by Susanna Carr
Perry turned to the group. “Let’s get the guest of honor some coffee cake.”
“Eric left?” she repeated weakly.
“That reminds me…” Perry snapped his fingers and reached into his pocket. He pulled out an inner-office envelope. “Eric says congratulations and he wanted me to give you this.”
She grabbed the brown envelope from Perry’s hands and clutched it to her chest. She had no idea what was inside, or what he wrote. Her heart was galloping as she made her way to a corner and cautiously opened the heavy envelope.
Julie—forget everything I said that morning. You will make a great detective. I’m glad we’re on the same side.
E
She tipped the contents into her hands. Her cell phone slid out along with a gold cigarette lighter and Swiss Army knife.
Julie bit her lip as she stared at the gift. He remembered her joke about how a detective only needed a cell phone, lighter and pocketknife. It should make her smile but she was breaking inside.
Because she knew what he was saying with the gift. She would be fine on her own. He didn’t need to watch over her anymore.
It was what she’d always wanted. His respect. His belief in her abilities. But it wasn’t enough. She was greedy. She wanted the whole dream.
15
Two months later
JULIE FLINCHED WHEN SHE heard the ball crashing against the pins. She looked up just as Asia exclaimed with joy and punched her fists high in the air. The electronic beep and whoops of the overhead monitor declared a strike.
So that was what a strike sounded like. Julie yawned and drank the last of her warm soda. She never did like bowling.
“Congratulations,” Julie said as she discreetly removed the earpiece and slipped it inside her purse. “Looks like you won. Again.”
“I wonder how high I could really score,” her friend said as she looked at the scoreboard. “It was so tempting to let the ball fly tonight.”
“That would have ruined our decoy assignment. Those guys would have been too intimidated to talk to us. You know, that’s why I threw only gutter balls.”
“Oh, is that why?” Asia said in a teasing tone. “That was so great of you for swallowing your pride and taking one for the team.”
“Just do me a favor and erase my bowling score from the video feed. I don’t want to see that showing up during the highlight reel at the next Christmas party.”
Asia smiled. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Julie stretched and rubbed her hand against her back. She had spent the past few hours bowling and flirting with a bunch of suspected cheaters. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I miss the nightclub.”
Asia patted Julie’s arm. “That nightclub is so boring. It’s the same people dancing to the same songs and giving the same pick-up lines.”
“Maybe.” She bent down to take off her rented shoes. “But at least I get to wear stilettos at the nightclub.”
“That’s true. And who knew those bowling shoes were so dangerous. When you slipped, I thought you were going to slide down that alley. You recovered well.”
“Thank you.”
“I kept scuffing the soles of my shoes after that. But don’t I look cute? What do you think of Bowling Asia?” She raised her arms and twirled like a model on the runway.
“Adorable. Only you could rock that shade of yellow.” Her friend wore baggy jeans and an oversized bowling shirt that hid their brand-new video feed, but it couldn’t diminish her glamour. The bowlers on the other lane, including Julie’s target, had been showing off to catch Asia’s attention.
“We should pair up again,” Asia said as she gathered her shoes from under the plastic chair. “I forgot how fun it was to be out in the field.”
“I’m all for it.” It was different and had its own challenges, but she liked it. She and Asia worked in tandem, but she missed working with Eric.
Eric. She needed to stop thinking about him. He had never called or emailed. Their fling was officially over.
“Everyone is meeting up at the pizza place across the parking lot,” Asia said. “Come celebrate with us.”
She’d rather curl up in bed and pull the covers over her head. “Thanks, but I’m not really in the mood.”
“Julie, I insist. You did a super job as a decoy. Because of you, we got some great video of Wade cheating on his girlfriend.”
“Wade would have stuck his tongue down any
woman’s throat. It just happened to be mine.” She shuddered from the memory. Either decoying was getting easier or their targets were getting slimier.
“I thought he was a creep even before he offered you money for sex,” Asia confided as they walked to the main desk with their rental shoes.
“Can you imagine what he would have pulled if I had worn my Trashy Julie alias? You would have had to use your kung fu on him.”
“With pleasure.” She placed the shoes on the counter and looked at Julie’s white T-shirt, faded jeans and knee-high boots. “Which alias are you?”
“No alias.” She didn’t feel as if she needed to hide under a sexy disguise. “It’s just me.”
“I approve,” Asia said with a smile. “You’ll have to let me wear those boots for my date tomorrow.”
Asia wanted to borrow her clothes? That surprised Julie. Maybe she had kept some elements of her sexy aliases in her everyday clothes. “Sure, but I don’t think we’re the same size.”
“I’ll squeeze into them.” Asia slung her arm over Julie’s shoulder as they walked by the arcade. “Now tell me the truth. You’re not getting bored with decoying, are you?”
“No.” She should have realized that her general lack of enthusiasm was becoming noticeable. “I don’t want to do it forever, but I like having a chance to brush up my skills.”
