“Thank you.” Zane released her hands and leaned back against the bench.
“Where does this leave us?” Tessa asked.
“Where do you want it to leave us?” Zane’s question held a tenderness and a vulnerability she wasn’t sure what to do with. “I’m the one who’s turned into a meddling control freak. I’d say where we go from here is your call. But just to put this out there... I want to be your friend.”
Tessa mirrored Zane’s position—back against the bench, arms crossed. “Do you think wecanbe friends?”
Zane didn’t rush to respond, and she appreciated that he took her question seriously. “I’m not sure, but I would like to try.”
3
PRESENT DAY
“I’m going to kill the president.”
US Secret Service Special Agent Tessa Reed read the threat, one of seven similar claims that had landed in her in-box courtesy of the Protective Intelligence Division, known as the PID, in Washington, DC. This batch joined the nine others the PID sent yesterday. All from social media accounts. All to be followed up on before the president’s arrival in Raleigh next Friday, one week from now.
And she was the lucky agent who’d be doing the following up.
She appreciated her boss, Resident Agent in Charge Jacob Turner, trusting her with the role of liaison to the President’s Protection Detail. She’d expected him to hand the assignment to either Luke or Gil, both of whom were more than qualified. Or to their new agent, Benjamin North, who was the most experienced special agent on their team and who had been on the PPD until he transferred to the Raleigh office last December.
As the least experienced agent of the team, she’d been prepared to have to wait several more years for this opportunity. But here she was.
“You’re ready for this,” Jacob had said when he called her into his office on Thursday afternoon. “Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Pick Benjamin’s brain. He’s a resource. Use him.” Then Jacob grinned widely. “And enjoy bossing Luke and Gil around for a change.”
That she would do.
Her watch buzzed on her wrist and she glanced at it. Zane Thacker had left Raleigh seven months ago for the PPD. She missed him. He knew that. What he didn’t know was how much she missed him. Or why. Their relationship had taken a while to settle into friendship, but once it did, their bond solidified into something she cherished. Something she wouldn’t risk losing.
I hear congratulations are in order.
Tessa pulled her phone from her back pocket and replied.
I’ll accept congratulations only after the job is done and POTUS is back in DC.
Fair enough. We’ll celebrate next Saturday.
A tingle of anticipation trilled down her spine.
I take it you’re making this trip. When do you arrive?
“Now.” Zane’s deep voice came from above her.
She shot to her feet and smacked his shoulder before allowing him to pull her into a quick hug. “You could have told me!”
“This was way more fun.”
She glanced behind him. “Where’s the rest of your team?”
“I left them in Jacob’s office. Leslie is taking care of them. I wanted to see you first.” He gave her a grin that was the perfectmixture of mischievous little boy and flirtatious grown man. “Without an audience.”
Tessa couldn’t stop herself from drinking in the fullness of him. It was more than could be experienced over the phone, or even over a video chat. Zane had a way of standing that projected confidence, stability, and security. If anyone had ever been born to protect the president, it was Zane Thacker.
His six-foot-two height and broad shoulders gave him the kind of body that made suit designers drool. His dark-blond hair had hints of auburn in it and threatened to curl at the first hint of length, but today it was trimmed close. His face was interesting and expressive, making him the kind of man who grew more handsome the longer you spent time around him.
Over the past couple of years, Tessa had catalogued everything about Zane, but her favorite feature was his eyes. They were the palest of blues at the pupils, with shards of white scattered around the middles before darkening to a deep navy rim at the edges of the irises.
And when he decided to maintain eye contact, like he was doing now, it was almost impossible to look away.
