They crossed the street and went to separate windows to buy their tickets. She liked that he didn’t try to bulldoze his way by buying her ticket and making it feel like a date, or like she’d owe him something later.
Friends. That was what friends would do who went on outings together. Funny how her opinion of him had evolved so quickly.
“I can’t believe you’ve been all over the country saving marine life, but you’ve never been to the New England Aquarium.”
“When we were kids we’d visit some of the closer ones, but as we got older and my dad got more involved in the college, we didn’t do the touristy stuff. More the rescue and clean up, save our ocean kind of ventures.”
Now that she had her book idea, visiting the aquarium seemed so ... commercial. Stereotypical. Cliché.
He peered down at her and tilted the bill of her hat. “You okay?”
“I guess.” She pulled her braid to her front and twisted the end of it around her finger. “Now I’m second guessing this field trip of mine. How’s an aquarium going to help me now?”
“You’re really going to use some of my stories?” The fishhook appeared.
Damn her girly parts for reacting so easily. She shifted her feet and lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “If that’s okay. I can mention you and your dad in the acknowledgments.”
The grin dropped, and his face turned into that unresponsive mask again. But only for a second, and then his eyes softened. “You don’t have to do that.” He opened the door for her. “Let’s head in.”
They took their time circling the four-story coral reef. The lionfish and leafy sea dragon were her favorite.
James talked to her about every species as she sketched page after page of plants, fish, plankton, and creatures. The day wasn’t even close to over, and she already had ideas for an entire series.
She giggled at the penguin exhibit and watched with excitement as the fur seal flew though the water. There were moments when she got lost in the animals and sea life and almost forgot James was with her.
And then she’d brush up against his arm, and a tingle of awareness would shoot through her body. He didn’t talk much, only when she asked a question.
“You’re a wealth of knowledge. I wouldn’t have any of this without you.” She wiggled her notebook and gave him a quick hug. It was a spontaneous thing to do. Mia wasn’t the overly huggy type, but her friends had made hugs become a part of her everyday norm.
“My pleasure.” His arms didn’t exactly wrap around her, but they were on her back for a second.
Just long enough for her to feel his chest against hers and imagine what it would feel like to be lost in a full-on hug with James the probably-not-a-serial-killer-hydrologist.
“Okay, so we’ve spent an entire day together, and I don’t even know your last name.”
That non-expression thing happened again. Like they were playing a high-stakes poker game, and he didn’t want her to know what he held. She didn’t like it when James played his cards too close to his chest. She liked the fishhook—even if she didn’t like how it made her thighs quiver—and she liked his free-flowing words—even though he only seemed comfortable talking about marine life.
“Langlois.”
That was it. One word response. They were back to the Jekyll and Hyde thing. Either it was marine life or minimal words.
Letting out a sigh, she held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, James Langlois. I know you don’t eat breakfast, but how about lunch?” She took out her cell phone and looked at the time. “Wow. I can’t believe it’s almost three o’clock. You must be starving. Oatmeal can’t be enough to keep a guy like you satisfied. That’s not what I...”
Too late. Hook. Line. And sinker. His eyes twinkled with amusement.
“I could eat.”
Rolling her eyes, she led them outside. “I’m not picky. We can stop at the first place that looks semi-appealing and doesn’t have a wait.”
“Sounds good to me.”
They found a casual restaurant that served burgers, sandwiches, and seafood. She ordered a turkey bacon club, and he ordered a bacon burger with fries.
“And there goes the vegan diet.” She snorted.
“Saving the plants.”
“Uh, huh.”
Lunch was nice. He asked her about her family, and she told him about her brother and his marriage to Lily last year. She talked about the town and how her friends were connected to it. They each had a place, which was evident during the fall festival, the Christmas fairs, and even the summer rush.
They. Not her.
Pushing her pity party away, she sipped her iced tea and made a mental note to pinch herself—literally—the next time she had a poor me moment.
“You ready?” James asked after they each paid their bill.
They walked back to the train station, talking about their favorite movies. James admitted to not seeing anything too recent, but his favorite as a kid was Free Willy.
“Of course it was.”
“I wanted to be Jesse. If it wasn’t to free a whale, it was to at least have a movie made about me doing something heroic.”
“That’s cute.” And it was. She could picture James with his philanthropist family’s support going from aquarium to aquarium freeing all the wildlife.
The ride back to Maine was relaxing, and she even dozed off for a quick power nap. When they finally got back to their stop in Rockland, the sun had nearly disappeared over the horizon, leaving tiny traces of pinks and oranges in the sky.
“Thanks for coming with me. I hope you don’t get in trouble with work.”
He told her earlier he’d called out on his drive to the train station this morning and that Stan and Rick, his other boss, had no problem with him taking the day off.
“It was well worth it, even if I do.” They crossed the parking lot and stopped in front of his truck, since it was closest.
“I had a good time today. Glad to know you’re not a serial killer. Unless this was your way of luring me into your web.”
“Luring you has been fun.”
