REDHEADED STRANGER
My husband was in a world of hurt. I sat watching him eat his sandwich and joking with John all the while my mind on my mid-morning revelation.
I’d come down for my first break, planning to sneak out to the Starbucks on the corner only to get stopped by the guard at the security check.
“There’s Keilana, she can help you?”
I’d smiled at Ted, wondering who I was supposed to help. “Your father-in-law’s here and Agent Boudreaux isn’t answering his phone.” I forced my smile to remain in place while checking out the older man on the other side of the security desk. He was tall, not as slender as my Alex—Zander—but the resemblance couldn’t be denied. Especially not in those deep blue eyes—the same ones my son had. Eyes currently filled with shock.
Damnit Alex! What a mess. If all else fails, leave it to a woman to fix things.
“Can I buy you a cup of coffee?” I asked, giving Ted a wave and crossing through the checkpoint to greet my father-in-law. The last thing I needed was to air our family troubles in the middle of the Dallas FBI office. “Jerrod, right?” I offered him my hand with a smile and he shook it quickly, efficiently; his callused hand rough against mine. Without another word we crossed the marble foyer and stepped outside into the muggy December morning.
Once we’d cleared the building’s front doors and some of the foot traffic, he stopped and turned to face me, a rather frightening scowl on his face. "Care to explain just how it is I have a daughter-in-law I don’t know about?”
“Buy me a double mocha latte and I’ll tell you everything.” I gave him my most charming smile and the stern, weather-beaten angles shifted to return it.
"Deal."