Nick headed to the stairwell, years of practice keeping his pace leisurely so as not to draw attention, despite his desire to run. As soon as the door swung shut behind him, he took the stairs two at a time.
The bedroom was empty. Tyler must’ve disappeared with Layla. Nick couldn’t blame him for trying to escape the crushing tension. Two twin beds were crammed into the space, and a tiny desk had been stuffed into a corner. At least this bedroom had a private bathroom. He’d stayed in his fair share of hotels that had one communal washroom for the entire floor.
Paige had talked endlessly about her desire to tour Europe. He’d wanted to tell her how wonderful it was—the way history seemed to ooze from the cobblestone and bricks. But Paige only knew his cover story. It would’ve been hard to explain why an accountant had spent so much time in Europe without seeing any of the typical tourist sites.
He was glad she’d finally made it here. Hopefully his presence didn’t ruin her summer. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her more than he already had.
There was still time to disappear before the tour officially began tomorrow. He could go home to his sparsely furnished apartment in Virginia and resume his research. He had a few contacts at the agency who might be willing to help.
But everything had gone wrong in Europe. It was why he’d come back, despite his hesitations.
He’d talk to Don before making any decisions.
Nick shrugged into a jacket, then grabbed his laptop. The holster of his gun pressed against the small of his back, a comforting and constant presence. They might’ve made him turn in his badge—put him on suspension until the higher-ups could determine his fate—but he still had his weapon. He had the heart of an agent.
Outside, he found a small park right across the street from the hotel. Trees shaded the dirt pathways, allowing light to filter through and warm the air. The smell of damp dirt filled his nostrils as he entered the small sanctuary. An older gentleman walked past with a dog on his leash, but otherwise, the area was quiet.
Nick picked a bench, settling in. Time to call Don.
The phone clicked on mid-ring. “Hello?” Don’s voice was high and a little effeminate. Nick could almost see him sitting at his kitchen table in silk pajamas, sipping a cup of coffee as he perused the paper. The guys had teased him mercilessly during agency training. Nick hadn’t been surprised when Don turned in his badge after only a year, moved to England, and started Destiny Tours.
“Paige is here,” Nick said, making his voice as rough as razor blades. “That wasn’t part of the deal, Don.”
“Paige?” He sounded genuinely confused.
“Paige Eldredge.” The sound of her name cut like a knife. “If I’d known she was one of the chaperones, I never would’ve come. But you knew that, didn’t you?”
“If you’re going to yell at me, fine.” Don’s voice was even and unruffled. “But at least tell me what I’ve done wrong, so that I can feel properly chastised.”
Nick frowned, listening to the nuance of Don’s tone, checking for any hint of deception. Was it possible that Don really hadn’t known who Paige was? Nick flashed back to the last six months of conversation with his friend. He’d mentioned he was dating someone from D.C. Don knew that a mission had effectively ended the relationship. But it wasn’t like Nick had gone on and on about her.
“Paige—the chaperone you hired for this trip.”
“Yes?” Don said, his tone polite.
“She’s the Paige—the one I dated in D.C. The one I dumped in an email.”
“Oh.” Don’s voice rose, and Nick could imagine him pushing away the paper as he sat straighter in his chair. “Oh. I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
“If you’re lying to me—”
“I’m not. I think you did tell me her name was Paige, and of course I knew she was in D.C. But I never imagined I was hiring the same girl.”
“Why did you hire her?”
“She’s a PhD student at Georgetown. Her letter of recommendation was impeccable. I would’ve been an idiot not to.”
Nick knew that Don was right, and he hated it. “I should leave right now. I didn’t sign up for a summer of relationship complications.”
“You can’t leave. I know things might be a little uncomfortable with you and Paige. And I’m sorry about that. But if you leave, the kids will be in danger.” He lowered his voice. “The kidnappers almost succeeded last summer. If they try again—if they’re successful—it’ll be the end of me. Please, Nick. I need you.”
“Then come protect the kids yourself.”
Don snorted. “You know I can’t do that. That’s field agent work.”
“She looked at me like I was a pariah.”
“Please. You’ve faced down armed assassins—you can handle one scorned ex-girlfriend. I’m not taking no for an answer here. You promised you’d help. If you back out now, I’ll have to cancel the trip. The news about last year’s kidnapping attempt will get out. My company will be completely ruined, which means I’ll go bankrupt. You’re not going to do that to me, now, are you?”
Nick clenched his jaw. “That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair. You should know that better than anyone. Call me if there are any problems.” And the line went dead.
Nick stared at the phone, resentment curling in his stomach. That had been a low blow. Don didn’t know much about the failed mission in Amsterdam. But he knew Devin was dead, and Nick was suspended. Don had inferred the rest.
Nick could still quit. He seriously doubted that Don would cancel the trip and send everyone home. But what if a kid was kidnapped on the trip? Nick would never forgive himself.
And he still needed answers about Devin’s death. He’d gotten nowhere in Virginia, holed up in his apartment with his computer. He’d followed every lead he could find, no matter how unlikely, and gotten nowhere. Maybe he’d make more progress here.
