The Protector (Barrett Boys #3) - Jordan Ford Page 0,43
circle of girls drinking bottles of water and discussing something animatedly.
No threats that I can see.
“I’m trying to find a cute nickname for Wren. Since his last name if Tuffin, I was thinking Stud Muffin, but he’s adamant.” She fake pouts. “He doesn’t even like Tuffy.”
Indy grins. “Wren’s a good name. I’d stick with that too.”
“Thank you.” Wren shoots her a grateful smile, squeezing Tabby’s waist and kissing her cheek.
“All right, fine.” Tabby swings her arm around Wren’s shoulders.
I’m distracted by my cell phone buzzing.
I check the screen, hoping it’s Jake.
I haven’t been able to talk to him much. Watching someone twenty-four-seven makes for busy work, but we’ve had a few texts back and forth, the odd call when Indy’s in the shower. He’s doing good, still flirting with Carmen and not making any moves because the chick has a boyfriend. I respect that, although I’m secretly hoping whoever this guy is dumps Carmen and frees her up for Jake. My brother either needs to date that girl or get over her.
But it’s not Jake.
“Excuse me for a sec.” I step away from the group and lift the phone to my ear. “Hey, Azim.”
“Good afternoon. Just checking in. How’s the day going?”
“Same as usual.” I look across the green, up to the brick building we just spent the last hour in, then back to the quad area where Indy arranged to meet up with her friends. “All is quiet on the western front.”
Azim snickers. “It’s coming up on five weeks and I’m getting the same report every day. Looks like that stalker has gone underground, or wasn’t after Indy in the first place, which is what I suspected.”
My heart sinks. “So, ah… do I still have a job?”
“At this stage. Detectives still haven’t managed to trace the source of the letter, and Castle remains edgy. He doesn’t like the fact that his baby girl is away from the nest. You being there makes him feel better.”
A movement to my right makes me turn, and I study the guy leaning against the tree. He’s still on his phone, and I think he must be texting by the way his thumbs are moving. His eyes flick to Indy and her group. From this angle, I can’t tell who he might be studying. There are three of them standing there. I shift my body so I can subtly keep an eye on him.
“Did you double-check the GPS app is working?”
I cringe and reluctantly tell him, “Yes. It’s working.”
It feels like an invasion of privacy to be able to track Indy’s phone from mine, but Azim made me install the app when I got the job, and I have to do monthly checks to make sure it’s working.
I know Indy would hate it, but Azim’s already told me a few times, “It’s not up to her. I don’t care if she doesn’t like it. It’s a safety measure she just has to live with.”
The longer Indy’s here, the more she feels like we’re pulling this off, and the more bodyguard-type moves, like tracking her phone, feel out of place.
People don’t seem to recognize her here.
But I guess it only takes one.
I don’t want her experience ruined, so I’m still running the odd blocking play without her noticing, distracting people’s attention before they can finish their “Is that…?” or “She looks vaguely familiar…” thoughts.
Tabatha’s laughter catches my attention, and I glance back in time to see Indy and her grinning together. Tabatha leans against Wren just as Percy lopes up with the twins. He’s a nice enough guy, in this awkward kind of way. I think he has a crush on Indy but is too shy to do anything about it. And then there’s Joanna and Jolene—the cutesy twins from Texas who still wear matching shirts. Yeah. It’s weird. In fact, a lot of Indy’s friends are a little quirky. It reminds me of Jake, which is probably why I don’t mind hanging out with them.
Indy glances over her shoulder to check where I am.
I wink at her, then turn back to check on the guy by the tree. He’s still leaning there, texting and thinking he’s being subtle about checking out Indy’s group.
“Are you standing near Indigo right now?” Azim asks me.
“About ten paces away.”
“Move just a little farther, will you?”
I frown and shift, turning my back on her for a moment and walking toward the clump of trees to score some shade.