Gah. That mouth. Mia swallowed and patted his chest. “Stick with the marine life. For the record, I think you’d make a terrible killer.”
“Why’s that?”
She couldn’t tell him about the effect his grin had on her. Imagine if he showed it more often? Women would be throwing themselves at him, begging him to kidnap them.
Car doors slammed not far from them, and James looked up, the grin disappearing like a bubble in the ocean, the stoic expression back. This time it was laced with worry.
“Get in the truck.” His lips barely moved, his glare remaining on the voices behind her. Men’s voices. He fished in his pocket and handed her his keys.
“What? Why?” She turned her neck to see why he was so focused on the men, but he gripped her shoulders and practically shoved her to the door.
“Just get in.”
“Ja—”
“Do it.” And then he added, “Please.”
It was the please that did her in. Almost as if begging. Without thinking why she complied to him, she unlocked the truck and slid in behind the wheel. Did he want her to start the engine? To drive off without him?
Before she had time to make a decision, he climbed up next to her, pushing her over with his hip. He pushed the brim of his hat lower, shielding his eyes, and started the truck.
“My car.”
“We’ll come back for it.”
He took a right out of the space instead of a left, avoiding the men. Mia couldn’t help it if her head tipped so she could see in the rearview mirror. The men appeared harmless. The darkening sky making them silhouettes in the background. They shook hands, exchanged a briefcase, and got back into their cars.
She turned toward James, his face stony and hard as he glanced from the road to the rearview mirror.
“You gonna tell me what this is all about, or are you seriously a serial killer?”
“Not n
ow.”
“Kidnapper then.”
He glanced at her over his shoulder. “You’re safe.”
“I don’t think so.” She took out her cell phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling the police.”
“Mia.” He huffed as if annoyed with her.
She dialed the next best thing. Her brother. “Ty. So, I’m in a bit of a predicament.”
“Mia,” James growled again.
“I’m in a truck with this guy and he—”
“Mia.”
She plastered herself against the door, now in fear. “He says his name is James Langlois.”
“Give me the phone.” He held out his hand calmly. Too calmly. This is what they did. Predators. They didn’t overact. Fumbling for the handle, she unlocked the door and contemplated jumping out. They were going sixty miles an hour, but banged up on the side of the road beat dead any day of the week.
“Shit. Mia! What’s going on. Who is this guy?” her brother hollered in her ear.
“I don’t know. He works at the fishery. If I end up dead, ask for Stan. He can tell you more.” Her voice trembled with fear, her heart kicking it up into a pace that wasn’t healthy.
“Let me talk to him.” James held out his hand for the phone.
“Are you kidding? I’m not that stupid. Bring me back to my car. My car is at the train station in Rockland,” she told Ty.
“Damn it, Mia. Where is he taking you?”
“My brother wants to know where you’re taking me,” she said to James in her best I’m not panicking and am totally cool voice. “He was in the Army, by the way, and knows how to kill a man in less than two seconds.”
The threat didn’t seem to faze James.
“I can track your phone, Mia. Make sure you keep it with you,” Ty said, his voice laced with worry.
They’d all added a friends and family tracking app when things went down with Lily. Mia thought it was stupid but was ever so grateful for it now. Her heart raced with fear as that totally cliché thing happened with her life flashing before her eyes.
Life. She barely had one. A handful of friends—amazing friends—and nothing else to her name.
The truck slowed, and in one quick move James swiped the phone from her.
“Hey! Give me my phone. Ty! He has my phone!”
“Ty,” James said calmly. Again, too calmly. “It’s me.”
Like her brother would have a clue—
“Yeah. No. She’s fine.” He put the truck in park and kept his gaze on the rearview mirror, ignoring Mia as if she wasn’t even in the truck with him.
Wait. What? Ty knew him? Why hadn’t James told her—
“No. It’s not about Lily.”
“Lily? So you are—”
James held up a hand to shush her, and like a compliant idiot she quieted instead of fleeing for her life. He had her phone, and if she bolted, Ty would never find her. Granted, Ty now thought she was fine. James was somehow connected to Lily. Not in a bad way, or she’d hear Ty’s curses from her phone.
“Trust me ... yeah.” He handed Mia the phone.
“What the freaking hell is going on, and how the hell do you know James?” she yelled at her brother through the phone.
“I’ll let him tell you. It’s okay. You can trust him. I promise, but call me when you get home, okay?”
“Ty.”
“Just do what he says.”
“You’re freaking me out.”
“Mia,” this from James who now looked at her with expressionless eyes.
“You have some serious explaining to do the next time I see you,” she told her brother.
“You will too. Love ya.” He hung up.
James unfastened his seat belt and turned to her. She hugged the door even more, her fingers fumbling for the handle.
He held up his hands with a sigh, then removed his baseball cap. It was the first time she’d seen him without it. His hair was shaggy and in desperate need of a cut. He’d look better with a shorter style.
Seriously? Her internal hairdresser had to come out now while she was in the middle of a Twilight Zone episode.
