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“Okay, that’s good. I won’t fault you for bringing her there. I agree that it’s not safe. I was concerned myself when she told me where she was living.”
“I’m going to help her find another place.”
“Is she going to be able to afford it?”
“I’ll make sure she can afford it, even if I have to pay for some of it myself.”
“Zack, what are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, why the interest in keeping her safe and saying you’d pay for her to be?”
I shrugged to myself. “Is there something wrong with protecting someone? I can help her, and I don’t want to see her get hurt.”
“Why? Because you want her to sleep with you?”
“No, that’s not the reason.” I paused. “I’m not going to deny that I like her and am interested in her, more than I have been in someone in a long time. I know she’s coming out of a rough marriage, so I’m just trying to be a friend right now.”
“A friend with benefits?”
I laughed. “I wouldn’t say no to that, but I promise you, Lydia, I will respect whatever decision she makes. I told you she said no. She’s staying here because I have the room, and it’s probably one of the safest buildings in the city for her to be.”
“Fine,” She sighed heavily. “Just be careful, Zack. I remember what happened the last time you rescued a damsel in distress.”
“Let’s not talk about that.”
“Just reminding you that you tend to do these things.”
“This is different.”
“I don’t know about that,” she said dryly. “Let her know if she needs to take tomorrow off that she can.”
“I’ll leave her a note. I’ll probably be gone before she gets up.”
“Tell her to call me in the morning.”
“I will.”
“I’m still worried, but I’m glad you were there for her, Zack. Thank you. I like her, and I want to keep her. She’s fantastic and has caught on so quickly. You should see the report she finished up for me today. It was better than I could have done.”
“Glad to hear that, and I promise to behave myself.”
She barked out a laugh. “That’s not something you can promise. Have a safe trip, and let me know how things go. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Night, Lydia.”
“Night, Zack.”
After I hung up, I finished my drink, trying not to think about Whiskey sleeping in my guest room. I cleaned up the kitchen and wrote a note for her with information that she needed for the building.
I almost checked on her again but forced myself to head to my room. I still needed to pack, and it was going on midnight.
* * *
The following day,I peered into her room to find her breathing deeply on her other side. I closed the door and prepared to leave. Beside the note, I left a key to the apartment and my spare car keys. Then I gathered my things, yawned as I went to the door, and closed it behind me.
Before I left, I stopped by the security office and knocked. Ted, the overnight guy, opened the door a moment later. “Morning, Zack. What can I help you with?”
