Page 16 of Six
“Shepherd’s pie,” she answered. “It’s the Wednesday special from Labor Day to Memorial Day. He changes it to a chicken and vegetable curry for the summer.”
“Shepherd’s pie it is, then. Thank you,” he added when Ambrose nodded. Gavin waited for the man to be out of earshot, then he raised his glass. Violetta eyed him but did the same.
“Cheers,” he said.
“Salute,” she replied, and they clicked glasses before each taking a sip. The flavor of the hops came through strong, but to his surprise, the beer was smooth, almost creamy. All in all, not bad.
Not one to beat around the bush, Violetta set her glass down, pinned him with a look, and asked, “What are your orders?”
He didn’t hesitate to divulge. If he wanted her trust, he’d have to offer her his. “They were vague, but the gist of it was that I needed to stick close to you and offer any assistance should you need it.”
Violetta frowned. “Do you know who I work for?”
He took another sip of his beer and smiled. “I think the real question is why was an MI6 spook allowed to order the assignment of a British Special Forces officer to essentially take up residence in the United States in order to protect an Italian intelligence asset who has never had an assignment in the United States and so who, in theory, shouldn’t need backup.”
The smile she gave him wasn’t as brilliant as the one she’d given Ambrose, but it had started with her eyes and was genuine. “Yes,” she said. “I did wonder that.”
He smiled back and raised his glass. “You and me both,” he said.
She searched his face, looking for any untruth. Nearly a minute passed before she picked up her own drink again and leaned back in her chair. “Why did you take the assignment? There is zero reason why I’d need any backup. I’ll grant you that on a few ops I’ve been on, it would have been nice. But here? In Cos Cob and Boston? It doesn’t make any sense.”
He lifted a shoulder. “I agree, it doesn’t.” He didn’t take issue with her statement about not needing any help. Sure, he’d stepped in last night, but that was only because he figured if his car got a little banged up it would be easier to fix than hers. She’d had the situation under control, and if he hadn’t been around, she still would have been fine.
“So again, why would you take the assignment?” she pressed.
“Because I didn’t have a choice,” he answered baldly.
She leaned forward again, and the tips of her fingers slid over her glass as she studied him. After a beat, she spoke. “No choice?”
He shook his head. “I may be a senior officer and I may be decorated out the arse, but I’m still a soldier. I go where they tell me to and do what they order me to.” It wasn’t quite that straightforward or mindless, but it was close.
Her brows dipped, but it was a few seconds before she spoke again. “Do youwantto have the choice?”
It was his turn to frown. “You mean do I want out of this assignment?”
She nodded.
He hadn’t considered that would be an option. Now that Violetta had asked, though, and asked in such a way that led him to believe she could make it happen, did hewantthat to happen? As he mulled the question over, he realized the answer was a complicated one.
If she’d asked him five months ago, he would have said yes, he wanted out. But now? Now that he knew her in the ways he did, and knew the ways hewantedto know her better, it wasn’t so clear-cut. He wanted to be here. He wanted to work side by side with her. But he also wanted out because as long as he wasin, the British Army owned him. His contract gave them the right to pull him at any moment.
“The assignment? No, I like it here. I like the work I’m doing, and I like the idea of working with you even if neither of us understands why or how this all came into play.”
“But?”
“No buts,” he said. “I don’t like the idea that the army could pull me at any time, which tells me that I like this assignment. Probably more than I should.”
She stared at him for a long time, then finally, she lifted her drink and gave a shake of her head. “I honestly have no idea what Franklin must have been thinking. This could, quite possibly, be the world’s most boring assignment for you. Aside from what happened last night, my life here is quiet. I work, I hang out with my friends, I pretend to garden, and I play auntie to my friend Nora’s various strays.”
It actually sounded quite idyllic to him. But he hadn’t been sent to Massachusetts to become a part of her life in a way that would allow him to partake of those simple joys with her. Even if he wanted to.
“I think it’s safe to say that neither of us knows why I’m here. But I am here, so if you need an extra set of hands, you know you have one.”
Something flashed in her eyes, but it was gone before he could place it. She’d just learned about him the night before, and, so far, all her questions had sounded genuine. She didn’t seem to understand his assignment any more than he did, but a suspicion sneaked up on him that she did, or might, knowsomething.
The moment to ask was interrupted when Ambrose brought their dinners. And after Gavin took his first bite, he all but lost interest in what Violetta may or may not know. He’d never imagined finding a good shepherd’s pie outside of the UK, but the one that was now his for the taking couldn’t be more perfect. The flavors were rich, but not heavy. The balance between the meat and the veggies at the bottom and the potatoes at the top was the way he liked it—about a fifty-fifty ratio. And the potatoes themselves were seasoned with the perfect amount of salt and pepper.
After his third bite, he realized that Violetta had stilled, and he looked across the table to find her staring at him.
