Charlielooks horrified. “No!I’mnot prepared for that.Wecame to get a sense of what kind of a guy he is.Wegot that.Nowlet’s go.”
Weall look at the tablet inMackenzie’shands to watch for an opening so we can leave undetected.Butinstead of turning his back to us so we can leave,Owenmisses catching the pliers he’s tossing.Hetries to recover, though, and instead hits the pliers in a way that sends them sailing out in front of him, and they skid to a stop just past the pallets of bricks, right next toCharlie.Owenimmediately looks around, probably self-conscious as to whether anyone witnessed it.
Fora beat, we all just stare at the tool.
Inour ears,Jacesays, “Charlie.Pickthem up and go give them to him.”
“Ican’t!” she hisses. “WhatamIsupposed to do, just pop up from hiding?Thatwould be so awkward!”
“Idon’t know,”Blakesays. “Itdoesn’t sound as awkward as him coming to pick them up himself and seeing the four of you hunkered down behind the bricks.”
“It’sokay,”Emersonsays in our ears. “We’vegot your back.Youcan do this.”
Charlietakes a deep breath and then turns partially toward us. “Okay, fine.Stayon alert for an emergency extraction, though.Listenfor me to say the phrase ‘MangoTango’ in our conversation.”Shereaches forward, picks up the pliers, and stands up asOwengets within five feet of us.Thenshe says, “Hi, neighbor.”
Owenstartles at seeingCharliesuddenly appear, andIam glued to the screen inMackenzie’shands, right along withLedger.
“Sorry,”Charliesays, “Iwas just walking along and had to tie my shoe, and thenIsaw your pliers, or whatever these are.”
Owenglances down atCharlie’sshoes, which don’t have laces.Hedoesn’t say anything, though.
Iwhisper toLedger, “Shecould never be a field operative, could she?”
“She’sa brilliant handler.Actually, she’s pretty brilliant in general.Butno.Shedoesn’t like to be seen, which is why she’s always on comms and never in the field.”
Charliekeeps talking, a million miles a minute, a nervous smile never leaving her face. “Anyway,Ifigured that you picked up my dropped, uh, clothes and brought them to me, soIthoughtIwould return the favor and pick up your dropped pliers.”
“Thanks,” he says, taking them from her, playing with them a moment, and then putting them back in his tool belt.
“So, you’re fixing this building?”I’mhearingCharliedouble— in real life and through the mic she’s got hidden in her necklace.
“Yep!I’mrestoring her to her former elegance.Withmodern amenities, of course.Ijust gave a little boy a ‘before’ tour.Wouldyou like one, too?”
Fora moment,IthinkCharliewill respond with, “MangoTango!MangoTango!” but thenJacesays in our ears, “Tellhim yes!”
“I’dlove that,”Charliesays.
Theyturn to head back toward the building, andLedgerwhispers, “Maybewe should go back to the car to wait for her.”
“Goodidea,”Mackenziesays. “Thenwe cangetZoeoff that broken leg.Charlieis wearing the camera and mic so we can watch from anywhere.”
Aloud squeak sounds fromCharlie.
“Okay,”Mackenziesays into her mic. “Wewon’t watch.Youjust get your flirt on, girl!”
“Takeas long as you want,”Ledgersays. “We’llbe waiting at the car.”
ThenLedgerslides his hand into mine like it’s the most natural thing in the world.Inever thought this could feel so right.Andso nice.
Wewatch the screen untilCharlieandOwenhave their backs to us and are far enough away that we can leave without them seeing us, and then we stand and stroll back to the car.Well,MackenzieandLedgerstroll.Ido more of a step, clomp, step, clomp.ButLedger’shand is in mine, soIcould have boots on both feet andIwouldn’t care.
CHAPTER 27
COMPETITIVE KISSING
LEDGER
ZoeandIare leaning against the railing of the deck at my mom’s house after everyone else left.It’sdark, the stars are out, crickets are chirping, and it’s the perfect temperature outside.Ipoint toward a tall maple in the backyard. “Seethat tree?WhenIwas about ten,Charliegot aFrisbeestuck in it.So, she did what any self-respecting kid would do and took off her shoe and threw it up to knock theFrisbeefree.”
