by K. T. Lee
“Oh, I think that’s pretty clear.” Joey chuckled. “It took me some time to figure out that Waffle is also a people-sniffing dog. Will he work for us the way he does for you, Alexis?”
Alexis shrugged. “He’s not really trained for more than one handler, but he’s adaptable. I’ll do what I can to convince Waffle to listen to you too. I’ll teach you my secret.” Alexis spotted a tennis ball on the floor. She picked it up and gave it a squeak. Waffle stood up, ears forward. Then, still focused on the ball, he plopped into a perfect sit. She rolled it across the floor and he scampered after it, snatched it up, and began squeaking it.
Joey put his hands on his knees. “So, we’ll see you guys Saturday?”
Matt nodded. “Yep. Sit tight. Help is on the way.”
15
Despite spending the prior evening discussing the potential dangers of her workplace with the CIA and FBI at her sister’s house, Stefanie managed to get through Friday without incident. When the weekend arrived, she mercifully slept in until about 8:30. It wasn’t a complete victory, considering she didn’t need to be anywhere for another couple of hours, but it was a little later than her weekday normal. She shuffled into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. A celebratory cup of coffee, really, considering none of her coworkers had figured out that she was working for the CIA and she also hadn’t yet lost her marbles. Because apparently, on top of everything else, their little team was growing by two more FBI agents and a canine sidekick. That would definitely make it easier to fake normal.
She poured in more coffee grounds than usual and pushed a few buttons on the coffeemaker to set it for extra strong. She put her hands on her hips and attempted to wait patiently for it to brew. Her patience lasted about three seconds before she decided to scroll through the news on her phone, in the unlikely event her bizarre circumstances coincided with some major world event. When nothing fit the bill, she switched over to a basic search on what kind of science Russia was doing in the deep ocean. A big piece of her hoped Dmitri’s goals were more self-serving than they were illegal. Before her imagination could kick into overdrive, a text interrupted her search.
Busy today? Her heart skipped. She thought that she’d be getting a morning off from CIA work and she was, in fact, busy today.
She considered her reply while she filled her mug nearly to the brim, adding just a little coconut milk. She took a deep sip of the warm beverage. Then she grinned. I’m teaching a karate class. Want to come again? If she’d deduced anything from her time with Joey, it was that Mr. Security liked to be one step ahead of everyone. Joining a class where he wasn’t the one in charge wasn’t going to happen. And she’d get the brownie points of asking. It was a win-win. She took a satisfied sip of her coffee.
Stefanie’s phone buzzed. Absolutely.
She closed her eyes and managed not to laugh. He had no idea what he was signing up for. She could have a little fun at his expense and kill some time. It was a two for one. She owed it to him, really.
Two hours later, she pulled into the parking lot at nearly the same time as Joey. She got out of her car and waited for him to do the same. “You have a GPS tracker on my car?”
Joey pulled off his sunglasses, his eyes filled with good humor. “No. Do you want me to?”
For the first time in a long while, Stefanie found herself at a loss for words. “Um. I’m…not sure.” She gestured to the dojo. “I’m so glad you agreed to come! I’m excited to see what you’re made of.”
“Didn’t we already do this?” He turned his head in confusion. “I mean, I think you figured out this isn’t exactly outside of my comfort zone.”
Stefanie’s mouth twitched. “Ah, but this time, you can help me teach. Let’s go find you another one of Master K’s loaner uniforms.”
Joey followed her inside. She bowed to the other instructors and greeted them accordingly. “Hello, ma’am, hello, sir. This is my friend, Joey. He was here earlier this week and he’s volunteered to help me teach class today.”
“Nice to see you again, sir.” Master Kimberly greeted him with a bow, as she would any other student. She looked him up and down, then looked back at Stefanie. “And he has some experience teaching or he’s just trying to impress a pretty girl?”
