Resist (Sphere of Irony 3)

“Mitch? Hey, sweetie.”

“CeCe, you got a minute?”

I can hear papers rustling on her end of the line.

“I’m at work right now and I’ll probably be working through lunch. How about dinner?”

A muffled male voice says something in the background.

“Sure. The Pointe? My treat.” CeCe can never resist the incredible seafood at her favorite restaurant.

“Hmmm, you must need a favor,” she laughs. “Seven o’clock okay?”

“See you then.”

“Bye, Mitch.”

I check my phone and see it’s only ten-thirty. That gives me plenty of time for a long workout. Instead of going downstairs to my home gym, I head to a nearby tactical training center so I can brush up on my very rusty combat skills. For some reason, I have a feeling I’ll need them.

***

“Mitch!”

I stand up as a tall, beautiful blonde woman crosses the patio to my table.

“CeCe, you look great.”

She wraps me up in a big, fruit-scented hug.

“You too, hot stuff,” she quips with a grin.

I pull out her chair and help her get settled.

“How’s work?” I ask.

An exaggerated eye roll is the only response I get. The waiter takes her drink order and disappears.

“Don’t want to talk about it, huh?” I chuckle. CeCe works for a hotshot local defense attorney. We met when I was brought in to consult on finding which ex-client turned crazy after her boss was threatened.

We dated briefly—actually more than briefly. We lasted exactly one date and decided we were better off as friends.

“No. Roger is in full asshole mode. He has a big client breathing down his neck and he always gets mean when the pressure cranks up. It’s lack of sleep or maybe lack of a soul, I don’t know.” She laughs, taking a sip of the bright pink cocktail she ordered. “Either way he’s a bastard right now.”

I smile at her feisty words. “I take it you aren’t assigned to this case?”

She sits back in her chair and gives me a smirk. “Nope. Thank god. I’m wrapping up a case for a different client. Paperwork takes forever to finish.”

“Hey, do you know who Johnny Utah is?” I ask.

CeCe wrinkles her nose as she thinks. “Wait. From a movie, right?” She takes out her phone and starts typing.

“Something like that,” I reply.

“Point Break.” She snaps her fingers. “That’s it. Keanu Reeves plays an FBI agent undercover with a group of surfers who rob banks.”

“Huh.” If I’m the FBI agent then Gavin must be the surfer. I smile, knowing he nailed it.

“Huh what? Why are you asking?”