He opened his laptop and pulled up the encrypted document of information he’d spent the last few months tracing. It had been slow, arduous work. On the surface, all the reports of the Amsterdam mission seemed in order. But from the moment he’d gotten the call telling him to be on the next flight out of D.C., he’d felt a twinge in his gut that told him something was wrong.
Devin had died because Nick hadn’t listened to that feeling.
He stared at the list of information, trying to see where the hole was. Their mission had been to intercept a shipment of blood diamonds from Africa. One of the analysts had recovered a phone conversation that hinted the kingpin of the smuggling operation would personally receive the shipment. Nick and his team had been dispatched immediately, but the raid had turned into a blood bath. The kingpin hadn’t been there. The shipping containers hadn’t been filled with diamonds. And Devin, along with three other agents, had died.
Nick dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, his mind aching. He’d been over this information a thousand times. It was obvious someone planted the intel, but what he hadn’t figured out was how—and by whom.
It had to be an inside job. It was the only thing that made sense. But the internal investigation had turned up nothing, and his superiors were growing tired of Nick’s obsession.
A group of laughing teens approached the hotel and disappeared inside, and Nick knew the first wave of students had arrived. Time to get to work. Last summer, a group of criminals targeted the tour, eager to make a quick buck. Wealthy American teenagers made kidnapping for ransom an appealing option.
Nick walked across the street and into the hotel. He stopped inside the tiny lobby, letting his eyes adjust to the dim lighting. An employee stood behind the small reception desk, talking in animated French to a young couple who held each other close. The girl had long strawberry blonde hair and stood nearly a foot shorter than her tall, lanky companion. Nick flipped through the list of student names Don had given him, wondering if these two were on the list. The elevator clanged to a stop a few feet away.
And Paige sat on
a chair near the window, reading. The whisper of pages brought back memories of Sunday afternoons spent lying underneath a shade tree, his head resting in Paige’s lap as she read a book and he dozed.
A lump caught in his throat, and he swallowed it back. How was he going to deal with the Paige problem this summer?
She didn’t look up, too engrossed in whatever historical novel she was doubtlessly devouring. It reminded him so much of the first time he saw her that he could almost taste the coffee.
At Devin’s recommendation, he’d stopped by a new coffee shop on his way to the agency office. He should’ve known by the address—less than a block from the Georgetown campus—that it wouldn’t be his scene. The shop had been crowded and chaotic, filled with hipsters arguing over existential issues. The noise had nearly deafened him, an assault on the senses he couldn’t wait to escape.
He grabbed his cup and saw her, sitting all alone in the middle of the shop. She read a textbook as though it was the most fascinating thing in the world, completely oblivious to the chaos surrounding her. She wore no makeup, and a pencil held her copper-colored hair off her neck in some sort of twist.
He had to meet her.
Without consciously making the decision to do so, he sat at her table. She didn’t look up, still reading the textbook—An In-Depth Look at the French Revolution.
Nick cleared his throat. She kept reading. He chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. Her posture was relaxed, her eyes glued to the page. She really hadn’t noticed him. He’d never met a civilian with the ability to hyper-focus like this.
“Hello,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind that I sat down.”
Her eyes floated up from the book, a deep sapphire blue that pulled him in. She had a dazed expression, like she was still lost in the book. “Oh,” she said. “Hi.”
“I had no idea the French Revolution was so engrossing.”
She smiled, and it did odd things to his heart. “Did you know that Marie Antoinette never said ‘Let them eat cake’? Many historians believe that a look-alike was actually planted in the market to incite a riot.”
“I had no idea,” Nick said. “But let me take you out to dinner this weekend. I want to hear all about it.”
He still couldn’t believe she’d said yes. Sometimes, he wished she hadn’t. It would’ve been easier for both of them.
She had that same laser-focus now. Her feet were tucked beneath her, book angled toward the window for the best lighting. Nick’s legs pulled him toward her, a gravitational force he couldn’t fight.
She continued reading for nearly a minute before looking up. Her eyes were soft, with the bewildered look she always had when emerging from an interesting read. She shut the book, and her brow turned down in a scowl.
“Oh,” she said. “It’s you.”
His chest ached, and he longed to reach out and brush her hair behind one ear. He could almost feel the silky strands. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“I was startled when you showed up this morning. Now I’m just annoyed.”
He swallowed. “I guess I deserve that.”
She folded her arms, clutching the book to her chest. “This summer is really important to me, Nick. It’s an invaluable research opportunity. I don’t need any … distractions.”
His mouth quirked up at her word choice—did she still think of him that way? She’d often accused him of making her forget her studies. But she was right—they both had a job to do, and there was no space for relationship drama.
“I’m not here to ruin your summer,” he said. “I’m here to work, like you.”
“Great. I’ll stay out of your way, if you’ll stay out of mine. I’d better go.” She rose and practically ran from the room.
What had just happened?
Layla strolled into the room, pausing as Paige slipped past. Layla raised an eyebrow at Nick and slid into the seat that Paige had vacated.
“What did you do to Paige?” Layla asked. “She looked mad.”
