Page 85 of Small Town Sizzle

I jump and turn around quickly. The sight of him annoys me.

“Uh, hi, TJ. What are you doing here? Did Leti let you back, because she shouldn’t have. This is a confidential and secure place back here.”

He walks into my office and stands in front of my desk. The way he just walked in here without an invitation feels wrong for some reason. I push back from my desk a bit to give myself some space.

This is a safe space for women and children who’ve been abused, and this man just barreling back here isn’t okay. Ethan and Garrett have a little leeway because they’re working on the buildings. I also know them to be safe.

Is he an abusive ex and has just been lying about who he really is to get behind the scenes? I reach under my desk for the panic button that sounds at the police department.

It’s a wild thought, but crazier things have happened in this line of work.

“She was on the phone. I’m sorry to disturb you, but I have a few questions about the process you went through to get the wetlands protected. I have a colleague who’s looking to do the same with a property not far from here, and I thought you could give her some tips.”

“You can’t be back here,” I tell him, standing up quickly. My hand is still hovering over the panic button. “You’ll need to go back up front.”

“It’s not that big of a deal,” he says dismissively.

I grab my cell phone and walk out from behind my desk, gesturing for him to go ahead of me.

“It is a big deal. I didn’t do anything with the wetlands. Greta did. I know a little, but not enough to be helpful,” I say quickly.

We walk out of my office, and I continue walking until he’s out of the secure area of the building.

“Well, anything would be great. I’d love to take you to lunch today. Maybe I can pick your brain, too. My friend Nicole is in town, and she keeps hitting walls with the protected status of her land. It would mean a lot to us both if you could help her out.”

“I’d love to if I could. Not only am I swamped today with clients, since it’s Monday, after all, but, again, I don’t have the knowledge you seek. The girls at city hall would be who I would go to, though. If they don’t know the answers, they can direct you to the people who do.”

“I’d really rather introduce the two of you and—”

“I’m not interested.”

“Hey, Maya,” Ethan says, coming up to us as we stand by the front door.

He’s a big, burly man and, in this moment, looks incredibly intimidating as he crosses his muscled arms in front of his chest.

“Hey, Ethan.”

“Sorry to interrupt, I was hoping for some input. You got a few minutes?”

“TJ was just leaving,” I reply as I stand.

TJ makes a face before he forces a smile and nods. “That I was. It was good to see you, Maya. Hopefully, we can grab lunch another time.”

I don’t reply as he skirts past Ethan, who leans back to watch TJ leave the building, and then he looks at me.

“I heard you tell him no and that he wasn’t listening. I didn’t need anything. I was just rescuing you.”

I smile back at him. “Thanks for the assist.”

“I do what I can. I haven’t seen that guy around before.”

“He works for an environmental agency. They are studying the wetlands.”

He snorts a reply and walks out of the office.

What was that snort about?

I bury my face in my hands and focus on my breathing for a few minutes. I’m stressed to the max, and none of this is helping.