Deadly Testimony (Safeguard #2)(77)

“Yes.” Maybe she didn’t want him to be.

“As a new hire.”

He nodded, straightening. Funny how he had so much confidence and self-assurance, arrogance even, and facing her he wanted to apologize like a schoolboy who isn’t absolutely sure what he’s done wrong but saying sorry just in case. “Safeguard had need of someone with my experience.”

“True.” She set a tablet on the table. “I’m supposed to find you an office.”

Well, fortune didn’t favor the hesitant. “Will you be here for the day only or are you staying?”

“Would you have a problem working with me?” Her dark eyes were still unreadable. But he’d spent time with Lizzy over the past few days and he was sure he hadn’t imagined the slight quaver in her voice. Her vulnerability.

Something she trusted to him.

“I was going to try to find you, regardless. Working with you is going to be a new experience.” He straightened his tie and resisted the urge to fuss with his suit jacket. He would not fidget further. “It depends on just how much you can put up with me.”

She lifted an eyebrow.

He grinned. “I’m impressed with the facilities here. Can I talk you into testing the opacity settings on some of the conference rooms?”

“No.” Her response was immediate, sharp, but she didn’t hide her smile.

He stepped toward her and held his hands out. After a moment, she placed hers in his.

“I won’t work here if you feel uncomfortable.” He glanced around through the glass and then returned his gaze to hers. “I can find another position someplace else.”

She tipped her head to the side slightly. “You want to work here though.”

“Yes.” He nodded. “It’s an interesting change. Challenging position. And I’ve learned this place does things that have a direct impact on people’s lives. I’d like to reconnect with that feeling again.”

“So what do I have to do with it?” She had stilled, waiting for his answer.

Everything.

And somehow, he needed to let her know because otherwise, she’d shut down and withdraw behind a professional wall. He could see her bracing for it. He didn’t want her to.

“Meeting you was the last thing I could have anticipated.” He wasn’t exactly sure what he was going to say but he figured he would start and let it flow, unplanned. Sincere. And hope she didn’t hate him. “I can’t say if I’d have thanked you if I’d known how much I would change after meeting you.”

He’d been a carefree bachelor living a shallow life. He’d thought he’d been happy. Now, he was sure he wouldn’t be if he couldn’t at least let her know how he felt.

“Whatever way our stories end. However you choose.” He closed his hands around hers and squeezed gently. “You’ve changed me for the better and I can actually say I am building toward being a good man. Someone my nephew can be proud to live with. Because I knew you.”

Her fingers had tightened in his grip, returning his hold with her own strength. Encouraged, he continued, “Here. Now. I am grateful to have met you. And I can’t imagine life moving forward without you. So please. Lizzy. Isabelle. Let me be a part of yours.”

A small noise escaped her and tears welled up in her eyes.

Shocked, his mouth fell open. “I’m sorry, I—”

She kissed him.

There were several long minutes he lost in her lips and he didn’t care at all.

“Are you certain about testing the opacity of the conference room?” When she pulled back and swatted him across the shoulder he gave her his best rakish grin.

“Let’s go find you an office before more people try gawking.”

Startled, he looked out into the office space. “There’s nobody there.”

She glared at him. “There’s half a dozen people in cubes trying not to be obvious about peeking over the top. And Diaz is probably watching on video feed.”

“Oh.” He turned to the camera and gave it a jaunty salute.

She cursed and grabbed his sleeve, dragging him out of the pod. “Let’s get you an office.”

“Is it private?”

“No. All of them have glass walls.”

“With opacity adjustment, I saw the control panels.”

“You aren’t allowed to use them.”

He planted his feet and halted.

She turned. “What?”

“I’ve got a few things for the office.” He’d actually discussed the job with Diaz the night before, so he’d made a stop in the morning at his flat and also at the hotel for a few special items.

“Seriously?”

He ducked into the pod to retrieve a box and then followed her down to the end of the office floor. It took a minute to pick an office at the end, then he set the box down on the desk.

“What did you...?” She peered into the box and fell silent.

Carefully, Kyle lifted out the fishbowl and peeled away the plastic wrap spread across the top temporarily to keep water from spilling out. “I couldn’t leave Frederick behind.”





Epilogue

Three months later

Lizzy strode across the darkened office floor as indirect lighting came up at intervals to provide her with just enough to see by.