Stefanie felt her face heat. “Definitely the first one. His background check and clearances are on file with his old gym.” Joey provided some information and he was approved in short order. Master Kimberly reached into a cabinet and pulled out a full uniform, handing it back to the bemused operations officer. “Sorry, we only have extra white belts.”
“No worries.” Joey took it in stride. “My old instructor always said your actions speak louder than your belt, anyway.”
At that, Master Kimberly turned to Stefanie and nodded with approval. After Joey left to change, her class began to trickle in. Joey returned from the changing rooms moments later, pausing to tuck his shoes in the shoe cubbies. He looked down at one of her students, then back at her. His face broke out in a full grin. He turned back to Bryson, her 6-year-old yellow belt with a serious case of ants-in-his-pants, and gave him a little fist bump. Bryson straightened under the large man’s attention.
Bryson whispered, “Are you a new student?”
Joey looked back seriously and said, “It’s my second time here. Can you show me the ropes?”
Bryson shook his head, eyes wide. “We don’t have any ropes here. Just punching bags.”
“Will you show me the punching bags, then?”
Bryson looked back at Stefanie, who joined them on the floor and gave her a frenetic bow. “Hello, ma’am!”
“Hello, sir.” Stefanie bowed back. “This is my friend, Joey. He’s going to be helping us in class today.”
Bryson gave him a puzzled look and Joey explained, “I’m just new here. I’m not new to karate.” Bryson wordlessly pointed to Joey’s white belt. “Ah, this is borrowed. The one at home is black.”
Bryson’s eyes went wide. “I’m going to be a black belt too.”
“Awesome. Ready to get to work on that?”
Bryson nodded frantically at least four times and he was soon joined by about a dozen other children the same age and energy level. Stefanie began her class more gently than she would for the adults. After a warm-up, the adult helpers split the children into groups to learn their forms and practice their front kicks. Like every week, she had a hard time not melting in the face of the earnest effort of the kids. Almost inevitably, about once a class, a student would kick just a little too hard and fall on their backside. She always praised them when they got back up and never got tired of watching them try again, gaining pride and self-control with each effort. She paused to watch Joey teach the proper form for a side kick. While he was gentle and slow to teach the motion to the yellow belt in a high ponytail, he demonstrated one kick hard enough to send the punching bag back a few inches. Sofia giggled in response and did her best to replicate his moves. Stefanie lost her train of thought for a moment until Master Kimberly came up behind her. “You must really like this guy. You’ve never brought anyone here before.”
Stefanie did her best to appear nonchalant. “He’s new in town. Thought I’d introduce him to some of my favorite people.” She gave Master K a nudge.
Joey gave another kid a high five, his fan club growing by one more. Strength without arrogance was what they taught here, and Joey embodied it. Kimberly eyed Stefanie. “I like him.”
“You’ve known him for ten minutes. And he’s interning at my company.” Stefanie shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
“He looks a little old to be an intern.”
“Second career.”
Master K went to correct a child’s form, then returned. “Hm. Intern sounds temporary. Maybe you should go out for drinks his last day of work or something. The kids have a good sense for people. So do I.”
“I think Bryson’s side kick needs a little work.” Stefanie cleared her throat. “It isn’t quite right.” She darted off before
Master K could ask her any more questions, and a few minutes later, her class was bowing out. It was the last class of the morning and soon, Stefanie found herself alongside Joey tidying up the space.
“That was a lot of fun. Thanks for the invite.” Joey put away a large pad they used to teach the children to aim.
Stefanie bit her lip. “I was kind of hoping to find something that would throw you off. Apparently not much can do that.”
Joey smiled. “I have a huge family. A lot of little cousins. I can’t really go to a family gathering without someone, at some point, handing me a baby. You get comfortable with kids pretty quickly.”
“Oh?” Stefanie straightened the punching bags.
“I mean. I don’t have any of my own, but maybe someday.”
Stefanie put a hand on her hip. “You’re full of surprises, Joey. I figured you’d be annoyed I tricked you into teaching a class of five- and six-year-olds.” She set the last punching bag against the wall. “So, even though you aren’t annoyed, want to enjoy the peace offering I had planned?”
