Thrill Seeker (Sinful in Seattle)

He groaned and clutched his chest as he stomped backwards. “Right to the heart. Cruel, capricious women!”

I grabbed the other cash bag and brought it back to Angel. I tapped on the doorjamb. “We’ll be ready in five.”

He held out his hand for the bags and opened the drop safe in the floor. “Thanks.” Angel looked up and then sat back in his chair. “All good?”

“Yeah, of course. I’m beat. I can’t wait to get out of here tonight and take a long, cool shower.”

“Amen, sister.” He stood and shut off his desk lamp. “Anything that doesn’t get done, we’ll do tomorrow.”

I plugged my iPad into the charging station and waited at the doorway. “Hoping to catch the last set?”

He laughed. “You know me too well.”

I tugged my phone out again and forced myself not to look at the readout. Instead I went to the lockers for my purse and dropped it inside. Out of sight, out of mind.

Chelsea met me at the front of the restaurant. “Hey, can you use your ultra-mega phone and look up the hours for Gino’s? Jake wants to meet me there, but I’m sure they h

ave to be closed.”

Seriously? I just couldn’t win.

I dug into my bag for my cell and tapped the bottom button for the phone to come alive. I tried to close the email before it popped up, but it flashed white on the screen with a bold, dark typeface.

Thu, 17 August 2017

Maximus Chapel

To: [email protected]

Subject: Instructions

Be home tonight.

Ask no questions.

Lock your doors.

-M

My stomach jittered and my heart slammed. What did that mean?

“Georgia?”

I fumbled with the home button until I could change out the application. I swiped his email away and brought up a web browser. “What was I looking up again?”

“Gino’s hours. Are you all right?”

“Yes. Just tired.” My voice sounded far away even to my own ears. “Right, Gino’s.” I typed out the website. It felt like it took forever for the page to load, then even longer for my eyes to focus. “Yes. Yes, it’s open. Summer hours.”

“Well, shit. Guess I owe Jake a pizza. Want to come?”

I double tapped the bottom button on my phone to bring up the email again. For the first time in weeks, my blood buzzed and my heart raced.

Was I really going to do this?

God, yes.

I cleared my throat. “No, I need to get home.”