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With either one, when it came to Charlie, he got the feeling he was going to get burned. “To be forewarned is to be forearmed. I’ll be sure to handle you with care.” He turned the key in the ignition, starting his engine. “See you tonight. Let’s say seven thirty.”
“No can do.” She stepped down from the foot rail. “I don’t close USD until nine. Call me with an update. No need for me to stop by for dinner.”
Under normal circumstances, if this was a date, Brian would have offered to bring dinner to her at the self-defense school.
Tonight, dinner was about work. He needed her face-to-face, on his territory, where he could control the environment, get her to lower her guard. It was the easiest way to find out what she was hiding.
“You can. And you will. If you want to know what I discover.” He knew how to dangle a carrot.
Charlie laughed at that. Still, she seemed to be considering it. “Who knew Captain America could play hardball?”
“I keep telling you, but you’re not listening.” He put his truck in drive. “You’ve got the brand wrong, sweetheart.” He winked back.
Brian espoused virtues such as honor, integrity and courage. But he wasn’t as noble as a fictitious character, who followed duty despite all costs. Not anymore. Not after the things he had done in the military. The things he’d seen.
How long would it take Charlie Sharp to figure out who he was, to see the real him?
The one thing she’d gotten right so far was that he did have a superpower. Getting people to spill their secrets.
She smirked. “I’ll figure something out at USD. I wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to compare notes.”
That suggested she intended to have some new information to compare.
“Go sticking your nose in the wrong place and someone is liable to chop it off,” he said. “Please tell me you learned something from last night.”
“I did. Don’t stand in front of the window with the curtains drawn.”
Not the lesson he was thinking of, but still a worthwhile one. “Seven thirty. Don’t be late.” With a wave, he drove off.
Punctuality was not only a sign of respect, but also a measure of trustworthiness.
Charlie could trust him, even if she didn’t believe it. He needed to know if it was a two-way street. Right now, he had serious doubts.
About her.
THISWASTHEthird window installation service Charlie had contacted. Everyone’s response was the same. “Are you sure you can’t replace it any sooner?” she asked, not wanting frustration to overwhelm her.
“Four weeks is the best we can do,” the manager said. “A bay window with the dimensions you gave me has to be ordered. Even with putting a rush on shipping, you’re looking at a month. But once we receive it, we can install it the next day.”
She swallowed a groan. “Okay. I understand.”
“Do you want me to order it?”
“I need the window.” Even if it would take four weeks. “Go ahead.”
“All right. I’ll call you once it’s in.”
“Thank you.” She hung up.
There was no way she could have Brian sleeping in his truck in front of her house one more night, much less for a month. The busted window was also a legitimate security concern that he had brought to her attention. She’d have to figure something out later.
Right now, she needed to start doing some investigating of her own. Brian might follow-through, but she couldn’t rely on him. She wasn’t going to take any chances of Seth Olsen getting away with this.
Charlie pushed out from behind her desk, left her office and found Dustin Lee, one of her instructors, putting away equipment from one their most popular lunchtime classes.
“Any luck on getting your window replaced sooner rather than later?” he asked.
If only. “Unfortunately, not.”
