He shakes his head, looking almost sad. “It’s not a game, I promise. We’ve got a call in to the police, and we’re waiting for one of their officers to stop by and have a little conversation with us about what happened, and we’d really like for you to wait until we finish that before you go.”
“Why?” If he doesn’t give me a really, really good reason, I’m outta here. I will totally leave here and never glance in my rearview mirror, not even once. Goodbye, Bourbon Street Boys, and hello, reality. The thought makes me a little sad, which is totally and completely irrational, of course. I don’t need to see this Dev guy again. He’s nothing to me. A practical stranger. A sexy one.
“Because we want to assess the threat, and we want to figure out exactly what’s going on before we put you out there where you might be in danger.”
My heart skips a beat. “Danger?” I gulp, having a hard time swallowing past the lump that’s materialized in my throat. “Why would I be in danger?”
He shrugs. “Because you were here when everything happened.”
I feel a little better after his brief and completely unconvincing explanation. “Yeah, but I was inside. Whoever caused the problem was outside. And I don’t know if they got into the warehouse, but I know for a fact they didn’t get into the panic room, so why would I be in any trouble?”
“We won’t know until we know.”
“That makes absolutely no sense.” I really feel like I could poke one of his eyes out right now, I’m so frustrated.
“Would you like some jambalaya?”
His question comes from so far out in left field, I don’t know how to respond. My mouth opens but no words appear to save me from looking like a fish out of water.
May, Ozzie, and Thibault come walking over from the cubicle area, talking among themselves. May comes right for me, no doubt with plans to convince me to stay.
Dev continues. “Ozzie is an amazing cook, and he made one of his best dishes earlier today. We have some leftovers, and I’m starving. Would you like to share some with me?”
I know it’s completely crazy, and I know I should probably just get the hell out of here, but when he says the words, my stomach growls really loudly, and I realize that I haven’t eaten anything all day. And that glass of wine I drank earlier feels like it’s eating a hole in my stomach.
“Good. You didn’t leave,” May says as she stops at my side.
“I’m trying to convince her to have some jambalaya with me.”
“Great idea!” says May in an overdone, cheerleader-type voice.
I chew my lip as I decide what my next move should be.
“I promise . . . I’m not messing around,” Dev says, his voice warm and assuring. Liam Neeson ain’t got nothin’ on this guy, damn him.
May is giving me her puppy-dog eyes again.
I’m starting to fold and feel powerless to stop it. “How long will it take? For the police to get here and for you to make your statement or whatever?”
“No more than an hour.” Dev gestures toward the stairs. “Come on up. This will be the best jambalaya you’ll ever have. If it isn’t, I’ll let you use your sister’s Taser on me.”
“I have it locked and loaded,” she says, nodding like a bobble-head doll.
So, so tempting. I take a deep breath in and out before answering, trying not to laugh at his promise.
“Fine.” The teenager in me is giggling over the fact that this feels a tiny bit like a date. Like an invitation to meet in the school cafeteria and sit at the same table during lunch hour.
With my mind made up and a plan in place, I feel better. I sigh and shake my head as I walk beside him to the bottom of the stairs. May stays behind to chat with her boyfriend and Thibault.
I must be high to have let him talk me into eating dinner here. Maybe I should work as a freelancer for these ridiculous people, because apparently I could fit right in, given the complete lack of decision-making skills I’m showing right now.
Thank goodness Miles has the kids, is all I can think. And then I realize how awful that thought is. It’s at that point that I realize how far I’ve already fallen. Into what? I have no idea, but it can’t be good.
CHAPTER SIX
Oh my god, this is so good.” I’m talking with my mouth full of food, and I’m pretty sure I have a couple grains of rice clinging to my lip, but I can’t stop myself. Hell, I can’t even slow down. I’ve eaten an entire bowl of jambalaya in less than five minutes. Dev was right; Ozzie is an amazing cook.
Everyone is still downstairs except for Dev and me, but as soon as the big man comes up I’m going to tell him I’m a fan. Even if I am still mad at him and his team, a talent this strong should be rewarded. Besides, maybe I could convince my sister to invite me over for dinner more often. At her place, of course. I’m not coming here again. This will be my last meal at the Bourbon Street Boys Café.