if they were just in a text message.
It had taken several phone calls to Shaw’s office before the man agreed to even speak to him. Even though Linc would have been content with an explanation over the phone, Shaw objected. Apparently, whatever conversation he wanted to have with Linc was dangerous enough that it couldn’t risk being overheard, even by his own staff.
Which only caused Linc to question the whole scenario even further. What was Lynette’s father’s angle in all of this? Was his only intention to prevent his daughter from further involvement with the Vassers for his own selfish political reasons? Or was there something more to the story?
Clearly the man knew something. Unless he made a habit of declaring that hell was coming to people’s families just for the fun of it.
“You’ll need to resist the urge to throw the first punch,” Grant said suddenly as they came up to the broad glass doors of the restaurant.
Linc glanced up at his brother with a cynical grin. “I promise to be on my best behavior.”
Grant nodded and held open the door for an elderly couple to pass through on their way out. “Good. We don’t know who may be watching us.”
“What, like the press?” Linc asked, keeping his voice down as they walked inside.
Grant scanned the crowded dining room for Shaw. “Maybe.”
“Who else, then?”
Spotting Shaw in the back corner of the restaurant, Grant patted his brother on the shoulder. “I’m not sure. Just be careful what you say.”
Linc snorted as they began to weave their way through the tables toward the back. “Why do you assume that I’m the one who’s going to say something brash? Everyone knows you’re the loud mouth of the family.”
Grant shot him a wry look just as they came up to Shaw’s table.
Senator Warren Shaw rose to his feet respectfully, holding out his hand. “Nice to see you again, Grant. Linc.”
“You as well, Senator.” Grant accepted the handshake, looking the man in the eye purposefully as he did so. The senator looked confident, headstrong and capable. Not quite what Grant had expected from a man who’d sent desperate and threatening text messages foretelling the end of the Vasser family.
Linc shook Shaw’s hand next, the movement more than a little combative. “How’s the Waldorf these days, Senator?”
Shaw’s eyes lit with amusement as he smiled. “Just fine, Linc. I do miss the Vasser Hotel, though.”
“I’m sure you do.” Linc settled down into the chair beside Grant, with Shaw across from them. “I hear their concierge is a real asshole.”
“I wouldn’t really know. I just sleep in their beds,” Shaw replied lightheartedly, taking a sip of the whiskey he’d been enjoying before they had arrived. “Get a drink, boys. This round’s on me.”
The waitress approached and Grant ordered a water with lemon while Linc asked for a Corona. Once they were alone again, Linc leaned back in his chair and eyed Shaw with intense distrust.
“So let’s get right down to it, Senator. I want to know what you meant in that message you sent my girlfriend.”
“You mean in the message I sent my daughter ,” Shaw corrected, eyes flashing with annoyance. He waved his hand in the air dismissively. “I still refuse to believe that whatever is happening between y’all is permanent.”
Linc snorted out a derisive laugh, shaking his head. “Just answer the question.”
Shaw’s eyes shot from Linc to Grant, and he seemed to contemplate his next words carefully. “I’m afraid your family is smack-dab in the middle of a little political brawl. It’s nothing personal, you see, but things are going to get a bit nasty.”
“I don’t understand,” Grant interrupted. “If this has to do with your daughter’s involvement with us, then wouldn’t it be in your best interest to help us rather than hurt us? She’s not going to stop seeing my brother, Senator. She’s made that quite clear.”
“Ah, yes I know that. She reminds
It had taken several phone calls to Shaw’s office before the man agreed to even speak to him. Even though Linc would have been content with an explanation over the phone, Shaw objected. Apparently, whatever conversation he wanted to have with Linc was dangerous enough that it couldn’t risk being overheard, even by his own staff.
Which only caused Linc to question the whole scenario even further. What was Lynette’s father’s angle in all of this? Was his only intention to prevent his daughter from further involvement with the Vassers for his own selfish political reasons? Or was there something more to the story?
Clearly the man knew something. Unless he made a habit of declaring that hell was coming to people’s families just for the fun of it.
“You’ll need to resist the urge to throw the first punch,” Grant said suddenly as they came up to the broad glass doors of the restaurant.
Linc glanced up at his brother with a cynical grin. “I promise to be on my best behavior.”
Grant nodded and held open the door for an elderly couple to pass through on their way out. “Good. We don’t know who may be watching us.”
“What, like the press?” Linc asked, keeping his voice down as they walked inside.
Grant scanned the crowded dining room for Shaw. “Maybe.”
“Who else, then?”
Spotting Shaw in the back corner of the restaurant, Grant patted his brother on the shoulder. “I’m not sure. Just be careful what you say.”
Linc snorted as they began to weave their way through the tables toward the back. “Why do you assume that I’m the one who’s going to say something brash? Everyone knows you’re the loud mouth of the family.”
Grant shot him a wry look just as they came up to Shaw’s table.
Senator Warren Shaw rose to his feet respectfully, holding out his hand. “Nice to see you again, Grant. Linc.”
“You as well, Senator.” Grant accepted the handshake, looking the man in the eye purposefully as he did so. The senator looked confident, headstrong and capable. Not quite what Grant had expected from a man who’d sent desperate and threatening text messages foretelling the end of the Vasser family.
Linc shook Shaw’s hand next, the movement more than a little combative. “How’s the Waldorf these days, Senator?”
Shaw’s eyes lit with amusement as he smiled. “Just fine, Linc. I do miss the Vasser Hotel, though.”
“I’m sure you do.” Linc settled down into the chair beside Grant, with Shaw across from them. “I hear their concierge is a real asshole.”
“I wouldn’t really know. I just sleep in their beds,” Shaw replied lightheartedly, taking a sip of the whiskey he’d been enjoying before they had arrived. “Get a drink, boys. This round’s on me.”
The waitress approached and Grant ordered a water with lemon while Linc asked for a Corona. Once they were alone again, Linc leaned back in his chair and eyed Shaw with intense distrust.
“So let’s get right down to it, Senator. I want to know what you meant in that message you sent my girlfriend.”
“You mean in the message I sent my daughter ,” Shaw corrected, eyes flashing with annoyance. He waved his hand in the air dismissively. “I still refuse to believe that whatever is happening between y’all is permanent.”
Linc snorted out a derisive laugh, shaking his head. “Just answer the question.”
Shaw’s eyes shot from Linc to Grant, and he seemed to contemplate his next words carefully. “I’m afraid your family is smack-dab in the middle of a little political brawl. It’s nothing personal, you see, but things are going to get a bit nasty.”
“I don’t understand,” Grant interrupted. “If this has to do with your daughter’s involvement with us, then wouldn’t it be in your best interest to help us rather than hurt us? She’s not going to stop seeing my brother, Senator. She’s made that quite clear.”
“Ah, yes I know that. She reminds
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