart. Rhodes waited in the hallway in front of the door. Minutes later, the doorbell rang. Rhodes opened the door and enjoyed the sight of Taggart. His open jean jacket fell to midthigh, and under it was a dark-blue T-shirt and black jeans that showed off Taggart’s muscular frame. He had sneakers on.

  “You were waiting at the other side of the door. Why didn’t you just open it before I rang the bell?” Taggart leaned against the doorframe.

  “You were so adamant this is a date. It is proper for said date to come to the door and ring the bell.” Rhodes tried to sound serious.

  “You are so full of shit.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I am.” He chuckled.

  “Smart mouth.” It was said affectionately. “Let’s get going. Oh, I will have you back by nine for your Skype call to your parents.”

  Rhodes hadn’t even thought of it being Sunday. “I can make it later. But it’s ten o’clock in the morning. The boxing match is twelve thirty. There’s a lot of time between that and my call tonight.”

  “No need to change. Family is important and if your parents are like mine, they like to know how their kids are doing.” Taggart rolled his eyes. “I don’t have to Skype with my parents or most of my siblings since they live in Mapson. We talk on the phone, or they drop by just to see for themselves I’m actually okay. They like to say my voice is always strong, but I could be looking like crap, and they wouldn’t know unless they can see it.” Taggart straightened and stepped back outside.

  “That’s the same reason my parents gave when we started video chatting on Skype.” Rhodes followed him out and locked the door behind him, then continued down the steps. “I didn’t know your parents and most of your sib
lings live in Mapson.”

  “Yeah, they do. My parents were born in Mapson, lived here all their lives, and say they plan to die here too. They do take trips to visit my siblings that don’t live here. Very rarely they also go to see those who live overseas, but that’s about it.” Taggart paused by his car. “I’ve never tried Skype for personal use. We have a video chatting program we use at work when we’re coordinating with other precincts here or outside of town. Maybe I should try Skype with my family who don’t live in Mapson. If I like it, I could suggest it to my other family members.”

  “It’s a good way to keep in touch. You get to see your nieces and nephews, which is a big plus for me.” Rhodes pushed his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.

  “Hmmm… it might be worth considering.” Taggart opened the driver’s-side door.

  Rhodes stared at the Firebird. He couldn’t resist running his hand over the black exterior while he looked at the gold design on the hood. Still touching the car, he looked at Taggart.

  “On a date, it is also proper for the date to be accommodating to the one they asked on the date.”

  “If accommodating means driving my car, then it isn’t happening.”

  “You’re a bad date.” Rhodes snorted.

  “A good date would wait until after the date to say that.” Taggart tapped his fingers on the top of the car. “You’re still not driving.”

  Rhodes walked around to the passenger door, opened it, and got in. Taggart was already behind the wheel with his door closed.

  “Leslie does very good work.”

  “Yes, he does.” Taggart started the car, looking at him. “I knew you were salivating to drive my car.”

  Rhodes wiped across his lips and showed him his dry fingers.

  “Even without a word, you’re still a smart-ass.” Taggart looked through the windshield and drove around the circular drive back to the lane leading to the main road.