With those few words, I suspect he knew he wasn’t the only one suffering from nightmares. I don’t think he has ever heard one of mine, at least if he has, he’s never come into my room. The door is always locked when I wake up in the morning. I would definitely notice if it wasn’t.
“I’m going to head to bed now.” I decide, wanting to avoid the topic of my nightmares at all costs. “I’ll see you for breakfast.”
“Mr. Meyer just notified me his meeting was rescheduled, so it seems we are flying out tomorrow morning instead.” He stands up only a few feet from me. “We should be back Tuesday night. I’ll be changing the access code to the main elevator before we leave so no one can gain access to the apartment without you personally bringing them up here. I’ll text you the new code once it’s programmed, in case you need it for any reason.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it.” I smile at the small gesture.
I retreat to my room, closing and locking the door behind me. Stripping out of my clothes, I sigh the moment I sink into the large warm tub, not even waiting until the water finishes filling up. My thoughts immediately go back to how the mood shifted between us when we were in Garrett’s room. I don’t know how to make sense out of the change or even why it occurred. I replay the conversation in my head, but can’t pinpoint something that caused the sudden shift.
I have to wonder if Garrett really does know about my nightmares, or if I was looking into his word choice too much. Abby always told me that I had silent nightmares so even she rarely heard them. If Garrett hadn’t heard them, how would he know? I didn’t have them before…when we were together that night, so that couldn’t be it. As the water begins to chill, I give up trying to find the answer.
After another sleepless night and a few hours on the treadmill, I walk into the apartment surprised to find Garrett already awake.
“You’re up early,” I greet Garrett when I walk in and find him standing at the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee in his hand.
“Mr. Meyer just texted me, we’re leaving in a few minutes.”
“This early? I wasn’t expecting you to leave until later; I didn’t start breakfast yet.”
“He wants to get on the road early. Apparently we’re now driving because he wants to stop somewhere along the way. I hate that he changes his schedule at the last minute like this.”
“Why?” I ask as I step into the kitchen and wash up so I can at least make him a sandwich before he leaves.
“Yesterday we were flying, so I made all the arrangements with the airport and rental cars,” he says and grips the end of the counter tightly. “Then during the night at some point he decides to change the schedule which means I haven’t had a chance to vet any places we’ll be stopping along the way or people we’ll be meeting with. If he told me this yesterday, I could have had my company’s security expert run background checks in preparation for the trip. As it stands now, Emily will wake up to find the request and by the time it’s run and sent to me he could already be meeting with someone who she determines is a risk.”
“Do you think he thought of it like that? I’m not making excuses, but he told me he was used to doing things his way and being on his own. Maybe he forgot?” I quickly finish up the sandwich and set to making a travel mug for Garrett to take with him. Glancing at the over clock, I have just enough time to grab a fast shower before I need to head into the main living area to prepare Mr. Meyer’s breakfast.
“He was briefed on all of this when we met.” He shakes his head. “There’s a protocol and unless it was an emergency he should have given me at least a couple hours notice.”
“Oh.”
“I need to grab a few things before we leave. Thanks for making the sandwich.”
“The coffee will be done in another minute or so.”
I take a quick shower and toss on my uniform before heading out to the main apartment to see if Mr. Meyer needs any assistance preparing for his trip.
“Good morning Mr. Meyer,” I greet him as I walk into the kitchen to find him setting up the coffee pot. “Please let me.”
“Thank you.” He steps back to allow me to take his place at the counter. “I don’t know if Mr. Foxx informed you, but we’ll be leaving momentarily and will be gone for at least one night.”
“Yes, he did mention it. Is there anything you need before you leave? I can make a quick breakfast—”
“I’m heading to the office first to pick up a few files and on the way there, I think I’m going to have Mr. Foxx stop by a bakery for breakfast. While I’m gone, I would appreciate it if you could pack me an overnight bag.”
“Of course, Mr. Meyer. I’ll have an extra set of clothes packed in case your trip is extended.”
“Foxx!” He calls for Garrett who suddenly appears at the door separating the two living spaces.
“Are you ready to leave, sir?” Garrett asks.
“Yes, we’ll be swinging by the office and then I need to come back here and pick up the bag that Ms. Williams is packing for me. Oh, and I want to stop by the bakery on the way.”
“Yes, sir,” I hear Garrett mumble as they walk out of the room. I hide the smile threatening to form as he tries to hide his annoyance at yet another schedule change thrown at him.
As soon as they leave, I rush upstairs to Mr. Meyer’s bedroom and mentally begin making a list of everything I should pack for him. Since this is his first overnight trip since I’ve been working here, I’m not certain of his preferences when it comes to traveling. I set out a few items on the bed before finally deciding on what to pack. I bring a garment bag with his suits and a smaller toiletry bag down to the foyer so Mr. Meyer won’t need to go back upstairs for them.
The elevator pings only a few moments later and Garrett walks into the apartment without Mr. Meyer. He grabs the bags, complaining that he had to leave Mr. Meyer at the office as he needed to do something before they got on the road and suddenly refused to stop back at the condo before they left. I hand Garrett another travel mug of coffee, having a feeling he’ll need it today.
