Page 6 of Only the Devil

More importantly, Ms. Weaver, the human resources director who hired me, knows I’m not from the area, so how am I sitting outside at a cafe with a friend?

“I see you found my favorite coffee shop.” Ms. Weaver extends her hand to Jake. “I’m Lillian Weaver. I work with Sterling Financial.”

Jake, as affable as ever, extends his hand with easy confidence. “Lillian, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jake Ryder. Daisy’s boyfriend.”

I nearly choke on my iced coffee. My hand jerks, sending a few water droplets splashing onto the table. Jake’s eyes flick to me for a split second—probably checking to see if I’m going to bust his lie.

Tempting, but I won’t, although after this woman walks away, I’ll need to set him straight and send him on his way.

Jake steps closer to my chair, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder. The weight is warm and surprisingly steady. “Dropped by to support my girl.”

Under his palm, my muscles tense, but I somehow smile.

She beams down at me. “That is the sweetest thing. Starting a new job can be nerve-racking, but you’re going to do great.”

“She is. You’re lucky to have her.” The way he’s looking at me, you’d think he’s madly in love. I should put him in touch with Mom’s agent. Combined with his looks, acting is in this man’s future.

“I was just telling Daisy that I know she’s going to do great. It doesn’t take much for people to recognize her talent. She gets nervous, you know, but she’s going to blow you away.”

Ms. HR peers down at me, smiling like she’s my mom. My guess is based on her hands and the skin along her throat, she might be old enough to be my mom. However, the wrinkle-free, suited woman with perfectly coiffed hair and makeup, tasteful jewelry, and zero tattoos is definitely not my mom.

“Oh, I expect she will. I suppose there’s no harm in sharing, but your reference had nothing but wonderful things to say. Tomorrow’s your first day, right?” She scans my business-casual outfit like that’s the reason she’s verifying.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m meeting with a realtor this afternoon.”

“Good luck.” The way she says that sounds like she expects I’ll need it, but we’re in the suburbs. How hard could finding a place be? “I’ll see you tomorrow. Enjoy your day.”

She enters the coffee shop, but since the doors are wide open on account of there being no air conditioning, I count to three, then slowly turn my glare on Jake. Without breaking eye contact, I gather my croissant and coffee with deliberate movements, like I’m planning a cyberattack.

Jake’s hands go up in surrender, but he’s still grinning. “Now hold on?—”

I don't let him finish. Standing abruptly, I stride toward my hotel with Jake’s longer steps easily matching my pace. Once we’re a safe distance from Java Mama, I whip around to face him.

“Don’t get yourself in a tizzy.” His voice comes from right beside me, not even slightly winded.

A block past the coffee shop and safely out of hearing distance, I halt, nearly colliding with his chest. “Boyfriend?” The word comes out as a hiss. I poke his sternum with my index finger. “You couldn’t just say friend?”

He catches my hand gently, his thumb brushing across my knuckles before releasing it. “Wasn’t sure what you’d told them but figured you negotiated relo in your package and you wouldn’t know anyone here so… And they’re going to see me around. Made sense to me. Spur of the moment reaction.”

It’s Rhodes I’m annoyed with, not Jake, but it doesn’t matter. Jake needs to get on a plane and go back to wherever he came from.

At the crosswalk, I jab the button with more force than necessary and tap my foot while the light takes forever to change. Jake shifts beside me, his presence making the sidewalk feel crowded.

“Hey, are you pissed?”

When the light finally changes, I step into the street without looking at him, though I can feel his eyes tracking my movement.

“No,” I lie, picking up my pace. “If Ms. Weaver asks in the future, I’ll tell her we broke up.”

“Come on now. Are you really going to deprive a man of his income?”

I round the corner, out of the view of Java Mama, and exhale, resting in the building’s shade.

“What exactly did Rhodes hire you to do?”

“Sit in an apartment across the street.”

“And watch me?” That’s freaky as hell. “How are you going to watch me when I’m inside a building?”