Page 32 of Second Chances

She glanced over and narrowed her eyes as she assessed the man. He appeared a few years older than they were, a few inches taller than Todd, but easily double his build. The man’s arms were as thick as Todd’s thighs and full of muscles. Instantly, she felt intimidated.

“Bodyguard?” she asked with a frown.

Todd sighed and nodded slowly. “Of sorts. As I said, I’ll explain on our way.” He glanced down at his watch and started walking again. “Ethan will tag along with us, but don’t worry, he won’t be sitting at our table dining with us.”

She followed him, quietly thinking, as they made their way towards the docks. Ethan followed them down the docks.

Seeing the ferry in its normal spot, she smiled.

“Are we heading to East Haven for dinner?” Excitement flooded her voice.

Todd smiled. “It’s the best place around. Besides, I hear Adam’s food is worth the trip and the price. I hope it’s okay?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “I’ve been dying for his quenelles of pike with lobster sauce. It’s one of my favorites.” She let him help her onto the ferry.

“Evening, Todd,” she said to the man who ran the ferry. Then she turned to Todd and smiled. “Todd, Todd.” She motioned between the two men.

Todd laughed. “When I met Simona, she was upset that I was lying about my name,” he said, shaking the other Todd’s hand.

“As she put it, I wasn’t Todd, because she knew Todd.” He chuckled.

The other Todd chuckled. “Simona’s one of a kind. How is she?” he asked, standing back to let Ethan on the ferry.

“She’s great. We’re going to have to head out to the resort soon and take a day to go swimming so you can see her again,” Olivia said to the other man.

“Ethan’s with us,” Todd said easily. “Ethan Knight, Olivia Scott, and this is the other Todd in Silver Cove.”

“There’s actually four of us,” Todd said as he locked the gate behind them and then headed up the stairs that led to the captain’s cabin of the ferry. “Todd Rogers is about a hundred years old and spends half his time playing checkers in the library or park. And Todd Fletcher.” Todd glanced back as he paused halfway up the stairs. “He’s eight and thinks that girls have cooties.” He winked at Olivia and then turned to finish heading up the stairs.

She shook her head. “Todd is by far the biggest flirt in town.”

“Yet you never fell for his tricks?” Todd asked, leaning against the railing as the ferry slowly backed out of the dock.

“No.” She smiled. “He’s good-looking enough, but I like my men…” She ran her eyes over him slowly and then tilted her head slightly. “A little more mysterious and dangerous.”

Something shifted in his eyes, and he took a deep breath as his hand ran over her arm slowly.

She’d noticed that Ethan had headed up the stairs behind Todd, leaving them alone on the main deck of the ferry. She knew that the slow ferry ride to the private island that held the swanky East Haven Resort would take roughly twenty minutes. Plenty of time to get the story from Todd.

“You know that I was Special Ops and that I retired a couple months back,” he started.

She nodded. “Yes, you told me as much.” She tried to encourage him to continue.

“Shortly before I retired, a few of my team…” He closed his eyes briefly, before turning fully towards her. “They were killed.”

She frowned. “I’m so sorry.”

He shook his head. “Not in the line of duty. They were killed while in the real world. Off duty. Civilians.”

“Okay,” she said slowly.

“Someone is targeting my team. Ethan and his partner Javan are here just as a precaution,” Todd explained.

She wanted to ask more but could see that he was trying desperately not to let this spoil their date.

“Are you safe?” she asked, worried for him.

“We’ve taken all the precautions.” He smiled. “I have a new security system, two very skilled ex-military men watching out for my six and”—he leaned a little closer and lowered his voice as he ran a hand over her shoulder— “I want to remind you that I didn’t make sergeant because of my winning smile.”