Unintended target, p.1
Unintended Target, page 1
Unintended Target
MacArthur Family Series
Katie Reus
Unintended Target
Copyright © 2021 Katie Reus
Cover art by Sweet ‘N Spicy Designs
Editor: Julia Ganis
* * *
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.
Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book. This purchase allows you one legal copy for your own personal reading enjoyment on your personal computer or device. You do not have the right to resell, distribute, print or transfer this book, in whole or in part, to anyone, in any format, via methods either currently known or yet to be invented, or upload this book to a file sharing program. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
ISBN: 9781635561531
Table of Contents
UNINTENDED TARGET
Copyright
About the Book
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Thank You for Reading!
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Complete Booklist
About the Book
If you’re in the mood for a quick, light romantic suspense read, check out the MacArthur Family Series!
When Patience agrees to a temporary nanny position as a favor to a friend, she doesn’t expect to run afoul of Brodie MacArthur, her employer’s handsome head of security. Just as their heated clashes reach a peak, Patience falls ill…and it may be something far more sinister than a simple summer bug. She was so focused on her young charge, she failed to watch her own back. Can she trust Brodie to protect her while shielding her heart from the infuriating man she can’t walk away from?
Dedication
For all the great teachers who actively encourage creativity. You’re helping to shape the world into a better place.
Chapter 1
Patience Carras stared at her cell phone for a long moment, deciding if she should answer. She loved her mom, but right now Patience was stretched out on a lounge chair by her pool, margarita in hand.
She just wanted to relax, maybe get a slight buzz and a tan.
It had been a long year and school had just let out yesterday, so yes, she was day drinking and enjoying her Saturday with booze and sun. She would probably do the exact same thing tomorrow as well. But if she didn’t answer, her mom would just call back in ten minutes. And then she might show up.
Sighing, she slipped in her Bluetooth so she could be hands-free and still drink her margarita while talking. “Hey, Mom.”
“Hey, sweetheart. How’s the first day of freedom?” she asked, laughing.
Patience snorted even though she truly missed her kids already. She said it every year but she’d had a great group of kids this year. To be honest, she preferred kids to adults. They told the truth, didn’t have any malicious intentions for the most part, and they said the funniest things. All that other bad crap was taught to them by their parents or the world in general. But until that happened, they were wonderful, honest little humans. “I’m currently laying out by my pool, and yes, I have on SPF 75 before you ask.”
Her mom snickered lightly. “Good. So, ah… What are your plans for the summer?”
Something about her mom’s tone pinged on Patience’s radar. “I’ve got a few trips planned with friends and a whole lot of relaxing. Why?” She took a sip of her drink and smiled at the sweet-tart taste.
“Well, I have a tiny favor to ask.”
Oh no. Her mom’s favors were never small.
“Just hear me out,” she continued when Patience didn’t respond. “You know the Robinsons.”
Patience winced at the name. Yeah, she knew them. Vanessa and Josh Robinson had recently died in a freak helicopter crash. “How’s Trevor doing anyway?” she asked.
Trevor was Josh’s older brother and a few years older than her. He ran some sort of tech empire and had become a single dad overnight when he’d become his recently orphaned young nephew’s guardian. Oliver would be nine or ten months old now.
“According to his mom, not great. You know Flora and I are on a couple charity boards together. The other day she told me that his last nanny quit on him. Again. Apparently he’s gone through five in the last few months.”
Nooooo. Patience knew exactly where this was going now. Before she’d become a teacher, she had been a nanny throughout college. “That’s a ridiculously high turnover. Especially for someone like Trevor. Unless you’re leaving out a key point to this.” Also, babies were pretty easy because they weren’t getting into anything yet. They needed a lot of attention but they also slept a lot at that stage. It was very Groundhog Day type of stuff: eat, sleep, poop, repeat.
“He doesn’t understand what’s going on either because the pay is above average, he’s been using a reputable agency, and the schedule isn’t excessive.”
“I’m sorry to hear that he’s struggling.” And she truly was. She didn’t know Trevor well but she knew his mom and adored her. And losing his brother and becoming an overnight parent had to be tough.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“Are you going to make me say it?” her mom asked.
“If you’re asking me to nanny, I don’t do that anymore. I have a full-time job.” One she loved.
“He’s desperate. And he would pay you double his normal salary just for the summer while he tries to vet people and find someone who will actually stick around this time. Apparently one of the nannies kept hitting on him and that’s why he ended up letting her go.”
“I thought you said they all quit.”
