Page 7 of Memories of You

“Renly’s the second newest member of the team,” Damien adds.“He joined right before Winston went off to Texas to find out how his dead wifehad come back to life.”

I grimace. I don’t work at Stark Security, the agencyfounded by Damien after the kidnapping of his youngest daughter. But I hearstories from Nikki, and the one about Winston Starr learning that the wife he’dbelieved dead from a car bomb was actually an assassin who’d faked her deathwas the kind of story that could be a movie. Fake blood and all.

But it’s not Winston and Linda’s story that’s making my headspin, and I twirl my finger as I focus on Renly. “Let’s rewind, shall we?” Ilook between the three of them. “You’re working at Stark Security? I thoughtyou were off in the Middle East doing SEAL stuff.”

“You knew that?” His brows go up, and it’s clear he’ssurprised.

I lift my shoulders in a shrug. “I ask my mom about youevery once in a while. She doesn’t know much, but she hears things from yourmom. They’ve stayed in touch. A little, anyway.”

“Well, she’s behind the times. I didn’t re-up. And I’ve beenin LA for almost two years now. I thought you’d gone up north to MIT afterdoing time at UCLA.”

“And after graduation, I came back here and I ended up—” Icut myself off. “You know what? I think we have a lot of catching upto do. I’ve got a place not that far away. Do you want to come over? Have somewine and swap stories?”

I glance at Nikki and Damien. “You two are welcome, too, of course.I am so grateful that you came to my rescue, and I’m so sorry that it was afalse alarm.” I make a face. “And I really need to run through a car washbefore that stuff destroys my paint.”

Nikki laughs. “Do not be sorry that it was a falsealarm, and thank you for the invite. But I think we’ll go back to the party andlet everyone know you’re fine.”

“You’re sure? I mean, shouldn’t Renly be there?”

“I don’t think Linda or Winston will mind,” Renly says.

“They won’t,” Damien says. “And although this whole thing isprobably going to turn out to be just a few prank calls, I’m going to call itright now and say that Renly’s officially assigned to keep you safe. Okay byyou, Cooper?”

“Hell yes,” Renly says.

“But—” I begin but am cut off by his hand in the air.

“It’s my job. And I wanted to make sure you got home safe,anyway. And,” he adds with that same smile that turned me to goo during TheRenly Crush years, “we really do have a whole lot of catching up to do.”

Chapter Four

I head toward a self-serve car wash not far from my place,and he follows me there on his bike. I keep sneaking looks at him in therearview mirror as we drive, still not completely able to believe that Renly’sback in my life.

The thought brings me up short, and I wonder if he reallyis. Back, I mean. After all, while our few moments on the street were full ofexcitement and adrenaline, it may turn out that we don’t have a single thing incommon. He may end up at my house, and all we’ll have between us is somehorrible, lingering silence.

Dear God, I hope not. Because right now, I’m buzzing withhappiness from seeing him again. And I really don’t want that feeling to end.

I turn into the car wash lot, then pull into one of the littlestalls. I take a deep breath before I kill the engine to center myself. No matterwhat happens, it’s good to reconnect with him. And so long as I keep remindingmyself of that, everything will be fine. It’s all about managing expectations,after all, and I do that every single day with clients.

In the rearview mirror, I watch as he gets off the bike,then walks toward me across the lot. I get out and meet him at the rear of thecar.

“I haven’t got a single quarter,” he says. “Do you?”

I laugh. “Not a one. But I do have a credit card.” I’m aboutto walk over to that side and start the system running, but he gets therefirst, sliding in his card and then grinning at me as the machinery startsrumbling.

This particular car wash has a hose on each side of thestall. I’ve always assumed that was so that you don’t have to drag a dirty hoseover your newly cleaned half in order to wash the other side. Now I consideranother purpose.

Renly apparently has the same thought, because I see thegleam in his eyes as he goes to the far side, then grabs the coiled hose, hishand poised on the nozzle.

“Don’t you even think about it,” I say, going for my ownhose.

His eyes widen, all innocent and guileless. “I don’t knowwhat you’re talking about.”

I burst out laughing. Then, still laughing, I pull thetrigger on my own hose and spray him, accidentally getting him full-on in thecrotch.

“Seriously?” he says. “Sweetheart, you are so going to payfor that.”

“Phhbbt.” I dance away from the spray he aims at me. “I would have thought someone in the militarywould have a faster reaction time.”