Page 101 of It's Always Been You

“You don’t know that.”

“Caitlin—”

“I just hate that I don’t know what I’m working for. At least with Komarov, I had a goal. I knew it was money. I’m just getting a bad feeling about this.”

“What do you mean?”

“The only reason I would have locked the files so tight was because I didn’t want anyone breaking into them. I want to know who I’m doing this for.”

Silence. And then a sigh. “Babe, we’ll talk about this when I get home, okay?”

Caitlin ended the call. Her euphoria over decorating the house suddenly deflated. She knew she was surrounding herself with color and rainbows because what was in that file was dark and twisty.

The aromaof charcoal-roasted chicken that filled his car should have driven him nuts with hunger, but right now, Travis’s thoughts were on Caitlin. There was something in her voice, a stubbornness that chilled his spine. She was supposed to let him handle things and do as she was told. They were navigating a precarious tightrope as it was.

Nate was already at the house when he got there. He set up the food in the kitchen’s center island. They hadn’t been using the dining table. The effort of clearing the files and stowing the laptops away was too tedious and a waste of time. So everyone just gathered in the kitchen, grabbed a plate, and ate wherever they wanted in the house. Usually, folks stayed congregated in the kitchen. They’d stand up while eating, or they’d sit on one of the bar stools.

Arms circled his waist as a softness pressed against his back.

Caitlin.

Travis turned in her arms and held her tightly against him. Lifting her up, he gave her a thorough kiss.

“I missed you,” he muttered.

“You just saw me this morning.”

“I got used to having you constantly by my side when we were at Iron Ridge.”

“If we’d stayed the intended two weeks, you’d be begging to come home.”

“I doubt it.” Travis kissed her nose.

“All right you lovebirds,” Nate nudged Travis aside. “If you’re not partaking of this feast—move.”

“Jesus, Nate. You act like you’ve been starved for weeks,” Beatrice groused as she picked up a plate and shoved it against Nate’s stomach.

“Depending on what kind of starvation you’re talking about.” Nate smirked.

“Are you still with that blonde?”

“No. She looked too much like Caitlin from behind. It got weird—Ow!”

Beatrice had pinched Nate on the arm.

“Fuck, man, I didn’t need to hear that,” Travis growled. He also didn’t like how chummy Nate was becoming with Caitlin. Although, given how Nate was with Beatrice, it was just his thing to have an easy relationship with women. Didn’t mean Travis liked it. And he intended to have a chat with his friend before he inadvertently punched him.

“It’s only fair,” Nate shot back. “Since your woman’s the reason I’m not getting any nowadays. I’ve got an ash-blonde chick I’m scoping out though.”

“How do you even know what ash-blonde is, Nate? You’re a guy.” Beatrice finished spooning food onto her plate and sat by the counter.

“Huh, security remember? Description is our game,” Nate said.

“Do you know what the color chartreuse is?” Caitlin asked.

Nate glanced at Beatrice. “She’s making that up, right? Chartreuse is a liqueur not a color.”

“It’s both.” Ed Shephard walked in with an arm around Emily.

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