“Most of them quit. One he let go because she was more interested in him than doing her job.”
The beginning of a tension headache started spreading against the back of her skull. “I’m not saying yes.” So that was pretty much a lie. “I’ll talk to him and see if we can work something out very temporarily. Just to reiterate, this is for the summer only.” It didn’t matter that her mom was currently saying just for the summer. She knew what would happen if Trevor didn’t find someone by summer’s end. And with her mom, she sometimes needed to make things crystal clear. “I’m not quitting my job.”
“I knew you would help out!”
“I’m not starting today and I’m not starting tomorrow. In fact, I won’t start until Wednesday at the earliest. I’ve got a lot of stuff to take care of. Just send me his phone number so I can talk to him.”
“Check your email. I’ve already sent you all the details.”
Of course she had. “So how’s Dad?”
“Retirement definitely suits him. He’s off on some fishing charter for the week.”
“I’m sure you’re suffering in his absence,” she said laughingly. Her mom loved her dad but occasionally they needed a break from each other.
“We’ll have fun once he gets back.”
“I so don’t need those details.” Patience loved her parents, but that was just way too much. And now…she had a new schedule to figure out this summer.
* * *
“I can’t believe you’re working all summer,” her friend Rebecca said as she sat on one of the benches a few feet down from the still busy nightclub.
Music trailed out every time the front door opened and a few people stumbled out. Clubs weren’t really Patience’s thing but her friends had wanted to go tonight. She preferred low-key bars and occasionally karaoke. Though she wasn’t a night owl at all—she liked hiking, snorkeling and spending time at the beach. So when her friends had wanted to leave at midnight she was more than happy to head home.
“You mind getting me some tacos across the street? You know what I like,” Rebecca said as she pulled a twenty from her purse. “Ooh, or maybe some grilled cheese sandwiches?”
Patience snorted. “Sure. How long do you think the others will be?”
“Well, I’m pretty sure Dustin is getting that bartender’s phone number, so as long as it takes him. Then we can all ride-share together.”
“Sounds good to me.” She waved off Rebecca’s money and stood.
As she hurried across the street toward the circle of food trucks, she cursed the heels pinching her feet. She wished she was at home in her pajamas, already sleeping. Or reading.
Since the taco truck had no line she stepped up to that one first and smiled at Marco—the owner of the food truck, who was working his way through college. She’d been down here enough on weekends hitting up the local farmers market that she knew him. “Two carne asada tacos, three chicken tacos, and three with shredded spicy beef, please
He winked at her. “No problem.”
“Make that five carne asadas.” She turned at the sound of a deep male voice. The man slid a couple bills onto the countertop.
Raising her eyebrows, she looked up at the guy and blinked. Oh my. This guy took tall, dark and handsome to a new level. His brown hair was cropped close and he had a very nice bronze tan—as if he spent a lot of time outdoors. Or maybe he’d just spent a week on the water. His eyes were a dark forest green and he had a faint white mark on his cheek, from a long-healed scar. “You don’t need to buy my tacos.”
“I know. I just felt like doing something nice.”
“I’m not giving you my phone number.”
“Pretty sure I didn’t ask.” His oh-so-sexy mouth quirked upward slightly, revealing a dimple as he watched her with amusement.
She laughed lightly. “Okay. Just making sure you don’t think that buying me tacos means you’re getting anything. Also, thank you. That’s very nice.”
He lifted a shoulder. “No problem.” Then he glanced away, as if looking for someone.
“Were you at the club across the street?” she asked, even though he wasn’t exactly dressed for it. The club wasn’t fancy but he had on jeans, a plain T-shirt and boots.
He snorted softly. “No.”
“So what are you doing down here at this hour?” She wasn’t sure why she was being so chatty. She’d like to blame it on having too many drinks, but she’d only had one before switching to water. This guy was just sexy as hell and she was curious about him.
He grinned as he looked down at her, and damn, those eyes were captivating. “I have no idea.”
“You have no idea why you’re downtown?”
The man who owned the taco truck handed them two bags.
“Keep the change,” Mr. Sexy said.
Marco smiled at the two of them and handed over another small bag. “Thanks. Here’s some extra guacamole.”
Mr. Sexy handed her the guac bag and his sexiness meter went up even higher. “My sister asked me to meet her down here and I don’t know why,” he said, answering her earlier question. “I think she’s screwing with me.”
“Is that something she normally does?” If Patience didn’t love her friends so much—both of whom were now waiting across the street for her—she would think about eating all these tacos by herself.
