Page 34 of Two Hearts' Subterfuge

“I’m going to be so glad to see the store open again. I can’t wait to see your new designs on display,” Danielle confessed.

“I’m kind of excited about it myself,” Aylin agreed.

“I’m pretty certain that opening your store won’t interfere with what your dad and I are planning,” Jake said reassuringly. “At this point, all we want to do is keep you safe, without making it look like you’re expecting trouble. I’m not sure what Ben’s going to think about it though, despite Danny’s reassurances.”

“Jake, dear. I know my own son. There hasn’t been a steady woman in his life during the past ten years. I know he’s still thinking about Aylin. In fact, you’ll get a chance to see foryourself when he meets us here for lunch in another thirty minutes.”

“It was hard finding a house that would meet our security requirements. And harder yet tricking Ben into thinking that it was the house he really wanted to buy,” Jake said.

“Jake, believe me, I knew Ben would love the place when I saw it. Who wouldn’t? It’s right on the lake. It’s got room for all the toys he enjoys including a speedboat and snowmobile. The interior is beautiful. All it needs is furniture, but I thought that would be best left for Aylin to choose.”

Aylin blinked, looking uncertainly at Danielle first and then at Jake. It was odd how they’d apparently been trying to set her up with her son ever since she’d arrived in Crystal Rock. She’d gone along with it because…well, since the first time her eyes had met Ben’s, she’d never had the same reaction to any other guy she’d met. She’d never stopped thinking about him.

Aylin’s scallops arrived, and she immediately started eating. There was no use trying to figure out what was going on until either Jake or Danielle came right out and told her.

Besides, if Ben was meeting them for lunch, she needed to hurry and finish eating.

“Our idea is to have you and Ben work and live like a couple, even if that relationship isn’t real. The thing is Aylin, Ben is actually a trained FBI agent now,” Jake said. “He can protect you better than any bodyguard, and while he’s at it, he can be on alert for any signs of trouble from your brother. I don’t know if you knew this, but he noticed your brother and his uncle spying on you in the parking lot a few days before they kidnapped you ten years ago. Of course, he didn’t know they were watching you, but he knew enough to know that it was suspicious, so he reported it to me. We have absolutely no idea what to expect, but what we do know is that something is probably going to happen.”

“I knew that Ben had joined the Air Force,” she answered, finishing her lunch. “But he’s an FBI agent?”

“Covert,” Jake admitted. “Domestic terrorism is on the rise.”

Danielle smiled. “You seem pretty calm about all this.”

Aylin shrugged. “I’ve been dealing with security people my entire life. I was thinking about buying a house myself, but I was already figuring on having security people living on the premises.”

“Well, if you live with Ben, we’ll beef up the security to the best available. The only thing we probably wouldn’t want is for you to be there alone. But if you and Ben work the same hours, you can go back and forth every day with Ben to work.”

Aylin grimaced. “What if we don’t get along?”

Danielle grinned. “I’m not sure why, but I really can’t imagine that.”

“How will you tell Ben?” Aylin asked.

“Well, we’re kind of hoping that part takes care of itself once Ben sees you again,” Jake said slyly, suddenly grinning.

“I knew from the beginning that I was being set up for something,” Aylin said dryly. “But let’s see what happens. I will admit, I’ve nearly bumped into him a couple of times, and both times, my heart kind of did a flip flop.”

Danielle started laughing.

“I’d better get out of here before he arrives,” Aylin said, standing.

“Don’t you want to be here to be reintroduced?” Jake asked, looking puzzled.

“I think I’d like to surprise Ben, because that will tell me everything I need to know.”

Jake and Danielle were still laughing as Aylin headed through the restaurant back to her shop.

She had a little preparation to do before her chance encounter with Ben.

* * *

Mom cleared her throat as Ben ordered from the menu.

“You know who I talked to the other day?”

“Who?” Ben asked distractedly, in the process of handing over the menu after ordering a steak sandwich.

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