Joey straightened one last pile of equipment so that everything was as neat as when they’d started class. “Sure.”
Stefanie led him down to the basement and flicked on the lights. The room was full of gym equipment, from pull-up bars to free weights.
Joey was right behind her. “Whoa.”
“I’m not sure what your gym situation is at home, but since I occasionally help out, I have keys to the building. We can come here any time you want. They teach an intense workout class here twice a week, but the rest of the week, no one really uses it.”
Joey walked over to a pull-up bar and did a few. He caught her looking at him and winked at her. Her cheeks heated and she suddenly became very interested in studying the lockers. He dropped to the ground. “Nice.”
Stefanie walked over to a locker and pulled out a bag. “We got to watch the little kids do their best, but after seeing you teach, I’m curious. Want to spar? This time, for real? Don’t take it easy on me.”
Joey shook his head. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Please.” Stefanie shot him a look. “I’ve got some extra gear for you.” She tossed him a padded helmet, which he caught easily. “Unless you’re worried you’ll lose.”
“I have a feeling you aren’t going to let this go.” Joey put the helmet on and secured it while maintaining eye contact, playfulness dancing in his eyes.
For the next minute, there was only the rip and tear of Velcro pads being put into place, and the two took their sides of the mat. They bowed to each other, shook hands, and then the game was on.
Stefanie bounced around the large padded gym mats, waiting to see what Joey’s strategy would be. He moved to give her a little tap with his foot and she dodged it easily, throwing a punch at his stomach. She made contact and he gave her an appreciative nod. “Nice hit.”
Stefanie narrowed her eyes. He was still taking it easy on her. Well, she came down here every time she was stressed and she had a pretty stressful job. She could handle a little more. She tried a combination this time, and Joey blocked her, managing to get behind her. When she whirled around, he gave her a light tap on the stomach. Her pride stung but she managed to say, “You too. 1-1.”
It was hard to say how long they sparred, but soon, they’d lost track of points and were both laughing and sweaty from the effort. Eventually, they shook hands, bowed out, and found some water. Stefanie pushed her sweaty hair off her face and took a moment to enjoy the camaraderie. “No offense, J, but I think this might be the first time I’ve seen you smile that big since you’ve been here.”
“None taken.” Joey took a sip of water. "This was fun.”
“Me kicking your butt or tricking you into herding a bunch of five- and six-year-old cats?”
Joey laughed, the smile crinkling his eyes. “First of all, they were far less easy to herd than cats. Second of all, both, I think. It felt a little bit like being home. It’s been too long since I went back to visit. I haven’t felt that way for a long time.”
Stefanie tried to keep it light but her inner scientist couldn’t quite dampen her curiosity. “Why haven’t you been home?”
“I was dealing with some stuff and I didn’t want to air it out around them.” Joey ran a hand over his head.
Stefanie cleared her throat. “Didn’t want to or couldn’t?”
Joey studied her for a moment. “There’s that filter again.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be.” Joey shook his head. “It’s kind of nice, actually. My family is wonderful, supportive, and more than anything else, we are all in each other’s business. I had to handle this one on my own. It took a little longer than I expected, but I’m supposed to see everyone again in a few weeks. It’ll be good.”
“You’re very emotionally mature for someone I thought was going to be kind of an arrogant jerk.” Stefanie nudged him.
Joey put a hand to his chest. “Just ‘kind of’ an arrogant jerk? I’m so flattered. I didn’t think you liked me at first.”
“Hey, I’m admitting I was wrong here. I think I’m being the bigger person.”
Joey turned to face her and suddenly, Stefanie became aware of how close he’d gotten while they were speaking. Her heart began to pound. He met her eyes, and she wondered if she imagined a question just behind them. Their breath mingled in the shared space. The urge to do something foolish got stronger. Fortunately, the creak of the steps behind her snapped her out of it. Master K poked her head in the doorway. “I’m closing up, Stef. Just lock up when you leave.”
