CHAPTER FIVE

 

Trevor watched the numbers light up as the elevator passed each floor on its way to Derek and Charisma’s apartment. Life was blissful in suburbia but he still had a hard time adjusting to the normalcy. He still slept with his gun under his pillow, but he locked it away in a safe in his room every morning. He monitored the people he saw around the neighborhood, curious about any new faces. Old habits died hard, but he was mindful of anyone who appeared to be surveilling the houses. He was suspicious about the mailman, but Grandma Reed said he’d been working the route for more than ten years.

He was on his way to visit his parents, but he was pretty sure he’d need a buffer, so he’d coaxed his sister into joining him. He was here to pick her up. Her bringing Alexis along was a bonus. He’d just seen the little tyke the other day, but it felt like months. It was beginning to weigh on him that he’d been missing her grow up. She was too young to know that he was hardly ever in town. Right now her eyes lit up whenever she saw him, and he hadn’t yet disappointed her in some way. It made him feel good to know he had a chance to watch her grow and could be a part of her life. If he chose to take that chance…

The visit would give him something to do besides peering out the window at Theresa. He wanted to go over and talk to her again, but he figured he’d let her cool down after what had happened the other night. He’d waved at her Sunday morning when she left for church. He was pretty sure if his grandma hadn’t been there, Theresa would have given him the finger. But he remained staunch on his stance that he was only looking out for her and he didn’t like the looks of Lawrence. A quick check of the DMV records had yielded the man’s full name and address. If he didn’t find anything, he’d leave it alone.

When the bell dinged and the elevators opened, he stepped off to find their door open. Alexis ran into his arms. Derek was right behind her.

“Hi, Uncle Trev.”

“Hey, jelly bean.” He gave her a squeeze and spied the ball in her hand. “What have you been up to?”

“Eight ball in the corner pocket.” Alexis held up an eight ball.

Derek grinned. “I’m teaching her how to play pool. She’s a natural.”

“Are you going to be a good pool player like your mom?” He kissed her cheek and looked around.

“I’m going to be a shark.” She nodded. “Right, Daddy?”

“Pool shark.” Derek looked behind him. “Don’t tell your mother about that.”

Trevor laughed. “Where is your mom?”

“She’s on the phone,” Alexis said.

“Charisma is in the study, video chatting with Morgan and Isabelle.”

“That phone call won’t end any time soon. The three of them can talk for hours.”

“Lex. Can you go tell your mom that Uncle Trev is here?” Derek took the ball out of her hand.

“OK, Daddy.”

Trevor put her down so she could scurry out of the room in search of her mom.

“Want a beverage?” Derek asked.

“Do you have any iced tea?”

“Yeah.” Derek headed for his game room. “You can check out the new skee-ball machine.”

“Skee-ball?” Trevor couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Derek had added skee-ball and whack-a-mole machines. But the cutest new addition was the mechanical horse ride. They used to have similar ones outside supermarkets for the kids to ride.

“My man cave has been taken over by the women in my life.” Derek went into the fridge behind the bar, retrieved a pitcher, and poured him a glass of iced tea.

“You don’t look too upset about it.”

“I like that we all have something to do in here. It keeps us together as a family.”

“And Charisma gets to do her thing. You know she’s never going to stop changing this or tweaking that. It’s just her nature.”

“If it makes her happy, she can redecorate this whole place on a weekly basis.” Derek put the ball back on the pool table. “But lately she has a distraction. She’s been decorating Jared and Autumn’s place too. Harper’s room is fit for a prince. By the way, Sienna can’t stop raving about having dinner with you in Monte Carlo.”

“Yeah, I had wonderful time. It was a crazy coincidence. Your sister is an amazing woman.”

“How much fun did you have?”

“Just enough to remember that we’re in-laws and to make sure her boyfriend knows there’s always someone watching him.”

He’d only intended to say hello when he spotted Sienna having drinks with some friends on a hotel patio with a bird's-eye view of the Monaco Grand Prix racetrack. But after a hug and catching up on family news, she’d insisted he join them. He’d partied with her and her fashion model friends and met her on again, off again boyfriend, Alfonso. He remembered Derek mentioning Alfonso, so he thought he owed it to his brother-in-law to check him out.

“How are things?” Derek asked, bringing Trevor’s thoughts back to the present.

“Things are good.” He took a sip of his iced tea.

“Really?” Derek raised an eyebrow. “You look a little tired.”

“Work has been challenging lately.”

“How so?”

What the hell. Derek knew the gist of what he did for a living. He untucked his shirt and lifted it up to show him the bandage. “Close call.”

