Page 52 of The Specialist

“Okay.”

* * *

I drove to the coffee shop, parking the car, and sliding my sunglasses on before I exited the vehicle. The place was busy when I walked in, and I placed my order, then headed to the back, stepping into the men’s room. Inside, Samuel waited. He was almost as tall as me, and with sunglasses on and wearing identical clothing, it would be easy to think we were the same man from a distance. I handed him the car keys, sunglasses, and we exchanged jackets. “She’s waiting,” he murmured.

“So is your breakfast.”

He grinned and headed out. I pulled a baseball hat low over my forehead and added the sunglasses I had in my pocket. Then I used the hall, exiting through the back door. I hurried to the waiting car and slid into the driver’s seat.

I started the vehicle and pulled out of the lot, quickly driving away.

“Please tell me you at least brought coffee,” Sofia asked from the back seat where she lay hidden. “This is the worst taxi service I have ever experienced.”

I laughed. “Soon, my Sofia. We’ll clear the traffic and be on the 407 soon. I will get you coffee and anything else you want.”

She was quiet for a few moments. “Can I sit up now?”

I glanced in the rearview. The street was empty behind me. The windows were tinted, the car private. “Yes.”

She scrambled into the front seat, clipping on her seat belt.

I took her hand. “Hello, my love.”

“You sure know how to excite a girl, Egan. Your 007 moves are impressive.”

I laughed. “If I am being followed, they’re waiting for me to come out of the coffee shop. If they are trailing you, they will think you are working a double shift when no car shows up for you. Neither of their efforts will be successful. They will follow fake Egan back to the apartment. We will be long gone.”

She sighed. “And we’ll be alone.”

I lifted her hand and kissed it. “Yes.”

“Tell me about the cottage. You haven’t said anything.”

“It’s on a small lake. You can only get there by boat. It’s private. Secluded, with its own beach. We’ll stop in town to get supplies and go to the marina.”

“Someone will drive us there?”

I smirked. “I will.”

“You can drive a boat?”

“Yes.”

“Is there anything you can’t do?” she asked.

“Stay away from you,” I responded.

She sighed and rested her cheek on the headrest, her face turned my way.

“I don’t want you to try.”

“Good. Now, we have a three-hour drive ahead of us. Sleep. I’ll wake you when we get there. I want you rested.” I paused. “You won’t get much sleep once we’re there.”

She laughed softly and reached for my hand, shutting her eyes. I knew when she fell asleep. Her breathing evened out, and her hold on my hand loosened but didn’t break.

The miles passed by in a blur, the roads mostly empty since it was midweek. It made the trip easier and gave me comfort knowing we weren’t followed. Someone tailing me would have been easy to spot on the wide-open roads behind me. When we arrived in the small town, I woke Sofia up by leaning over the console and nuzzling her tempting mouth.

“Iubirea mea, wake up.”