“Think about it. People in new relationships can’t get enough of each other. Always calling or texting each other. Finding ways to be together. If we’redating, people won’t read too much into it. They’ll be like ‘Okay, honeymoon phase’ and move on with their lives. Anything else we come up with will have an expiration date. I mean, even if our girls are BFFs, your coworkers will think it’s odd that you and I spend so much time together.”
The more he talked, the wider her eyes grew.
“Plus, there’s Sophia. We can’t tell her the truth. This will be the easiest thing to explain to her.”
Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “If we do this, we don’t need to tell Bella the truth either. She needs to believe it’s real too. I don’t think she’d let it slip. We’ve been in WITSEC sixyears, and she’s kept her mouth shut so far. Given the last couple of days, maybe it’s best to keep her in the dark as well.”
She made a good case, and he was almost convinced it might work.
If he could keep from falling in love with her in the process.
FOURTEEN
Sam stood in Liam’s driveway, wearing his US Marshals windbreaker, thinking about what it might feel like to have his arms around her. The cologne he wore hung heavy on the jacket.
Her phone chimed in her pocket. She pulled it out and checked, more grateful than she realized for the interruption. A message from Dean.
Dean
Just checking to make sure everything is okay.
She sighed.
“Everything okay?” Liam looked her in the eye.
“Yes, just big brother Dean checking in on me.”
“That’s another reason the fake dating thing would work. If your friends think you’re dating a marshal, they’ll assume you’re safe and won’t be hovering over you.”
She just had to open her big mouth. She’d only been thinking out loud when she’d mentioned dating. She’d worked at thestation long enough that her coworkers knew her idiosyncrasies. They knew her life revolved around Bella, the station, and the small family she’d created there.
Pulling away from the team because of a new relationship had the added benefit that one of her friends wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire if something happened.
She bounced on her feet, her mind whirring with all kinds of thoughts. What she needed was a good run, and she fully intended to get one tonight on Dean’s treadmill.
The run would let her think. Long and hard. Weigh the pros and cons of this charade. Was she willing to risk her heart to spend so much time with Liam? The reward would outweigh the risk. Besides, it was only fake dating. No one had said feelings would be involved. This was just another way to find out what was going on.
She pulled the windbreaker off and handed it back to Liam. “Let me think about it.”
“Okay.” He tossed the jacket in the SUV and locked it up.
“We should be going.” She turned and trudged back into the house. “Bella, it’s time to go.”
The girls moaned from Sophia’s bedroom, then they raced out.
“Can Bella stay the night?” Sophia grabbed Liam’s arm.
“Please,” Bella pleaded with Sam.
Liam looked from the begging teens to her and back. “Not tonight. I don’t know about Bella, but Soph, you’re grounded. Plus, I have to work tomorrow.”
“Ugh.” Sophia dropped his arm and started to pout.
“Bella, you’re grounded as well. Don’t think I forgot about that little stunt you pulled today either.”
She scrunched up her face. “I’m sorry.”
“Maybe we can revisit the idea of a sleepover in a few weeks.”