“What in the—”

Derek clammed up when Charisma walked into the game room with Alexis. “Morgan and Isabelle say hi, and if you’re going to be in the country a little longer, they want you to visit the family in Texas.”

“Will do.” He nodded. “How is everyone?”

“Happy chaos. They’re getting ready for the autumn festival on the ranch for the kids. They go all out. Hayrides, mazes, the whole thing.”

“We went one year,” Derek added. “It’s amazing.”

“Sounds like a good time. How’s Tate making out with his new siblings?” He found his sister’s emails about the family’s goings on very entertaining and informative. The family was growing at breakneck speed. Or maybe it just seemed that way because he was away for long periods of time.

“He and Leigh get along great. He’s happy that she’s with Rafe, who’s a really nice guy.”

“Rafe Kendrick?” He was the guy at the airfield with Sam.

“Yes. He’s in charge of the Blakes’ security. Do you know him?”

“We may have crossed paths,” he replied. It was an ambiguous statement without being an outright lie. He was tired of lying to his family about seemingly mundane things like meeting Rafe. He knew the need for making a firmer connection wouldn’t be under more scrutiny because Rafe was involved with Leigh. He knew how his sister’s mind worked.

“Oh really?” Charisma asked. “Where?”

“Tell Trevor about Tate and Chance,” Derek interrupted.

“While Tate and Leigh are blossoming while they bond over her budding music career. Tate and Chance may end up in a caged death match. It’s going to be a hairy Thanksgiving at the ranch.”

Derek smirked. “Word is going around that you’re going to be landlocked for a while. Dare I say it, you might even attend Thanksgiving dinner.”

Charisma beamed. “Alexis and I can make a turkey place card for you.”

“As much as that sweetens the pot, I’ll have to give a reserved maybe on the holiday plans,” Trevor replied.

“And if you stay until Christmas you could help us decorate our tree and attend the big party we’re planning,” Charisma suggested. “Grandma would love it. Theresa would love it too. Come on, Mom and Dad are hosting it this year. They want to show off their new house.”

“You are trying to convince me to stay, right?”

“The holidays are a magical time. Perhaps you can find some common ground with them.”

He frowned. “I’m going to visit them today, aren’t I?”

“After Grandma threatened to take you over her knee,” Charisma fired back.

Derek laughed. “I’d pay to see that.”

“She wouldn’t do that. I’m her favorite.” Trevor grinned.

“No, I’m her favorite,” Derek corrected.

“Let’s go.” Charisma rolled her eyes. “We don’t want to be late.”

“Have a good time.”

“Wait. You’re not going?” he asked Derek.

“Slap Shot franchise business. I have a conference call with Tyler and Anna Beth in an hour.”

“You lucky dog.”

“In more ways than one.” Derek rounded the bar and kissed Charisma. “Babe, think over what we talked about this morning.”

She frowned. “I think we should table the discussion for the time being.”

Fifteen minutes later, they were in the car headed to their parents’ house. Charisma was still chatting about Morgan and Isabelle, but he could tell something else was on her mind. She didn’t seem too thrilled about what Derek had asked her to consider. They didn’t seem to have any problems, so it sparked his curiosity.

“Are you OK?” he asked gently.

“I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“I could sense some tension between you two.”

“Oh that. It’s nothing. Well it’s something, and it’s nothing.” She waved a hand. “Derek and I have been talking about having another b-a-b-y.”

“That’s great news.” He furrowed his eyebrows. “Why are you spelling it out?”

“Because your niece could rival a parrot for repeating information. I have to bribe her with treats and five extra minutes of bubble bath time. Derek encourages that behavior. He loves it when she spills her guts to him about everything.”

“I see.” He bit back a smile. Charisma had complained on many occasions that Alexis was a daddy’s girl. No surprise there. “Why the friction?”

“I don’t want Lex to turn into some raging, jealous monster. She and Harper get along great, and she mixes in well with the kids in Texas, but I’m afraid she’ll feel slighted if another one comes along.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.”

“Well, I can’t pinpoint exactly when I turned into a raging monster. It could have been after you were born.”

“We got along great, especially in our teen years. It was you and me against Marcus and Debra.”

“About that.” She bit her lip. “It would be a real favor to me if you’d be open to Mom and Dad today. They’ve really been trying the past couple of years. You’ll see the change in them. For me, just give them a chance to be better parents. OK?”

“Anything for you, Sis.”

As soon as they pulled into the massive driveway, he couldn’t help but be impressed. It was a nice home, and they lived next door to his Uncle Curtis and Aunt Sydney.

“Why did they move again?”

