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“It’s December. Nearly Christmas, and the good people of Alisson have planned all sorts of entertainment for the next few weeks. And as you know, Lindsay is single, the local vet is single; come to think of that, I’m single...”
Blake gritted his teeth. “I told you to stay away, remember?”
“Ah. So you won’t like it if I ask her to the Snowflake Festival this weekend? It’s just...there’ll be dancing and I...”
“Stay. Away.”
“Okay, but just so you know—the vet is just about salivating when he looks at her... I mean, Lindsay is—”
“Don’t you dare say another word.”
Jason laughed. “Well, my friend, you’ll have to make up your mind quickly. If you’re not back, the playing field is open!” And with that, he ended the call.
Cursing under his breath, Blake took the elevator. His hands were fisted, he noticed, and tried to relax his fingers, but the mere thought of Lindsay with another man made him see red.
The elevator stopped on the ground floor; he strode towards the doors, ignoring everyone else. He needed some fresh air to clear his head. As he stumbled out of the building in downtown Washington, he turned and looked back at it.
The decade-long plan to build new headquarters for the FBI in the Washington suburbs had been cancelled by the current president three years before. But apparently, there was now funding for a new headquarters project in Huntsville, Alabama; this one wasn’t secure enough and was just about crumbling around them.
It was time to renew, time to rethink old ideas and old plans. What worked before wasn’t working anymore.
Looking up at the blue sky, he inhaled deeply. Wasn’t it time to rethink his own damn life? One of the reasons he’d chosen to open his dojo in Alisson, Montana, when he left the FBI, was because of the fresh air and the particular shade of blue of the Montana sky. So why the hell was he here and not there?
Lindsay.Rubbing his chest, he grimaced. Damn, he loved her. He didn’t want to be here; he didn’t want to be killed; he wanted to spend whatever time he had left on this earth with her—if she’d have him back—if she would agree to his terms.
He couldn’t ever be a husband or father, but he could love her. Maybe that would be enough? He was prepared to grovel and crawl if that was what it would take to convince her to give him a chance.
For the first time since he could remember, he was excited about the future. He had a new plan.
So how could he convince her to let him into her life again? She felt something for him. She wouldn’t have let him touch her, otherwise. And he was going to make sure no other damn man was going to put his hands on her.
Turning around, he went back into the building, his tread much lighter.
He’d fly back to Bozeman from Chicago when they’d finished tomorrow night, and surprise Lindsay. He should be in time for whatever-the-hell-the-name-was festival. If anyone would be dancing with her, it would be him. The damn vet could get his own woman.
––––––––
Thursday night, thetension was palpable in the vehicle as Eric parked a block from the building they were about to enter. They’d arrived in Chicago that morning and since then had made sure everything was in place for their plan.
“Everything okay, Davidson?” Eric asked as they got out of the vehicle. “You’re very quiet. I need your head here, with us.”
Two other vehicles, carrying the other four agents on the team, stopped behind them.
“I’m here,” Blake said, his gun also ready. Why the hell everyone had to talk all the time, he didn’t know. He was fine. He didn’t really sleep. Or eat. And he couldn’t stop thinking about Lindsay, but other than that, he was fine.
The rest of the team hurried closer and Eric barked out last orders. Everyone knew what to do and the technical team was nearby. But as Blake had discovered in the course of his career, you could never predict every little detail. It had been exactly one such surprise that had killed his friend.
It was freezing cold in Chicago, as always. Quietly, they moved closer to the building.
Blake followed Eric down a small alley next to the building. According to the floor plans they’d studied, there should be a door ahead. Slowly, they crept towards it.
Lindsay. Her image flashed before his eyes as it had done numerous times over the last three weeks.
Eric lifted his hand, counted on his fingers from three. Two other team members rammed the door and they were inside. Blake followed silently, aware of the rest of the team behind him.
Suddenly, he stopped. He’d picked up a sound coming from the opposite direction from where they were headed. Something was wrong.
He touched Eric’s shoulder and when he turned around, Blake shook his head, indicating they should stop.
