“Outstanding,” he muttered as he looked down at the cheese squished between his fingers.
Icing streaked across his jeans as the pastry dropped to the muddy floor mat, and he was pissed because even though Cara looked at him like she wanted to have him run out of town, shedidmake one hell of a good cheese Danish.
His phone rang in the cup holder; he struggled for several seconds unfucking his situation with the Danish, putting his coffee down, wiping his hands with a napkin.
On the fifth ring he snatched it up.
“Yeah?”
“Romantic?”
Zack had been given the code name years earlier by Matthew Hanley of the CIA, and he’d hated it every second since.
But he wasn’t annoyed right now. He was glad to hear from Matt. He was glad to hear fromanyonewho might break the spell he found himself under.
“Hey, man. What’s up?”
“You sound like you’re in the middle of something.”
“No, boss, all good here.”
“Where ishere?”
“Still in Boulder. Doing some fishing, a little light hunting.”
“How are you doing?”
He looked down at the ruined Danish, at the café across the street. “Well, if I had a life coach, he’d probably tell me that I didn’t make the team.”
“What?”
“Just kidding. I’m doin’ okay.”
“How’s the leg, I mean.”
“Which one?”
Matt Hanley gave a little sniff. “You’ve got to let that joke die, man.”
“I thought you liked it.”
“Yourinjuredleg, Zack.”
“Oh. I’m done with PT. I have an MRI next week, should be good to go after that.”
“How’s your brain?”
“As good as ever.”
Hanley sniffed again. “Well, I suppose that will have to do. Can you travel?”
Zack sat up straighter, surprised by the question. “Yeah. Absolutely. What do you need?”
“I need you here, ASAP. I’ll get you back to Colorado in time for your MRI.”
“Sure, boss. Something’s cooking?”
“Or already cooked. Either way, I’m bringing the assets into Norfolk for a meeting.”
