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“Really?” Why’d that make me happy? “Neither do I. Celebrities don’t do anything for me, but I thought I was the only one.”
His grouchiness vanished almost immediately, and there was something more there I couldn’t read.
“You okay?”
“You just keep taking my breath away. Not sure how else to put it,” he whispered.
There goes my heart. He seemed to power it up like nothing else could. And comments like that proved he wasn’t a devil. Far from it.
“Sleep, angel.” He lifted his chin and tilted his head, hinting it was time to kill the light on the nightstand. “If you’re good, I’ll give you three more answers tomorrow night.”
56
DIANA
From inside my makeshift lab, I stared at the rolling whiteboard, headphones on and music blasting in my ears, as I studied the equations scribbled in blue ink. My eyes were a bit blurry from fatigue, and the numbers were starting to swirl and become 3D in front of me.
It’d already been more than twenty-four hours since I began working in coordination with the Department of Defense.
I dropped into my chair, exhausted. I could only do so much thinking before my creativity tapped out. I swapped my MP3 player for the disposable phone Carter had given me. He’d programmed two numbers into it—a secure line for my mother and his.
Based on the time, I had a few more hours until Carter would track me down and force me to take a brain break by way of sleeping.
It’d be our second night sharing a room there, and I was a little curious if it’d play out the same as last night. Would he let me ask him questions before he dozed off on the floor like he’d promised? Had I been a good enough girl?
He’d kept his distance from me all day, more than likely to refrain from distracting me. He was busy as well, trying to figure out who’d orchestrated this plan from the get-go.
If only Craig would talk. Share something. Unless he’s really innocent, so there’s nothing to share?
At my stomach growling, I took a granola bar from the pile Oliver had dumped onto my desk.
Oliver had also been responsible for making sure I ate dinner. Carter had given Oliver explicit instructions not to leave my side until I cleaned my plate.
I couldn’t help but return Oliver’s orders with one of my own. “Well, please tell Carter I would’ve thought he’d know me better than to worry I’d go hungry. I’m a stress eater.” That was something Carter would’ve known since he’d been watching me in Amsterdam. He clearly just enjoyed being bossy.
“Orders are orders, ma’am,” had been Oliver’s response.
“Afraid to get on his bad side, huh?”
“Absolutely,” he’d returned with a laugh.
Finishing half the granola bar, I kept staring at my phone, wondering if I should text him. Despite being in the same house, maybe he’d given me his number in hopes I’d reach out?
Going for it, I typed a quick message.
Me: I miss you.
I stared at what I wrote, then quickly backspaced the words, deciding it wasn’t the best first text to send him.
Before I could think of another message, my phone vibrated. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Carter. Nope, it was the second number in my phone. Susan. Considering Carter had programmed the contacts, I was surprised he hadn’t gone with something a bit more colorful to describe her.
I’d already spoken to “Susan” twice today in light of her boyfriend being missing. I’d been worried how she was coping with everything, because I would have lost my mind if I’d been in her shoes.
Nope, not Mom. She was handling it in stride. Emotions buttoned up. Calm and resolute. She really had been tailor-made for the role of Madam Secretary.
Susan: This might be the first (and only) thing Carter and I ever agree on . . .
That had me sitting up taller and tossing the uneaten granola bar on my desk.
