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“I’m not tired.”
“Then eat something.”
“Not hungry.”
“Movie?”
“No, thanks.”
With a sigh, he closed his magazine, dropping it on the seat beside him. “He’s going to be thrilled to see you.”
I bit my thumb, a nervous habit I thought I’d kicked to the curb. “You don’t know that.”
Carter leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I most definitelydoknow that. I’ve worked with Archer for the past year. You get to know someone you spend weeks at a time with. Surveillance can get boring.”
“How does that tell you if he’ll be happy to see me or not?”
He sighed again, then nodded as if deciding something. “Look, I don’t usually repeat conversations I have with friends, because you should know I consider him a friend. A dumbass friend for hooking up with a client, and a married one at that, but a friend, nevertheless. And he talked about you.”
My hand dropped into my lap, and I gaped at him. “He talked about me?”
“He did. It took me a while to connect the dots and realize the Thea he’d been talking about for as long as I’ve known him was you. And while I’m not going to betray his confidence and tell you what he said, he cares about you deeply. Always has and most likely always will. So I hope you’re serious about him. Because what he went through in Guyana would have broken most men. But he came out the other end. He deserves something good in his life.”
A tear tracked down my cheek, but I ignored it. “You think he’ll ever get over what happened to him?”
Carter studied me, then sat up with a wince. “I’m not sure you can ever get over something like that. But you can learn to live with it. Especially if you have something in your life worth living for. He doesn’t talk about what happened, but he has skills nobody else on the team has. He learns things so fast he makes all our heads spin. And his job is important to him. Don’t make him choose.”
Reeling back, I frowned. “What makes you think I’d make him choose?”
“Girlfriends and wives always do.”
“And you’re an expert on the topic? How many girlfriends have asked you to choose?”
He shook his head. “I’m not foolish enough to let anyone get that far.”
“I’ll let you in on a little secret: Some things are completely out of your control. And sometimes fate does what it wants, without caring what you think about it. So brace yourself.”
Scoffing, he picked his magazine back up. “I’m too old to change. And I have no interest in settling down. I’m happy to prove fate wrong should it come to it.”
“Oh, you poor fool. I’ll be the first to congratulate you once it happens.”
He turned his attention back to his magazine. I glimpsed guns and hunting gear on a page and turned to look out the window.
Less than an hour to go before I’d see Archer.
* * *
I wipedmy damp hands on my pants before ringing the doorbell. I was more nervous than at my wedding. And I’d been a mess then. But this seemed so much more important. If William walked away, I’d be devastated, but I’d be able to move on. But Archer had the power to destroy me. Because where one offered friendship and financial security—if only for a finite number of years—the other held my heart in the palm of his hand.
“You look like you’re going to pass out,” Carter said, his voice holding a good dose of amusement.
“Hello?” Archer’s raspy voice sounded over the crackling intercom.
“Hey. Hi. It’s me. I mean, it’s Thea.”
He didn’t respond, but the door buzzed.
Carter pushed it open, looking inside before motioning for me to follow. Once I was safely inside, he pulled my suitcase in, grunting at the effort.
