“Oh…” Gwen’s grin vanished. “But?—”
“I really should get going,” I cut her off before she could try to convince me to stay. “It’s already late afternoon, I have a few more places to check with before businesses close for the day.”
Okay, so that last part was a lie.
I didn’t particularly like lying to Gwen, who seemed like a nice person… but I really needed to get out of there.
For a minute after I trailed off, there was only silence. Graham stared at me in that cutting way of his, perhaps weighing the truth behind my words. Welles was leaning back against the door, arms crossed over his chest, boots crossed at the ankles, a faint smile playing at his lips. Cade… actually, I didn’t knowwhatCade was doing, since I adamantly refused to look his way for fear of what would happen once I found myself ensnared by those bottomless blue eyes. Gwen looked distressed, teeth worrying her bottom lip.
“It’s a bummer you’re only in town such a short time,” she said finally, a newly determined set to her shoulders. “But I’m sure we can work something out. Everything around here is pretty flexible. And I’m the boss, I make the rules, so?—”
Graham made a growly sound of frustration. “Gwen, again, I need to point out this girl could be dangerous?—”
“I’ll vouch for her.”
Everyone’s heads whipped toward Cade. It was the first time he’d spoken in several minutes and the deep timbre of his voice cut through the air like a guillotine.
“What?” I breathed.
“You’ll vouch for her,” Graham repeated, eyes locked on Cade’s.
Cade nodded. “Imogen’s clear.”
“You sure about that, Hightower?”
“I don’t waste my breath on shit I’m not sure about, Graves. You should know that by now.”
I stared up at Cade’s profile, studying the sharp line of his jaw as he and Graham engaged in some sort of non-verbal conversation. I didn’t know what to feel. What did he mean, he could vouch for me? What did he mean, I was clear?
Clear of what?
Hadhebeen digging into my past?
The thought made my lungs seize and my stomach drop.
“I don’t need you intervening, Hero-Hair,” I whisper-yelled at him.
Gwen snorted softly. “Hero-Hair?That’s hilarious.”
I didn’t look at her. I couldn’t look away from Cade as his head tilted down to mine and those eyes — those damn eyes — captured mine in a way that made all the air evacuate my lungs.
“Is there something wrong with your phone?”
I blinked, thrown off by the out-of-left-field question. “What? No.”
“Your charger, then?”
“My charger works fine. I don’t understand?—”
“Then the reason you didn’t call me back,” he spoke over me. “Would be what, exactly?”
Shit.
He was pissed.
My mouth clicked shut as I tried to formulate a proper excuse. I couldn’t tell him the truth —i.e.that I was too chickenshit to dial him back — so I decided it was best to keep silent.
He leaned a shade closer, eyes narrowing. “Goldie. I’m waiting. In fact, I’ve been waiting all damn day. Guess what? My phone never rang.”