Page 16 of Protected By West
Jaime chuckled a little. "That's one of the benefits of being single. Plenty of time in the evening to read up and research."
Tracy sighed. "I really ought to get a dog or something. At least I'd have something to go home to."
Jaime sat up in her chair and turned so she could put her arm on the table as she leaned in. "It's lunch time and you promised to meet up with the Texas Ranger in the lobby."
Tracy closed her eyes and let out a breath. "Yeah. I said I'd meet him."
She felt Jaime touch her arm and she looked at her friend.
"I know. I'm going. I just-"
"You've had this hard and fast rule since things broke down with your mom and dad, I know."
Tracy opened her mouth to argue with her, but Jaime pushed right through.
"But you need to consider that just because your dad was married to the job, that other men won't have the same issue."
"At this point," Tracy shook her head, I feel like it's ingrained into my DNA. I see a badge and I cringe. I'm sure Weston's a great guy, but the last thing I need in my life is a guy who takes up what little free time I have and he'll be too busy. You heard them say he's part of SWAT. The number of hours dedicated to that? It has to be crazy!"
Jaime stood up, lifting Tracy up alongside her. "Come on. You're going to meet him and talk. I don't want to drive back to San Antonio with you grumping and groaning in the car. There's not a playlist in heaven that will cover your grumpy mood. And I don't want to be accused of road rage."
Tracy gave her friend a narrow-eyed look. "Road rage? You? You don't really have a temper when you drive."
"I'd be raging at you if you don't go and talk to him."Jaime tugged her toward the door, their arms linked together. "I'm not going to let you step back until you've actuallytalkedto the guy."
Tracy looked at her friend and tried to be more annoyed at her. "You want to get fired?"
Jaime laughed out loud. "Riiight. You can't find someone to replace me."
Tracy reached her free arm across and covered Jaime's hand with her own. "That's a low blow. You know I can't do this without you."
"Then do me a solid and talk to the man."
Tracy didn't want to admit it, but Jaime was right.
She always was.
Lowering her chin, Tracy reached for one of the big double doors, but before she could push it open, she saw the door open up and swing out.
Blinking into the sudden flood of light from the hallway, she felt her jaw drop as someone stepped into the light with his cowboy hat held to his chest.
Weston Cooper.
"Hey, gorgeous." He tipped his head to the side. "I... uh, I had a feeling you might try to do an end run around talking to me."
Tracy turned to look at Jaime who was shamelessly grinning at her.
Then she shook her head and turned back to look at Weston. He'd taken a half a step closer so she could see his face and not just the god-like physique standing in the sun.
"You thought I'd run?"
He managed a single-shouldered shrug. "Call it an educated guess?"
She wanted to bite back with a comment about a mistrusting personality, but the man had been right.
And honestly? She didn't want to drag this out. "Well, you caught me."
Jaime let go of her arm and almost smothered a snort of laughter. "Well, I'm going to go and keep comments about handcuffs to myself."
