Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,31
I had failed at my job, though, and I couldn’t believe that. I’d worked my ass off keeping her out.
I didn’t know what had been on that file she managed to open right under my nose, but it had only been a split second before I shut her down. Surely that wasn’t all she wanted from us.
Nonna waved Sapphire over to order her pie.
I watched as someone left the house. I couldn’t make out the full license plate, but I jotted down the basics of what I could get.
At first, I assumed the house was empty, but then I could see the outline of a person in the front window. Someone was still in the house.
I got lost in my work and before long people started arriving for lunch.
“They’re getting busy. Should we leave?”
I craned my neck when the waiting area started to fill up. There was more staff suddenly and they all appeared to be busy, but every now and then Sapphire swung by to assure us we were fine and to let her know when we wanted lunch.
I used my headphones to help drown out the noise as I sketched out the house from what I could see of it and started working out a plan. I needed eyes on the house. I wanted faces and a headcount of exactly how many people lived there.
I really wanted to know if they were human or shifters, but I was worried I would put Sapphire on edge if I asked.
I had already deduced that the cars were parked behind the building. In my time there I’d witnessed two distinct vehicles leaving and arriving at the property, but I hadn’t definitively seen any of the residents.
Suddenly the hair on my neck stood up and a smile tipped my lips. Trying not to alert Nonna, I casually looked around. It took no time at all to lock onto my girl. She must have arrived through the kitchen. She was standing by the register talking to one of the newer waitresses that had arrived for lunch. I didn’t know her name yet.
It was a little unsettling knowing that I had felt Susan’s arrival before actually seeing her, or perhaps I had smelled her but that wasn’t very likely given the plethora of odors throughout the room.
My fox was on full alert and ready for a hunt. His sights set firmly on our mate.
My work, the mission, even Nonna faded from existence and all that mattered was that girl.
When Sapphire swung by to see if we were ready for lunch, I didn’t even see her.
“Caleb,” Nonna said harshly grabbing my attention.
“What?” I asked.
“Do you want lunch?” She pointed up to Sapphire.
“Oh, sorry,” I said. “Sure. What’s your special today?”
“Um, I’m not sure. Hold on.” She turned and yelled out, “Susan, can you help over here?”
She was looking frazzled as she left the register and walked over to us. Something was bothering her. I wanted to do absolutely everything within my power to make it better. It didn’t matter what it was, I would fix it for her. It was freaking me out that I could possibly know what she was feeling, but I somehow managed to stay calm and collected as she came over to the table despite my sweaty palms and the fact that my heart was about to beat out of my chest.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“What’s the special today?” Sapphire asked.
“Oh, um, open faced hot turkey sandwich and fries.”
“Crinkle fries?” I asked. I was just trying to get her attention because she was looking everywhere around the room except at me. My fox was irritated by the lack of attention she was showing us. It was very distracting.
Finally, she slipped up and looked at me. Our eyes locked. My entire world felt righted in that moment, but there was such turmoil in hers that it physically hurt me to see it.
Then she smirked, just a tiny uptick in the corner of her mouth. “What other kind are there?” she asked, then she turned and walked away.
My eyes stayed on her enjoying the sway of her hips as she returned to the register to finish her conversation with the cashier.
“The special, please,” I told Sapphire with my eyes still locked onto my target.
Nonna must have ordered because our waitress left and then she kicked me under the table again.
“Would you cut it out? You’re drooling and you’re going to creep that poor girl out.”