James slid his fingers around his hairline and peeled off a wig, revealing his short, dark cropped hair.
“Holy. Fucking. Shit. It’s you.” Her reflexes worked on their own, and before she knew what she was doing, she fisted her hand and punched him.
CHAPTER SIX
He clutched at his throat, gasping for air. The little minx had throat punched him. This was not how he thought his day would end. Hell, he’d planned on a long day at the plant, fishing around for the last document that would end his assignment.
This morning, he saw Mia’s car outside the diner and pulled a U-turn. It didn’t matter that he already ate a three-egg omelet and three sausages for breakfast and had a full day of work ahead of him.
Inviting himself to tag along on her trip to Boston hadn’t been what he thought it would be either. There was something about Mia that was ... intoxicating. She helped him forget about his current problems and reminded him of his childhood, and even his teen years. They weren’t bad. Boring, he’d thought, but her interest in his stories brought him out of his shell, even when he didn’t want to be brought out.
Like now.
“My name’s not James,” he croaked, now that he could sort of breathe.
“You think?” Her chest rose and fell quickly with each breath, her eyes darted from the hat and wig in his hand to his head, stopping at his eyes.
“Colored contacts.”
“Or is hazel real and the dark eyes fake?” He didn’t miss how tightly she clutched her phone in her hand.
Hell, she’d punched him with her phone in her hand. Good thing too or he feared she’d still be at it, clawing at his face.
“Dark hair and dark eyes. That’s the real me.”
“You’re Lily’s FBI agent.”
He stared at her for a moment. A moment too long. At lunch and again on the train, he’d gotten lost in those eyes. So full of life and mischief, and a trace of longing. She was searching for herself. She’d told him in so many words.
He knew more about her than he’d let on. Too much. Ever since her accident he’d made her a top priority in his life. Not that anyone knew.
“Ryan Thorne,” she growled, her voice filled with disdain.
Her eyes narrowed. Good. She knew the name. Now maybe she’d trust him, or at least not throat punch him again.
“Is Lily—”
“I’m not here because of Lily. She’s safe.”
Finally, her shoulders relaxed, and she loosened the death grip she had on her phone. “The casino. You followed us there. Are you always everywhere Lily is?”
Lights from an oncoming car shined through the windshield. Ryan put the truck in drive and pulled out onto the road. No need to look conspicuous and chance someone stopping to check on them.
“No.”
“Then why were you at the casino?”
“To play cards.” The sort of truth. Just because he came clean with his identity didn’t mean he needed to divulge why he was undercover.
“Liar.”
“It’s not about Lily.”
One thing he knew about Lily and her friends—they were persistent when it came to her safety. Ryan could put them at ease without revealing what he was doing in Maine. It had nothing to do with them, but he doubted they’d believe him.
“Why are you a regular now at the Sunrise Diner?”
“I like to eat breakfast.”
“You can warm up a bowl of Quaker oatmeal at home.”
“Sure.”
“And why are you pretending to be James Langlois, the intern at the fishery?”
He didn’t answer and continued driving.
“Oh. Undercover work. Got it.” So much for being sly on that one. “Does Stan know who you are, or is he one of the guys you’re after? He doesn’t seem smart enough to off someone.”
/> Ryan didn’t even bother to comment and let her continue to ramble.
“Is it a drug ring? Guns? Weapons? Or are they serial killers as well? Is that why you were trying to be one the other night? To fit in with the crowd?”
“I never pretended to be a serial killer.”
The woman was exhausting.
“But you didn’t deny Stan wasn’t. Interesting.” She tapped her leg in a sort of nervous energy he hadn’t seen in her before.
“You watch too much television.”
“And read too many books.”
“You have an active imagination.”
“Except when it comes to children’s books. Wait.” Mia slammed her hands on the dash. “Is all that marine biologist talk a bunch of bullshit? Am I going to look like an idiot using it in my books?”
“That’s all true.”
Talking about his parents, his past, allowed Ryan to be himself for a few hours. He really enjoyed the marine life, but he never wanted a career in it. He wasn’t as passionate about it as his father was, but he was fascinated nonetheless.
“Your father really is a professor of marine biology?”
“Yes.”
“Your mother’s a third grade teacher?”
“Yes.”
“Your sister is married with three kids?”
Ryan cast her a sideways glance and grinned. Smart girl, she was. “Two kids.” Nice try.
“Hmm. Whatever. So, you’re working undercover on the coast trying to bust someone’s ass about something, and in your spare time you play cards at the casino in the city.”
“Yup.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“What’s the deal with the men back at the train station?”
He ignored her question and the next five she fired at him about who they could possibly be.
“You can’t pull a Mission Impossible, pulling off one identity and becoming another, and then clam up. I deserve to know what the hell that was all about back there.”
He came to a stop at a traffic light. “Want to stop for dinner?”
There was a chain restaurant at the corner, and another up ahead. It would give him time to figure out what to do next. Pretty soon she would ask about—
Something More (A Well Paired Novel) Page 7