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But it bothered her that his job could be in jeopardy because of her. That had been an unintended consequence she hadn’t thought of.
Utah: Have you gotten CISA or the FBI involved?
Liam: Yeah, but if they know anything, they’re not saying.
Well, that was promising—for her, at least.
Liam: So, do you think you could help? Name your price.
Normally, “name your price” was music to her ears, but there was no way she was touching this with a ten-foot pole.
Utah: I can’t, Liam. I’m sorry. Like I told you, I’m taking a break from all that right now.
Liam: It was worth a shot. I’ll see you tonight.
Liam: Make sure those batteries are charged and you get a nap in before I get home.
He sent an emoji wearing a devilish grin.
Five minutes ago, reading that would have had her stomach doing flips and her panties damp. But now that she knew he worked for Boston General, her reaction wavered between panic because she needed to get the hell out of there, and sadness because she knew she’d be gone before he had a chance to make good on his threats.
First things first though. She needed to meet with Janice’s daughter so she could start walking Phoebe tomorrow. Then she’d re-dust after Janice left to ensure there wouldn’t be a single fingerprint of Utah’s to be found in his house.
Janice’s voice pulled her away from her thoughts.
“Excuse me, Utah? My daughter Cindy is here to meet you and Phoebe.”
She looked up to see Janice and a younger woman who was the spitting image of her standing in the door.
With as enthusiastic a smile as she could muster given her current state of her nerves, she replied, “That’s great!” Utah gestured to a matching patio lounge chair adjacent to hers. “Please sit down.”
The college-aged girl took a seat, and Phoebe immediately moved to investigate the interloper. Cindy held out her hand for the cocker to sniff while addressing her in a high-pitched voice usually reserved for dogs and babies, “Hey, sweetie.”
That was all it took for Phoebe to wag her stubby tail and hop up on the chair and wiggle into the woman’s lap. All stranger danger concerns long gone for the happy-go-lucky pup.
Utah chuckled. “She doesn’t quite understand that not everyone wants to hold her.”
Cindy rubbed the dog’s face with both hands, murmuring more to Phoebe than Utah, “Who wouldn’t want to hold this sweet baby? She’s an angel.”
Even if Utah wasn’t desperate to find someone to get started right away, she still would have hired Cindy on the spot after that affectionate display.
“So, will this time work for you tomorrow?”
**
After Janice and Cindy left, she packed her bag, then went through the house one more time with a dust cloth. Every time she touched something after that, she either wrapped her fingers in the cloth or used her shirt.
Taking one last look around Liam’s bedroom, she spotted the dress shirt he’d worn to the office yesterday lying on top of his hamper.
Tears filled her eyes when she brought the fabric to her nose and inhaled his woodsy scent deeply.
It wasn’t like they would have been together after the week was up, but it would have been nice to spend that time with him. What a cruel twist of fate this turned out to be.
Instead of putting the white button-down back in the hamper, she stuffed it into her bag and went downstairs to write a note to him.
A small sob escaped her when she knelt down to say goodbye to Phoebe, then she quickly turned and bolted out the front door to where her Civic was now waiting in the driveway.
A thought popped into her head as she pulled onto the road leading to the guard gate with tears now streaming down her face. She never should have let him see where she lived.
