She plopped a fry in her mouth. “I knew there was something wrong with you. What sane person doesn’t like ketchup, and why are you calling me Red? That’s what Brody calls me, and we all know how famously you two have hit it off.”
Rick swallowed around a bite of hamburger smothered in mustard. Yellow dots of the stuff oozed out in the corners of his mouth; he could feel them. He smiled as she leaned over to wipe his mouth. “It suits you. That’s the only thing he’s gotten right since we’ve gotten here.”
“It hasn’t even been forty-eight hours.” Lydia balled up her napkin and grabbed a new one to wipe her own face. “You know, you don’t have to stay. You can go back home to your boring life filled with mustard. Briggs can be my babysitter. I’m sure he eats ketchup.”
He took another sip of his iced tea and pondered her statement. Leaving could mean a deathly consequence for her. The likes of which, she wasn’t even aware of. No, he’d stick around to make sure no another agent showed up to finish his assignment.
His secret assignment had been to recruit her into the FBI for her talents. Bringing her onboard was no longer a viable option and neither was his only other alternative he’d been given. Killing her to silence the potential threats his bosses seemed to think she possessed, wasn’t going to happen either. He pushed his plate toward the middle of the table. His appetite had diminished.
No matter. Having regrets wasn’t an option in his book, and he had a feeling that he owed it to himself to explore the chemistry between them. “I owe it to your brother and sisters to make sure you come out of this unscathed.”
If Lydia didn’t buy his comment, she didn’t say anything. She continued to eat in silence. When her plate was half empty, she pulled two twenties out of her purse and set them on the table.
He placed his hand on top of hers. “I told you penance. I’ve got this.”
Lydia pulled her hand out from his, leaving the bills where she’d set them. “If you’re done, I’m ready to go back. The only way to get back to my life is to learn how to control my telekinesis, and the sooner I can do that, the better.” Lydia gestured toward the door. “I’m going to step outside and make a call if you’ll excuse me. Take your time and finish eating. I have a feeling I’ll be on the phone awhile.”
Rick reached over and placed his hand on top of hers. “I’m sorry if I said something wrong. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Lydia shook her head back and forth and slid per palm from beneath his. “You didn’t. I just need to check in with Mike.”
Lydia slid from the booth and walked toward the door. She pulled her phone out of what looked to be her bra as she left. Rick watched her through the window, deciding that he’d give her a few minutes of privacy before he joined her. He needed it too. Lydia confused him. He’d lived for his job. He saw everything as black and white, but with her, it was different, and that scared the crap out of him.
****
Jimmy sat in silence sipping his iced tea when what he really wanted was a beer or something stronger. Two booths away, the bane of his existence sat eating fries like they were going out of style. Hanging in town had paid off this time.
“I’ll be damned. She was right.” he whispered. The redhead was right were she’d said he could find her. That would teach him to doubt his little sexy snitch again. She’d never lied to him before.
Lydia Stevens plopped another smothered French fry in her mouth and glanced around the joint. Leaning in, she whispered to the man with her, words so softly spoken he couldn’t hear their exchange.
Jimmy narrowed his eyes. He didn’t know why Lydia was revered by Floyd. All he saw was a woman who could stand to lose a few pounds with unruly red hair, nothing like his goddess he’d left in the bed.
She slid out of the booth, and for the briefest of seconds, she looked right at him. She was out of her element. She didn’t even know when trouble was lurking nearby. She reached into her bra and pulled out her phone as she pushed out of the door…without her big bodyguard.
A grin spread across his lips. “Piece of cake.”
Jimmy dropped some bills on the table, and minutes later he left behind her. He wouldn’t risk taking her in broad daylight, but he’d get the opportunity soon enough.
****
Rick watched as a man stepped out of the diner after Lydia. A few words were exchanged, and Lydia’s lips turned down in a frown. Rick left his uneaten food and stood. Concern for Lydia overwhelmed him. Rick hurried outside just in time to see the man get in his four-door car, and speed away, squealing his tires as he went.
“Who was that?” Rick asked. He slung his arm around her shoulder and unconsciously pulled her closer to his side.
Lydia tilted her head and clutched the phone to her chest. “I’m not sure.”
“What did he want? Why were you frowning?”
“He just bumped into me and laughed, mumbled something about easy pickings.”