Chapter 6 Lincoln #2
“Yeah…” I glance around her office, like I’m searching for something, and allow a nervous chuckle to roll along my throat. “Why? Are you gonna tell me it’s haunted?”
“No.” She releases the tension in her shoulders and sits back in her chair. “Of course not.”
“Termites? Rats the size of barn cats?”
Her lips curl into a sweet smile. “No.”
“The owner’s a crackpot?” I guess. “Is he gonna make my life hell?”
“No, he’s nice.” She snickers. “He plays Santa every December, actually. He rides the fire truck through town and gives candy to all the kids. I just… I guess you surprised me. I didn’t expect to see you again after yesterday, and now you’re saying we’re practically neighbors.”
I startle tall in my seat and lean forward. “What?”
“I’m out near Maple, too. Mr. Carnagy’s house is about a mile from mine.”
“No shit.” I allow a long, languid grin to roll across my lips. “Small world, huh? At least I know the neighbors are decent, and if I find the cat-sized rats, I’ll shoo them your way.”
She laughs, the sound so soft and cathartic, it’s like bells in my fucking chest that leave me scowling when, really, I should feel the opposite. We’re getting along. Happy, happy, laugh, laugh. You’re doing your fuckin’ job, dickhead. Keep it up.
“Small world, indeed. Though I must admit, I thought brushing you off yesterday would be the end of things. Now you say you’re staying, and I know you have no friends…”
I press a dramatic hand to my heart. “I’m so lonely, Nova. And Ry swore his sister was sweet as hell.”
“Oh, please.” She snorts. “Laying it on a little thick there, Mr. Castro. And already using my brother against me?” She flattens twitching lips. “Low blow.”
“Desperate times and scary rats call for desperate measures. I’d like to say I ate alone last night, but the vermin actually held me hostage, stole my meal, and took my wallet. I didn’t sleep a wink.”
“That’s going to be a problem today, considering your plans to open a bank account.” Playful, she snags a pen from her desk and fusses with it. “First stop probably should’ve been the DMV for a new ID, don’t you think?”
“Okay, so I lied about the rats.” I chuckle. “I panicked and wanted to make you smile. I don’t know about you, but I’m really fuckin’ tired of being sad this week. So, if making up stories about rats brings a little levity during dark times…”
“A lie worth telling,” she finishes, her eyes relaxing. “Sometimes that’s how it has to go, I guess.”
Opening her desk drawer, she rifles through files until she finds the one she wants.
Removing a booklet-sized set, she places them on her desk and slides them across to me with the tip of her pointer finger.
“Fill these out, and we can get started. You’ll need your driver’s license, credit cards, bank cards, and birth certificate.
Anything you have that’ll help us satisfy the identification requirements.
We also need income statements. Debts. Assets. All that sort of stuff.”
“Kinda forward of you, don’t you think?” I take the application and flick the pages the way you do with a novel. “We just met, and you’re already asking me about my finances.”
“You came to me, Mr. Castro.” Offering her pen, she sets it on the desk and sits back again. “But if you become uncomfortable at any point,” she jerks a thumb to her left, “I’ll happily refer you back to Genevieve.”
“You’ll do.” I set the application down and pick up the pen. “What’s my first name?”
“What?”
I bring my eyes up and lock on to her pretty green gaze. “My first name?”
“You, uh…” She frowns. “You don’t remember?”
“No, I do. I’m just making sure you do. You continue to call me Mr. Castro, though I’m certain I already told you my name.”
“Oh.” She nibbles on her bottom lip and links her fingers together in her lap. “Lincoln.”
“There it is.” I write it on the first line.
“Make sure you use it, or I’ll have to call you Ms. Nichols.
And that feels really weird, because I mostly only knew Ryan as Nichols.
” I study her from beneath my lashes. “Saying that name while thinking about how pretty you are is giving me the heebie-jeebies.”
Her cheeks flame bright red, and her eyes dance with both shyness and humor. She can’t possibly be unaccustomed to being told she’s beautiful. No chance in hell. But it seems she’s unaccustomed to her brother’s friends doing it.
He probably would’ve killed anyone who tried.
I can relate to that sentiment. But I’m not a brother today. Nor a protector. I’m a man whose job is to charm an innocent woman out of something she doesn’t even realize she has, and hope not to break her heart in the process.
“Will you reconsider the coffee thing soon?” I drop my gaze and go back to filling in the application. “I fear loneliness will lead me to naming the rats and conferring with them on what we should order for dinner. Ryan assured me you were nicer than that.”
“No coffee. It’s kind of a rule, actually.”
Curious, I set my pen down and give her my full attention. “A rule?”
“Yeah. Ry would be pissed if he found out I was interested in his friend.” Long lashes kiss her cheeks as she slowly blinks. “Even if I admitted that the friend was charming and annoyingly handsome. Perhaps it’s best you continue to call me Ms. Nichols.”
“Oh, God.” I clutch my chest and groan. “Don’t do it. Don’t make me look at you, but see his face. It’s creepy.”
I like that she laughs even amidst soul-aching sadness. I love that I could bring a smile to her face, despite the dishonorable intentions that brought me here.
If I can manage it, I’ll complete my mission without bringing her any pain. But to do that—and keep Tank and Aster out of this sleepy little town—I need to recover the thing Ryan Nichols hid.
Soon.
What does that thing look like? No fucking clue.
Where did he put it? Don’t know that either.
Will I find it without securing an invitation into her home and looking around? No fucking chance.