16. Chapter 15
Chapter 15
AJ
B lake needed to make a pit stop, so I stopped at a travel center. I expected her to argue when I followed her into the store and stood outside the restroom, but she didn’t. While grateful she wasn’t arguing, I missed her fiery side.
While I waited, I called Meg, explaining the situation and asking if she could meet us at Grannie’s. I figured Blake could use a break and some supportive company. Blake could decline the offer if she didn’t want to talk to Meg.
Meg suggested bringing Emily and said, “We’ll help Blake feel right at home.”
Of course they would.
“Thanks, Meg.” I could hear someone talking to her in the background.
“Hang on, Jack wants to talk to you.”
A few seconds later, Jack asked, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, Blake wanted to get away from campus, so I suggested Grannie’s.”
“I’m sure Mom will be thrilled, but why’d you suggested a coffee shop ninety minutes away?”
Good question.
Because I wanted to get to know her during the drive.
Because I wanted to be her knight in shining armor.
Because I wanted her to meet the people in my life.
“I thought it’d help Blake relax if she was out of her normal environment.” And her friends are shit.
“Okay.” I knew that tone—he didn’t believe me. “I found some inconsistencies in our research. I’ll stop by Grannie’s and fill you in.”
“I’ll let you know when I’m close.” The restroom door opened. “Gotta run.” I disconnected the call without waiting for a response.
“Need a water or snack for the road?” I asked.
“I’m good. Thanks.”
When we got back to the car, I reached to open the back door, but Blake stopped me.
“Would it, um, be okay if I sat in the front?” she asked, looking at her boots. “I don’t like feeling like I’m being chauffeured around.” My dad had a driver, but I usually preferred to drive myself.
Hell yeah, it’s okay.
“Of course.” I opened the passenger door.
“Thank you.”
I closed the door and jogged to the driver’s side. Before opening my door, I wiped the goofy grin off my face.
We’d only been on the road for a few minutes when Blake broke the silence. “What does AJ stand for?”
“Andrew Janerek.” No one had called me by my first name, the one I shared with my father, since the day he left and I swore to never use it again. “But no one calls me Andrew.”
Ever.
“What’s your middle name?”
“I don’t have one. My mother and father couldn’t agree, so they didn’t give me one.” Later in life, I heard my father was so pissed off at my mom for daring to argue about giving me a middle name he smacked her around as soon as they got home from the hospital.
That’s where I got my temper.
“What about you? Do you have a middle name?”
“Promise you won’t laugh?”
“No.” I smiled. If she was asking, then I probably would. “Come on, out with it.” I prodded.
“Edith.” she said, her eyes daring me to laugh. “It was my grandmother’s name.”
I didn’t think her middle name was laughable.
Blake Edith Davenport.
“Your initials spell bed.” Don’t go there.
“They do.” She tried to be serious, but the smile on her face gave away her amusement.
We settled into comfortable conversation for the rest of the drive.
When we got to Grannie’s, Jack was waiting by the door. I dropped Blake off, leaving her in his care while I parked.
By the time the bells above the door chimed my entrance, Jack had introduced Blake to Meg, Emily, Beth, and Mary. Surrounded by the outgoing, friendly women, Blake looked like a deer in the headlights. Their efforts to make her feel welcome had the opposite effect.
I stepped up behind Blake and offered silent comfort. My right hand wanted to reach out and touch her, but I knew that’d be a problem. Not only would it piss off Blake, but the gesture wouldn’t go unnoticed.
Jack wasn’t the only one in the room with eagle-eyed observation skills.
Mary looked at me over Blake’s head. “I hear my coffee is worth driving ninety minutes to try,” she said with a laugh.
“Without a doubt.” I smiled.
“Blake, would you like to sit with us and relax for a bit, or do you need to study?” Meg asked.
Blake looked at me, several emotions crossing her face.
“They’ll understand if you can’t,” I whispered.
Tension drained from her body as she smiled. “I can sit for a few minutes. Thank you.”
“What would you like to drink?” Beth asked.
“A skinny latte, please.” She reached into her bag and pulled out her wallet.
“First one’s on the house,” Mary said as she and Beth headed to the counter to make our drinks. “AJ, the usual?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You mispronounced Mary again,” she called out with a chuckle. She was always reminding me to call her Mary.
Blake’s laugh reduced me to mush.
I stared. Openly fucking stared as she walked away with Meg and Emily.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up as Jack’s voice broke my trance. “Come on, Janerek.”
Hopefully, no one else noticed me staring.
We sat at a high top in the middle of the dining room. From our position, we could see out the windows lining the front of the café. We were in the perfect position to intercept if anyone came in and tried anything. Not just for Blake, but for the other women, too.
“Wanna tell me what that was all about?” he asked.
“Nothing.” Something.
“Right, that didn’t look-”
“What’d you find out?” I cut him off. I couldn’t act on my attraction to Blake, so there was no point talking about it. The very thought of losing my temper and hurting her scared the shit out of me. I couldn’t, wouldn’t, risk it. She deserved so much better.
Jack paused before shaking his head and shifting gears.
“Doug and I have been looking into Davenport’s case history to see if anything or anyone stands out.”
“And?”
“And things aren’t adding up. He has a track record of cases getting dismissed for petty reasons. We compared it to other DAs in the area, and the percentage is well above average. Doug dug deep and connected a few of the cases, but it wasn’t easy.”
“You think he’s dirty?” I looked at Blake; it’d kill her if her father was crooked.
“Too early to say,” he glanced at Blake, “but there are a few red flags. We’ve got a list of people to interview.”
“Could the threat be because he didn’t take a bribe?” I wanted him to be innocent, for Blake’s sake.
“It could be, but we’re not making any assumptions.”
I nodded, knowing I could hope and wish all I wanted, but it wouldn’t change the outcome.
Laughter floated over to us from the booth where our girls were sitting. The sound made my chest constrict. I glanced over; Blake was relaxed and enjoying herself.
My heart leaped in my chest when Blake turned and smiled at me. She’s beautiful, classy, intelligent, and so far out of my league we might as well be on different planets .
“Jamie’s free tomorrow if you want a break,” Jack’s smug tone interrupted my train of thought.
“No.”
Damn it . I took the bait.
He grinned. “Yeah, I figured as much.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I knew exactly what he meant.
It’d be a cold day in hell before I let anyone take over the day shift.
Instead of answering, Jack exaggerated his movements to look at his watch. “By the time you leave, it’ll be Jay’s shift.” He picked up his phone. “Want me to ask him to start early and drive Blake back?”
My best friend was an asshole.
Glancing at Blake, I grumbled, “That won’t be necessary.”