“Zip it,” London said, making a cutting motion across her neck. She returned her attention to Samiah. “You should know me well enough by now to know that I was ready to kick Mr. Cute Dimples over there to the curb on your behalf.”
Samiah looked to where London pointed. That’s when she noticed Daniel standing in the far corner of the teahouse. Her pulse quickened at the sight of him.
“But then I listened to what he had to say,” London continued. “And, well, I’m out here in the wilderness putting damn sticky notes on trees and shit. That should tell you something.”
Taylor gestured between herself and London. “Samesies.” She lifted her palms in the air. “I understand why you banished him to the doghouse, and if that’s where you want him to stay, just say the word. But…”
“But what?” Samiah asked, folding her arms over her chest.
“But maybe you should listen to his side of things. Really listen,” London said. “Never has the saying ‘stuck between a rock and a hard place’ described a situation so well. He didn’t have a choice.”
“Hedidhave a choice,” Samiah said. “He could have told me the truth.”
“Yes, I could have,” Daniel said. He took a step forward. “Ishouldhave.” He took another. And another. He walked toward them, his hands in his pockets. He stopped a few feet away. “Can I please have those twenty minutes, Samiah? That’s all I’m asking for.”
“Give him the twenty minutes,” London said.
“Yes, give him the twenty minutes. We’ll be right over there.” Taylor nudged her chin toward a bench a few steps away.
“No, we won’t. We’ll go look at the roses or the koi pond or something. But wewillbeclose,” London stressed.
“Thanks, ladies,” Daniel said. “I appreciate your help.”
London arched a brow. “You better not make me regret this, Dimples.” She pointed two fingers at her eyes and then at Daniel’s, as if to sayI’m watching you. “Remember what I told you.” Then she and Taylor left, taking the trail Samiah had just descended.
Once they were alone, Samiah turned to face him and gave him three slow claps.
“I’m not sure what you said to get those two to agree to help you, but you deserve applause.”
“Desperate measures,” he said.
She nodded, and then walked over to the rear of the teahouse and sat on its stone ledge. She crossed her legs and folded her hands on her knee.
“You asked for twenty minutes,” she said. “So start explaining.”
***
Daniel wiped his sweating palms on the sides of his jeans, the lump in his throat increasing by several degrees. He walked over to where Samiah sat and gestured to the empty space next to her.
“Can I?”
She scooted over a few inches. More inches than necessary.
He settled in next to her and leaned forward, propping his elbows on his thighs and clamping his hands together. “By now you know that I wasn’t your regular Trendsetters hire,” he started.
“Understatement, but go on,” she said. She held a hand up. “No, actually, instead of going through this long, drawn-out explanation, why don’t I just ask you some questions about what I don’t understand? I don’t want this to take up too much of your time. I’m sure you have other things you need to take care of before you leave.”
“We can take as much time as necessary, Samiah. I was supposed to fly back this morning, but I canceled my flight.”
“Why?”
“Why?” he repeated. “Because I couldn’t go back without at least trying to explain things to you. This is the reason I’m here.”
Her forehead furrowed. “Wait a minute. You mean you flew all the way from DC just for this? Just to talk to me?”
“I couldn’t do it over the phone,” Daniel said. He took another deep breath. “We don’t have to go through it all step-by-step if you’re not up for it. You’ve probably learned the basics over this past week, that I’m a government agent who came to Austin as part of a joint mission to break up a money-laundering ring.”
“That’s pretty much all I need to know,” she said.