“Is there anything else that’s bothering you?”
“The guys I meet in the line of work are awful.” She couldn’t stop comparing the men to how great Eric had been with her. “I really want to call up Wade’s girlfriend and tell her to get out now.”
“She’ll make that decision once she sees these pictures.” Asia patted the button of her shirt that was the video feed.
“And I can’t help think how great I had it with Eric,” Julie confessed as they walked out of the bowling alley. “I should make up an excuse to contact him. What do you think?”
“Forget about him,” Asia said bluntly. “If he hasn’t contacted you by now, he never will.”
Julie stopped in the middle of the parking lot. That wasn’t the advice she wanted to hear. “Didn’t you once tell me to stop fantasizing and go for it?”
“You had a wonderful time with Eric, but it was never meant to be permanent. It ran its course. You shouldn’t concentrate on the fact that it’s over. Celebrate the fact that it happened.”
That sounded oddly familiar. “Are you quoting Dr. Seuss?”
“Paraphrasing,” Asia said with a guilty smile. “But the guy is wise.”
Maybe one day she would remember Eric without the pain and misery. Right now it hurt just thinking about him and what she had lost.
“If you’re feeling social, come by for a slice,” Asia said as she headed for the pizzeria. “The peppers they use are so hot it will wipe out the taste of Wade.”
Julie made a face and stuck out her tongue as if it was contaminated. “Nights like these make me wish I got to work on the security contract for Z-Ray.”
“You’ll get there,” Asia said and waved goodbye.
Julie gave a small smile as she walked over to her car, which was parked directly under a light and in plain view of the bowling alley entrance. One day she would get to work on a prestigious contract. With a little patience and a lot of studying, she’ll have her dream job.
> Julie pulled her keys from her purse and reached her MINI Cooper when a shadow fell upon her. Her heart lurched and instincts kicked in. Julie whirled around on her heel and struck out her arm. Her fist collided with a large hand. She tried to pull back but her assailant grabbed her wrist and immobilized her with little effort.
“You’re getting better.”
Eric? She stared at him as the call to fight seeped from her body. She must be hallucinating. He seemed taller. Leaner. And, damn it, sexier.
He let go of her wrist and slid his hands into his pockets. “Now what is a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?”
* * *
ERIC SAW JULIE’S EYES narrow before she crossed her arms and braced her legs. She wasn’t happy to see him. At least she didn’t try to throw another punch.
He didn’t blame her for being angry. He had tried to be honorable, but that bit him in the ass. Typical. He had been in the wrong and hoped it wasn’t too late to correct his mistakes.
Julie’s gaze went from his head to his feet. “Where’s a Taser gun when you need one?”
Eric raised his eyebrows. “No need to get violent.”
“Bowling does that to me,” she said, clenching her hands at her side.
“I thought you were on a decoy assignment.”
“I was. We just finished and everyone is at the pizzeria. Why don’t you go over and say hello to them?”
“Maybe later.” He didn’t want to be with anyone else. He wanted Julie.
She had haunted his dreams until he couldn’t sleep. He missed her warmth and generous spirit. He wanted to be surprised by her crazy plans and be part of her world.
Julie didn’t look lovesick and wasn’t wasting away. From what Perry had said in emails, Julie had developed into a strong and confident woman. Eric studied the fitted T-shirt and snug jeans. “No alias tonight?”
“No,” she replied sharply. “How did you know?”
“Because I know you well. I can see you through the aliases. To the real you.” He saw her guarded expression and knew it was time to shut up.
“What are you doing here, Eric?”
He decided to play it casual since Julie wasn’t thrilled to see him. He hadn’t expected her to throw her arms around him…. No, that wasn’t true. He had hoped for an enthusiastic welcome. He should have known better. It’d been two long months.
“I was here to discuss the Jeremiah Boone case with the lawyers,” he said. “I decided to check up on Perry, as well. He told me where you were.”
“And you might as well see how I’m doing since you were in the neighborhood?” Her nostrils flared as she reined in her anger. “No need. I’m doing fine. Better than fine.”
“So I hear. You’re training to become a private investigator.” It wasn’t right to feel proud. He had nothing to do with it, but he was pleased that the incident with Jeremiah Boone didn’t prevent Julie from focusing on her dreams.
“That’s right. I’m working toward a license.”
He smiled. “And what’s this about being the star pupil in self-defense?”
Julie shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You said yourself that I suck at self-defense.”
His smile faded. “I told you to forget everything I said that day.” He had tried to keep her away from a dangerous situation, but instead, he had said things that could have permanently crushed her spirit.
“You didn’t tell me. You wrote a letter that explained nothing.” She glared at him. “I never took you for a coward.”
This reunion wasn’t going as planned. Eric nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “I had to return to D.C. and was immediately thrown into handling a crisis.”
