Page 60 of Laura's Truth
“Ignoring that unfortunate analogy,” Laura continued, “I don’t think it will work in the hallway, honey.”
“No.” Drew shook his head. “Game room?”
“You guys have a game room?”
“Two incomes, no kids. It happens,” Drew said, releasing her hand to slide his arm around her waist. “Theater seating.”
Intelligent and charming, he never missed a beat. She could almost see such a room. No wonder the CIA had recruited him. Until the day Hackett screwed him over, his record had been outstanding.
“Well, honey? Game room?”
She nodded and laughed a little. “Will you ship it for us?”
The artist eagerly agreed and took down the address Drew rattled off. She did a double take when she realized it was her house in Fayetteville.
The artist glanced up. “That’s near Fort Bragg, right?”
“Yes,” she said, beaming at him while deep inside she worried his work might somehow get damaged by the people determined to take her down along with Drew. She had to push the nagging anxiety away—there were other things to think about.
“I like that area. I was an Army brat, but serving wasn’t for me.”
“Looks like you found your calling,” Drew said, his hand rubbing soothing circles across her shoulder.
Laura leaned into the touch, grateful for his silent affirmation that they’d succeed here. They chatted with more artists, enjoyed a casual lunch and whimsical dessert at a candy store, even strolled by the areas Eva was feeding Hackett as potential meeting sites, but Hackett didn’t show.
When they received a message from Eva confirming Hackett was locked down in his home near the Citadel, they stared at each other.
“What now?” she asked.
“I suppose it’s not a team kind of move to drag his ass out of the house?”
She shook her head, but she couldn’t hide her amusement. “Let Ross and Eva do this right. They’ll make it work.”
“Why are you so confident?”
“Call it a leap of faith.” In Drew. She could hardly admit that her growing confidence about netting Hackett came from being around him. His ease and expertise in the field made her realize how much she missed being out here. When they were clear and this was done, she was going to have to reevaluate more than her personal life.
“I suppose. Do you still have that turquoise swimsuit?”
She nodded.
His grin was absolutely wicked. “How do you feel about the beach?”
She pressed up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “I could be persuaded.”
***
Drew didn’t like leaving Charleston to Hackett, but he was taking that leap of faith and trusting that Laura was right about the capability of Ross’s team. They’d returned to the hotel, changed clothes, and made a beeline for the surf. It was as close to idyllic as he’d seen in years.
“Another day, another beach,” Laura said as they waded along the shore. “This impromptu vacation is starting to feel less like work.”
And more like a real honeymoon, Drew thought. It was… comfortable. Nice. “I haven’t felt like this in years,” he admitted. “Didn’t realize how much I missed this kind of thing.”
“Surf and sand?”
“Along with the beautiful company,” he admitted, stealing another sweet kiss. Only the cell phone in his shirt pocket kept him tethered to the harsh reality of the task he needed to finish. He couldn’t remember ever wanting to put down roots, but today while they’d played the happy couple, it had come too easy. Felt too right.
Because of her. He tried to push those thoughts away, but they wouldn’t be relegated to the back of his mind. Somehow, in a matter of days, his entire perspective had changed.