Chapter Eight

Pete resumed his place on the couch, trying and failing to pay attention to the television. He had to admit, even he was amazed he’d heard Shannon from such a distance.

Something about her, he mused. All my senses are sharper somehow when it comes to her.

He allowed his mind to drift along the direction it had been yearning to go, which was thinking about what might happen once all this was over.

Ask her out? Sure. Then what? Her life is in Chicago and mine is here, he pondered. Not to mention my job. It’s dangerous sometimes.

His brain promptly replayed the last conversation he’d had with Molly, the woman he’d been seeing up until February.

I’m so sorry, Pete. But I can’t do this anymore, she’d said. Every time you go to work, I’m terrified you won’t come back. I care about you… but I can’t live like this. I thought I’d be okay with it, but…

And I can’t give it up, he’d answered. Being a U.S. Marshal isn’t just my job, it’s my calling, Molly. It’s my passion.

So, this is it, then, Molly had said sadly, as she packed up the few belongings she’d kept at his place.

And he’d held his breath as she’d walked out his door, a single thought looping in his mind.

I guess I am meant to be alone.

From that moment, he’d thrown himself into his work even more fiercely, as a shield against the loneliness that threatened to consume him.

But if I’m honest with myself, he admitted, the loneliness went away the moment I laid eyes on Shannon Rivers.

The only question is – should I do anything about it?

***

“I think I’m going to try the nap thing again,” Shannon told Leah. “If I’m not up by seven, come get me, okay?”

Leah nodded.

Either way, when you wake up, we’ll figure something out for dinner, she wrote.

“You got it,” Shannon said through her yawn, and went to her room.

She considered it, then opted to stay in the robe and lay down on top of the covers. As per her usual habit, she started off on her back, then winced as she felt the result. Sighing, Shannon turned onto her right side, pillowed her cheek in her hand, and drifted off.

***

Downstairs, Leah settled in with a book in the overstuffed recliner, while Pete casually flipped channels from the couch.

“So,” she began, and he glanced over.

“So… what?”

“What do you want to know?”

Pete’s brow knitted.

“About what?”

Leah laughed.

“I get the feeling you’ve got a ton of questions about Shannon, but you’re either not sure how to ask them, or you don’t think I’ll cooperate.”

His left eyebrow arched.

“Interesting. And how, exactly, did you arrive at all that?”

“Never mind how. My point is, I can see you’re interested in her,” Leah stated with conviction. “So, fire away. If you’re out of bounds, trust me, I’ll tell you.”

“Are you always this direct?”

“Life’s too short not to be.”

“Fair enough,” Pete murmured, and thought, yep, she and Fuller are made for each other.

“Here, I’ll even get the ball rolling for you,” Leah offered. “She’s twenty-four, single, almost done with her degrees, and despite the circumstances of how it happened, I’m sure she’s tickled to death to be back in Texas.”

At his puzzled look, Leah explained, “She’s from Texas. Shannon grew up down around Ennis. She just wound up in Chicago for school.”

Well, well, would you look at that, his mind pointed out gleefully. She’s actually based down here. There’s one obstacle out of the way…

“Degrees? What’s she studying?” Pete latched on to the most neutral of the data bits Leah had thrown out.

“She’s a double major. Finance and Accounting.”

“Interesting.”

“Glad you think so,” Leah grinned. “I myself would be bored out of my skull.”

“Really? What are you studying?”

“Criminal justice and psychology,” she said. “And nice try. But this conversation is about Shannon, remember?”

Pete’s jaw twitched.

“You’re like a bulldog with a bone. You are just not gonna let this go, are you?”

“Nope. And you know why?”

Now he paused the TV to make eye contact.

“No. Why?”

“Because I think you’d be good for each other.”

“How can you possibly know that? You two just met me today,” Pete pointed out. “Like, not even twelve hours ago.”

“Call it a hunch.”

He waved his hand, even as his heart soared at everything she was saying.

“Here’s the thing, Leah. My job? It’s not just a job. It’s what I was meant to do. And it’s not the safest profession on the planet. That’s a lot of worry to put on somebody that you care about.”

She leaned forward and stared him down.

“Luckily for you, Shannon is used to that.”

“What do you mean?”

“She has three generations of military and law enforcement in her family, Pete. She knows all too well what it means to put on a uniform or wear a badge.”

Timber! Pete’s mind called out. Excuse me, sir. Am I mistaken, or is that another barrier you built coming down?

“Okay,” he said grudgingly. “But here’s something else. I don’t mix work and personal. Ever.”

“And I admire that. But it’s not like you’re gonna be babysitting us until the end of time, Pete. I’m just saying.”

“Fine,” he challenged, and turned the tables on her by bringing up her and Larry.

Shocked into speechlessness, Leah huffed as she opened the book she’d selected and began to read, while Pete found himself with a lot to think about.

***

Shannon yawned, stretched, and looked at the alarm clock by the bed.

Six-thirty-seven. Got a good five hours in, she realized. And I’m starving.

Then she realized what had caused her to wake. A tantalizing aroma had drifted its way up the stairs to tempt her back to awareness.

She stood, stretched again, and moved to her suitcase to rummage for something to wear beside the robe.

Oh good, she grabbed it for me, Shannon thought as her hand found a sleeve of her favorite oversized sweatshirt. She slipped it on along with yoga pants, pulled her hair up into a ponytail, and made her way downstairs.

“Something smells fabulous,” Shannon exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen. “What is that?”

Beef stroganoff, Leah scribbled, then added He’s cute AND he can cook? Double bonus for you! and smirked as Shannon turned red and mouthed ‘stop it’.

Pete’s back was to them as he busied himself at the stove, and Shannon focused on returning her color to normal before he turned around. She managed it, but only barely.

Then he turned to look at her, and she felt the heat creeping right back into her face when his eyes locked with hers. She saw his mouth move, and Shannon blinked to distract herself from the fact that she wanted to know what it would feel like pressed to hers.

He asked if you got any rest, Leah showed her as she nudged her with an elbow to get her attention.

“I did, thanks.”

Unsure of what else to say, Shannon broke eye contact and made her way to the table. Pete plated her food and brought it to her, smiling softly as their eyes met again.

“Thank you,” she said, and noticed the dimple that appeared when his smile grew wider.

***

Charlie settled into his seat over the wing, smiling to himself.

My guy came through, thank God, he thought once again. Maybe this will get me out of Dutch with the old man.

His contact had relayed good news when Charlie called him back as scheduled.

“I think they went to Dallas,” the man said. “I had to dig around in the system to find it. The lead agent is playing stuff close to the vest.”

“You got someone down there you can reach out to?”

“Yes, I do. By the time you land, I’ll have more information for you.”

“Good work. I’ll call you when I get to Dallas.”

Then he’d walked into Archibald Creach’s office long enough to say, “I’ve got a lead, boss. Need to fly out.”

Creach had stared stonily for a moment, then finally answered, “Very well. I’m giving you one chance to fix this, Charlie. One. Understand?”

“I understand, sir.”

Creach waved a hand in dismissal.