Page 25 of Not the Bodyguard's Princess
Will do.
Jordan walked across the hall and tapped on Stu’s door, amazed that they weren’t watching her more closely. A new bodyguard answered. How annoying. If they kept changing guards, how was she supposed to know who she could trust? The Burgundy polo with the Hearthfire logo wasn’t all that different from some of the ones sold online. “I’m taking Princess to the park at eight thirty. I assume someone will accompany me?”
Rod appeared behind the new guard. “I’ll arrange it, Miss Lee. Stu is in a meeting.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you in fifteen minutes.”
The bodyguards closed the door. She was back across the hall and opening her own door when the door to Stu’s room flew open and Stu ran from the room. “Miss Lee, what were you doing in the hallway?”
“Arranging for an escort to the dog park.”
“You could have called.”
“I suppose I could have.” Jordan retreated into her room, closing the door. Blake would have freaked out if she had been able to leave her room unnoticed when he had been in charge. Andrew might too. Should she tell him? She sent a quick text to Andrew confirming the eight-thirty dog-park walk.
Stu and one other guard met her when she answered her door at 8:29. The walk down the hall to the elevator would have been good practice for someone playing the role of a death-row inmate.
Andrew and Princess waited outside next to a new SUV. “I see you upgraded your rental, Stu.”
Stu opened the back-passenger door of the SUV. Andrew didn’t point out that his car was still better.
Jordan had little choice but to enter the SUV or cause a scene like her dog was, jumping and dancing and tangling her leash around them. “One minute. If I don’t say hello to Princess, she will be impossible to handle.”
Trying to keep the dog hair to a minimum, Jordan crouched down. “Good morning, girl. How are you? Have you been good? Did last night turn out differently than you expected?” She looked up at Andrew, hoping he’d realize the question was for him more than the dog.
Princess took advantage of Jordan’s distraction to land a sloppy dog kiss on her neck.
“Yes, I missed you too. Yes, I know we need to work things out.” Jordan scratched behind Princess’s ears and stood. “I’ll see you at the dog park.”
* * *
Andrew put Princess in her car seat, a contraption rivaling his nephews’ car seats for difficulty of use. Thankfully, Princess sat patiently, allowing him to connect the straps and safety vest. The SUV Jordan was riding in left the lot. Since Paul had refused to allow Jordan to leave the hotel last night, he hoped they would get some time to talk at the dog park.
Andrew checked his Hastings app and the one Blake had provided before leaving the parking lot. The SUV headed for the same park they’d used Sunday. Alan would probably yell at Andrew for tagging a vehicle not belonging to a client. At the moment, Andrew felt no guilt. He needed every advantage he could get. At this point, he would tag Stu and Paul if he could find a way to keep them from noticing.
Stu waited with Jordan at the gate to the park. “You can watch from here, Hastings.”
“I won’t be much help to Princess if that pit bull decides she’s a plaything.”
“Fine, just remember your job is the dog.” Stu held the gate open for Jordan. Princess followed with Andrew still holding her leash. Andrew held open the second gate to the section of the park specified for small dogs, and Jordan released Princess to run around the empty park. On the side of the fence, the pit bull paced the area meant for larger dogs.
“I guess Princess doesn’t need you to protect her.” Stu sneered and walked to the tree where Andrew had hidden the bugs yesterday.
Andrew kept the bodyguard in his peripheral as he took Princess’s ball out of his backpack.
Stu continued to circle the tree. He reached up and felt around a few times. He would need to jump to reach the listening devices. Andrew had a good four inches on the other bodyguard in height and more than that in reach. Stu lacked those extra few inches needed to find the bugs without having to climb the tree.
Jordan took the ball. “I hoped we could talk.” She turned and tossed the ball.
Princess tired of fetching the ball after a few minutes and found a sunny spot to lie down. Jordan handed the ball back. “That must have been some jog you took her on this morning.”
“Only 5k. I wasn’t sure how much she could take.”
Jordan laughed. “1k or less. Princess loves to walk, but running, not so much.
Stu joined them, his face grim. “Are you ready to go?”
Jordan checked her phone. “It’s only been ten minutes.”
