Leverage characters are not mine. Please leave a comment. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 2

Bridgeport Brew Hub

Although the movers were good at placing the boxes and the furniture where Billie wanted, she was tired from unboxing the dishes, pots, pans, clothes and other items. Both Jacob and Eliot took a powder. Not that it bothered her, she would rather do the grunt work and do it quickly, rather than answer 'where do you want this?', every time something was taken out of a packing box.

The beds were made, but she decided to save hanging the paintings for the next day. It was nearing supper hour, and she was hungry. Pulling her phone out of her back pocket, she dialed Jacob's number.. "Hey, where are you at?"

"It's 90 percent done. Just the paintings to hang." She laughed in the phone. "Yeah, you owe me dinner and I really hungry."

"Where?" She wrote down the address. "I'll be there in a few minutes." Clicking her phone off, she grabbed her purse and headed out the door. In a few minutes, she was walking into the Bridge Port Brew Hub. She spotted Jacob at the bar with Eliot.

Grabbing an empty stool next to Jacob she poked him with an elbow. She heard his low chuckle. "Is that the hooker I ordered?" The bartender raised his eyebrows. Turning slightly, he smiled. "Hi Mom."

"Please, even though Mommas know, they really don't want to know." She smiled at the bartender. Regular unsweetened tea, please."

Jacob rolled his eyes hearing what his mom ordered. "This is a bar."

She shrugged. "That's what I want." The bartender delivered her drink. "Oh, put it on the obstinate son's tab." He grinned and nodded.

Jacob stood up. "Let's move to a table."

Billie followed him to a nearby table and took a seat. A waitress brought a couple of menus. Jacob looked over to the bar and waved at Eliot to join them.

Eliot took a seat between the two. "Do I need a flack jacket?"

Glancing up from her menu, she paused for a moment. "Why?"

"We kind of blew off the unboxing." Eliot looked from Jacob to Billie.

She shook her head. "I'd rather do it myself, then I only have myself to blame if I can't find it." She looked back at the menu, eyeing the selection of steaks. "How are the steaks here?"

Eliot nodded. "Not too bad. I suggest the sirloin."

Jacob looked at the prices. "Jeesh, we could buy a steer for half this price."

Billie smiled. "I skipped lunch, so, pay up dude."

Once their orders were placed, the table became quiet. Billie looked around the Brew Hub and noted the rich wood. "Nice place. You come here often, Eliot?"

"A friend of mine owns the business." Eliot took a sip of his beer. "What brings you here to Portland?"

"A change in management and business structure at my employment." She frowned as she took a sip. "I was given the option to take a transfer to one of their satellite business as Chief of Finance here in Portland or be laid off." She paused a moment. "The thing is, I am not high enough on the ladder of the company to take the position and it seems that the move was limited to the accounting department."

"Anyone laid off?" Eliot's interest was perked.

"I believe three were laid off. The strange thing is, they had more time in the business than I. I don't know if they were offered the same deal as I was." She took another sip of her ice tea.

"And the phone." Jacob added.

Billie nodded. "They sent me a phone that I shut off and it turns itself back on."

Eliot raised a brow. "Do you have it with you?"

She shook her head. "It's in the microwave."

Looking from her to Jacob, Eliot couldn't tell if she was joking.

Jacob laughed. "She's a conspiracy theorist. She couldn't turn it off and she thinks people are listening and or watching."

"It's not a conspiracy theory, if it's true." Eliot's voice didn't hold humor.

Billie smiled at Jacob. "See, told you."

Just as their order was delivered, Jacob's phone rang. Looking at the screen he stood up and stepped away from the table.

"He's a good guy." Eliot's voice broke through her thoughts.

She nodded. "He has his daddy to thank for that. Worked him hard on the ranch." She frowned. "I don't think he had much of a childhood, but he is a good kid."

"He's not a kid."

She took a sip of her tea. "You don't have any kids do you?"

"So you're saying, once your baby, always your baby?" Eliot smiled.

"Good deflect. Pretty much, but there's a caveat. Mess with my kid, no matter the age, and you'll get the mamma bear." Her blue eyes were steady.

"Point taken." He glanced towards Jacob who was walking towards them.

Taking his seat he looked from Eliot to Billie. "Did I interrupt something?"

She shook her head. "No, just having a conversation."

Jacob eyed Eliot. "Oh." He took a breath. "Forgot to tell you, she's kind of protective." He looked at his plate. "Looks good."

The meal went without much conversation. Wiping his mouth with the napkin, he took a breath. "It looks like I have to leave out tomorrow morning." Jacob looked at Billie apologetically.

"The life of a trucker." She shrugged. "Where are you heading?"

"Wisconsin then on to Ohio, from there, is anyone's guess. I'll be out three to four weeks." He paused. "Sorry, I thought they had the runs covered."

"Hey, I appreciate all the help you gave me in the move." She glanced at Eliot. "Both of you."

"I was hoping to pack your lunch box for your first day." Jacob grinned.

"Not my first rodeo." She smiled. "When do you have to head out?"

"I better be leaving to the yard about 2 AM." He glanced at his watch. "Looks like a short night for me. Mind if I stay with you tonight? It's closer to the yard."

"No problem. You have your clothes and dittie bag in your truck?"

"Always." He grinned.