Twenty-One
Iwas at Navy Pier with binoculars and a trench coat the following April night.
I was limping, because I had twisted my ankle playing racquetball with Dane that Sunday morning, but I wasn’t going to let a little pain get in the way of my spy mission.
I had set up Dr. Kai Akita, PhD, with Dr. Nick Sullivan, MD, and from the looks of things—the body language, the glances, and the testing touches—it was going really well.
Nick’s hand on Kai’s shoulder was allowed to stay, Kai’s fingers sliding over Nick’s collar was rewarded with a big smile, and the proximity they kept while walking were all very good signs.
I was so pleased with myself I felt like I was glowing.
As I leaned over the railing to try and see them as they walked toward the arcade, someone cleared their throat.
When I turned, there was Sam Kage, in jeans and boots, a lightweight sweater and a heavy leather motorcycle jacket. Sadly, he looked great, and if that wasn’t bad enough, he was scowling at me.
“Hey,” I greeted him blandly.
“What the hell are you doing out here?”
“I—”
“People are trying to kill you and you’re just—”
They were moving, and I had to see. I raised a finger to shut him up and hobbled over to lean against the railing on the opposite side of the pier. I used the binoculars to make sure I didn’t lose them.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he asked again, louder, firmer, his voice right next to my ear.
“Why can’t you ask a question without swearing?”
“Jory, I’m trying not to—”
“It should be perfectly obvious that I’m spying,” I said, cutting him off, watching as Nick’s hand came to rest between Kai’s shoulder blades. “God, I should do this for a living.”
“What are you looking at?”
“Remember the doctor that liked me?” I asked as I watched them buy corn dogs.
“Yeah.”
“Okay, so I set him up on a blind date with a guy I met last night at my friend Paul’s house.”
There was a long silence, and I thought he had walked away until I heard him huff out a breath. “Wait now. You met a guy last night and he let you set him up on a blind date?”
“Yes,” I said excitedly.
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did a guy you met last night let you set him up on a blind date?”
I lowered the binoculars and glared at him. “Why is that important? The thrill of this moment is that I am the love god.”
“Is that right?” He smirked at me.
“Are you kidding?” I mumbled, raising the binoculars. “I’m Cupid, man.”
“Okay, Cupid,” he said drolly. “What’s going on with your ankle?”
“Oh, I screwed it up playing racquetball with Dane. I gotta explain to him that he needs to pick on someone his own size from now on.”
“I see. May I ask another question?”
“Can I stop you?”
“Dane is what to you now?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Well, I’m curious, because he used to be called boss and now he’s Dane. Explain that to me.”
“Dane is my brother now.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. He likes running my life.”
“I’ll bet,” he said before sighing deeply. “He’s a good guy.”
“He’s the best guy,” I agreed, putting the binoculars down while I crossed through the crowd back to the other side of the pier.
I couldn’t see them, so when I saw a bucket that was turned over behind a cotton candy stall, I got up on top of it.
I was just in time to see them stop for ice cream; Kai had just wiped some of it off Nick’s nose. It was too cute.
“You’re gonna fall off that and actually break your ankle, idiot.”
I groaned. He was so annoying.
“Seriously, why does a guy you just met let you set him up on a date with somebody else?”
“Because he’s a keen judge of character and he could tell right off that I had the gift.”
“Bullshit.”
I shrugged. “Believe what you want.”
“Tell me.”
“I just did.”
“Tell me the truth.”
“Fine,” I said with a shrug. “I told him if he had a bad time, he could have me.”
“I’m sorry?”
“You heard me.”
“Have you?”
“Yeah.”
“Define that.”
“I think it’s pretty self-explanatory.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah,” I said, watching them smile into each other’s eyes. “Awww.”
“So you’re saying if the blind date goes bad, this guy—what’s his name?”
“Kai.” I put the binoculars down, unsure for a minute what the better course of action was.
Should I let my ankle bear my weight for the second it would take to hop down, or use the one I normally didn’t, let it be awkward for a second, and hope I didn’t lose my balance or something overcompensating.
“What are you doing now?”
I glanced down, he glanced up, and I was suddenly caught in the dark scowl. He appeared really annoyed. “Could you move a little? I need to get off this.”
He reached for me. “Lemme help you.”
“No, thanks.” I waved him back. “Just move.”
“Fine,” he grumbled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket, taking a step away from me. “So, seriously, this guy Kai gets to what, fuck you or do whatever the hell he wants to you?”
“Yeah.” I winced, letting my ankle hold me for a second, stepping down onto my good one. “Shit.”
“And you’ll let him?”
I cracked a grin. “It’s just my ass, man.
I’ve done worse for less,” I assured him before I limped away, ducking between stalls, poking my head around the caramel corn and the hand-dipped candy apples before leaning out from under the overhang to check on them as they stopped to get some bottled water. I was hoping I’d lost him.
