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Hey, I know the prevailing opinion of me around here.
His jaw cocks sideways, thoughtful. Worse, the frown slowly slides into a grin. “Is she pretty?”
So help me…I rocket to my feet, the chair behind me ramming into the credenza. “Out.” I launch my index finger to better make my point.
Hands high, he surrenders, taking a backward step—so it’s the eyeful of lingering amusement that really chaps my hide. I grip the ballpoint in hand extra hard, lest it sail its way onto Walker’s forehead.
As the hallway swallows him up, I bark a final order. “And shut that blasted door while you’re at it!”
The hand with the gold ring snakes back, patting around for the knob. Before the door clicks, Walker’s muffled baritone seeps through the opening. “I wouldn’t go in there if I were you…”
Something cracks. I open my palm and check on my favorite pen. Muttering, I sail it into the trash can beneath the window. Walker has turned into a royal pain in the—
Never mind.
The files on my desk clamor for attention, as does the red light blinking away on the landline. A trio of voicemails lengthen my to-do list. Yeah, I’d rather be fishing.
Even as the thought takes form, my incoming line flashes two new calls—and this is why takeout chicken is on tonight’s menu and not homemade fried fish.
I allow voicemail to field the pair of calls, and I sink into the faux-leather. Shouldn’t a man step outside his norm once in a while?
Could be. It’s too bad I can’t write this Hollie fiasco off on my taxes, though, because the whole thing is going to be a waste of my time. I’m only doing this because I’m a good person…right? Besides, it won’t take long. It isn’t as if her delinquent son doesn’t deserve what he’s almost certainly going to get. There’s only a snowball’s chance of there being anything I can do.
I’m only helping,and I use the term loosely,because I had a weak moment.
It isn’t because a woman asked, at least not in the way full-of-himself Walker implied. Like I said, I’m not a monster, so maybe I take on a needy cause once in a while. Not my fault if the person in need happens to be female. And it’s purely coincidental if she has a figure that doesn’t quit and eyes a man might fall into.
Good thing I’m immune to the love bug, the one that’s been making the rounds through my best people of late. They can go off and complicate, if not flat-out ruin, their lives if they want. Their choice. Walker was the first to fall—and I’d had such high hopes for the guy. Best undercover agent I ever worked with. In a weak moment, I actually encouraged his defection to the futile cause of love. Not sure what I was thinking that day. I mean, baby Brayden had just made his squinty-eyed appearance into the world. I guess my resistance was low.
After Walker, Gonzalez was the one who had me shoutingtimber.He gave his partner a pretty good run for his money as to who was the undercover superstar. Must say, I wasn’t half bad back in the day myself. As far as leaving undercover work, Gonzalez’s hand was forced by circumstance, but last weekend I was there for the completion of the fall.
Whatever. I’m a live and let live kind of guy. I mean, break the law and I’m coming for you—but other than that, if a guy wants to mess up his life with a woman and all the endless complications thereof, who am I to judge?
A smattering of tiny particles hit my office window. Front must be blowing through. It’s still September, so around these parts, that’s a gift. Not that I’ll have occasion to enjoy good weather. Work, work, work.
Exactly how I like it.
The chair groans with the rest of me as I rock back, and I mutter one of my favorite words. Maintenance is ignoring the work orders I’ve submitted to get this thing oiled. Lazy bums. As with so much else, I’ll have to do it myself.
∞∞∞
At a rap on the door, I check my watch. Five already? The slackers will be clocking out about now. I press my fingers into my neck. “Come in.”
“Hey.” It’s Walker, somehow with the nerve to show his face. An air of caution shadows him into the room.
“What’s up?” My new pen taps the faux wood.
“Yeah, so, I wanted to apologize for earlier.”
“Don’t be a sissy, Walker. I don’t need your apology.” He’s a tall man, almost as tall as me, and he carries himself straight and proud—most of the time. Groveling doesn’t become him.
“I know, but my bad on razzing you about women.”
I make the computer screen my focus. “Not a problem.”
“I was only joking around. I mean, I know you don’t date—”
I scowl up. “I date.”
