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“Hm?”
“Do I have a daddy?”
I closed the book gently and set it down on his bedside table. It wasn’t the first time Max had asked. “He lives very far away and he’s very busy with work.”
“Oh,” was all Max said as he snuggled his face into his pillow. It was apparently a good enough answer.
I kissed my son on the cheek before turning off the lamp. “I love you, honey.”
“Love you, Mama,” he mumbled, already drifting off to sleep.
After saying goodnight to Nana, I retired to my room and tried to get to sleep. My mind was still running at a mile a minute, thoughts swirling so violently that they were impossible to distinguish from each other.
A month away from Max would be difficult, but not impossible. In the grand scheme of things, the benefits outweighed the cons. The money I’d earn from this month-long contract could help put me through school, buy Nana that new TV, and ensure that Max had a healthy nest egg to rely on. Surely, I could suck it up for a couple of weeks, right?
Out in the field, we’d mostly have you play decoy.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek. Was this job dangerous? Playing someone’s body double was no joke. Who would I be pretending to be? Did she have enemies? I’d be deliberately putting myself in the crossfire if I signed on.
One of us would always be with you.
My cheeks flushed with warmth as I imagined myself surrounded by the guys. I didn’t know very much about them, but I somehow knew they’d protect me. Keep things from going sideways. They were all so strong and confident and powerful… Maybe I was playing up the risks in my head. They seemed experienced, sure of themselves. I’d be in good hands if I agreed to the job.
That’s plenty of time to get to know a person.
Nana was right. I could use this as a chance to not only earn my keep but get a sense of Kristoffer as well. Surely, I’d be able to figure out what to say in a month’s time. If it turned out that he wasn’t a good fit, I didn’t see any reason why I had to say anything at all. Things would carry on as if nothing happened.
I sat up in bed and reached for my phone, taking a deep, contemplative breath. I dialed the number to Grand Paradise Security, although I wasn’t sure if anyone was still in the office.
“Hello?” came a gruff voice. I recognized him in an instant.
“Liam, right?”
“Who’s this?”
“It’s Sam Lindale. We met earlier today?”
There was a brief pause. I could hear papers shuffling, an office chair shifting.
“I’m sorry for calling so late,” I said. “I didn’t think anyone would answer.”
“Hm,” was all Liam said. It was a deep, low sound that sent a shiver down my spine and goosebumps crawling down my forearms.
“Look, I’m sure you’re busy, so I’ll just ask… Is the job still available?”
“Yes. Do you accept?”
“I do.”
Liam breathed. Was it a sigh of relief? Annoyance? It was hard to tell with him. “I’ll tell the guys. Come to the office tomorrow. 0800 hours. Don’t be late.”
A thrill rose into my chest, the excitement of starting something new filling me with warmth. “Okay, I’ll be there. Thank you so much!”
“Oh, and Sam?”
“Yes, Liam?”
“Come dressed for a workout. You’ll be training with me first thing.”