“Several factors. They said they wanted more room for Alexis. Uncle Curtis and Aunt Sydney are right next door. But to be honest, I think they wanted a fresh start. There were too many gloomy memories of us not being a real family in the old house.”

He unfastened his seat belt. “And you think they’ve changed?”

“Grandma gave me some good advice.”

“What pearls of wisdom did Grace Marie have to share about the situation?”

“She said that Mom and Dad weren’t the best parents, but they’re darn good grandparents. It’s a tradeoff I’m willing to live with because of how much they love Lex. You’ll see. I don’t expect a miracle overnight, but I hope that you can get some resolution about our past as a family.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Look at you, all grown up?”

“Morgan always says how much Mackenzie and Lex look up to me. It’s my duty to show them how a Reed woman is supposed to behave.”

“OK. I’ll give it a shot. For you.” He got out of the car and opened the passenger side to release Alexis from the child seat.

He tried to temper the knot in his stomach when the house’s huge oak door opened. His parents came rushing outside, scooped up Alexis, and began showering her with kisses. He was taken aback at the amount of affection they were showing his niece.

He took a deep breath and exhaled. “Mom. Dad. Good to see you.” Trevor winced and rocked back on his heels when his mother came over and gave him a hug. He was still healing from the bullet graze.

“I’m so glad you’re home,” Debra said.

“It’s good to be home.” He hugged her back with a less constrictive embrace, then turned to his father. “Dad.”

“Get over here and give your old man a hug too.” His dad squeezed even harder, then gave him the onceover. “You look great. I keep forgetting that you’re taller than your old man.”

The enthusiastic sentiment was unexpected and nice, but at the rate he was getting squeezed, he was liable to start bleeding again.

“So handsome and clean-shaven,” his mom said. “I heard you were a hairy mess when you arrived at your grandmother’s house. I hate it when you hide your face with a beard. You’re too good looking for that.” She eyed him critically. “Have you lost a few pounds?”

“No. I just work out a lot.” He glanced at the house Charisma had pointed out as his aunt and uncle’s when they’d driven down the street. “Where are Uncle Curtis and Aunt Sydney?”

“They went to Texas to visit the grandkids.” Debra smoothed the lapel on his coat. “They’re so lucky they have a ton of grandchildren. I’m hoping we’ll be seeing more soon.”

“Uh.” He cleared his throat.

“I’m still on the fence,” Charisma mumbled.

His father scratched at his cheek. “We have a lot of catching up to do. I want to know what you’ve been up to since you were last home. Let’s go inside. I’ll give you a tour of the new abode.”

He liked his parents’ new home. Its main floor was spacious and had state-of-the-art appliances. His mom’s craft room looked more like a small factory, and his dad’s study had bookshelves stacked with books all the way to the ceiling. There were old family photos on the walls, but the new ones were mostly of Alexis. When he reached the top landing of the stairs, he got a pleasant surprise when he saw one of the photos he’d sent his parents of the sun setting on the Sahara landscape. It had been mounted in a mahogany frame and had a fancy picture light over it. Being a photojournalist may have been a cover, but he was a decent photographer.

“Your mother loves that photo. She says it’s like having a part of you in the house.” His father stared proudly at the photo.

They continued down the hallway, with his father rattling off something about square footage and the special reinforced windows to keep out the cold. The bedroom that looked like a thousand colors had erupted into a magical play-land had to be his niece’s room.

He grinned. “This looks like a toy factory exploded in here.”

“Your mother and sister went nuts in this room. We love it when Lex stays over.” They moved on to the next room. It was decorated in a blue and gray like his old bedroom. There were even a few of his old posters hung on the wall. “I know you like staying at your grandma’s house when you’re in town, but we also have a room for you. If you ever need one.”

“Thanks.”

They went back downstairs to find the ladies in the living room looking at the old family photos. He’d waited for his mom to start in on him about being away so long and his dad to clam up and go off on his own. But it didn’t happen. Instead they went out on the deck and ate lunch and gabbed about their Hawaiian vacation and how they were looking forward to going to Ireland next year. Charisma seemed at ease too, talking to their mom about ideas for Alexis’s Halloween costume. He was shocked when his mom offered to make it herself and Charisma agreed.

“I can do a bumble bee or a pumpkin with my eyes closed. But I found some nice shimmering fabrics in case she wanted to be a princess or something fancy.” Debra turned to her granddaughter. “Lex, did you decide what you want to be for Halloween?”

“A cowgirl like Mackenzie!” Alexis said.

His mother laughed. “You spent the summer at the Twelve Horseshoes. Of course you want to be a cowgirl.”

“Are you up to the Western design challenge, Mom?” Charisma chuckled. “She already has the boots and the hat, but we could design a nice outfit.”

