Would You, Could You

by Felicia Mires

He waited until she disappeared in the girl's changing room then ducked around the backside of the fence to the palm trees. From this vantage, he could see everyone who came and went at the pool, but they couldn't see him unless they were really looking.

  He waited fifteen minutes, but the man in the grey shirt never showed up. That didn't deter him. He had two girls to watch for. What if his quarry was even now following Lisa? He frowned as he circled the pool again, taking care to stay out of Julianne's sight. He would take a quick walk to the main building and look for Lisa. Considering the resort occupied several acres of land, this could involve quite a bit of walking. He could ask where she was, but that would leave her open to comments from co-workers about their relationship. He would also have to think of an excuse for her on why he wanted to see her. After their emotionally charged scene last night, he wasn't prepared to do that.

  As he passed the tennis courts, he noted the grey-shirted man was gone. He would have been more surprised to see him still there. He was sure the man was watching Julianne...or him.

  He trekked around the duck pond again and weaved in and out of the bungalow area. If someone was following him, he'd know it by now. He had just left the main lobby to tramp over to the golf course when he heard her voice.

  "Bob!"

  He hurried back through the automatic doors. "Good morning, beautiful. Where are you off to?"

  "I was just about to ask you the same thing. You practically ran through the lobby. Where are you going?"

  "Just looking for you. I tried the pools, the duck pond, the bungalows, the tennis courts, and I was on my way to the golf course..."

  "You needn't bother with the golf course. I rarely go that way. Only when I'm giving specialty tours."

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind several palms. "Just how often do you give these specialty tours? If I remember correctly, they end with some pretty passionate explorations."

  "Only on rare occasions...with Bob White."

  "Hmm, what I wouldn't give for one of those tours right now."

  "Do I always have to be the grown up?"

  Bob laughed. "Who followed who to their room last night? And who nearly sucked whose tonsils out?"

  "You have tonsils?"

  "You're adorable."

  She leaned up to kiss him. "I'll see you at twelve for lunch."

  "Twelve. I hope I can wait that long."

  "The breakfast buffet's still open if you're hungry."

  He caught her hand and kissed it. "You're such a tease. Bye, sweetheart."

  Lisa moved away, and Bryce checked his watch. Another two hours. He might as well go shoot something. Which gave him an excellent idea. If his ladies were going to live somewhere that kept a gun range, they were going to learn to shoot. And no one was a better teacher than him.

  When he got back to his room to shower, he found the message light blinking on the phone. Lisa, probably. But it was Julianne's voice. "Bob, I did what you said. I watched. After my tennis lesson, I saw him...but he wasn't watching me. He was watching mom. She came to bring me a protein bar, so I thought I better hang with her a while. You know, two heads are better. Anyway, I'm in her office. Gotta run."

  If they were together in Lisa's office, they were safe.

  Bryce took a quick shower and pulled on a polo and khakis. He wanted to attach his shoulder holster but wearing a gun was a little obvious.

  He got downstairs an hour before they were supposed to meet and wandered toward the offices. Through the glass, he caught sight of Julianne, shoving paper in the shredder.

  Lisa must have given her a job to keep her busy. But where was Lisa?

  He tapped on the glass.

  Julianne looked up then ran out. "It's ok. She's in the bathroom. I haven't left her all morning."

  "You want to go shower? I'll keep watch."

  "Love to."

  "Wait. Where's short and creepy?"

  "Last I saw, he was sitting in the lobby."

  Bryce glanced around the busy lobby but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "I'll watch you to the elevator. Call me when you get there and order lunch up. We'll stay inside today."

  "We could eat on the balcony."

  "Even better. Good thinking, Jujube." He slipped her a business card. "Here's my number."

  She grabbed it, reached for her bag then skipped to the elevator.

  As she stepped in, Bryce held his hand to his ear for the universal "call me" sign. She nodded, and the doors closed.

