Page 35 of Guarding Grace

With eyes as big as saucers, she turned to me. “You should keep this one.”

I nodded and turned my smile on Terry. “I intend to, Mrs. Eclestone.”And as more than just my bodyguard.

“Please call me Gina, dear.” Turning back to Terry, she asked, “Is it true that you?—”

“I don’t discuss client engagements, not ever,” Terry said, cutting her off. He stood and slid a card across the table. “Perhaps you should go over your project with Grace before she gets called into another meeting?”

“Why, of course,” Gina spluttered. “You’re right.”

After Terry stepped back, we shifted gears, and she explained her desires. Then, I brought out the VR headsets.

“If you put this on, Gina, we’ll be able to take a look at options for your closet.” I rose and helped her fit the headset in place before putting mine on.

“My goodness, this is amazing,” she exclaimed.

Staying on my feet, I changed out wood finishes and adjusted item placements.

She only got more excited as I helped her envision different options. This virtual reality tool for evaluating placement and various finishes was a selling point that put us above all the other alternatives.

“Could we put an island in the middle?” she asked.

“You might think it a bit crowded, but here’s what it would look like.” I selected the narrowest island option and made it a warm cherry with a marble top and drawers only on one side. “This doesn’t give you very much room to maneuver.”

“I see what you mean.”

I deleted the island. “There’s another option that would be narrower and leave you more space.” I selected a short padded bench and placed it in the center at the far end of the closet. “This would give you a place to sit as you pulled up stockings or put on shoes.”

“Much better.”

With the headset on, I didn’t see him, but I felt Terry’s touch on my shoulder.

“I have to take a call,” he whispered. “I’ll be right outside.”

Nodding, I quickly grabbed his hand, turned my head, and kissed it, a gesture that didn’t show up in the VR headsets.

The room felt oddly colder after the door opened and closed.

Terry

Outside the demo room,I answered the call. “Hi, Deb. We missed you last night.” Her flight back from London yesterday had been canceled.

“Just got in,” she said. “A day late, but I made it. That is one long-ass flight, but better than changing planes in Chicago. How was the party?”

“Boring.” That was true about the event itself, and I left it at that. My sister didn’t understand my job and would go off the deep end if I tried to explain what had happened after.

“How can that be? You got a medal from the damned EPA.”

I valued my Purple Heart from the Marines way more than the medal I’d gotten last night. “They probably hand them out like candy.”

“Bullshit.” That was Deb’s favorite word. “Hey, let’s get together. I’m super proud of you, and I’m itching to see it.”

“I can’t tell my work schedule right now, but I’ll try.”

“Did you meet any nice EPA girls at the party?”

Now we were getting to the real reason for her call.

“None that stood out.” I couldn’t have the only one at the party who’d attracted me.