Page 27 of Covert Operation
“Not awful, I guess.” I settle into the passenger seat. “It’s difficult because my new place is so different from the house I had before, so I’ve got to wrap my head around the way it could all fit together now.” I have plenty of things to fill my condo, but none of them seem to work the way they did, and it’s frying my brain a little. “I’m getting tired of moving the same thing five hundred different places to figure out where I want it.”
“If you need help, let me know.” Elise shoots me a grin as we pull out of the garage. “It’s only fair that I help you the way you’re helping me.”
I smile even though I know I’m about to almost lose my lunch. “Thanks.”
I’ve been so closed off over the past year that I haven’t spent much time with the people around me, and it’s one more thing I’m regretting. Elise is awesome and her can-do attitude is rubbing off on me.
I think.
“Anytime.” She whips around the side of the building so fast the tires struggle to find purchase. She’s quiet for a minute, then her eyes come my way. “Monday we have to find a new office for Zeke.”
“What?” I sit up straighter, barely even noticing as her foot hits the accelerator. “He has an office.”
Elise shrugs. “He said you can have it.”
“But I don’t actually work for Alaskan Security.” And I never intended to run Zeke out of his own office. I’m already taking up so much of his time. I shouldn’t take up his space too. “I can just work in the break room.”
“You think so, but everyone will drive you freaking crazy if you sit in there.” Elise purses her lips as she looks out the windshield, paying way more attention to the road than she normally does. “Maybe you guys could just share it. He travels a lot, so it’s not like he uses it every day.”
“But it’s still his office.” I don’t hate the idea of sharing, but that’s not really fair to him. He’s been here way longer than I have, plus he’s an actual employee at the company. I’m just some chick with nothing better to do.
Elise turns out of the office park located outside the gate in a maneuver that barely jostles me. “You’ve put more effort intothat office in a week than he has in ten years, so I might argue it’s more your office than his.”
“That wasn’t why—” I catch myself, sealing my lips together just before I tell on myself. “That isn’t really relevant.”
Elise still doesn’t look my way. “Oh.”
“It was just stuff I found when I was unpacking. I couldn’t come up with a spot for it in my house, so I put it there.” The argument is weak. Probably because it’s not true. “I can easily move it.”
But I don’t want to. I like it where it is. I like that Zeke has a spot in his life that isn’t empty and unwelcoming. Especially now that I’ve seen the barren space he lives in. It’s too bad I can’t sneak some stuff in there too.
“I guess you two can decide what to do.” Elise peeks my way from the corner of her eye. “You could always share it.”
That’s an interesting possibility. It makes sense. Like Elise said, Zeke isn’t always in town, and I’m technically not even an employee. We probably wouldn’t even cross paths that often.
I’m still thinking it over when we pull up in front of Elise’s condo. She pauses in the short drive, giving me a smile as I collect my things. “Let me know if you need any help this weekend.”
“I will.” After offering her a wave, I trudge along the shoveled sidewalk and up the steps, letting myself in the front door.
I’ve just hung my coat in the closet when there’s a knock at my door. Even though no one can get into the neighborhood without passing through the gate barricading us in, I still peek through the peephole, just to be safe. My stomach clenches when I see it’s my sister standing on my doorstep.
After taking a deep breath, I open the door, offering a smile. “Hey.”
Sadie’s expression is unreadable. “Hi.”
I step back so she can come in, closing the door behind her. “What’s up?”
Her eyes move over the clutter stacked around the main floor. “I should probably ask you that.” She turns, her accusing gaze moving over me. “Where have you been all day?”
“The same place I’ve been every other day this week.” While I have kept the time I’ve been spending with Zeke from my twin, I haven’t been as secretive about the time I’ve been helping Elise. “I was at headquarters.”
Sadie’s brows pinch together, like she can’t wrap her head around what I just said. “Again?”
“Yes, again.” I brace one hand against the wall so I can lift a foot to unzip the boot on it. “Elise needs help and I need something to do.” I try not to sound irritated, but fail.
“If you wanted something to do, we could have found you a teaching job.” Sadie goes back to the plan she’s had for me since I officially moved to Alaska. “I’m sure you could sub until you’re ready to work full time again.”
“I don’t want to teach.” The words surprise me as much as they surprise her. I’ve avoided thinking about it, done all I could to pretend it wasn’t true.