Page 139 of Girl Between

Dana wished she had more time.

Time to solve this case.

Time to decide if she wanted to go to D.C. for the trial.

Time to figure out where she belonged.

But time was unyielding. It waited for no one.

And today, Dana sensed her time was up.

The holding pattern she’d put her life in was coming to an end. She would give herself today—Cadie’s wedding. After that she needed to make a decision. No more living in between.

122

Jake strodeinto the marble lobby, his phone in hand. He pressed it to his ear.

He should’ve called first. But there wasn’t time. Besides, what would he have said? After ignoring her for so long, she had every right to tell him off.

If he explained, she’d understand. But there was no time for that either. He’d set a ball in motion. Now, he was running to keep up.

Things were complicated. Add in the wrinkle his family had thrown in the mix and it was downright impossible. Jake knew his family was another thing he’d need to come clean about. But thinking about that made his head hurt, not to mention trying to explain it was premature, considering he was still trying to come to terms with it himself.

Jake refocused. None of that was why he was here. He’d come for her. Because she’d asked him to. Right now, nothing else mattered.

He was grateful he kept smelling salts in his field kit for emergencies. This felt like one. The salts and an ungodly dose of caffeine were the only things keeping his jet lag at bay. But as the elevator doors rolled open, Jake knew he didn’t need them.

Dana was more powerful than any jolt of caffeine. Looking at her, he was struck by the idea she was the only drug he’d ever need.

She floated into the busy lobby, a vision of effortless beauty.

He’d been wrong about the pink dress. It hugged her in all the right places, exposing so much flawless, toned skin that his mouth went dry with hunger. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. For a moment, he was so absorbed he forgot his phone was still pressed to his ear.

Dana paused behind a towering floral arrangement to fish something from the small green clutch that’d been tucked under her arm. Her silver phone case reflected a flash of light, snapping him out of his daze moments before he heard her voice in his ear.

123

“Jake?”Dana clutched the phone tighter. “Jake? What’s wrong? Where are you?”

The line went dead, and she swore loudly. She was about to call him back when a notification lit up her screen.Your driver has canceled your ride.

“Great,” she muttered. She’d purposely waited until her ride arrived at the hotel before leaving her room. It’d taken her less than two minutes to reach the lobby. She couldn’t believe her driver was that impatient.

Dana opened the ride share app as she marched toward the street, ready to request a new ride when someone stepped into her path. It happened so suddenly she yelped, throwing her hands out reflexively. Her phone hit the floor as her hands collided with a solid chest. She saw the uniform and service medals first, but the moment the man’s large, scarred hands slipped over hers, all her fears quieted.

Dressed in Army blues, there was no denying Jake Shepard’s presence. But that didn’t stop Dana from not believing her eyes. “You’re here!”

Jake knelt to pick up her phone. She watched him close the ride share app.

“You won’t be needing that,” he said, handing her phone back.

“I don’t understand.” She took a step back to fully drink in the vision in front of her. She blinked rapidly, not entirely sure she wasn’t dreaming. “What are you doing here?”

“I know you have questions. But right now, I’m here to escort you to a wedding.” He took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm, guiding her the rest of the way through the lobby. “You said tux,” he added. “I ran out of time. Hope this works.”

It worked alright. Jake Shepard cut a commanding image any day. But in uniform? He was downright devastating.

“You just happened to have this lying around your apartment?”