What would he have done—how would he have reacted—if their roles were reversed? If Paige had disappeared suddenly, with only a three-sentence email to explain.
His heart twisted. She deserved so much better. “Yeah, I think she is.”
Layla wrinkled her nose. “What did you do?”
“What makes you think it’s my fault?”
“You’re the guy. It’s always your fault.” She smiled and took a bite of an apple. “Seriously, though. What’s the deal with you two?”
How did he sum up their whirlwind relationship in a sentence? He had to say something. Layla and Tyler already knew he and Paige had dated, and the tension at breakfast has been evidence it hadn’t ended well.
Best to fess up to his part in the destruction. “I broke up with her in a very ungentlemanly way.”
Now Layla folded her arms, her posture defensive. “What does that mean?”
“I might have broken up with her in an email.”
“Oh geez. No wonder she looks so mad. An email? Really?”
The front door opened, and three more teenagers walked inside. Nick flicked his gaze back to Layla. “I know.”
Layla sighed, her eyes full of disappointment. “You seem like a nice guy, Nick. Why such a jerk move?”
“It’s complicated.”
“It always is. I got the sense this morning that she can be a little intense. She seemed really nice, though, until you came along. Now it all makes sense.”
“I handled the situation all wrong.”
Layla’s gaze didn’t wave. When she spoke, her tone was even and voice calm. “Okay. So how are you going to handle it now?”
Nick shrugged. “That’s the question of the hour, isn’t it?”
He thought about how Paige for the rest of the day. He stayed close to the hotel, keeping a watchful eye on the teenagers as they arrived in small groups. He caught sight of Paige a few times, always close to a laughing Layla. Her arms were folded and shoulders hunched, but she smiled and kept up a steady conversation. He was so proud of her for accepting this job. The unfamiliar situation doubtlessly had her nerves frayed, but she was trying to push past it.
He’d missed her so much.
And now that she’s here, what are you going to do about it? Nick asked himself. He had two options—keep his distance from Paige or try to make up for what he’d done.
He did another lap around the hotel, finding nothing suspicious. As he walked into the lobby, he heard Paige laugh. Her husky alto voice immediately elicited goosebumps all over his flesh. His mind flashed back to pressing her against his car door under a full moon, kissing her breathless. Her fingers running through his hair. Her waist held tightly between his hands.
And now he knew—he didn’t have a choice.
Paige was here.
And he was going to win her back.
Paige stood in the doorway of the breakfast room, trepidation making her palms sweat as she took in the twenty teenagers filling the space. The chaperones had met that morning and decided that Layla would lead the orientation, but that didn’t help Paige’s nerves. The excited chatter washed over her, and she took a step back, suddenly wishing she was back in the small library housed in her father’s impressive brownstone.
An arm brushed against hers. She jerked away, refusing to look at Nick. Just because they were now coworkers didn’t mean they had to speak to each other any more than absolutely necessary.
A petite girl with strawberry blonde hair shrieked and jumped, knocking a bagel off the platter. The gangly boy behind her caught it with a laugh.
“Ryan Daniel West!” the girl yelled, swatting him on the shoulder. “Don’t scare me like that.”
One of his arms snaked around the girl’s waist. “Like what?”
“You know what I’m talking about.” She pushed against his shoulder, but laughed when he pulled her closer.
“I dare you to try and stay mad at me,” he said. “It’s impossible.”
“Is that so?” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Then she yanked the bagel out of his hand and pranced to a chair.
Teenagers. Why on earth had Paige thought she could do this? Her heart was somewhere in the region of her throat. If she tried to eat, no doubt her stomach would immediately rebel.
“It’ll be fine,” Nick whispered, his tone soft and soothing. “It’s only scary until it’s familiar, remember?”
Paige folded her arms, not acknowledging him. She’d struggled with mild anxiety ever since her mother’s death, when Paige was only eight. Nick had somehow always known when to push her, and when to offer reassurances and let her be.
She hated that he still knew her so well. She hated that he was here.
“It’s seven o’clock,” Nick said, loudly enough for Layla and Tyler to hear.
Layla looked at her watch. “Time to get started, then. Are you guys ready?”
“We’ll follow your lead,” Tyler said.
He and Nick both looked completely at ease. So did Layla, for that matter. Paige tried to swallow the softball in her throat as she nodded her assent.
Nick’s hand grasped hers in a reassuring squeeze. The movement was so brief, Paige wondered if she’d imagined it. Then she was following Layla to the front of the room on shaky legs, hoping her smile didn’t look like a grimace. She wanted these kids to like her. Needed this summer to go well.
Nick ran a hand over his unshaved jaw, and her stomach gave a swoop.
“Hey, guys,” Layla said, raising her voice to be heard over the din of excited students. “If we can settle down for a minute, we’ve got some information to go over.”
The noise level slowly decreased, but two girls near the back couldn’t seem to stop giggling. What was Paige going to do if she had to discipline these kids? Layla couldn’t even get them to stay quiet for orientation.
Paige picked a faded fleur-de-leis on the back wall and focused on it.
Kiss Me in the Moonlight (Destined for Love: Europe) Page 2