  Now to find Lisa. For a vacation, this trip was turning out to be fairly active. He ran here and there for social engagements or to keep an eye on his ladies. His ladies. He wasn't sure either one of them would appreciate the term. He liked it. He liked them.

  Lisa turned the corner from the washroom and nearly bumped into him. A smile lit her face. "Are you going to bump into me all day?"

  "Are you going to kiss me every time I do?"

  She raised her head for a quick peck. "Yes."

  "Then I am your slave, woman. Where you lead, I shall follow."

  "You and Julianne. I can't shake her either. I put her to work shredding trash." She walked past the divider for her office. "Now, where is she?"

  "Oh, I told her to take a shower before lunch. We're supposed to meet her on the balcony of your suite."

  "Really."

  He couldn't tell if she was angry at the way he'd made plans without asking, but she reached for some papers on her desk and sat down.

  That's when he saw him. The man in grey ducked out from behind the gift shop and dropped into a lounge chair, keeping a newspaper plastered to his face.

  Bryce smirked. What an amateur! No one really read a newspaper while they walked.

  "Lisa, darling..."

  "Yes?" she glanced up, smiling.

  So, she wasn't mad at his high-handed plans.

  "Darling, I'd like you to take a look at someone and tell me if you've ever seen him before."

  She blinked. He let her think about it, knowing she liked to ponder things.

  "All right, Bob. If you think I should."

  "I really do."

  She slid out of her chair and followed him away from her office. "Now what?"

  "There's a man reading a newspaper over there by the water fountain. Is there some reason you could think of to speak with your employees in the gift shop?"

  She nodded and went back to her desk for a stack of flyers then came back.

  "Take a good look at him, but don't stare."

  She walked away, and Bryce enjoyed the view of her from the back as her heels tap-tapped across the marble floors. She had gorgeous legs.

  When she passed the man in question, she dropped the flyers in his lap and across the floor.

  She gasped. "I'm so sorry. I can't believe I did that. Here, let me." She grabbed the flyers out of the man's hands, smiling all the while. She laughed when she had them all. "Can I get you anything? Coffee? Water? It's the least I can do."

  He shook his head. "No harm done."

  Lisa moved on to the gift shop where she had a short discussion about the best place to display their new brochures. When she returned through the lobby, she didn't even glance at the mysterious man.

  Bryce hurried into her office and closed the blinds. He was taking all sorts of liberties with her life today. She'd either throw him out on his ear or choose to trust him.

  She sauntered in and shut the door then sat behind her desk. "Would you like to tell me what that was all about, why you've closed my blinds, and why you've obviously been having my daughter shadow me today?"

  "Lisa, I saw someone yesterday who could have been following Julianne." At her sudden intake of breath, he held up a hand. "It might have been nothing. It's plausible to run into the same guest from time to time. But I saw him again today. I warned her to watch herself. After tennis practice, you took her a protein bar, and she saw the man following you. She decided to stay with you...all on her own."

  "I see."


  "Do you? Who is that man? Why is he watching you and Julianne? It can't be coincidence. Sweetheart, you live in a resort, which is the ideal setting for predators. You don't have an attachment to anyone. You're fair game."

  She nodded, but he didn't think she was convinced. She didn't know him well enough or trust him. "Ok, what are you thinking?"

  "I've had this job for over eighteen months and never needed your help and now you've got my daughter jumping at shadows. It's not enough that she lost her father and brother. Do you have to take her childhood, too? We barely know you. I still don't know where you work...not even the name of the company. Security...somewhere. How secretive is that?"

  "You're right. It isn't that I don't trust you-"

  "Trust me? Why should I trust you? You're the stranger who's come poking around in our lives without sharing anything at all about your own."

  "I work for the FBI."

  Her eyes widened. He let it sink in. He saw the relief flood her face when she realized he wasn't a threat, then the fear when she realized the man in grey might be.

  "Oh, Bob."

  She rushed around the desk, and he encircled her in his arms. "It's all right, sweetheart."

  "But that man..."

