I give a curt nod, but don’t respond.
Jack eyes me before retaking his seat and starting the debrief.
Thirty minutes later, we’re all walking back to our offices when I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pull it out as I step inside.
Maggie: Will I get to see you tonight?
I groan internally. I want nothing more than to see Maggie, but I have no idea what time I’ll get done. And I don’t want her waiting up for me.
Me: I wish, beautiful. I have a job tonight that might run late. I can call you if it ends early.
Maggie: Okay…I understand. Be safe. I’ll see you later.
I hate ending it like this. I want to call her right now and tell her how much I want to see her, and if I can make it happen, I will. But I can’t. I have another meeting in a few minutes, followed by a meeting at a venue for a few upcoming jobs. Then, I have to fill in as security for a show tonight because one of the guys is out sick. I hope she understands by now how much I hate spending nights away from her.
If she doesn’t, I’ll be sure to remind her the next time I see her.
21
Maggie
“Here’s your coffee. Your sandwich should be ready in just a few minutes. We’ll call your name.” With a smile, I gesture to the end of the counter so I can help who’s next.
Once the lady walks away, the next customer moves forward. My eyes trail up to the man’s face, and I freeze.
Oh no, did he see me with Ian? He wouldn’t tell me I was getting sent back to Chicago while I’m at work, would he? Maybe I can beg Ian to take me in and protect me. That’s his job, after all.
His face has a cocky smirk being sent in my direction, and anger pulls me from my racing thoughts. Swallowing down any weakness, I don’t feel bad about my greeting. “I hope you’re here for a latte, Jenson. I don’t have time for chit-chat.”
My skin crawls, his smile always making me a littlenauseous. I, once again, wish Franklin, or really, anyone else, were my assigned agent.
“Maggie, good to see you in your new element with this job. Cute apron.”
My muscles tense as I grip the edges of the cash register. “What do you want?”
He glances around the coffee shop before leveling his hard stare back on me. “Medium black coffee. Relax, Maggie. It’s my job to check in on you.”
Apprehension weaves itself around me as I ring in his order. “That will be $4.62.”
I don’t waste my breath acknowledging anything else he said. I’m unsure what about him makes me the most uncomfortable, but something has my gut uneasy whenever he’s near me.
He hands me a five-dollar bill. With a cocky smirk, he says, “Keep the change.”
“Oh, wow. You’re so generous,” I mutter under my breath as I put the bill in the register.
I turn around and fill the cup. Placing the lid on, I blow out a calming breath between pursed lips before spinning back and handing him the drink.
With all the false bravado I can muster, I spit out, “Use the phone next time if you want to check in with me.”
With another smirk, he reaches out to take his drink. I fight the urge to yank my hand away when his fingers brush against mine.
Once I drop my hand back to the counter, I let my gaze move past him to the person in line behind him and force a smile. “I can help whoever’s next.”
The woman behind him takes my cue and steps forward, moving in front of Jensen so she’s between the two of us. If I didn’t think it would be weird, I would hug her. Not that itprotects me from him, but the stress tightening my body eases.
Protect me. What an odd thing to think.
The fact that my mind went there is unnerving, but I chastised myself for being dramatic. Jenson is supposed to be someone who protects me, not someone from whom I need protection. He is just an asshole.
