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A two-word response was better than none. “What’s the significance of the star?”
He looked away.
I waited him out.
“It’s the Dallas Cowboys logo.” He scanned the street again.
“I would have figured you for a Redskins fan.”
He didn’t answer.
“You played in college, right?”
“Until I tore my ACL.”
“Do you miss it? Playing, I mean.”
“I’ll be watching the street.” He rose and left, once again not answering a simple question.
Men.
* * *
Adam
I walkedoutside and looked up and down the street. Nothing out of the ordinary struck me, but I had the feeling I’d missed something on the way here. I hadn’t seen anyone following us. The parked cars on the street were all empty. The foot traffic was what passed for normal in this section of the District, yet the itch didn’t go away.
A few minutes later, she came out with the bags of food, and I opened the door for her. “Smells good.”
She slid into the seat wordlessly.
We had perfected the fake relationship. Anybody on the street watching us would know exactly what was going on: I was in the doghouse.
I got in on my side and started the car before speaking. “I’m sorry about what I said. I was out of line.”
She didn’t look over. “It’s not a problem.”
Bullshit.
I put my hand out for her. “Forgive me. I’ll try to be better.”
She took a deep breath before accepting my hand. “I get that I’m just a job to you. But when you attack my family, it hurts.”
The words were hard to hear and harder to accept. “Kells, I’ll do my best, and don’t ever think you’re just a job to me.” I didn’t say more, because that was already too much, and even I didn’t understand what I meant.
She squeezed my hand before letting go. “We should go before the food gets cold.”
I checked my mirror and pulled into traffic. Another careful sweep and I was doubly sure we weren’t being followed, but the itch didn’t abate.
Why had I just apologized to a Benson for telling her the truth? The girl was screwing with my mind. Apologies were for losers.
She pointed left. “The house is that way.”
“Just making sure we’re not being followed.” My grip on the wheel tightened—screwing with my mind was right.
She nodded. “Just checking.”
* * *