  "May not be anything at all."

  "I've never seen him. How can we make sure? Nothing can happen to Julianne, Bob. I can't'..."

  He kissed her forehead. "Shh. I won't let anything happen. I got a picture of the guy and I'll send it in. Having an in with the FBI ought to be good for something."

  She reached behind her and held up one of the brochures. "He touched this...at the top. I don't know why, but I thought it might help."

  "You've got great instincts."

  "No. I just watch too many cop shows with Julianne. She loves mysteries." She shook her head. "The FBI. That explains Mr. tall, dark, and completely silent about his past."

  "What happened to tall, dark, and handsome?"

  "You are definitely that. I don't know how you ever get any work done. Women must absolutely follow you around. Have you got a badge?"

  He pulled at the chain around his neck to reveal a flat packet with a golden FBI insignia, pulled it over his head and handed it to her.

  "Where's the phone book?"

  She handed back his badge. "The phone book?"

  He nodded, and she gave it to him.

  After flipping through the pages, he stuck it in her hands. "Call this number."

  "That's the FBI. You don't know your own number?"

  "I know it, but I want you to see that you're calling the real deal. Make the call. Here." He handed her a business card. "Ask to speak to this man. Give him my name and this number." He pointed.

  "Bob, I don't-"

  "Just do it, Lisa. I want you to be a true believer."

  She closed the book. "I am."

  Bryce reached for it again, found the right page, and used her fingers to dial the number. When it started to ring, he put the phone to her head.

  She did everything he'd asked, nodding from time to time as she answered the voice on the phone then handed it to him. "He wants to talk to you."

  "Hello, boss."

  "You sent me a picture. Any particular reason?"

  "Someone's been hanging around a woman and her daughter at the Silver Birches Resort."

  "Lisa and Julianne Engles."

  "Yes, sir."

  "I'll look into it."

  "How's that vacation going?"

  Bryce smiled at Lisa. "Played tennis, went swimming, saw a movie...met a lady...pretty good."

  "You watch that."

  "Oh, I intend to watch her very carefully, sir."

  He hung up the phone. "Satisfied?"

  "You didn't have to do that."

  "I wanted to. Can you trust me?"

  "You know I already do or you wouldn't be playing tennis with my daughter."

  "Speaking of Julianne. She texted me quite a while back. Let's go eat."

  Chapter 7

  Would You, Could You...Over Lunch

  Lisa really didn't know what to say to Bob after they left her office. She took the elevator ride in silence, for once, thankful that he wasn't prone to unnecessary conversation.

  He was with the FBI. Why couldn't he come out and say that to begin with? Why all the secrecy? Was he working on something now? Was Julianne in danger from that man in the lobby? Was she in danger from close proximity to Bob?

  She couldn't deal with another loss. She'd lost so much. She couldn't lose Julianne.

  When they reached her quarters, she ushered Bob in, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy for Julianne. She smiled, though her face felt strained, and the muscles in her jaw ached with the effort.

  Julianne absolutely beamed at Bob when she led him to the fireplace. In fact, Lisa didn't think she'd seen that much animation on Julianne's face since the day they'd gotten the news about the accident.

  It was all so confusing. Knowing more about Bob should have made her more relaxed, but it had opened up many more questions.

  He reached out to ruffle Julianne's hair, smiling down at her with easy camaraderie, and Julianne smiled back. If Lisa had dared to mess up her daughter's hair, there would have been words. The two of them definitely had something together. Was Lisa ready to forgo her misgivings to let her heart embrace Bob? Sneaking passionate kisses was one thing. Not that it was right, but it didn't require her to invest in a relationship. The fact that Bob never pushed for more made him seem even safer.

  Was she using him for an experiment? To feel desirable again without all the baggage that came from giving yourself to someone long-term? Was that fair to him?

  She felt his eyes on her and glanced up. He was watching her again, delving into her mind before she had a chance to know what she thought for herself. His ability to read her was uncanny. Perhaps a result of that FBI training.

