Finding Carly (SEAL Team Hawaii #5)(30)

Thirty minutes later, Jag and Theo walked back into Food For All, accompanied by Ashlyn.

“Carly!” the other woman exclaimed, rushing forward to greet her.

Carly saw the amused grin on Jag’s face before he could hide it.

They stayed another twenty minutes or so before Carly’s stomach growled. She’d been so into catching up with her friends that she hadn’t realized how much time had gone by or how hungry she’d gotten.

Jag ushered her out of Food For All before she had time to do more than tell the others she’d be in touch. Elodie told her that Kenna would probably have another sleepover soon, now that Carly was “back,” and that she should be prepared to say yes to attending.

The thought of being isolated somewhere with the other women, who could be hurt because of her, was distressing, but Carly just smiled and nodded. Then Jag took hold of her hand and they were walking back down the sidewalk toward the small parking lot and his car. He got her settled in the passenger seat and they were on their way in less than a minute.

“I needed that. Thank you,” she told Jag.

“You’re welcome. I’ve got some chicken I can bake when we get home, if that’s okay. It’s nothing fancy, but while it’s cooking, we can have a salad and I can roast some broccoli to tide you over until the chicken’s done.”

Talking about what to have for dinner seemed so…domestic. And Carly loved it. “Sounds good. Jag?”

“Yeah, angel?”

“I had a good day.”

“I’m glad,” he said with a small nod.

“I know you can’t spend every day hauling my butt around and babysitting me, you’ve got a job and all, but I appreciate you giving me the kick in the ass I needed to jumpstart my life again.”

“You would’ve gotten there without me,” he said with a shrug.

“Maybe.”

“No maybe about it, angel. You would’ve.”

He had more confidence in her than she did herself. “Did things with Theo go okay?”

“Of course. He’s unusual, but a good man,” Jag said.

“Did you see the mural he drew in the back room?”

“Yup. Couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw it,” Jag told her.

“Did you, um, see anything unusual when you were walking around?” Carly couldn’t help but ask.

“Why? You feel someone watching you today?” he asked quietly.

“No, not this afternoon, actually. I was just wondering.”

Jag reached out and took her hand, and just his touch made Carly feel better.

“If you feel uneasy at any time, I want you to tell me. I don’t care if you think you’re just being paranoid, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

“Okay.”

“I’ve got a meeting with Baker set up in a few days. Maybe he’ll have more information.”

Carly shivered. She was torn between wanting to know everything and not wanting to know anything. There was some peace in not knowing the details about someone out there, possibly stalking her. But that would be stupid, and she didn’t want to be that person.

“If it’s all right with you,” Jag continued, “I thought I’d sit down with Baker and the rest of the team, hear what he’s found out and discuss what our next steps should be. Then you and I can talk about it.”

She sighed in relief and nodded. “I’d like that.”

“Good. I want to protect you from living and breathing this shit every day. You need to keep moving forward, and constantly thinking about the case won’t be good for you. Do you trust me to pass along the information I think is pertinent?”

“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “But I don’t want you to live and breathe this either. I don’t want or need a bodyguard, Jag. I think that would irrevocably change the relationship I’d like us to have. You’ll see me as helpless and someone who needs to be looked after. I don’t want that for us.”

“Agreed. But there’s no way I’m stepping out of the investigation altogether,” he warned her. “At this point, Baker’s basically in charge of the information flow. He’s pissed about the entire situation and is determined to figure out who might’ve been working with Keyes.”

“I still don’t really understand that, but I’m selfish enough to be okay with it,” Carly replied. “Am I going to get to meet this Baker guy at some point?”

“Oh, Lord, here we go,” Jag muttered.

“What?”

“You’ve been talking to the other women,” he said.

Carly frowned in confusion. “Yeah, but we didn’t talk about Baker.”

“You didn’t?”

“Nope. What am I missing?”

“Nothing.”

Carly poked him in the side and he grunted in protest. “Tell me,” she ordered, a smile on her face.

“I’ve already told you. They think he’s hot. A silver fox.”

Carly giggled.

Jag went on. “A scary, intense, they-wouldn’t-want-to-be-on-his-bad-side, sexy-as-hell silver fox.”

“So…kinda like you, but without the silver part,” Carly said.

Jag glanced over at her, a brow raised in clear disbelief.