But then Jack said, “Actually, that can’t happen.”
I shook my head. “What can’t happen?”
“We can’t take a security team out to my parents’ place.”
“Why not?” I asked.
He took a deep breath. “Because my parents can’t know anything about this.”
“Anything about what?”
He gestured around, like All of it. “Threats, stalkers, personal security.”
“How is that supposed to work?”
He shook his head. “My mom’s sick, you know? She’s sick. And if she knows about this, she’ll worry. Even though there’s really nothing to worry about. I’ve had stalkers for years—I’m totally immune to all that by now. But I’ve never told her about anything scary—and I’m sure as hell not starting the week she has surgery for cancer.”
“But…” I said. Then I wasn’t sure what to say.
“She’s a worrier,” Jack said. “Like, a world-champion worrier. And she’s facing some test results that are … not great. And ever since my brother died…” Jack stared at his hands like he didn’t know how to finish that sentence. “For me, I admit—a bodyguard is a good thing. I get it. But for my mom? Not good. I was reading up on treatments online, and stress can really impact people’s outcomes. I can’t make things harder than they already are on her. The only way to do this is to make sure my parents never know who you are.”
“But … how?”
“Your website says ‘Outside-the-box solutions for every scenario.’” He turned his phone toward me to show me the website for proof.
“That’s what you’ve been doing on your phone?” I demanded.
Jack shrugged. “It’s one of the things I’ve been doing on my phone.”
I gave him a look. “The web designer wrote that.”
“Your boss—what’s his name? Frank Johnson?”
“Not even close. Glenn Schultz.”
“He says much of the surveillance can be done remotely.”
Did Glenn already know about this and not tell me?
Jack went on. “He says you can stay close to me and a second group can monitor from afar.”
“But if you’re toting an agent along everywhere you go, won’t that kind of tip your family off?”
“Not at all.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Why not?”
“First,” Jack said, “my parents are sweet and impossibly gullible. And my big brother barely speaks to me. Second, you don’t look anything like a bodyguard.” He tilted his head a little and gave me his most heart-melting smile. “And last but not least?” he said. “We’re going to tell them you’re my girlfriend.”
* * *
BACK AT THE office, Glenn was still in the conference room, and half the team was there with him. It was all-hands-on-deck to get this Jack Stapleton project going.
I didn’t care.
“Nope,” I said to Glenn, charging right up to the head of the conference table. “That’s a hundred percent nope.”
Glenn didn’t even look up. “Are we talking about the ‘girlfriend’ thing?”
“Is there anything else to talk about?”
“It’s not a dealbreaker. We’ve done weirder things for clients.”
“You’ve done weirder things for clients,” I said.
“You’ve seen the man. Would it really be so awful?”
“I can’t believe you knew, and you didn’t tell me.”
“I thought it might be better coming from his own famously handsome mouth.”
“Well, it wasn’t better. It was worse. I was totally unprepared. I have never walked out of a client’s house like that.”
“That’s on you.”
“No, it’s on you. You didn’t warn me.”
He kept his voice reasonable. “I didn’t warn you because it’s not nearly as big a deal as you’re acting like it is. His threat level is mild. He’s been off the radar. The press doesn’t know he’s here. The money’s good. This is the definition of easy.”
“You be his girlfriend then!” I said.
Glenn flared his nostrils.
“Or anybody else here.”
Kelly’s hand shot up. “I volunteer as tribute.”
“Perfect. Send Kelly!” I said. “Or send Taylor.”
“You’re the best I’ve got,” Glenn said. “And it’s gonna be a tricky one.”