I cringe at calling Lucy his ex-wife, but if I tell Rover the truth before he gets to know me, he’ll think this is all personal. It’s not. It really isn’t. I keep telling myself that.
“Wait. Trip? That sounds like the guy we use to run all our searches and financial checks. Cowboy, my other boss, served with him and they’re good friends.”
“Huh, small world I guess.”
“Yes, it is. And to answer your question, yes, I’ll be good. Now I’m ready to meet this wonderful man you’ve been protecting. He sounds delightful.” Rover flashes a huge smile while he rubs his hands together.
I laugh. “You two will get along well. Let’s head to his office and wait for him.”
Despite telling me he had another meeting, guess who’s sitting in his office?
“Joseph?” I frown as I enter.
He jumps.
Yeah, he wasn’t expecting to be caught in a lie. “I’d like you to meet Rover. He and I will be rotating your security detail.”
Joseph’s mouth drops open. “What? I have two of you now?”
Rover doesn’t miss a beat. He plops down in the chair across from Joseph and puts his boots up on the desk which Joseph stares at with disgust. “Yes, sir. You are important to this university, and they want to ensure your safety. To do that, you need two of us.”
“Great,” he mutters.
“Good! I’m glad you’re looking forward to it,” Rover says. “Now, normally, Cody will take the days and I’ll take the nights, but for today, Cody is going to leave a little early. That will give us plenty of time to get acquainted.”
Joseph looks at me like I’ll save him, but I’m trying really hard not to laugh.
I can tell right away that Rover won’t take any of Joseph’s shit. Hell, I’d love to be a fly on the wall when he tries to escape tonight.
I’m biting my cheek, trying not to smile. For added measure, Rover pulls a piece of bubble gum from his pocket.
“Want some?” he offers Joseph, who frowns.
“It’s pretty tasty.” Rover plops a piece in his mouth and starts smacking it loudly.
“Thank you for introducing me, Cody,” Rover continues. “Feel free to go. We’ll be just fine. Won’t we, Joseph?”
Joseph stares at me, then turns back to him. “Sure.” He gives him a fake smile.
My smile is much less fake. “Thanks, Rover. Joseph, I’ll see you in the morning.”
As soon as I’m out of the office, I let the laughter loose. I already really like Rover.
It’s getting late, and Lucy’s last class will end soon. Hopefully, Ted won’t be there. I haven’t been able to get him out of my mind since he stopped by to take her to lunch last week.
Is he her boyfriend? He seemed too stuffy for her, with the top button of his button-up cinched tight. But then, I never would have guessed Joseph was her type either. Maybe it’s me who is no longer her type.
It doesn’t matter; she needs protection. My face will be the one she sees at the end of her last class.
CHAPTER6
Lucy
“Professor Taylor?”
I turn to see one of my students staring at me, confused. I have no recollection of what I said, but I know my thoughts drifted back to Cody.
It’s been days since I’ve seen him. For all I know, I might not see him again. Yet I can’t stop thinking about him. It isn’t helping that Randy is in class today, and I’m also thinking about how to ensure I’m not the last one here.
