Page 76 of Deception

She couldn’t believe he was in Oasis. That he’d found her at her old house just as she’d cried out to God.

Had God actually answered her?

Part of her wanted to believe He had. The other part remained skeptical. She’d already been let down by the most important man in her life. She didn’t want to believe in God only to be disappointed in Him also.

Just as she turned the water off, nearby voices drifted to her ears.

She froze.

Jason was talking to someone in the room.

Urgency rushed through her.

She quickly threw a towel around herself and rushed to the door.

She threw it open . . . only to see Nova standing inside the room with Jason.

Her colleague’s eyes widened when she saw her. “Olive?”

“I . . .” Olive glanced down at her towel, suddenly self-conscious. “I heard talking and was worried something was wrong.”

“You didn’t answer your phone, so I came to check on you.” Nova glanced at Jason. “Then I saw a strange man in your room, and I became even more concerned.”

Jason shrugged. “I knew you were working with a woman named Nova, and I figured this was her. So I introduced myself.”

Nova shrugged also. “I recognized his name, so . . .”

“How did you recognize his name? I’ve never talked about him.” Olive squinted when she realized how harsh her words sounded. She threw him an apologetic glance. “Sorry.”

He shrugged. “No offense taken.”

“His name did come up when Rex spelled out this assignment for us,” Nova said.

Olive’s face flushed. She wasn’t thinking clearly. “Of course.”

“You look . . .” Nova looked Olive up and down and frowned as if holding back her true thoughts. “What happened?”

With one hand still holding her towel in place, Olive reached for her neck, then her face. “It’s a long story.”

“I’d say. Catch me up later?” Nova waited for her response.

“Of course. I just need to dry off and get dressed. Then Jason and I need to talk.”

“Fine. Call me when you’re done.” She took a step back, a glimmer of humor in her gaze. “And behave yourself, in the meantime.”

Olive shot her a look and watched as her colleague shut the door. Then she glanced at Jason, and her cheeks heated. “I’m sorry about that.”

His hands were stuffed casually in the front pockets of his jeans. “It’s okay.”

She pointed her thumb behind her, hating how self-conscious she felt right now. “Just give me a few more minutes.”

“Of course.”

Olive closed the door, her heart racing out of control.

So much for calming herself down.

Olive finally left the bathroom wearing unflattering gray sweatpants and a black sweatshirt. Her hair hung in wet ringlets around her face, and her ribs ached—as well as the rest of her body.

---