“I know, it’s fine. I don’t want to sit still right now. I’d like to have something to do.” She stepped into thekitchen, found a coffee pot on the counter, and plugged it in. “But maybe you could enlighten me a little.”
“About what?”
She started filling the carafe with water. “Explain WhiteRock. That way, I won’t have to interrogate my uncle later.” Gus’s smiling face flitted through her mind, leaving a hollow ache in its path. “Today’s been rough on Leland. Maybe I could spare him most of my questions.”
Jason gave a thoughtful nod. “I think I can do that.” He walked further into the kitchen and leaned against the counter. “WhiteRock is a private security company, officially.”
She turned off the faucet and looked at him. “Officially? What does that mean?”
“Providing high level security is about seventy percent of what we do. Give or take. We also conduct . . . other operations of various natures.”
“Of various natures? Could you be more vague?”
His mouth quirked up. “Sorry. Some of it is pretty sensitive.”
“You mean top secret.” She poured the water into the coffeemaker. “If you’re trying to dissuade me that you’re all a bunch of spies, you’re failingmiserably.”
That drew a genuine laugh from him. “Not really.” He cocked his head in mock-concentration. “Well, maybe on rare occasions.” He smiled again. “Honestly, Tayla, a lot of the jobs are something like . . . a wealthy trust fund kid goes looking for adventure in a third world country, finds the wrong crowd, gets kidnapped and held for ransom. Mom and Dad call WhiteRock. And we bring him home.”
Wow. Just wow. Somehow, she wasn’t shocked. Which didn’t make any sense because, until this moment, she didn’t know anyone did that sort of thing for a living, outside of the military or government agencies. “Um, that sounds like a pretty dangerous occupation.”
“It could be. But we know what we’re doing.” Confidence filled his tone. Not arrogance.
Her admiration of this intriguing man inched up a little more.
“You’re handling today very well, by the way,” he said.
“Not really. I’m just trying to distract myself.” She opened the pantry door. “And I’ve been praying a lot, so that helps.” She glanced at the shelf of coffee. “Wow, okay, they have more coffee choices than soap choices in that spa bathroom. Do you like a dark roast? Medium roast? Notes of hazelnut, vanilla, or cinnamon?”
“Surprise me.”
She returned her focus to the pantry and considered the variety of coffee choices.
“You said you pray,” he said.
“Yes.” She chose a medium roast labeled ‘cinnamon hazelnut’ and shut the pantry door. “Was there a question in there?”
He smiled. And she needed to stop appreciating that smile so much. It was doing things to her she didn’t want to admit.
“No. I mean, I’m glad you pray.”
The tenderness in his voice told her he wasn’t just making conversation. He meant it. And before she could harness her thoughts, they were speed-walking out of her mouth. “I was in a Bible study last month. They gave us a verse to memorize. It was familiar, but I’d never memorized the whole thing before. Even though it was a powerful verse for me years ago when . . . when I really needed it. But I’m glad I know it now, because all day today I’ve been praying the verse over and over,The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
She stopped to take a breath, shocked that she’d just shared so much.
Other than with her therapist, she hadn’t talked about anything remotely personal in a long time.
Jason leaned against the kitchen counter and hooked his thumbs in his pockets. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”His chin dipped. “That’s a verse God points me to often. I think to remind me he’s faithful. No matter what’s going on around me.”
Wow. And . . . that smile again. And—
Oops!The bag of coffee slipped from her hand. They both knelt to retrieve it.
One second before the kitchen window shattered.
Jason lunged for Tayla, threw himself on top of her, and froze. She gasped, and he covered her mouth with his hand. He needed to listen—to discern what they were dealing with. After a few seconds of silence, he eased off of her, holding a finger to his lips for her to stay quiet.
She nodded, eyes wide with fright.