Instead of answering, he said, “Are you good, or do you want me to call you a ride or anything?” His voice was slightly distracted as he scanned a group of guys across the street who looked like they were definitely up to no good. They were eyeing a woman walking alone and starting to follow her.
Patience started to step forward, to do something, though she wasn’t sure what, when a car pulled up and picked up said woman. “I’m fine, thank you.”
He nodded and fell in step with her, but he kept a decent amount of distance between them, as if he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. Something she appreciated.
“So, if I asked for your phone number, would you give it to me?” His voice was deep, sexy and intoxicating. And the way he was watching her, with a hungry intensity she felt all the way to her toes…
She was tempted to say yes. Sooooo very tempted. “I want to, but I have no time to date this summer.”
He laughed lightly, the sound rich and dark, like warm honey. “I appreciate the honesty. Enjoy the tacos and get home safe.” Then he headed across the street in the other direction.
For some reason she was a little disappointed that he hadn’t pushed for her phone number—even though she was simultaneously glad he hadn’t. Pushy guys were dicks.
“Come on girl, I’m starving!” Rebecca’s voice carried from across the street, pulling her back to reality.
Soon she’d be in her own bed, full from tacos and fast asleep. And she wouldn’t be regretting not giving her number to Mr. Sexy.
Probably.
Chapter 2
“You should have told me you were hiring someone,” Brodie said to Trevor over the phone, annoyed he wasn’t there in person.
“Pretty sure that’s what I’m doing right now.” His boss’s tone was dry.
Brodie bit back his sigh of frustration. He worked for Trevor but the man also depended on Brodie to keep his life secure. “I mean so I could have done a background check. Clearly we’ve been dropping the ball somewhere and I don’t like the thought of a stranger in your home.” Especially after the last handful of nannies—hired through an incredibly reputable company—had quit with no notice. He’d tried talking to the company, but they’d absolutely refused to let him talk to any of the women because of confidentiality. Which he understood, but damn.
“She’s not a stranger. Our families are friends and have been for ages. She has an impressive résumé and it’s only for the summer until I can find a permanent replacement. This way I’m not stressing out and hiring someone who will just quit again in a week’s time.” His tone was even. “And I don’t get it either. Oliver is so easygoing and adorable.”
Brodie nodded even though Trevor couldn’t see him. He was currently at an airport, waiting for his connecting flight, so he tuned out all the background noise. “We’re never using that agency again, but I’ve narrowed down a couple that come highly recommended.”
“Good. Until then, she starts today. She nannied in college and now she’s a kindergarten teacher. Once you get back, you can see for yourself that she’s great.”
He’d definitely be checking her out. “How can you know she’s great? She hasn’t even started yet.” And the fact that someone Brodie knew nothing about was in Trevor’s home was making the back of Brodie’s neck itch. He didn’t like this at all even if she was a family friend.
“I’m not having this conversation.”
“At least send me her information so I can do a basic run.”
“No. You need to be focusing on what you’re doing right now for me. Not hacking her life.”
He was on a job for Trevor now researching a potential new location for one of his businesses in a fairly remote area. Trevor wanted eyes on the ground and a personal report from Brodie because he trusted him. “You won’t even give me her name?”
“Nope.”
Brodie took a deep breath. “Is she more than a friend or something?” he finally asked. He couldn’t imagine Trevor hiring someone he was involved with, but he needed to check. Trevor dated about as much as him—pretty much never at this point. Though he’d hoped to break his no-dating streak with the sexy brunette from the other night. The woman with the bright Mediterranean eyes and curvy hips he easily imagined holding on to as he tugged her close.
Trevor let out a startled burst of laughter. “My God, no. Just no. She’s too young for me and just…no.”
At least that was something. Romance and business did not mix. “All right, then. I’ll see you Friday.”
“Safe travels.”
Brodie shoved his phone in his pocket and pushed his annoyance back. They had a good security team at Trevor’s house. Everyone was vetted, except for whoever this mystery woman was. Trevor wouldn’t even give her name because he was right, Brodie would have dug deep.
He texted the man he’d left in charge, telling him to keep an eye on the new nanny. Then he asked what her name was.
He glared at his phone when Rick texted him back, Will do. Also I’ve been instructed not to tell you her name. Sorry, boss.
Brodie snorted, his mouth curving up. Trevor was thorough, he would give him that.
* * *
Patience stepped into Trevor’s home office, glancing around at all the glass and sharp edges. He was seriously going to need to babyproof this space.