“Challenge accepted.” Debra put her finger to her lips. “As a matter of fact, I may have some jean fabric that would make a great prairie skirt.”

Trevor continued to look on in amazement as the ladies went into the house.

“Trev, you want another beer?”

He turned to see his father holding a cold one up. “Sure.”

“I know that seems like something out of an alternate reality.”

“Charisma said everyone’s making a group effort. I can see she wasn’t exaggerating.”

“I also know it’s been a while since we sat down and had a heart to heart.”

“It’s been ages.” He rubbed the back of his neck. He’d accepted they had little in common a long time ago. “How’s retirement?”

“Daunting at first. But I try to keep myself busy. Your mother likes to travel when we’re not spending time with Alexis. It helps living next door to Curtis and Sydney. We do a lot of things together.”

“That’s good. Uncle Curtis was never one to let moss gather under his feet.”

“The ladies have signed us up for dancing lessons.” His father laughed. “Sydney caught the line dancing bug in Texas. How’s work?”

“It keeps me busy.”

“What exciting places have you traveled to lately?”

Trevor looked into his father’s eyes. There was genuine interest there. “I did go to Morocco recently.”

“I always wanted to visit. It’s always depicted as so exotic in the movies.”

“It has a certain flair. For instance, the architecture is out of this world.”

“Really? I love Moroccan cuisine.” He rubbed his tummy. “The spices are earthy but have a sharp flavor that brings a dish to life. Your mother and I know a little place in Philly that serves an excellent chicken tagine.”

“I like chicken tagine too.” Trevor kept talking and his father remained engaged. Turned out his dad had always had a desire to see the world too. They’d continued talking for almost an hour when the ladies returned to the deck.

“Trevor, isn’t it such great luck that Theresa bought the house next to your grandmother’s? Have you two been in touch?”

Trevor looked back at Charisma, who was trying not to laugh. OK, they wouldn’t be changing overnight. Mom had developed a more subtle way of ferreting out information. But he liked this approach much better. He also liked the way they fawned over Alexis, but they didn’t smother her. He remembered them being disciplinarians and constant critics in the name of wanting more for their children and it had driven him insane.

It was such a big change it had thrown him off balance. So many things were changing in his life. He was on the brink of moving away from the life he’d known as a spy. His heart was telling him that this was where he needed to be. There was a lot of mending to do with a lot of people in his life. Theresa was the most obvious. Ever since he’d opened his eyes and saw her standing over him, he’d longed to be near her again, but he didn’t know how to go about it. Just like he didn’t know how to embrace this new version of his parents. Maybe he could give them a chance to be the parents he’d always needed. Because if they could make an effort to change after all these years, then so could he…

 

* * *

 

Theresa clicked away on her laptop, trying to get things in order before her lunch date with Charisma. She needed a break after the crazy week she’d had. She was preparing for the cruise while trying to put out a few minor fires around the office. She’d worked her butt off, but she felt better knowing things were in order.

Lunch last Saturday with the Reeds had gone well with the exception of Trevor interrogating Lawrence. She was proud of her date. For once someone had stood up to Trevor, the elusive mystery man. It wasn’t until after they pulled away that Lawrence launched a thousand questions at her about her relationship with Trevor. Which was funny because he was the one who was recently divorced and had talked about his wife the last time they chatted on the phone. She knew what she was getting into and hadn’t put much stock in anything other than a few nice dinners with Lawrence.

Trevor acting belligerent as if she was running off to Vegas to get married was what stuck in her craw. She answered Lawrence’s questions, but had to ask him to can the Trevor bashing when he insinuated Trevor was some of kind of controlling loser who was unjustifiably overprotective. She knew in all Trevor’s insanity, he cared. If she could count on nothing else, she knew he cared. The evening took a downward turn when she defended Trevor a little too passionately. Lawrence muttered something about denial as he handed the waiter his menu. And to make matters worse, she could swear she saw Trevor peering out the window when they returned home.

She’d become so paranoid about whether or not he was watching her, she’d taken to peering out her windows too, trying to catch a glimpse of him. She felt like a peeping Tom, sneaking looks out her kitchen window, which gave her a small view of a corner of Mrs. Reed’s yard. She saw him playing with Alexis, which was totally adorable. He let Alexis help him rake leaves with her plastic shovel for a while before she got bored. She moved to the outdoor gym where he let her dangle off the tire swing, use the slide backward, and swing wildly from the monkey bars. He was in total uncle mode, letting her do whatever she wanted until it was time for lunch. Seeing him so caring and attentive with Alexis touched her heart. He would have been a great dad. Once upon a time she’d imagined him playing in a yard with their children. It had been a long time since she’d had those thoughts, but it still stung a little.

