Now I also have Jayden’s attention. He pushes himself off the couch and lumbers toward me.
“Paradise Springs resort,” I say. “It’s in Huntington Beach. He wants the two of us to fly down this weekend so we can talk to him. If we agree to take on the case, we would go undercover at the resort as a married couple.”
“Your grandmother does realize that you aren’t an operative, right?” Liam asks. “You aren’t trained for this.”
“She does know that, which is why I doubt it will be anything like your recent mission.” As much as Granny wants me to prove to Liam that I’m capable of the job, she wouldn’t have suggested I help Bernard if she suspected it would be dangerous.
“Given that Jayden got himself shot up,” Connor points out, “he’s hardly in the position to do anything.”
“Hey, it’s not like I did this on purpose.” Jayden yawns and sways slightly on his feet.
I grab hold of his non-injured arm and guide him back to the couch. Then I give him a gentle nudge on the chest, indicating for him to sit.
“That is a slight problem,” I say to Connor. “Especially since it’s a resort for married couples. That’s why Bernard wants to hire both Jayden and me. But I don’t see why I can’t go by myself and find out more information. Then we can figure out where to go from there.”
Jayden stares at me like I’m completelyloco.
“What?”
“This is why I don’t want you in the field,” he says. “You could be walking into a dangerous situation. Like an iceberg. One minute you’re cruising across the Atlantic in the lap of luxury, making out in the rear seat of a steamed-up vintage Ford. And the next thing you know, you’re shoving the love-of-your-life’s frozen corpse into the icy waters.”
“Seriously, man,” Connor says. “What the hell did the hospital give you for a painkiller?”
I snicker. “Hey, leave the poor man alone. He’s being his usual poetic self.” To Jayden and Liam I say, “We’re talking about me going to a resort. In the US. We’re not talking about me walking into a dangerous situation and being shot at. All I plan to do is talk to Bernard Bradshaw. That’s all.”
“Okay, I’ll think on it,” Liam says, taking his daughter from Connor. Except, I have a sneaky suspicion he’s just saying that. As soon as he walks into his office, the thought will be pushed aside—and not because Ava and Cassie distract him. “But until Jayden gets physician clearance to return to the field, he’s on medical leave.”
“Hey, I’m fine to work in the field now. It’s only a little scratch.”
Liam levels his gaze at him, the way a father would to a wayward son—even though the two men are only a few years apart in age. “That was hardly a scratch.”
Jayden shrugs and winces.
Liam shifts his attention to me. “I have a call I need to make. I’ll give you my answer tomorrow.”
Fair enough.
4
Jayden
I hateit when my boss is right.
I can’t type the report I’m supposed to be working on. And it has nothing to do with the meds I took a few hours ago.
Typing one-handedly is a whole new challenge.
And if I struggle with typing, I won’t be much use in the field—especially if I need to use my gun. Plus with my arm in the sling, I’m hardly intimidating.
But the last thing I’m going to do is waltz into Liam’s office and tell him he’s right.
A knock at the door pulls me from the report I’ve barely worked on in the past two hours, painkillers non-withstanding. Before I can reply, the door opens and Isabelle sails in, her long legs eating the distance between the door and my desk.
She’s nothing like any other woman I know. Her outfits are classy, a complete contrast to the cool blue chunks in her wavy black hair.
In other words, she’s sexy as hell—but I’m not about to admit that to her face.
“You ready to go home yet?” she asks.
