Page 46 of Hale Yes
Nicolette: Okay, I’m really sorry, Helix.
Helix: No need to apologize. You told me wine makes you sleepy, so it wasn’t your fault.
Nicolette: Thank you for being so understanding.
Helix: Of course. Though being held at gunpoint was a first for me.
My eyes almost bug out of my head. What the actual fuck?
Nicolette: I held you at gunpoint?!?!
Helix: No, silly. You were unconscious. Stefan did.
Nicolette: My neighbor?!?!
Helix: Yes, the one with the poo poo goose.
The snort that comes out of my nose chokes me, and I pound my chest as I cough through it. I’m not sure if it was a laugh or a sound of pure shock. Probably a little of both.
I decide this is a conversation where I need to hear his voice to determine whether he’s going to fire me, so I call his number.
As soon as he answers, I shriek, “Stefan literally held you at gunpoint?”
“Nicolette.” Helix’s voice is a balm, deep and soothing. “He thought I was a crazy kidnapper or something. He was protecting you.”
“With a firearm pointed at you?” I demand.
“He told me his name was Dirty Harry.”
A giggle bubbles out of me before I can stop it. “That sounds like Stefan.”
“Look, it all turned out okay. He was trying to protect his friend, and I can appreciate that. He had no clue who I was, so they ran this really weird background check on me and deemed me suitable to get you safely inside your house.”
I scrub at my forehead with my fingertips, a headache forming there for reasons unrelated to the wine. “That’s a lot to unpack. A background check?”
“Apparently, Lukas runs the LBI. You’ll be happy to know I was quickly cleared of any misdeeds, and they stayed outside until I left.”
“The… LBI?”
“Lukas Bureau of Investigation. It seems like a stellar organization.”
I can’t help but laugh at his wry delivery. “You’re taking this awfully well.”
“I feel partly responsible because of the whole wine thing. We’ll have to avoid that next time we eat together. Do you go into a coma with any other adult beverages?”
“No, just wine. And I don’t lose my memory or anything. I simply get sleepy,” I assure him, my brain stuck on two other words he mentioned. “Did you say next time?”
“Of course. You mentioned at dinner you have a list of places to try in Houston. I can go with you.” There’s a pause. “Unless you’d rather go by yourself.”
I pull the phone away from my ear and stare at it for a second before replacing it. “After last night, you still want to go somewhere with me?”
There’s a long pause, and his voice sounds mildly defensive. “You didn’t enjoy yourself?”
“No. I mean, yes, I enjoyed myself.” God, why am I all flustered? “I had a very good time with you, Dr., uh, Helix.”
“Good. Next Friday okay with you?”
“That’s… fine.”
