“Why not?”
“Because you just missed a huge opportunity I dangled right under your nose.”
Ryan scowled. “What?”
“I said you could travel domestically.”
“Where do you want me to go?”
Callahan smirked. “The same place you’ve been wanting to go since the day you left there. Patrick Palmer wants to see you in Sacramento and that’s, what … an hour and a half drive from Berkeley?”
Ryan’s shoulders sagged. He let go of the desk and sank down into the chair. “Can I?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you for the last five minutes. If you’d stop fighting the air around you, you’d see it. Go see your girl. Relax. Get right with yourself. You have a week before they’ll sign you off. I’ll give you ten days.”
“Unless I can be of any use sooner?”
“You can’t. So, get out of here, would you? You’re making my office look untidy.”
Ryan got to his feet with a rueful smile. “Thanks, boss.”
He pulled his phone out on his way back to his car. He couldn’t wait to tell Leanne. He’d hardly talked with her this week. It was typical that while he’d been back here recovering from what had turned out to be not much more than a flesh wound, and would have had tons of time to talk with her, she’d been slammed with study and had barely sent him a dozen words all week.
When will you be free? I want to talk to you.
He stared at the screen, hoping she might reply straight away. She didn’t. And he knew he shouldn’t feel so disappointed; she was probably in class. But he was starting to feel a little antsy about their lack of communication. He hadn’t told her he was back stateside—because she hadn’t known that he’d been gone. He hadn’t told her about getting shot. He wasn’t sure how he was going to address that, but he’d wait until he saw her. But the main reason that they hadn’t talked much was because she kept putting him off with one or two-word answers. They were all plausible. He knew how busy she was, but he was starting to think that something was off.
She still hadn’t replied by the time he got back to his apartment. He wasn’t going to wait to hear from her. He was going to pack a bag and get himself on the first flight he could find.
He parked in the underground lot and took the elevator up to the lobby where he stopped to check his mail. An attractive brunette came in through the main entrance and waved at him. He nodded. He recognized her from somewhere, but he couldn’t place her.
“Hi, Ryan. I’ve been waiting for you.”
He frowned. “Why?”
She laughed. “You don’t recognize me, do you?”
He didn’t. Had he slept with her? He didn’t think so, but it’d been a long time since he’d spent any time here and he’d had his share of women when he was. “Should I?”
“From the hospital, last week.”
“Ah. Right.” It came back to him. He’d drifted in and out of consciousness after minor surgery on Friday. This chick had been there at some point. She’d said the office had sent her. He frowned. “What do you want?”
“I wanted to see you again. I thought maybe we could go out and get some dinner.”
“No.”
“Oh.” She looked disappointed. But Ryan wasn’t convinced. No normal chick would just show up at his place like this to ask him out. She was here for something else. He knew it. “What do you really want?”
She laughed. “I thought asking you out would make that obvious.” She let her gaze travel over him suggestively.
“No.” He was even more adamant this time. “If you’re real with that, you should know I have a girlfriend. And if this is some kind of assignment you’ve been sent on, you should go back and tell whoever your boss is that they’re going to have to find another move.”
She smiled, undeterred. “I’m for real, Ryan. Sure, my boss had me come over to check on you after your surgery. But I came here of my own accord. I liked what I saw when you were in a hospital bed. I thought we could have some fun in your own bed.”
“Like I said. Not interested. I have a girlfriend.”
“She doesn’t need to know. No one does.”
He laughed and started walking back to the elevator. He had nothing more to say. He turned to look back at her when she spoke again. “You know they’re not going to leave it at this, don’t you?”
He raised an eyebrow.
She shrugged. “Don’t say you weren’t warned.”
The elevator arrived and he stepped inside with a sick feeling in his stomach. Callahan had warned him that some people in their line of work only wanted single guys on board. Were they really going to offer chicks on a plate to entice him back to being single? They were going to be disappointed if that was their game.
He let himself into his apartment and checked his phone again before getting online to book himself a flight. There was still no reply from Leanne. He managed to get a ticket flying direct from Dulles at seven p.m. He’d be cutting it fine to get there, but he wanted to get to Leanne just as soon as he could. He wouldn’t land until ten her time and wouldn’t get to her place until after eleven. He just hoped that she’d answer him by then.
~ ~ ~
“Are you sure you’re all right, Lee?” asked Dan.
She gave him what she hoped was a convincing smile. “I’m fine. It’s been a crazy week, that’s all. Even crazier than usual.”
“I know, but I feel like you’re avoiding me.”
She laughed. “I’m right here, aren’t I? Why would I have dinner with you if I was avoiding you? For such a smart guy, you can be pretty dumb sometimes.”
He ran his hand over the stubble on his face. He didn’t smile. “I’m not dumb, and we both know it. You’re going through the motions. You talk about all the things I’d expect you to talk about. You met me for dinner like you would if there was nothing wrong. But you’re not being straight with me and I don’t like it. You haven’t mentioned Ryan once.”
She stared back at him for a long moment. If he were anyone else, she’d turn it back around on him, tell him that she was too busy to even think about Ryan. Or she’d pretend to be mad and say that if she wasn’t good enough company she’d leave, and she’d flounce out. That stuff would work with most people—and they’d believe the act. But Dan wasn’t most people. He wouldn’t buy it and she didn’t want to insult him by doing it.
She kept staring at him until he smiled. “Okay. We’re past the point where you were going to either lie to me or bite my head off, so why don’t you just tell me what’s up?”
She had to smile back at him. “Because I don’t know what’s up. Remember those texts?”
“Of course, I do. Don’t tell me that you and Ryan haven’t straightened that out yet?”
“Okay. I won’t tell you.”