So that’s how she’d resorted to playing hide and seek with Trevor. She tried to avoid him, but she also wanted to see him. It was good to have him close, but it was nerve racking to think he could leave at any moment. What that man did to her… She hadn’t seen him this morning. Her first thought was that he’d left again, but she thought better of it. He’d said he was going to stick around for a while, and this time she got feeling he’d show her the courtesy of saying good-bye. She wondered if he’d be in town when she got back from the cruise. She wondered how she’d feel about it if he was…and how she’d feel about it if he wasn’t.

“Theresa. Charisma’s here,” Gilda said over the phone intercom.

“Send her on back.” She rounded her desk and opened her office door. She watched as Charisma came sashaying down the hall with a bunch of bags, one of them had a logo from the bakery she liked. She loved seeing her friend, but the sweet treats were a dead giveaway that she was up to something. And since her rolling-stone brother was still in town it was a no-brainer.

“Charisma. Nice to see you.” Theresa gave her a hug and took the food bags out of her hands. “Thanks for the idea to have lunch.”

“I was so excited about the text you sent me, I thought I’d drop off some design ideas for your home office. Then I thought it would be nice if we could grab lunch and catch up. I brought Buffalo chicken and lobster Caesar salads. Your choice.”

“I’ll take the Buffalo chicken.”

“I knew you would.” Charisma giggled.

“Thanks for putting something together so quickly.”

“It’s the least I can do for my favorite travel agent.” Charisma put her bags on a chair and shrugged off her coat. “It’s fortunate your contractor realized he’d made an error.”

“Trevor pointed it out. Your brother’s browbeating helped me get some wiggle room in my remodeling budget. He said something to the contractor, next thing you know I’m getting a new estimate.”

“Sounds like my brother.” Charisma opened the bistro bag and handed her the salad.

“So I think we should go for a tranquil theme throughout the room. Maybe we can have silk screen dividers if it’s going to be used for a dual purpose.”

“I love that idea.” Theresa reached in the bag for the forks.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“Is Trevor OK?”

Theresa took a seat and looked at her friend. She knew they’d be talking about him, but Charisma looked worried. “Why do you think anything’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.” Charisma took their raspberry lemonades out of the paper carrier and set them on the desk. “I mean he’s Trevor, but he’s different.”

“Well, he is spending time with his niece. Maybe being Uncle Trevor is finally sinking in with him. He seems to be enjoying it.” He looked relaxed and happy when she spied on him in the backyard anyway.

“It could be. I just wish he would open up. If something’s going on, I’d like to know.”

“We both know that man is about as open as Fort Knox.”

“Well, if he opens up to anyone, it’s going to be you. Can you give me a heads up if it’s something I should worry about?”

“What makes you think he’d spill his guts to me?”

“There was a time when he told you everything.”

“That was ages ago. Lately, whenever we see each other, we’re kind of stuck in neutral. We can’t go forward or backward. But I suspect maybe he’s burned out from his job.”

“I worry about him. I know this sounds selfish, but sometimes I wish he’d have a normal life and remain in one place.”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting your brother in your life.”

“What about you?” Charisma asked.

“What about me?”

“Do you want him in your life?”

There was a knock on the door, saving her from having to answer. It was Gilda.

The secretary held up the box. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but you got the package you were waiting for from that travel company.”

“Thanks.” She rounded the desk to get it. She felt like a kid on Christmas day and she tore off the shipping tape and opened the box. The journal entry was on top. It was titled Paris off the Beaten Trail.

“I have an even better package in the waiting room.” Gilda winked. “Where have you been hiding this gorgeous man?”

“Who?” Oh no. Had Lawrence showed up to her office? She thought they’d settled things about the future of their relationship. Wait. Gorgeous? Lawrence was a nice looking man, but she wouldn’t exactly call him gorgeous.

Trevor appeared in the doorway holding a bouquet of flowers. “Hi, Theresa.”

If the G word were ever invented for someone, it would be Trevor. The eye-popping arrangement of exotic flora was lovely, but it paled in comparison to the man himself. He was standing in her doorway, looking like perfection and wearing an elegant, camel-colored cashmere coat, a pair of jeans, blue sweater and pair of brown suede shoes. What was that fragrance he was wearing? It had an earthy tone that didn’t overtake the senses. It made her want to lean in closer and give him a good sniff. So much for Gilda being the first line of defense in the reception area. Trevor had made it to the bosses’ office without as much as a courtesy buzz on the intercom.