“Thank you,” he says as he takes a sip. “I texted you the new security codes to the elevator. Did you receive them?”
“Yes, I have it.”
“If for some reason it doesn’t work, call me. It shouldn’t give you a problem though, because I just used them.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I assure him. “I’ll probably just use our entrance anyway.”
“If anything comes up, call me.” There’s no mistaking the sincerity in his voice.
“I will,” I’m so caught up with what he said that I can barely mumble my promise.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He pauses before turning to step into the elevator. When he looks at me, I’m immediately reminded of the first time he kissed me on the dance floor at the wedding. The look in his eyes is almost the same as it was in that moment. He shakes his head, just barely but enough so that I catch it, and steps into the elevator. Before I can think of what to say, the doors close behind him.
Chapter 8
Hope
I wrap up my day fairly early, even spending a couple of hours preparing frozen dishes for both kitchens. Since I wasn’t expected to make dinner for anyone other than myself tonight, I use the larger kitchen and make several double batches to freeze. Mr. Meyer’s kitchen is an actual dream to cook in. The oversized island in the middle is perfect for preparing ingredients while the large oven and stovetop making cooking multiple items at once a breeze. I never thought I would enjoy cooking, but since I started working here I’ve developed a real fondness for it.
Once both freezers are stocked, I take a plate into the smaller apartment for myself. Even though I’m the only one here, I still lock the door behind me. The rational part of my brain reminds me that no one can gain access to the main living area without the security code, but the other part still insists it needs to be locked.
Even though Garrett has only been living here for a few weeks, the apartmen
t feels empty without him. It doesn’t make sense, but before he moved in the apartment didn’t really feel as empty as it does right now. I try calling Abby but end up getting her voice mail, it only takes a minute for her to text me explaining that she’s working an event tonight but ask if I need anything. I assure her I’m fine, appreciating her looking out for me.
I don’t really want to leave the apartment, not that I necessarily have anywhere to go, and instead decide to straighten up our living area. Garrett is a pretty neat person, something he’s obviously taken with him after leaving the service. His bedroom is spotless, even his bed is made despite how early he left this morning. I pick up a few items in the living room and then clean out the fridge before turning in for the night.
Once again I’m not able to sleep, so even though I could have slept in since Mr. Meyer didn’t need breakfast, my day started around two-thirty in the morning. After a run on the treadmill and a hot shower, I make myself breakfast and try to decide what to do next. I have a couple of chores to take care of in the main living area, but nothing that will take me all day. I decide to head to the market after getting everything taken care of here. I love that we live within walking distance of a fantastic farmer’s market.
The last chore on my list is one I always dread. It’s the room where Mr. Meyer’s weekend “guests” stay overnight. As soon as I open the door I can tell the room was occupied this past weekend—the scent of sex and sweat is still heavy, despite several days passing. Immediately I open the balcony doors, hoping the cool breeze will help air out the room. The bedding, which is in complete disarray, is removed and tossed into the washing machine. Using surgical gloves that I picked up after walking into this room the first time it was used, I pick up empty condom wrappers from various spots around the room—nearly a dozen wrappers in total.
How much sex can two people possibly have in a single weekend?
Moving to the small walk-in closet next, I pick up various pieces of clothing along the way before noticing the built-in drawers along the wall have been left open. I gasp when I see what’s in the drawer as I move to close it. I can’t even imagine what half of these items are for, but they are all obviously some sort of sex toys. I try to shut the drawer, only to find that a chain attached to two little clips is hanging over the side preventing it from shutting. Never when I took this job did I think I would be cleaning up condom wrappers and sex toys, let alone having seen my boss lead a practically naked woman around his condo by a dog leash. There are just some things you can’t unsee, no matter how hard you try.
The day passes by slowly, even the trip to the market doesn’t take much time. Even though I haven’t heard from Mr. Meyer or Garrett, I prepare a light dinner for both of them, leaving it to keep warm until they return. Returning to the smaller apartment, I change into something more comfortable and pour a glass of wine before settling onto the couch with my e-reader. I must have dozed off because I jump when I hear the apartment door quietly close.
“What happened?!” I jump up noticing blood on Garrett’s eye brow.
“We were involved in a small fender bender,” he says before going into his room. I rush to follow him, needing more from him, and watch as he puts his wallet, keys and gun away.
“Come sit down.” I grab his hand and lead him to the couch.
“I’m fine,” he argues.
“Sit,” I order as I head into the bathroom to grab the first aid kit.
“I’m fine,” I barely hear him mumble.
“Is Mr. Meyer okay?”
“The paramedics checked over him and released him.”
“But you didn’t think you needed to be looked at?” I ask.
“We weren’t far from here when it happened,” he says as if it’s no big deal. “I was concentrating on finding another rental car since most places were closed and then trying to have Emily track down that car that hit us.”
“Track down the car? The person left?”
“Yup.” He shakes his head. “I indicated I was pulling over to the side of the road and he did the same, but as soon as I opened the car door they took off.”
“Do you think Emily can find him?”
“Probably. She’s really good at what she does.”
