Calculated Risk (Blackbridge Security 5)

“It’s done. Q here is pretty proficient with the program. He’s going to show you how to operate it after you guys get finished eating and before he leaves.”

Wren slaps his friend on the back before turning toward the front door. “It was lovely to meet you, Hayden. See you soon.”

We both stare in the direction of the front door long after it closes.

“I think he just set us up,” I whisper after several minutes, looking in his direction to try to get a read on how he feels about it.

“Seems that way. I apologize. He’s not very subtle.”

“You can just show me how to work the system. You don’t have to stay to—”

“Do you want me to leave? I’ve been thinking about it, and now that I’m here, it was seriously rude to just show up and barge into your day.”

“I don’t want you to leave. I mean, I don’t mind eating and then learning about my new security system. Do you take credit cards? I don’t have checks and I never keep cash lying around.”

“It’s just pizza, Hayden. I don’t expect you to pay for lunch.”

“I meant the security system.”

“Oh it’s… don’t worry about it.”

“I have to pay for the system, Quinten. I won’t take no for an answer.”

“It was free,” he rushes out. “Congrats! You were the winner.”

“Winner?” I cock my hip and prop a hand there.

“It was in the fine print of the sign up for the shooting class. One person was randomly selected to win a free security system.”

“You are full of shit.” My smile is wide as I glare at him, so I don’t imagine he’s getting the full effect I’m trying to display.

“Seriously, but I’m obligated to inform you that the even smaller print says that you’re responsible for the monthly service fee, and the app has a onetime purchase fee of five dollars and ninety cents.”

“Is that right?”

He nods. “Plus tax. Do you want to eat in the dining room or here in the living room?”

“Here is fine,” I tell him with a laugh. “I’ll call your office on Monday to get all the legal documentation.”

“I’ll get it for you. Don’t want to add another thing to your list of tasks. Can you grab napkins?”

I shake my head as I leave the room, realizing that his visit is the best thing that ever could’ve happened to me. I didn’t know I was struggling so much until I realized that the last man that was in my house was the person who broke in, and that’s assuming it was a male.

Quinten being here has replaced that last image, and I get the feeling that it’s going to go a long way in helping me start to heal.

The meal is spent mostly in silence, but unlike when he was standing at the window, he keeps his eyes trained in my direction as we sit down and dole out the food.

“If you grab your phone, we can get the app downloaded,” he says after we’re both done eating. “I won’t eat any of this again. Want me to put it in your fridge?”

“Sure,” I tell him just before leaving the room to go grab my phone.

We meet back up in the living room, and he quickly finds the app after I hand him my phone.

“I went ahead and put my number in your contacts in case you have questions after I leave.”

He swallows when I smile, and we spend the next half hour going over how the system works and how to pull up video from an earlier time.

Instead of him getting up to leave when it’s done, he sticks around, striking up a conversation about my house.

“Do you like living here? It seems like a nice neighborhood.”

“I did. It doesn’t feel as nice after being broken into, though.”

“Criminals don’t tend to rob poor people. I showed you that anytime someone activates the motion camera near the front door, your voice will ask them if you can help them. That will deter almost anyone coming from doing something bad. Robbers prefer not to run into homeowners when they’re stealing. It increases the chance of them getting caught.”

“That makes sense.”

My phone rings, and Parker’s name flashes across the screen. He stands from the sofa even though I hit the decline button.

“I should get going. There are a few cases at work I need to wrap up.”

I stand as well, walking with him toward the door.

“Thank you for doing this for me. Seriously, about the payment, I think—”

His lips are on me, just a slight brushing of his mouth against mine, but when he pulls away too soon, I can’t even remember what I was going to say.

“I’m sorry. Shit, I shouldn’t have—”

“I liked it,” I confess.

Instead of bending down to kiss me again, he gives my hand a quick squeeze and then leaves.