“Trevor. What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d come by to ask you out to lunch, but I didn’t know my sister had thought of the idea already.” He motioned to the food.

“Great minds think alike.” Charisma smiled. “Hey, bro.”

“I’ll put these in water.” Gilda beamed.

“Thanks, Gilda.” Trevor handed over the bouquet. “I appreciate you letting me surprise Theresa.”

“Anytime, Trevor.” Gilda giggled and went off down the hall with the bouquet.

Theresa put on her game face. Neutrality, she said to herself. He shouldn’t have any effect on her anymore, but nothing could be further from the truth. “I’m sorry you came all this way for nothing. Charisma and I were making plans for my home office.”

“Oh, no.” Charisma stood. “We can discuss it another time. I’ll leave the sketches and we’ll make plans to get together when you get back from the cruise.”

“You don’t have to go.” Theresa gave her a look. “Don’t you want to see what’s in the box?”

“I have a feeling it’s just what you were looking for. You said it yourself, it’s like the sender can read your mind.” Charisma gave her a knowing look. “Trevor, are we still on for dinner Thursday? We can have a nice quiet evening.”

“I’ll be there.” Trevor held up Charisma’s coat for her to slip into.

Charisma turned back to Theresa. “Theresa, you should come too.”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude. Besides, I have so much to do before the cruise. Rain check?”

“Just think about it. Take a look at the sketches and send me notes.” Charisma breezed out of the office.

 

 

Trevor could see the smoke coming from his sister’s high heels as she high-tailed it out of the office. She was never one for subtlety, and apparently she thought he and Theresa needed some time alone. Which was true. He figured he’d catch Theresa at her office since it was damn near impossible to do at the house because she’d been avoiding him. She looked pretty today wearing a black leather skirt and a cream sweater. The ankle boots she wore accentuated her shapely legs.

“Nice office,” he said.

“Thanks.”

He picked up the book on her desk. “French?”

“Oui. La langue de l’amour.”

“My favorite language.”

“I’m brushing up. I took French in high school. You should remember. We were in the same class.”

“I remember Mr. Pierre wearing the striped shirt and beret.”

“You were one of his best students. He said you had a flexible tongue.”

“Don’t remind me.” He shivered. “I know what he meant, but saying it with the faltering French accent gave me the creeps.”

“You’ve always picked up languages pretty easy. You could speak Spanish well, which my mom loved. Then there was that summer you taught yourself Italian.”

“Linguistics comes easy to me.” It was one the things that impressed his recruiter. His ability to pick up things quickly was one of the talents that put him on the agency’s radar. “Have you been to France?”

“I’m embarrassed to say that I have not. I’ve sent enough people there, and going to Paris is part of travel agenting 101.”

“It’s a must-see on any respectable travel professional’s list. What’s stopped you?”

“Tony and I had planned a Paris honeymoon with all the bells and whistles.” She rolled her eyes. “But the destruction of my wedding wasn’t a total loss. I traded in the tickets and took my mom to New Zealand.”

“Another great destination getaway.” He cleared his throat. “Do you keep in touch with him?”

“Uh, no. He’d told too many lies. I can’t have someone in my life who couldn’t tell the truth if their life depended on it. That’s one personality flaw I can’t overlook.”

He hesitated a moment, looking into her eyes. “You should still visit.”

“It’s the city of love. French is the language of love. It seems a shame to go there and have no love in your life. I think it should be enjoyed with someone special.”

“I agree.” Paris was wonderful, but it had felt empty because he’d had no one to share it with.

“Have you been?” She bit her lip.

“Yes.”

“Of course you have.” She shook her head and smirked. “What was her name?”

“I was there on a photo assignment, so there was no time for romance.” Only enough time to set up a connection with a ruthless gang of arms dealers, then derail the assignment by rescuing a kidnapped young woman instead.

“That’s hard to believe.”

“I was there for work, but I did spend my days thinking of you.” That wasn’t just a line either. Something had changed for him in Paris.

“Speaking of France.” She cleared her throat. “I just received something in the mail from France from a travel promotion company.”

“Oh really? What did they send you?”

“Let’s see.” She sifted through the box. “There’s a mini Eiffel Tower, of course. A silk scarf, brochures from the various museums and points of interest. More trinkets and a journal entry. The knickknacks are nice, but the journal entry’s the best part.”

“Can I see it?”

She handed it to him, then snatched it back. “Why?”

“I’m curious.” He laughed. “What could I possibly do to a piece of paper?”

“I don’t know. You might check it for fingerprints or something. Don’t think I didn’t see you take that photo of Lawrence’s license plate.”

“I was being prudent. You could have been abducted for all I knew.”

