Covert Affairs

by Rhonda Laurel

  “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. H
e 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 f
or 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.