“Admit it. You have the hots for him.” Since Fortunada was now in jail, Jamie was back doing whatever he normally did before bodyguard duty. He’d driven Maria back to Tallahassee on Sunday so he could get his car, and Gina had been disappointed when he hadn’t shown up with Maria on Monday.
“What woman in her right mind wouldn’t?” she said rolling her eyes. “Your guy’s not so bad either, but those blue eyes of Jamie’s?” She waved her hand in front of her face as if she needed cooling off.
No denying Jamie was hot, but she preferred hazel eyes that went as dark green as moss after a rain when they were turned on. Three days had passed since she’d seen Jake, and she missed him so much it sometimes hurt to breathe.
Gina shifted her books to her other arm. “I’m starving. Wanna grab a pizza?”
“Sure. Let me check my messages first.” Jake would be boarding his flight in five hours and she was hoping he’d call before he left. It had been hard to concentrate on her final exam knowing he was about to put himself in danger. Saying good-bye to him Sunday morning without telling him she thought she was falling in love with him had been hard, but his attention needed to be on his mission. Nor was she sure he’d want her to be in love with him.
He’d given no sign that being with her wasn’t just another fling for him. If his history with women was any indication, he’d soon tire of her and move on. It was too depressing to think about that with her last exam coming up, along with worrying about him having to go to Egypt.
That wasn’t even taking into account Fortunada, and not knowing whether or not he was her father. She just couldn’t deal with it yet. When her exams were done and Jake was home safe, she’d face that and try to figure out her feelings. Besides, there were two other father possibilities, so maybe she was worrying for nothing.
Turning on her phone, she saw she had one message and her heart beat in anticipation. It wasn’t from Jake, though, and she listened to Angie’s message. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of missing out on a double cheese, pepperoni pizza.
“Sorry, but I’m going to have to pass on lunch. That was a message from Angie, the girl I told you about. She’s upset and needs to see me. Something to do with her mother.”
Jake gave one last critical study of the suitcase open on his bed. He didn’t like that he couldn’t strap a gun or knife on him before boarding the plane, but if their contact spoke true, everything they needed would be waiting when they arrived.
He had three hours before Kincaid picked him up, and he decided to call Maria. She should be out of her last class about now. “You a lawyer, yet?” he asked when she answered.
“Almost. One more day and then next step, the bar.”
“I’m proud of you, Chiquita.” And he was. He wanted to be there when she walked out of school for the last time. It was a milestone he wished he could share with her. “You headed home to study?”
“I’m on my way to see Angie for a few minutes and then, yeah, it’s hit the books for the last time.”
“Something wrong?”
“No, I think her mom’s having a meltdown, and Angie hopes I can help calm her down. Jake . . .”
Just the way she said his name and then stopped alerted him that something between them was about to change. “Yeah?”
“I lo . . . Never mind, just stay safe, and I’ll see you soon.”
He fell heavily onto the bed. Had she almost said she loved him? “Take care, Maria.” He clicked off and stared at the phone as he tried to decide if he was sorry she hadn’t taken that next step—if that’s what she had been about to say.
His finger tapped on the face of the cell, itching to call her back and demand she finish the rest of the sentence. “Damn.” He tossed the phone on the bed. This wasn’t the time to tangle his mind up with anything but the mission.
All he had to do was get through the next five days and he’d be home where he could give his full attention to Maria and their future. After a lengthy shower—probably the last one until he was back in the States—he grabbed a bite to eat.
The boss honked his car horn at precisely 1700 hours and Jake picked up his duffel bag from next to the front door, locking up behind him. After he was belted in, Kincaid handed him an envelope. Jake took it and checked both sides, but there was no writing on it. “What is it?”
“How the hell would I know? It’s sealed and Maria made me promise not to open it. I seem to be making a lot of promises to my sister lately because of you, Tiger Toes. I don’t like it.”