“For crissakes, Jory, you—”
“God, why are you here?” I almost whined, turning to look up into his face.
His eyes narrowed. “I’m here with Dom and his girl, Lily, and Maggie.”
“Well, I’m sure they’re waitin’ on ya,” I said flatly, hoping my dismissive tone would prompt him to leave.
I watched his jaw clench. “You know, you—”
My hand came up to cut him off as I reached into the breast pocket of my trench and pulled out my phone. I dialed and turned away from him to return to my spying. She answered on the second ring.
“Mother Goose.”
“What?”
“I thought we should have code names,” Dylan apprised me. “Since we’re undercover and all.”
My friends were all crazy. “Where are you?”
“I’m getting honey-and-powdered-sugar fry bread. Where are you?”
“You’re eating again?”
“That was very judgmental,” she informed me. “And I would remind you that we’re at the pier. What the hell else do you do here?”
“Stop eating. We’re on a stakeout.”
“Shut up. Give me your location.”
“By the little dance floor with the black lights.”
Her voice was muffled since she was eating and talking. “I’ll be right there. Don’t move anymore, you won’t be able to walk by tomorrow.”
“Fine. Hurry up,” I said before I hung up and replaced the phone in my coat.
“Who was that?”
I had hoped he’d taken the hint, but he was still there.
“I asked you a question.”
“My girl, Dylan,” I snapped at him.
“Who?”
“Bye, Detective.” I dismissed him, raising the binoculars, smiling wide as Kai and Nick sat down on a bench on the pier, facing each other.
“You know you should show me more respect.”
I grunted and moved away from him. I was about to adjust the binoculars when he stepped in front of me.
“Maybe I should just take you home.”
“You have Maggie to take home,” I blurted out with more vehemence than I wanted.
“What?”
I shook my head. “Just never mind. Could you please leave me alone?” But he didn’t move. “What do you want?” I asked him, sounding exhausted.
“You’re hurt, lemme help you.”
“No,” I snapped irritably, shifting around him, looking for the lovebirds. “I don’t need your help.”
“Clearly you do.”
I groaned loudly.
“Jory, you—”
“There you are.” Dylan sniffled as she walked up beside me. She lifted my arm and leaned into my side. “Lean on me,” she ordered gently. “I don’t want your ankle to implode.”
I draped my arm around her neck and kissed her temple. Her contented sigh made me smile.
“So how’s it going? Are you off the hook or what?”
I passed her the binoculars I had borrowed from her husband earlier in the night, and pointed down the pier. “Look toward the arcade.”
She put them up to her eyes and smiled wide. “Oh yeah, you’re safe. Good job, love god.”
I glanced over at Sam. “Thank you.”
His scowl could not have been any darker.
“Hi.” Dylan smiled at him suddenly. “You’re the detective, right? I met you Friday night.”
He looked directly at her, and I heard her sharp indrawn breath before she shivered. I understood. Hard to know what your reaction to Sam Kage should be. The man was menacing and alluring in equal measure. He radiated danger and plain old raw sex appeal. The combination was intoxicating.
“You’re his new partner, right?” Sam asked gruffly.
“Huh?”
“Aren’t you Jory’s partner?”
“What?”
I bumped her to break the spell.
“Oh…yes.” She recovered, offering him her hand. “It’s nice to see you again.”
He shook her hand quickly. “And you.”
“We’re on a spy mission.” She smiled impishly. “Did he tell you?”
“Yes, he did.”
“Are you here alone? Do you want to share a cab home with us?”
“No, I have friends and—”
“His girl’s waiting on him,” I told Dylan. “He has to go.”
“Oh, okay,” she said, her arm tightening around my back. “Well then, we’ll see you, Detective. You have a nice night.”
He nodded.
“Could you give me a little of your weight, please,” she snapped at me gently.
“I’ll crush you.”
“I think I weigh more than you.” She sighed. “Just let me take care of you. I’m dying to mother you.”
I rolled my eyes, and we started to walk away.
“Why don’t you let me drive you both home?” Sam suggested out of the blue.
Dylan stopped, but I kept going.
She planted her feet.
I pushed her off-balance, forcing her to take a step forward.
“What are you doing?” She was confused. “Stop trying to push me.”
“Let’s just go.”
But she ignored me, turning instead back to Sam. “I thought you were out with your friends.”
“I am, but we’re about to leave anyway. It’s no trouble, and if his ankle’s bad like you said, then I would be glad to help.”
“It’s not that bad,” I grumbled quickly.
“Are you kidding?” Dylan was flabbergasted. “The limping’s getting worse, not better.”
I sighed deeply. “We can catch a cab. It’s no problem. Thanks anyway.”