“I agree.” Lyndsey’s sigh rustled through the phone. “Hopefully, her parents won’t give her too much grief when she finds a place of her own. I think they’re hoping she’ll stay with them.”
Isla nodded. “Yeah, I can totally see them wanting to have their baby girl back under their roof.”
Lyndsey laughed. “Exactly. But Em has already started looking online for places and has a few showings lined up for Sunday. Can you come too? She was hoping to have us weigh in on some of her options.”
“Yes. Of course,” she said. “I’d be happy to help out.”
“As long as it doesn’t interfere with your studies, though,” Lyndsey said. “She made me promise to stress that to you.”
Isla laughed. “It won’t. I have to write up a detailed assessment of today’s clinical, but I’ll be starting that right after I eat tonight and will now have the incentive to finish it tomorrow so I can enjoy Sunday with both of you.”
“Perfect. So…” Her cousin paused, her tone suddenly sounding off. “How was your walk home tonight?”
“Uh…” She frowned. “It was fine. Why?”
“What do you think of your neighbor, Sinjin?” her cousin asked. “I heard he walked you home.”
Her brows shot up. “Wow, that was less than a few minutes ago. How did you know that?”
Lyndsey’s chuckle filled her ear. “I have spies everywhere.”
Now it was Isla’s turn to chuckle. “Right. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Seriously, though. How was the walk? Are you okay?”
Isla jerked her head back. “Of course, I am. Why? Sinjin was very polite.”
Maybe a little too quiet, but definitely polite.
“That’s good.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And?”
“And what?”
“And why did you ask me that?” Her frown increased. “What’s wrong with Sinjin? He works for ESI, and you told me everyone employed there was upstanding and reliable, right?”
“Yes.”
This conversation was getting annoying, but she held her aggravation in check.
“But?”
“Well, Gabe mentioned that Sinjin had gone into black ops after leaving the military, so you know… he’s probably done some dark stuff,” Lyndsey informed. “Just be careful.”
“There’s no need,” she said, not at all alarmed by what her cousin’s husband had to say about Sinjin. “He just walked me home. Doubt I’ll ever see him again.”
Why did that thought make her stomach tighten?
Lyndsey snorted. “He lives across from you. Of course, you’ll see him again.”
“Good. I hope so.” She smiled at the sound of her cousin’s indrawn breath.
“Oh, no. This is not good,” Lyndsey muttered. “I know that tone. He is not a rescue or a coed in need of advice. Don’t try to fix this guy, Isla. He’s dangerous. Stay away from him, okay?”
She shook her head. “I can’t do that.”
“Isla!”
