Page 39 of Taking Care of the Target

Vince’s lungs tightened. Easy enough… if someone else wasn’t tailing her. “She’s got a follow-up doctor’s appointment next week. I told her I’d go with her for moral support.”

There he went, digging the hole a little deeper so it could cave in later and bury him. Yes, he was looking out for her, but his reasons were selfish as well. He didn’t want to let go. The simple nights at her place, her laugh, the way she moved around the kitchen, and the kisses that made him crave more…Those were the things he’d miss most.

“Keep me updated,” Carlo said. “And make sure you find out how likely she is to regain her memories.”

“I will. I just want to be as thorough as possible.”

Might as well dig deeper while I’m at it. At least after next week I can tell him the doctor told her they are gone for good, and she’ll be safe again.

“As soon as you wrap that up, we’ll talk other options. You know, if you were my number two, you’d have even more protection. Bobby would fall under it, too.”

And there it was. Another reason to delay.

Chapter Nineteen

“Can you take my table their food?” Tyra asked Cassie. “The guy is such a perv, and I can’t take his staring anymore. I’m sure you won’t have any problems.” The Queen of the Backhanded Compliments raised dark eyebrows. “Yes or no?”

“Sure,” Cassie said, taking the extended tray. Her thoughts were too consumed with worrying about Vince to debate Tyra.Maybe I shouldn’t have told him about the car.

She delivered the food and approached an elderly couple who’d just been seated in her area.

The woman, who had to be in her seventies at the least, wore a brightly colored halter-top and a red skirt shorter than the one Cassie had on. The tiny strap keeping her top in place stretched tight as she leaned forward. Wow, the woman had confidence, Cassie would give her that. She just wasn’t sure she wanted to witness her confidence, especially if that strap gave way.

As she ran through the specials, she couldn’t help wondering if the husband bragged to all his friends that his wife still dressed sexy. Working to keep a snort-laugh from escaping, she focused on their order.

“I’ll have the shrimp pomodor,” the man said.

His wife frowned at him. “You don’t want that. It’s got chili flakes. You’ll get heartburn.”

“I’ll just take my pills.”

“He doesn’t want that,” the woman insisted, turning to Cassie. “Bring him the trout with the honey butter glaze.”

“I think I know what I want! And I want the shrimp!”

They went back and forth, with the wife pointing out other menu options the husband continued to shake his head at.

Funny enough, this happened a lot, mostly from couples who’d been together a long time. In a strange way, Cassie supposed it was nice to have someone who knew if you got heartburn after certain dishes. She wondered if the two of them started out arguing about the little things, day one, or if it happened with age.

Maybe he used to demand he drop her off and pick her up from work. Maybe he said he’d trust her judgment, kissed her until she forgot she’d ever been mad, and then turned around and did the opposite.

How did you get from pointAto pointB? She couldn’t help wondering how long this couple had been together. If they had kids and grandkids. Since her parents died young—her mom after only five short years of marriage—couples who’d grown old together had always fascinated Cassie. Sometimes she wondered if you got crazy-strong love for a little while, like her parents, or you got a lower but steady flow that lasted decades.

Which would I choose if I had the choice?She’d seen how much Dad mourned Mom, even years after. He said there was no point in ever dating anyone else. Cassie alternately wanted and vetoed having that kind of all-consuming love.

She and Vince definitely had passionate fireworks, both in the attraction and disagreeing, and it was already so intense.But is it too intense?

Here I am turning a couple’s fight over food into a huge analysis of Vince’s and my barely relationship, when I should be focusing on the dilemma at hand.It’d be much easier to solve, anyway.

“How about I put in an order for the shrimp, but ask them to leave off the chili flakes?”

That seemed to satisfy both parties. Later tonight, she’d have to use those same compromising skills on Vince. Maybe she’d use her other powers of persuasion, too. Cassie discreetly checked the time.Just one more hour to go.

About twenty minutes later she set the food down in front of the couple, and the woman wrinkled her nose. “What’s this green stuff?”

“Basil,” Cassie said. “The salmon comes in a basil cream sauce.”

The lady poked at it with a fork. “I wish it was rosemary.”

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