  He smiled then turned back to Julianne, who was pointing out yet another of her tennis trophies.

  "And this one is the best," her daughter said with a triumphant grin, pointing at the tallest trophy on the mantle. "Last year, I won first in my age category, third in the entire tournament, and this is for best overall player."

  Bob shook his head. "No wonder I can't beat you."

  "Keep practicing...and keep your eye on the ball."

  Julianne and Bob seemed to share a secret message as they laughed with one another. Lisa took a nervous breath, not sure how she felt about their relationship. Until now, she hadn't allowed herself to wonder what it might mean if Bob wanted something more permanent. What if he didn't, and Julianne lost her heart to another father? She already looked at Bob with hero- worship. Did he really feel the same?

  He picked up the trophy, weighing it in his hands. "This thing is heavy. You could knock someone out with this."

  "Hah! You could kill someone."

  He put it back on the mantle. "The biggest trophy I ever got was about half that size...for sportsmanship."

  "Lo-ser," teased Julianne.

  "No, no. We won the championship that year, and I was on the varsity squad, first string, too. I just happen to have a very even temperament in the face of adversity."

  "I can see that. You've got an even temperament all the time...'cept when you look at my mom," she said in a stage whisper.

  "I heard that," said Lisa. "These sandwiches are going to get stale if you two don't come out to eat."

  She grabbed a pitcher of lemonade from the kitchen and set it on a tray with three glasses then walked out to the balcony. Julianne and Bob followed her out.

  Before he pulled out his chair, his lips brushed the nape of her neck. "Relax, Lisa. I'll take care of you."

  As if the strange man in the lobby was the only thing she had to worry about. The more time she and Julianne spent with Bob, the more they would lose their hearts to him. Then he would leave. The thought of that dulled the beauty of this bright sunny day under a blue and green-striped umbrella, overlooking acres
and acres of perfectly manicured green grass. It should be a sublime moment, and yet she had misgivings.

  "What happened to the daily serving of lunchtime rabbit food?" Bob asked when he saw the sandwiches.

  Julianne giggled. "I felt sorry for you and ordered this instead."

  "Thanks, Jujube. It must get expensive for you to eat room service all the time."

  "Nope. It's part of mom's salary. We get a certain food allowance."

  Bob picked up the sandwich and took a big bite. "Basically, then, I'm eating your allowance."

  "You're eatin' Mom's allowance. I get one of my own."

  "For what?" he asked in mock horror. "Playing tennis and swimming all day?"

  "Nooo, I do chores."

  "Name one."

  "I do dishes. Well...I put them in the dishwasher and unload them. And I wash clothes." She picked up her sandwich and took a bite as if that settled it.

  "Ok," said Bob. "If you can wash clothes. I usually just buy more."

  "You're kidding! What a wimp!"

  "I don't always have the luxury of an onsite laundromat or a dry cleaner."

  "Right. That security stuff."

  "That security stuff pays the bills. My sister agrees with you. She thinks I'm incredibly lazy and frivolous when it comes to clothes."

  "You have a sister?"

  He looked first at Julianne then at Lisa as if he was revealing the location of the Holy Grail. "I do. Her name is Rita. She's married and has two great boys. She lives in Alaska."

  "Alaska! I'd love to see Alaska," said Julianne with a wistful expression.

  "More than Disney?"

  "No way! Disney, first. Then Alaska."

  Bob laughed. "You do realize they are in opposite directions."

  "I've got plenty of time."

  Lisa had to smile at their antics. They were so free with each other. How could she take that away from Julianne? She needed someone to draw her out.

  "Speaking of security stuff..." began Bob.

  "Uh, actually, we were talking about the world's greatest vacation."

  "Well, now, we're going to talk about serious stuff." He set his glass on the table and looked at Lisa. "I want you to consider going to the gun range with me...both of you."

  "No."

  "Lisa..."

  "No. Julianne does not need to shoot a gun. She's twelve years old."