“That is not a good excuse.” She pointed at him with an accusing finger. “You could have at least tried to contact me.”
“Okay, I couldn’t face you,” he admitted rawly. “How could I, knowing that I fell short in your eyes?”
Her jaw dropped. “That’s not true. Who told you that? Whoever they were, they lied.”
“No one had to tell me. You were always looking at me as if I’m a hero.” He lowered his gaze in shame. “I wanted to be your hero, but I failed to protect you in Boone’s office.”
“You protected me,” Julie argued. “You were injured and hurting, but you tackled that crazy woman with a Taser gun.”
“It never should have escalated like that.” He thrust his fingers in his hair as he remembered that moment in the parking lot. Pure terror had flooded his heart when he had seen Julie collapse to the ground. “Your safety had been at risk because of my error of judgment.”
“Is that why you left without saying goodbye? Because you thought I was disappointed in you?”
“It wasn’t until we were giving our statements to the police. As I was telling them what happened, I realized I was an obstacle for you. I was blocking you from living out your dreams. You don’t need to put up with that. And my leaving was the best thing for you.”
“How do you figure that?”
“You now work in a very supportive environment. Perry listens to your ideas. Your coworkers admire your skills and they will do anything to help you.”
“I had that with you, too.” She took a step forward. “You didn’t agree with me on everything, but that was a good thing. I didn’t need a yes-man or a groupie. I needed a partner.”
“You don’t need me now.” It hurt to say it. He once thought Julie couldn’t do anything without him, but she’d proved him wrong every step of the way. “You accomplished everything by yourself. You hunted for crucial information and you put the puzzle together. I couldn’t help you when you faced Jeremiah.”
“So you weren’t at the top of your game that day. It happens.” She reached out and touched his arm. “You shouldn’t throw away a partnership because of one bad day.”
“Is that what we had? A partnership?”
“You didn’t see me as a partner.” She dropped her hand. “You saw me as your protégée or your responsibility.”
“You’re right, I did. I should have seen what we really were—a couple.”
“We were never a couple,” she said flippantly. “I was Batman and you were Robin.”
“I’m serious, Julie.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “Tell me the truth. Are you still in love with me?”
She looked away. “After how you left me? What do you think?”
“I think you are.” He hoped and prayed that she was. “You’re not one who would easily fall out of love.”
She tried to shrug off his hand. “You sound very arrogant.”
“I wanted to be a hero in your eyes,” he confessed.
“You are, Eric,” she said quietly and faced him. “But not in the ways that you think. I’m not expecting you to cheat death or sacrifice your freedom to be a hero.”
“What do you think is a hero?”
“It’s in the way you take care of those around you. Like…” She gestured with her hands as she tried to explain. “Like how you let everyone have their moment in the sun.”
“That’s not heroic.”
“It is to us. You took care of us as if we were your family. You took the time to teach us the skills we needed, even though it wasn’t in your job description. You always looked after us.”
“I thought you found my protective nature suffocating.”
“I did sometimes. But the reason you are my hero is because your heart was in the right place. Even when I was messing up and didn’t have any experience to fall back on, you still supported my dream of becoming a private eye.”
He cradled her face in his hands. “I tried to stay away. I thought it was for the best, but I missed you.”
“Good,” she said. “I’m glad to hear I’m not the only
one who suffered.”
“I quit my job,” he revealed as he caressed her cheeks with his fingers.
She stiffened in his hold. “Why the hell did you do that?”
“I’m moving here. For good.” Eric watched her expression. She didn’t look happy. Julie looked confused and distrustful.
“To help Perry?” she asked cautiously.
“No, I’m here because you’re here.” He pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “I’m in love with you and I want to share my life with you.”
His heart ached as time stood still. Was she going to accept his love, or would she push him away?
“You’re going to regret it,” she whispered. “You’ll get bored with the job. With me.”
He looked into her eyes. “Never,” he promised. “You are the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me.”
She tilted her head away. “I seriously doubt that.”
“Then I’ll show you every day how much you excite me. I want to wake up with you every morning and hold you in my arms every night.”
“Go on.”
“I want you at my side at work. I’ll request that we work as partners. Equal partners.”
“Are you sure you want to do that? You are a former special agent. You spent your whole career fighting crime. I spent mine folding uniforms.”
“We’re bringing our strengths and weaknesses to the table. Your instincts and my experience. Your enthusiasm will balance out my caution.”
“We make a good team,” she said, warming up to the idea. “But before you get any crazy notions, I want you to know that I’m not giving back the office. It’s mine now, fair and square.”
“We could share. We’re partners, after all,” he said, gathering her close. He didn’t want to take that office from Julie. She’d hated her cubicle and the workspace represented her hard-won success. But he couldn’t resist teasing her.
“No, but nice try.”
“Yeah, that wouldn’t be a good idea,” he agreed as he brushed his mouth against her forehead and swept his lips against her closed eyes. “We’d never get any work done.”