Chances Are - By Christy Reece Page 0,54
them. Question was, did it have anything to do with Angela’s decision? Getting involved in his employees’ personal lives wasn’t the norm for him. Yeah, he’d been guilty of pairing operatives when he saw a unique chemistry between them but not since his debacle with Eden and Jordan years ago had he interfered with a relationship. However, if Angela’s decision had been impacted because of her feelings for Jake, then he wanted to know.
“Jake’s a great operative. I was lucky to have him as a partner for my one and only mission.”
“Yet I can’t help but think you might’ve made a different decision if I had partnered you with someone else.”
“Absolutely not, Noah. My decision had nothing to do with my partner. If anything, Jake did his best to talk me out of quitting.”
That was good to hear but until he talked with Mallory, he wouldn’t be satisfied.
Angela carefully watched Noah’s expression. Reading him was usually impossible but she had no trouble seeing what he was trying to do. He was looking for an out for her–a way to turn her failure around. Blaming himself or maybe even Jake instead of accepting that the mistake was all Angela’s. It was all on her.
Jake would have to give a full report of their ruined mission. She didn’t expect any special favors from him when he described her meltdown. Once Noah heard the detailed account, she was sure Noah would agree that she wasn’t operative material, no matter how much she wished it otherwise.
On their last day in London, Jake had been nothing but kind. She had half expected him to try to talk her out of her decision again but he hadn’t even mentioned LCR. Instead they’d played all day like two people who had nothing more on their minds but enjoying themselves. It had been exactly what she needed. Her only disappointment came at the end of the day when he’d kissed her forehead and told her what time to be ready to leave the next day. The train ride home had been equally uneventful. She’d caught a taxi from the train station and hadn’t seen him since.
“Samara will be happy that you made it back safely. I’d like for you to visit with her.”
Angela hid a grimace. Talking to Samara was something she usually welcomed. However, despite Noah’s assurance that she had nothing to be ashamed of, Angela knew she was a huge disappointment to everyone at LCR. Admitting that to herself was hard enough. Discussing it with another person, especially someone whose respect meant so much, was entirely different. Yet she understood Noah’s request.
She stood. “I’ll make an appointment with her. And I want to thank you for your understanding, Noah. I’ll do my best not to disappoint you ever again.”
“Stop it, Angela. You didn’t disappoint me this time. I just want to make sure you made the right decision for the right reasons.”
A lump developed in her throat for this man who’d been her champion from the moment she met him. He might be her boss, but she had always felt as close to him as she would a big brother. No matter what he said, she knew she had let him down. And maybe that was what hurt most of all.
“Did you sleep with Angela?”
Jake had known McCall would want to talk about the failed op, but he never expected it to take such a personal tone. He shot up from his chair and glared at his boss. “Whether I slept with Angela or not is none of your dammed business.”
McCall barely raised a brow at Jake’s explosion. “It is when it affects a mission.”
Telling McCall that Angela had decided to quit before they slept together wasn’t something he intended to do. What had happened between them was no one’s business but their own.
“Angela’s decision to quit was based solely upon her reaction to the skateboarder. I was as stunned by her decision as anyone. She’d given no indication that she was having second thoughts. She was professional at all times and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’d like to see her go back into the field when she’s ready.”
Dropping back into his chair, Jake shook his head. “She seemed certain that she would never be ready.”
“Maybe.”
“Anything new on the case?”
“Zero. If he were keeping up with his timeline, he should have taken another woman by now and Clarissa Eaton’s body should have already been discovered. Then again, if