“He’s not a stranger. It was our third date, which you ruined with all your questions. He spent the night talking about you.”

“I can’t help it if people find me fascinating.”

“I was thinking intimidating.” She folded her arms across her chest.

“The people I make uncomfortable are usually the ones with something to hide.”

“I disagree.”

“How was the date? Do you like this guy?”

“It was OK. But I won’t be seeing him again.”

“Oh really?” He tried to contain his excitement. “What changed your mind?”

“It had nothing to do with you. My little antenna had been up on him since the first date. I was giving him this last date to prove me wrong.”

“About what?”

“I don’t know. He tried too hard to impress me. He dressed well.” She looked him up and down. “Well, like you, but he didn’t seem comfortable in his clothes.”

“A man’s clothing is his second skin. If he wears it like he wants to shed it, then he’s up to no good.”

“Anyway.” She squinted. “I got the feeling it wasn’t who he really was. I could be wrong.”

“No. You’ve always had great instincts. Remember when you caught that debate club snob Susan sneaking into your locker and stealing your campaign ideas when you were running for class president?”

“Yes. I remember you were a great help. We exposed her ass. She had to drop out of the campaign.”

“You gave her the option to resign. You could have told the world she was a back-stabbing bitch.”

“I just wanted a fair chance at winning.”

“Instinct. Your instincts told you something wasn’t right with that guy too.”

He had checked up on Lawrence, and it had yielded some interesting results. He’d found out he was still married. He couldn’t just hunt him down and threaten him. Lawrence would have told Theresa. So he opted for an anonymous email to Lawrence with a threat of exposure if he didn't cut it out. But as the arrow hovered over the e-mail’s send button, he’d thought better of it. This was not the way to get back into her life. He was sure Theresa noticed what he saw that night. A guy trying too hard because he wasn’t being real, and he was right.

“You know my abuela was psychic.” She ran a hand through her hair. “My mom had the gift too.”

“It was eerie how she knew things.” He chuckled. “I never lied to her. She had a way of seeing right through a person.”

“My abilities must be on the fritz. A voice was telling me Lawrence might be withholding something, and I eventually acted on it. I should have gotten that feeling about him the first day I met him.”

“You always liked to see the best in people. It’s an endearing quality.”

“It’s a stupid quality.”

“No it’s not. You’ve learned a good lesson. Trust your gut. Mine has saved me on many occasions.”

She looked at him, and her eyes softened a bit. “Would you like something to eat? Charisma had the lobster Caesar, and I have Buffalo chicken with a blue cheese dressing.”

“Sounds delicious.” He took his coat off and placed it on a chair.

“There’s drinks in the break room. What’s your poison?”

“A nice bottle of Riesling, but a water will do.”

“One bottle of Pierre water coming up.”

He relaxed a little. She hadn’t thrown him out, that was a good sign. He looked around the office, thinking how much it screamed Theresa. Everything was neat and pristine; not even a magazine was out of place on the coffee table in front of the couch. Finally his eyes locked on the map behind her desk. He moved closer to it to see where she’d stuck the pins on the map.

He swallowed hard when he realized all the pin marks were on the places he’d sent her the packages. The trinkets he’d sent her were displayed around the office. The cuckoo clock he’d sent her from Germany was on the wall. The sparkly feather headdress he’d picked up at the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro sat on her credenza. The didgeridoo instrument he’d got in Australia was sitting in the corner. She didn’t know, but she’d been keeping track of him for years. The agency wouldn’t think it was amusing if they ever found out. So far he’d managed to keep her existence to a minimum in his files. She was merely a part of his past and posed no security risk for anything she may know because she was just as in the dark as his family.

He longed to tell her about the places he’d visited in his own words, not hiding behind journal entries. He’d even thought about sharing some adventures with her too. But how could he do that? How could he find a way to spend time with her without his two worlds colliding? Theresa was shrewd, and he’d never been good at fooling her. The blissful ignorance that lay between them now, he believed, was self-imposed. He heard her coming back, so he moved back to the other side of the desk and took a seat.

“Here’s your water.” She placed the bottle on the desk, then reached into the bag for another fork. “This must be a record for you. What has it been, ten days? You must be champing at the bit to leave.”

“Everyone seems to think there’s something horribly wrong with me staying put.” He opened the lid of the lobster Caesar salad. “I missed home.”

“It’s surprising.” She shrugged. “How have you been? How’s the wound?”

“Much better. Thanks again for helping me that night.”

“You’re welcome.” She forked some salad into her mouth. “Harassed any more innocent people?”

“No. I’ve just been spending time with my family," he smiled. “This a great office space. I like the color scheme."

