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Two of the guys kept eating. Jasper glanced at the sergeant, Liam, and said, “He’s the best lieutenant we’ve ever had.” The others grunted in agreement.
Dakota said, “Did you know he’s the one who found that missing girl the other day?”
“No kidding.” She took a sip and tried to figure out how she felt about a guy with so much ire being a hero.
Liam said, “Saved her and took down the kidnapper singlehandedly.”
“Wow.” Another sip.
It was more than hard to reconcile the man she had met the last few days with the boy she’d known. The love of her life—if that was ever true in high school. Didn’t matter. He’d shut her out of his life and did the same thing now showing her one side of him, not the hero or good guy his friends thought he was.
She only needed to get Vanguard up and running on its own. Prove she could atone for the past.
She had work, and that was enough.
Because there would never be anything else. God had spoken loud and clear that it wasn’t in the cards for her.
Not ever.
FOURTEEN
“This was a terrible idea.”
Clare turned back, her strong fingers holding the door. “What was that?”
Gage shook his head. “Nothing. Go ahead.”
“Oh, okay.” She went first into an open lobby, chrome and white. A clean reception desk at the far end and a door on the right. The chairs weren’t meant to be lingered on. Stylish and uncomfortable. He preferred the ratty old couch in the cave.
“It’s a bit different from the basement at the police department.”
“The setup you guys have is awesome.” She shot him a nervous smile. “Though I’m surprised you didn’t have one of those little basketball hoops suckered to the wall—or a window.”
“It’s in the office behind the door, so it’s out of sight.”
She grinned.
“Ms. Juarez. I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.” The receptionist sat up straighter in her chair. “And you have a visitor?”
“Sandy, this is Lieutenant Gage Deluca from the SWAT team at Benson PD.” Clare motioned to him, trying not to act like a middle school girl bringing the boy she liked home. “He needs a colleague’s pass, please.”
Sandy stood. “Of course. Right away.”
The receptionist moved efficiently, handing him a tablet to fill out his information and sign his name. She used a webcam to take his photo, a pad to record his fingerprints, and handed him a laminated pass. “Keep this with you at all times in the building.”
It connected to a clip, so he attached it to his breast pocket, right below the nameplate on his uniform. “Thank you.”
Sandy blushed.
“This way.” Clare strode to the door on the right, slid back a panel by the door, and scanned her hand. The light above the door turned green. “You’re good walking up the stairs, right?”
Gage didn’t know why the smile had gone. Probably for the best, since he needed to keep his guard up being in her sanctuary. She had built this life for herself—without him in it. “Stairs are fine.”
“Thanks for taking the time out of you day to come here.”
He’d brought his radio and his own car, so it wasn’t a hardship to be close to town and available to run at a moment’s notice if a call came in. “We’re going to be working together. Might as well see what you guys have got.”
She nodded and they climbed four flights of stairs, which didn’t wind either of them. Clare hadn’t left the army because of an injury or anything else that might’ve happened to her physically.
