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Cole spun and planted his hands on the porch railing. The wood bit into his palms. The backyard was an oasis of flowers and greenery. A hammock under a pecan tree begged to be slept in. Birds flitted from branches to the feeders tucked among the plants. There was even one for hummingbirds.
He drew in a breath, searching for a rational argument among the turbulent thoughts running amok in his mind. This wasn’t like him. Emotional and uncertain. But the idea of Olivia placing herself in danger twisted him into knots. He didn’t want her to get hurt. And he was terrified he wouldn’t be able to keep her safe.
Eli sighed. “Is this about your grandmother? Is there something wrong?”
“No. Nana’s fine.”
“Will she be upset if you cancel on her?”
He snorted. “Not for this. She’d come here and give me a kick in the pants for refusing to protect Olivia.” He drew in another breath. The scent of the roses, blooming even in these chilly temperatures, filled his nose. “It’s the responsibility, Eli. Working a case is one thing. But being Olivia’s bodyguard… that’s something else entirely. I don’t want to screw up.”
His friend was quiet for a long moment. “I get that. When Sienna’s life was threatened, I was terrified things would spiral out of control. But then I realized it didn’t matter. The stubborn woman was going to go after the killer, whether I was by her side or not. At least if I was with her, she had someone watching her back.”
Cole remembered Eli’s dedication. At the time, he’d considered it foolhardy. Now he realized how admirable it was. “So you’re saying Olivia is going to work, regardless. I might as well be there to protect her.”
“She’s made up her mind. Given the circumstances, I don’t think it’s an unreasonable decision. If things change, we can adjust the plan. This isn’t written in stone.”
Eli was right. Olivia wasn’t being irrational, and it wasn’t his job to hold her hostage in her own home.
“There’s something else you should consider,” Eli continued. “Both attacks happened when the stalker believed Olivia was alone. If you’re by her side, that may be enough to prevent him from coming after her again, and as her assistant, you’ll have access to everyone she’s interacting with. This gives us the best chance to find a lead on her stalker’s identity.”
It was a good argument. Cole believed the perpetrator was someone Olivia knew. Probably someone she talked to regularly. As much as he hated to admit it, the plan was an excellent one. And honestly, could he really walk away? If Olivia got hurt because he refused to protect her, Cole would never forgive himself.
Decision made, he began strategizing a plan. “Lieutenant Rodriguez needs to be informed.”
Their boss wouldn’t take kindly to being kept out of the loop. Lieutenant Vikki Rodriguez ran Company A with a no-nonsense attitude that permeated their entire unit. She was strict when necessary, but had a heart of gold. Every one of the rangers respected her.
“So does Chief Sims,” Cole continued. “I can protect Olivia, but not officially as a Texas Ranger. This has to be done on my own time.”
It was the only way he could dedicate all his energy and resources. A fact Eli and Sienna were well aware of. Since Cole was on vacation, he wouldn’t be asked to work another case. He’d be available to protect Olivia twenty-four/seven.
Cole straightened and then turned to face his fellow ranger. “We have two weeks to figure this out.”
“Yep.” Eli grinned. “Heaven knows, we love a challenge.”
Cole snorted. “Just don’t get mad at me if I don’t have a speech prepared for your wedding.”
“Oh, no. I’m holding you to that agreement. You’ll be spending hours with Olivia as her new assistant. She can help you.”
His nose wrinkled. “I hate weddings. And I don’t know the first thing about event planning.”
Eli laughed. “I don’t think Olivia will care.” The smile faded from his face. “I’ve already requested Jackson's help on the case. Felicity may join in too.”
Jackson Barker was an excellent ranger with a keen eye for details. So was Felicity Capshaw. Cole had worked with both of them at one time or another. They’d be an asset to have, especially since Eli was getting married in two weeks. If they didn’t wrap this case up by then, Jackson would take the lead so Eli could go on his honeymoon.
“I can live in the garage apartment above her grandparents and keep an eye on her when we aren’t working,” Cole said.
“I would suggest Olivia to stay with her grandparents. They come back from their vacation today. This guy has been very careful, and he seems worried about getting caught. Having more people around her may serve an extra layer of protection.”
Cole nodded, even as fresh worry crowded his mind. He’d be with Olivia twenty-four, seven. Potentially for weeks. An uncomfortable proposition given the intense hum of attraction riding under the surface of their interactions. He liked her. More than he wanted to. And that was dangerous. Especially now that he was charged with protecting her. Distractions could prove deadly. He needed to make sure his head was clear, which meant locking down these emotions.
It was something Cole had experience with. During his parents’ turbulent marriage, he’d drifted through the house like a ghost, doing his best to avoid triggering another bout of screaming. Wants and needs didn’t matter. His feelings didn’t matter. All that mattered was surviving the war zone. It’d taken years—along with therapy and prayer—to heal those wounds after his parents’ death. Nana had been an immense help, her love and support, and calm demeanor, a balm to his hurt. Cole didn’t lock up his feelings anymore, but he retained the skill. Now was a good time to implement it.
The two men went back inside the kitchen. Olivia glanced up. She’d schooled her features into a mask of indifference, but Cole saw the hope in her eyes. Any doubts about his decision evaporated. He couldn’t leave her alone to face this. For better or worse, he was in this.
He unpinned the ranger badge from his shirt and then held out his hand to Olivia. “Hi. I’m Cole, your new assistant.”
She hesitated, and then her lips curved into a smile. “Welcome to the team.”
