A loud knock came from the door, making Garrett want to punch whoever was on the other side.
He was a hair’s breadth away from saying the most important words of his entire life, and someone knocks?
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
“I-I’d better get that.”
“I’ll get it.”
After almost losing her today, he wasn’t taking any chances. With his fists white-knuckled, Garrett walked to the door, swinging it open to see which asshole deserved to die.
When he saw the guy’s face, his rising temper began to cool.
“Hey.” Garrett greeted the other man. “Avery, this is Ghost. He and his team helped us at the warehouse today.”
“I remember.” She stepped closer.
“Ma’am.” Ghost, the leader of the Delta team that had helped them with hostage transport stood in the hallway dressed in a crisp, clean Army uniform. “My men and I have been asked to escort you and the other passengers involved in today’s incident to the airplane that’s taking you back to the States.”
Today’s incident. How politically correct.
“I’ll get my bags.” Avery turned to head to the bed, but Garrett needed more time.
“Give us a minute, yeah?” He looked at the other man.
With an understanding tip of his head, Ghost said, “We’re wheels up in twenty. Need to be on the road in ten.”
“Just need a second.”
“I’ll be out here.”
Closing the door, Garrett faced Avery again. With her bags in tow, she rolled them across the smooth carpet toward him.
“I guess this is it.”
He swallowed down his emotion long enough to ask, “Is it?”
Avery’s brown eyes softened. “Honestly, I don’t know. I mean, I can get past the deception. You have rules and procedures to follow, and I get that now. I can even respect the fact that those are important to you, and you don’t break protocol on a whim. But I guess this is all still just…a lot, you know?”
“I do.”
But he also knew, if she’d give them a chance, they could work through it all…together.
“The team and I are flying out today, too,” he told her. “But we’ve got a few things to wrap up here, first, so I’m not sure when we’ll be landing back in Charlotte.”Just ask her.“Can I call you later? Maybe we could meet for dinner tomorrow night, or…”
“Actually, I think…” Avery shifted the strap on her shoulder. “I think I need a little time. To process everything. I hope you understand.”
“I do.” He fucking hated it, but he did. “My number’s in your phone, so…call me when you’re ready. I promise I’ll pick up if I can.”
“Okay.”
After a second’s hesitation, Avery rose to her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “Goodbye, Garrett. And thank you.”
“For what?”
“Everything.”
With no other choice, Garrett opened the door and watched her walk away under Ghost’s protection.