“Lean your head back so I can clean your cut,” I request as I open an alcohol wipe. “It might sting a little.”
He immediately hisses when I clean the gash above his eyebrow with the wipe. I lightly blow on it, trying to dull the sting and apply a small bandage to keep it clean. Garrett’s eyes remain closed the entire time, with his fingers just barely touching my legs as I stand over him.
“Do you have any other cuts?” I take a step back, though part of me doesn’t want to.
“No, I’m good.” He stands up from the couch.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” He flashes the same smile at me that first caught my attention at the wedding. “Thank you.”
“No problem. I’m just glad you weren’t seriously hurt.”
Our eyes meet and it’s as if the world stops turning. I want to say something, but I have no idea what. There’s no mistaking the shift in the air between us—it’s the same I’ve felt so many times since he moved in. I don’t know how long we stand there, just staring at each other with neither of us saying a word. For a brief moment, I feel like he can see right through me, like he can see my deepest fears.
“I think I need a beer,” he mumbles and steps away.
“I made you dinner earlier. I can heat it up for you if you’re hungry,” I offer.
“Nah, I think I’m going to veg out in front of the TV for a little while.” He grabs a cold beer from the fridge and heads back to the couch. “Oh, Mr. Meyer asked me to let you know that he won’t be going into the office tomorrow, so he won’t need breakfast until around eight.”
“Thanks.”
Whatever happened between us is gone, though I find myself questioning if that’s a good thing.
Chapter 9
Garrett
What a fucking night!
Mr. Meyer’s meeting ran later than expected so we were forced to stop at a small restaurant before getting on the road. Thankfully the place where he wanted to go wasn’t busy and we were seated in the back where I could watch the entrance. Over dinner I reiterated the importance of following the protocol for trips, however he was quick to blow me off, stating the lack of threats lately. I reminded him that just because threats aren’t coming in on a daily basis doesn’t mean that he’s safe.
In the few weeks I’ve worked for him, I’ve learned that Mr. Meyer’s schedule is pretty set in stone as far as travel and out of office meetings are concerned. Our travel arrangements came together last night, but things could have turned out much differently, especially if I wasn’t able to acquire a suite in the hotel at the last minute. I sent an email to his assistant requesting a list of all cities that Mr. Meyer has traveled to and frequency of such visits over the last three years. If nothing else, at least I can research hotels in those cities when we travel.
After dinner we began our drive back to Virginia; initially I thought maybe it was a good thing that we had stopped for dinner because it had seemed we missed the usual rush hour traffic. We were about an hour away, slowing down to get off one highway and onto another when I happened to glance in the rearview mirror just in time to see a car come flying towards us.
“Hold on,” I manage to say just as the dark sedan hits us and sends us into the car in front of us.
I quickly assess the situation; Mr. Meyer does not appear to be injured, having only bumped his head on the window next to him. I put my blinker on and ease the car over to the side of the road, as the car in front of us does. The car behind us, that caused this mess, pulls off to the shoulder as well.
“Are you hurt?” I ask even though I’m pretty certain he’s not.
“No, go make sure the other drivers are okay. I’ll call 911.” He’s on his phone before I can even respond
. For once I’m thankful for his take charge personality; I’ve been assigned to some high maintenance politicians through Dark Water Security who would be reacting quite differently right now.
I assess the driver of the car we hit first; the airbag seems to have caused some minor cuts and bruises but otherwise the person seems unharmed. I took basic first aid training in the Marines so I use the first aid kit in our car to patch up some of the cuts until the paramedics arrive. I stop at the car just long enough to check on Mr. Meyer but by the time I move to check the other driver, he suddenly drives off. I barely have enough time to catch a partial plate as the black sedan speeds away.
The police and paramedics arrive only a few minutes later; I’m only able to give a basic description of the vehicle that hit us. Unfortunately, since it’s dark outside I wasn’t able to get much of a look at the driver before he hit us. All I could tell the police is that I’m fairly certain it was a male driving and that he was wearing a baseball cap along with the partial New York plate. Mr. Meyer refuses to go to the hospital for further evaluation, but at least allows the paramedics to complete their evaluation. In the meantime, I arrange for a tow truck to take care of the SUV since I don’t know what mechanical damage might have occurred in the accident.
After an argument with the tow company who wanted to take it to the closest garage rather than back to the dealership I know Mr. Meyer uses to service his vehicle, I then work to arrange for a rental car. A quick call to Emily, who was more than willing to help me out, gets me the personal cell phone number of an area manager for a large rental company. With some extra compensation thrown in, within the hour I have a rental car at the scene of our accident for us to drive home. If Emily hadn’t come through my only other options would have been to find a nearby hotel for the night or to call Hope and ask her to come and pick us up. I didn’t know what her plans were while we were gone and I wouldn’t have wanted to pull her away from something important.
It was nearly three hours later than I originally planned by the time we get back to the condo. Once we arrived Mr. Meyer was quick to announce that he wasn’t working at the office tomorrow and that I should inform Ms. Williams that he would be eating breakfast later than normal.
Garrett (Dark Water Security Book 2) Page 5