“Yes. Your sister is a decorating genius. She decorated this entire office.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Two years. The old place was getting a little cramped since business picked up. I have a lot of rich clients from the sports world, thanks to Charisma and Morgan. The company was getting bigger, and I wanted something fancier than the strip mall space.”

“Well you’ve certainly done a great job, and it’s a testament to your business savvy. Not many travel agencies survived the boom of do-it-yourself online travel. I always knew you could do whatever you put your mind to.”

“Thanks. I’ve been blessed to keep this company afloat.”

He motioned to the sketch lying in front of a travel ad board on an easel labeled new home office. “Charisma’s going to do a room in your house too?”

“Thanks to my revised estimate. I can do a few things that will make the place standout.”

Trevor ate his salad and listened as Theresa went on about her plans for the house. It was a good house and had a solid frame, but there were a few things she wanted to do to make it her own. She wanted to change the layout of the backyard and expand her deck. He’d seen a landscaper working in the yard the other day.

“You want to go on an adventure with me?” he asked.

“To where? When?”

“Anywhere you want to go. We could leave tomorrow.”

He looked into her eyes; she was thinking it over. She was right next door, yet he felt so far away from her. He needed to be alone with her. No family or dates to interrupt them.

“No, I can’t.” She shook her head. “I’m really going to be busy getting some things ready for the cruise. Your grandmother’s seniors group is a handful. I have to meet with them again to go over last-minute details like making sure everyone has their proper identification, medical summaries, and emergency contact info and review the itinerary one more time.”

He was disappointed but not really surprised. It had been an idea that had suddenly come to him.

“What if we made plans for when I return?” she said after a moment. “I’ll only be gone for seven days. Will you still be around?”

“I’ll still be in town.”

“Cool. We can go to the autumn festival at the Hayworth farm.”

“They still do that?”

“Yes, but it’s become a lot fancier since we were last there together. They have hayrides, a giant corn maze, and apple picking. They even have a pumpkin pie baking contest. And we can get pumpkins to carve.”

“I’d like that.”

The phone buzzed. It was Gilda. “Theresa, your two o’clock is here.”

“I’ll be out in a few minutes.” She stabbed at the button. “I still see some clients, especially the ones who’ve been with me since back in the day when I used to work out of my apartment.”

“I’m sure they appreciate that extra touch.” He gathered the food containers and placed them in the bistro bag. “Listen, I’ll be going out of town for a few days, but I will be remaining in the country. If you don’t see me around, I didn’t bail. I just have some things to wrap up for my last work assignment.”

“Oh, so you’re just going to work headquarters?”

“Yes.” He glanced at the box. “Are you going to finish looking through that?”

“As soon as I kick my client out.” She laughed. “It may sound silly, but I look forward to these boxes. There’s something about them that’s whimsical and romantic.”

“What do you like the most?”

“I’d say the food recommendations. I am a foodie in the worst way. I over-indulge all the time.” Her hands instinctively went to her stomach and butt.

“I never had any complaints. In fact, I always thought you were perfect.”

She laughed. “You always did have great taste.”

“Someone at Fantasy Locales Travel must think you’re pretty special.” He slipped on his coat. “Don’t forget we have a date for the autumn festival when you get back.”

“I won’t.”

“And I know it goes without saying, but keep an eye on my grandmother. I don’t want her overexerting herself.”

“Of course. I’ll take good care of her.”

He moved closer to her. He wanted to kiss her, but he’d settle for the trusting smile instead. It meant something to her that he’d be around when she came back from her tour. But then that sweet look faded.

“Trevor?”

“Yes?”

“How did you know that package was sent from Fantasy Locales Travel?”

Damn. She never missed a thing.

He tapped the open box flap. “Address is in the corner.”

“Oh.”

“It was nice having lunch with you, Reese.” He kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you when you get back.”

Trevor took a step back, but Theresa grabbed the lapels of his coat and pulled him back to her for a kiss on the lips. Trevor parted her lips with his tongue and went in for the kill. Time stood still as he wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her flush against him. This wasn’t some awkward first kiss from a stranger, this was Reese, the only woman he’d truly loved.

“You promise you’ll be here when I get back?” she asked quietly when their kiss ended.

“Damn right. We have a date.”

“Good. Now get out. I have work to do.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He walked out of her office in such a stupor he almost crashed into the potted plant in the hallway.

He’d wanted to kiss her first, but in the end he was glad she initiated it. It made him feel good that she’d been wanting to kiss him too. Well, he wanted to do more than that, like locking her office door and both of them getting naked for the rest of the afternoon. More importantly, they had a date and he intended to keep it.