Stefanie jumped away from Joey and cleared her throat. “Yes, ma’am.”
Master K looked knowingly at Joey. “And you, young man, are welcome back any time. Thank you for your help today.”
“Of course.” Joey nodded, his mannerisms easy. “Thanks for letting me tag along with Stefanie.”
“Do you want to stick around for a little bit or leave with Master K?” Stefanie rose and brushed invisible dirt off her uniform.
Joey surveyed the equipment. “Let’s take off, but if Monday is a dead end, we’ll come back, okay?”
“Deal.”
Soon, Stefanie was back at her little house, making a late lunch and dancing to music while she cooked. A strange soup of worry, deep thinking, and attraction to the CIA operations officer was making her head a very uncomfortable place to be. Music was a good distraction. Hopefully, Alexis and Matt would help bring some clarity. At the very least, they would get a little backup. Her phone began to play a ringing tone, interrupting her favorite song. She smiled when she saw the name and answered the video call. “Ree, please tell me it’s just you this time.”
Ree laughed. “It’s just me. Parker is out mowing the yard and I was grading papers. I needed a break and therefore decided my little sister must be worried sick and need me.”
“This is a weird gig, Sis.” Stefanie put a hand to her forehead. “How many times have you done this?”
“Trust me. You do not want to know. But…seriously, are you doing okay? It’s beyond stressful your first time. How is Joey? He’s a mystery to all of us except Quinn and Cam, who have reassured me several times that he’s actually great.”
Stefanie let out a breath. “Your first time. Oh, sister. I have so many questions for you I’m not sure I want the answers to.” She plopped on the couch. “Where do I start? Joey taking me to the shooting range to make sure I wasn’t helpless with a gun? Or when I surprised him by asking him to help me teach a bunch of little kids karate?”
Ree gasped. “You are so bad. How quickly did the kids break him?”
“He actually had fun.” Stefanie smiled. “Then we sparred for a little bit, and I came back home to cook lunch.” She sighed. “I reiterate. This is weird.”
“You said weird twice now. You can handle anything. Oooh, you still like him. He’s single. Is he cute? I need the details.”
Stefanie closed her eyes. Ah, y
es, she was a successful professional spying for the CIA, and just like that, she felt like she was in seventh grade and her family realized she had a crush on a boy. Her sister would see right through any BS and denial would only make it worse. “He’s a little rough around the edges, but he’s got a personal connection to all of this.” She couldn’t explain why, but she didn’t really want to share Joey’s personal business with her sister without his permission. It was his story, not hers. “He’s my intern at work, so hitting on the guy the CIA sent who might not be interested in me could make things pretty awkward. Holding that thought for now and just appreciating the view.”
“Wow, appreciating the view?” Ree snorted. “How would you feel if he said that about you?”
Stefanie got up and began to dry a dish that didn’t really need it, propping her phone near the sink so she could multitask. “I have eyes, so does he. We just possess self-control.” She put the dish in the cupboard. “So, do you guys know anything else yet? Or is everyone waiting on me to meet this trio of consultants who may or may not be affiliated with a deadly spy?”
Ree shifted on the couch. “I’ll allow the redirect, I just want you to be aware that I noticed it and am being an awesome sister and letting it happen. We’re doing our research on the guys coming to see you. Quinn and Cam are feeding Joey information. Quinn knows Dmitri better than anyone else and is begging to go snooping around on the ground in Russia. Her boss said no, which is why you haven’t heard anything about it. I’ll bet that she finds a way to bring herself into this somehow.”
Stefanie picked up her phone, probably making Ree a little seasick while she gathered up a load of clothes to put in the washer. “Is that typical for Quinn?”
“Oh yeah. She has two modes – intense and off.” Ree laughed. “I love her to death and am about 99% sure she’s going to eventually be family.”