Page 3

First, I’ve got to get rid of this girl.
“What’s going on?” Cruz barks through the communication device in my ear.
I wish I knew.
“Look, I’m not sure what we’re doing,” I try, but this woman, with the beautiful name, wants to do all the talking.
“Me neither. I’ve never met anyone on the internet before. Well, I guess not on the internet, but from the internet. Not that you live on the internet.” Her rambling is kind of cute, but I can’t think about that right now. Not while I’m on the clock. At least now I’ve pieced together the fact that she thinks she’s on a date. With me.
On any other lonely night of my past life, I would have welcomed her quirky presence. Probably would have even flirted with her because despite how confusing this is, she’s absolutely stunning. That much was clear the second she walked up to my table. With short hair that’s so blonde, it’s almost unnatural, and cute pink, full lips. Her eyes are bright blue and animated, but what took my breath away was that dress. Blue as the morning sky, hugging her curves in all the right places, stopping just above her heels. The full skirt also boasts a slit that’s tempting enough to kill a man. She looked like she should be walking up to the bachelor house for a ridiculous reality show.
And I’m suddenly all too aware that I’m a bachelor, with an empty house. Well, it’s more of an apartment bu—
Was my drink spiked?
I can’t entertain thoughts of women. Not unless I’m chasing them down to bring them to justice. This one across from me hardly seems capable of committing any crime. My eyes flit once more to Hawthorne, ensuring he hasn’t escaped while I’ve been…distracted, then back to the woman.
“Amelia,” I say.
“Yes?” Amelia asks, batting long eyelashes at me. I have to turn her away, tell her I’m not the guy she’s looking for, but even I have a heart, and right now it’s beating at unnatural speeds.
Say it. Get rid of her.
“My name is Amelia, but all my friends call me Millie,” she speaks before I can.
“Amelia,” I try again, pointedly using her given name, but she cuts me off again.
“Also, I might have lied when I said I like Italian because all I really like is pizza but this place is so fancy I’m not sure they have that so I’ll order what you order, if that’s okay.”
It’s then that she notices I already have food.
She frowns at my plate of gnocchi, then at me.
“Seriously? You couldn’t wait for me to order? Is chivalry dead?” Her voice rises and several people glance over.
Cruz raises her eyebrows as she passes with a serving tray, and I swallow. I'm going to get fired.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, trying to calm the woman down before we attract the attention of my target.
Not that he knows who I am. But I’d prefer to stay completely off his radar. And to keep this innocent woman out of the crosshairs as well.
“I’ll call the waitress back.” I motion to Cruz.
She finishes with a customer and approaches our table.
“What can I do for you?” she asks, her statement directed fully at me. All I have to do is say the word and Cruz will get rid of Amelia. Kindly of course.
I think. We’ve only been partners for a couple of weeks.
I actually have no clue what she’d do to her.
“Well, my date didn’t think to order for me, so I’ll have the most expensive thing on the menu. He’s paying, I believe?” Amelia looks at me to confirm and all I can do is blink in response.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Cruz shoots me a smirk before turning away.
“Well.” Amelia claps her hands. “Now that that’s settled, what should we talk about?”
Besides the fact that she’s sitting with the wrong man?