Page 9 of By The Book
Marsali and Oliver’s neighbor had his hand resting on the back of his wife’s chair. Eliza looked preoccupied, no doubt thinking of a wedding plan in the works. Most probably for Mac and V, as Victoria liked to be called. “It’s healing. Thanks for asking.”
“Any idea when you’ll be cleared for work?” Oliver asked.
“No. Not yet.”
“What happened again?” Marsali asked. “I mean, Oliver said you were shot while working but…”
He smiled at the questions bombarding him. “Right place, wrong time. Or right time as the case may be.”
“You got the guy?” Mac asked.
Denz nodded. “He’s awaiting trial and everyone is safe.”
“You know,” Marsali said with her girl-next-door tone and sweet expression, “you’d have a lot easier time finding someone special if things like that weren’t an everyday possibility.”
“Watch out,” Lincoln said.
“Here we go again,” Carter said with a grin.
“Seriously, Marse, do you ever stop trying to matchmake?” Eliza asked.
“She does have a point,” Amelia added.
Denz lowered his head and chuckled at the friends’ many comments and inputs on his life.
It was risky seeing them as anything more than acquaintances or associates, but given that he was off-duty and simply a guy meeting a former client for dinner, he tried to keep it in perspective. “I like what I do, Mrs. B. I’m good at it.”
When Denz had first started working in Oliver’s protection rotation, Amelia and Lincoln were the only ones coupled up.
As the months passed, the group grew as Marsali, a professional matchmaker, did her thing with Eliza and Carter. Not long after, Marsali had an on-air blunder and mistakenly told the world Oliver Beck was her perfect match.
The media storm had been intense, with Oliver flying to Carolina Cove to protect his best friend’s little sister from the paparazzi. It wasn’t long before the two fell in love and married last fall.
The last single of the group, Mac, had given in to Marsali’s requests to match him last summer, and now Mac and V’s wedding date grew closer by the day.
“I’m just saying,” Marsali continued. “If Denz is going to be in town for a while until he heals, he might get lonely. I could match you up with a lovely—”
“No,” he said firmly. He was a by-the-book kind of guy, and some boundaries were too personal to cross. Marsali setting him up was one of them. “Thanks, though, Mrs. B. I appreciate the offer, but like you said, most women don’t particularly care for my profession or the travel and time it requires. My relationships tend to be…brief.”
Marsali’s freckled face and expression revealed her displeasure at his words, but it was the truth. He wouldn’t be in town long enough to form an attachment, and if he did, it would end badly. Like Marsali said, women tended to want stability and presence, and he couldn’t offer either at this point. Nor did he particularly want to.
There were people meant for houses and picket fences, roots. His belongings fit into a single duffle and suitcase that allowed him to travel the world at a moment’s notice. Why put himself or the woman through that? That’s why casual dating worked for him. A nice dinner or two, maybe some fun. He’d yet to meet a woman who made him want more than companionship with no strings.
“Where are you staying?” Lincoln asked.
“I found a rental on the island. A little garage apartment that suits my needs. The owner actually works in craft service,” he stated, using Hollywood’s term for caterer. According to Tom, his food truck made the rounds to wherever the filming took place, be it downtown outside of the small studio building or on location.
“Anyone interesting in the vicinity?” Marsali asked.
The question made him mentally picture Claire.
Marsali’s eyes widened and a smile curled her lips.
“Thereis.”
“Marsali, leave the poor guy alone,” Oliver said. “Otherwise the next time his number is up for us, he won’t take the assignment.”
Guardian Group rotated their guards periodically with no warning. It was to keep guards and their charges from getting too close and forming intimate attachments. Spending so much time together in tense or downright dangerous situations had a tendency to remove barriers faster than normal, which could be dangerous for everyone involved if the guard lost his or her objectivity.
