Page 60 of Code Name: Atticus

Emma joined me at the window. “I didn’t. That’s why I left. Every undercover op took a piece of me, until I wasn’t sure what was real anymore. But this is different.”

“How?”

“Because you’re not pretending to love him. The marriage might be fake, but what’s between you is real. That’s not a liability, Brenna. It’s what’s going to make this work. Morrisonand his people, they’re looking for authentic connections. Couples who trust each other completely. You and Atticus have that.”

“We’ve known each other for years, but we’ve only been together for a few days.”

“Sometimes, a few days is all it takes when the foundation has been building that long.”

Two hours later,when the front door opened, Atticus walked in alone. His eyes found mine immediately.

“Where’s Kodiak?” Emma asked.

“Headed back to your hotel. Said you’d probably want a ride back.” He hadn’t looked away from me once.

Emma gathered her things. “That’s my cue to leave. You two need to prepare for tomorrow night’s dinner.” She paused at the door. “Remember, he loves you both. Trust that.”

After she left, Atticus crossed to where I stood. “What’s she talking about?”

“Luke.”

“Ah. Yes. Luke.”

I folded my arms. “You don’t sound as convinced as you did earlier.”

He unwrapped my arms and pulled me close to him. “I am. Nothing has changed as far as I’m concerned. There’s something else I want to talk to you about, though.”

“Okay…”

“I think we should visit my parents in Calistoga.”

“Oh, um, okay. When?”

“We have dinner with Luke tomorrow night, so how about Thursday?”

I’d met Atticus’ family a few times when he and Luke were at the academy together. They were all very nice. Not that I’dgotten to know them well. His sisters were older than he was and were both married now, from what I remembered reading in his DOJ profile.

“If it’s too much?—”

“It’s not. I was just trying to recall what I know about them.”

“Dad is Mason, Senior. Mom, Leslie, calls him M, like the letter. My oldest sister is Nicole, who’s nine years older than me. She’s married to Travis Cromwell, and they own a restaurant by the same name in Calistoga. Joslyn is five years older than me, and she’s married to Keith Talbot, who’s a veterinarian. They live in Guerneville.”

“That was thorough. No grandkids yet?”

“None that I’ve heard about yet. And if my mom thought for a split second either of them was pregnant, it would probably be on the national news.”

“Your parents have a winery, right?”

“A small boutique one, yes.”

“And it’s called Finch Ridge? Is that right?”

He touched his finger to the tip of my nose, then kissed it. “So what do you say?”

“Should you check and see if they’re free first?”

Atticus’ cheeks flushed.