AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No.” She doesn’t elaborate, and I don’t push the issue. As much as I’d like her to open up, it’s nothing to do with me.
“What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?” She takes a bite of her sandwich, and I shake my head.
“No. This job doesn’t lend itself to relationships. I don’t get much downtime.”
“What about your family? Do they live in Tybee Island?”
“My parents do. My sister is here in Savannah.”
“You have a sister? What’s her name? Is she older or younger than you?”
I chuckle at her succession of questions.
“She’s younger. Twenty-six. Her name is Brooke.”
“I always wanted a sister. Older brothers are pretty mean. At least Max was while we were growing up.”
“Little sisters are annoying! I’m siding with Max on this one. You’ll probably get to meet Brooke. My parents too.”
“Will I?”
“Brooke’s getting married in a few weeks. If I’m still here…” I trail off. She’s not
going to want to think I might still be here in a few weeks.
“You don’t want me at your sister’s wedding. Surely, you can get the day off?”
I shake my head. “We’re a small security company. There’s only me, Logan, and two
other guys. Both are on cases. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”
She frowns and turns to face me on the sofa. “So, you’re telling me that no matter how long this goes on, you can’t have a single day off? That’s ridiculous. I’ll be fine here for one day. You said yourself the building is secure. I’ll stay in my apartment.”
“No. Not happening. Yes, your building has good security. It’s not impenetrable, though. Hell, Bryant could walk right in behind someone.” Her eyes widen, and I sigh. “Look, I’m not saying this to scare you, but there’s no way I’m leaving you here alone while I go to my sister’s wedding. It’s my job to protect you. Plus, I’d have a shit time if I was worried about you all night. If I’m still here, we go together, okay?”
She lets out an inpatient huff. “Fine, but I’m not happy about it.” She pouts, and I have to hide a smile. “I hope Matt is caught by then,” she whispers, a sadness crossing her face.
“I hope that happens too. Come on. We have time to watch one more movie before getting ready to go out. I’ll even let you choose.” I reach for the popcorn, tossing a handful across the sofa at her. The sadness clears from her face, and she bursts out laughing before picking up a piece of popcorn and putting it in her mouth.
“I know just the movie.” She grins at me, and despite having to sit through another chick flick, I’m glad to see she’s smiling again.
ChapterThirteen
Hallie
Standing in front of my open closet, I try to choose an outfit to wear tonight. I have a couple of dresses, and knowing Kitty will look stunning, I want to feel nice too. After the last few days, I could do with a confidence boost. I reach for my favorite black bodycon dress and stand in front of the mirror, holding the dress against me and turning from side to side. Slipping it on, I do the zipper at the back, twisting awkwardly as I slide it up. Smoothing the dress down with my hands, I look in the mirror again. The soft material falls mid-thigh and clings to my body. It’s short but not uncomfortably short, and I find as I look at my reflection, I like what I see. My long hair is curled in waves down my back, and I’ve pinned small sections up so it’s out of my face. My makeup is minimal, which is how I always wear it, and I choose some black patent heels, adding a couple of inches to my five-foot-three frame.
“Hey, Hallie, you almost ready?” Sawyer calls through the door. “We gotta go if we’re going to make the reservation.”
“Be right out,” I say, quickly reapplying my lip gloss. Taking one last look in the mirror, I push my feet into my heels, grab my purse, and make my way to the living room where Sawyer is waiting for me. Seeing him steals my breath. He’s standing next to the sofa, his head bowed as he looks at something on his phone. Thankfully, he hasn’t noticed me yet, and I can appreciate how incredible he looks. He’s wearing dark denim jeans and a white shirt. The sleeves are rolled up, his tanned forearms on display. On his feet are lace-up boots, and his jeans are tucked into them. It’s a pretty simple outfit, but on him, it’s stunning. Dark stubble covers his face, and his hair is styled like he’s spent hours running his fingers through it. He finally looks up from his phone. His eyes meet mine before quickly tracking over the length of my body.
“Wow, Hallie. You look beautiful.” Heat travels up my neck and over my cheeks at his compliment. Avoiding eye contact, I grip tightly onto my purse, my fingers fiddling with the clasp.
“Thank you. You look good too,” I tell him quietly.
“You ready to go?”
I nod before heading for the apartment door. We’re meeting everyone at the restaurant, and as we leave the apartment, Sawyer leads me to his car.
