Wired (Buchanan-Renard #13)(64)

As much as she hated the job, she loved the work, and how strange was that? The real irony was that she was making a good salary, and it was all hers. Her aunt and uncle couldn’t take it from her as they had with her previous earnings.

She was a paid employee of the federal government—an employee who wasn’t allowed to quit—with official credentials and benefits up the wazoo. She had been told that the six-month job she’d agreed to would be only from eight to five Monday through Friday. There was a caveat attached, though: if there was ever an urgent situation, she would be required to come in after hours. Thus far, there had been an average of three urgent situations each workweek and one almost every weekend. Agents had pulled her out of bed in the middle of the night too many times to count, had ruined innumerable dinners, and had barged into half the movie theaters in the city looking for her. She became so skittish she even imagined they were trying to interrupt her graduation. She had been chosen to represent her department and had just stepped onto the stage to collect her diploma when she glanced at the crowd and spotted two men in suits hurrying down the aisle toward her. They looked determined. In the hope of avoiding a tug-of-war, she rushed across the stage, snatched the diploma out of the president’s hands, all but fist-bumped him in lieu of a handshake, and ran down the steps, just as the two men reached the front row, turned, and sat down next to their families.

After the ceremony, she was congratulated by Jordan and Noah, who promised to celebrate with her on Nathan’s Bay the following weekend. There was a big party scheduled. Allison had just said good-bye to them when Dan and his girlfriend made their way to her. Mark and his fiancée were also there. She had discouraged them from subjecting themselves to the never-ending proceedings, but they insisted on attending because they were her friends. She surmised they felt sorry for her because Charlotte and Oliver couldn’t come and she wouldn’t have family at her big event, but even if they came out of pity, she was happy to see all of them. It was while Dan was giving her a big bear hug that she looked up into the stands . . . and saw him . . . there, standing in the middle of a crowd of people who were slowly making their way to the exits. He was there only as long as a blink, and then he was gone.

Had she really seen Liam, or was her imagination playing tricks on her? She’d been thinking about him almost every day. She couldn’t seem to stop. She had told herself again and again he wasn’t worth it, and yet the constant reminder didn’t seem to matter.

Not a single phone call. He couldn’t take the time to pick up the phone and call her just to see how she was doing? With each passing day it had become abundantly clear she meant nothing to him. He had moved on without so much as a backward glance. Liam Scott, she decided, was insensitive and rude, and once again she reminded herself that she was happy to be rid of him.

Her friends took her to dinner to celebrate her graduation. Then Dan drove her home. As soon as she locked the door behind her, she started thinking about Liam again. He really had forgotten about her, hadn’t he? He couldn’t even be bothered to send her a text or an e-mail. No, she definitely hadn’t seen him at graduation. He was in some far-off country, and the man she saw was simply a figment of her imagination. She went to sleep that night calling upon every happy image she could think of, anything to block images of him.

The following week was grueling, and she was glad of it because she didn’t have time for thoughts of Liam. She didn’t get home before nine or ten every night. Friday finally came, and fortunately there weren’t any after-work emergencies. She arrived home at a decent time, packed her overnight bag, and drove to Jordan and Noah’s house. Her friends were taking her to Nathan’s Bay for the weekend to celebrate her graduation. She’d been there several times with Jordan. She loved her large family and the tiny island. It was magical. And isolated. A bridge arching over a narrow channel was the only way in and out, and the sprawling two-story house was the only one on the island. Judge Buchanan owned the island and constantly fought off eager developers who wanted a slice of paradise. Allison was happy he kept refusing.

She was looking forward to seeing the Buchanans again. They were so kind to her, and time with them was always relaxed and fun. As she drove to Jordan’s house, she toyed with the idea of telling her about Liam but decided against it because she planned to erase him from her memory. As if that were possible. Damn it all, she wanted to move on. She hadn’t wanted to get involved with any man, because he would interfere with her plans for the future. What had happened to her?

She was in quite a state by the time she parked the car and ran up the steps to the town house.

Jordan opened the door. Allison’s greeting wasn’t what her friend had expected.

“Men suck.”

Too late, Allison saw Noah step out from behind the door. She hoped he hadn’t heard what she’d said . . . but of course he’d heard. He was trying not to laugh.

“I’m a man,” he reminded her.

How could she forget? Like with Liam, testosterone oozed from every pore in Noah’s body.

“You’re the exception.”

“What about them?” he asked with a tilt of his head. “Are they the exception, too?”

Allison froze. “Them?”

Jordan had to pull her out of the way so that Noah could get the door closed. Before she could ask who else was there, Jordan said, “You’re in an odd mood tonight. Is Agent Phillips making you nuts?”