Page 9 of Wrecked

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“If he offers you the job, are you going to take it?”

I’m tempted to give him some bullshit answer, but if we’re going to be working for the same company, I need to get over my hurt and be professional. “Yes. I need the job. Thanks for the ride, Cooper.”

Cooper finally looks at me then, and I swear his expression softens. Those steely blue eyes say a lot, and suddenly I don’t think he’s as indifferent as he seems. The corner of his mouth quirks up in a slight grin as if he likes hearing me say his name. “You’re welcome.” And just as I’m closing the door, he adds, “Sam.”

As I walk away, I find myself wondering what just happened. One minute he’s hot, the next he’s cold. And now, just as I’m leaving, he starts to warm up again. I have whiplash.

The doorman greets me as I approach the revolving doors. It’s a nice hotel. Better than I’m used to. I guess only the best will do for McIntyre Security job candidates.

Once I’m up in my room, I grab a bottle of water from the minifridge and use it to swallow a couple of Tylenols. My leg and ankle are still killing me, and I’d be in a lot worse shape if Cooper hadn’t given me a ride back to the hotel.

I still don’t understand his behavior. I thought we connected at the shooting range. And when he asked me if I’d kissed a man, I could have sworn he was hitting on me. Until he wasn’t.

I lounge on the bed, leaning against the headboard and finishing off the bottle of water when my phone chimes with an incoming call from Shane McIntyre. “Shane, hi.”

“Hello, Sam. I’ve e-mailed an offer of employment to you. If you would, please read it over, and if you agree to the terms, please text me back and let me know if it’s an affirmative or not. If you have any questions or concerns, just call me so we can discuss.”

“I will. Thanks.”

After we hang up, I pull out my laptop and boot it up. Sure enough, there’s an e-mail from Shane in my inbox. I skim the offer. The compensation is generous—salary plus overtime if needed, medical insurance, matching 401k, vacation time, sick leave. The real icing on the cake is free rent in his Gold Coast apartment building. Included are some color photos of the apartment I’d be getting, newly renovated according to the caption, and fully furnished. I know enough about Chicago to know the Gold Coast is a swanky part of town. It beats sleeping in my mother’s basement in Dayton.

There’s nothing to think about. I pick up my phone and text him.

Me: I accept. Thanks.

Shane: Good. Welcome aboard. You start Monday. I’ll send more details this weekend.

I call my sister, but I’m not surprised when I get her voicemail. She works long shifts in Labor and Delivery at the local hospital. “Hey, Rachel. Guess what. I got the job. I start Monday. No more couch surfing in Mom’s basement. Please pass the good news on to her. And call me when you get a chance, ’k? Love you, sis. Bye.”

And to celebrate, I order a burger, fries, and a bottle of a local brew from room service and turn on Netflix.

* * *

After I’ve eaten and the Tylenol has kicked in, I head out to walk around downtown Chicago. This is the first time I’ve been to Chicago, so I want to get a feel for the place.

I walk down N. Michigan Avenue, which appears to be the main thoroughfare of the city. I stop at the bridge and watch the sightseeing cruise boats and groups of people in kayaks. Then I stroll across the bridge and continue walking east to check out all the restaurants and high-end shopping centers.

I come across two men holding hands in public.Wow.I’m not in Dayton anymore. Apparently, the big city is a bit more open minded than what I’m used to.

When I first met Cooper this morning, I really didn’t take him as being gay. At least my so-called gaydar didn’t flag him as such. It wasn’t until he whispered in my ear that I caught on. But he sure changed his tune fast enough.

Shaking thoughts of him out of my mind, I continue walking until I come across an impressive bookstore called Clancy’sBookshop. I go inside and browse for a while. The building is an impressive piece of real estate in a swanky area of town. It’s not the tallest building, by far, but it’s got class. There are two stories of merchandise joined by a fancy curved staircase with wrought-iron railings.

This is definitely the biggest bookstore I’ve ever seen. The magazine department alone is mind blowing. I grab aMotocrossmagazine to take back to my hotel room.

After visiting the bookstore, I walk all the way to Lake Shore Drive, cross over to the public beach, and stroll south along Lake Michigan until I reach Navy Pier. While I’m there, I grab a Nathan’s hotdog and a Coke and sit and watch the tourist cruise ships coming and going.

My legs are starting to ache again, so I decide I’d better head back to my hotel while I still can. I am determined to make it back on my own steam rather than flagging down a cab.

Once I’m back in my hotel room, I call my mom to tell her about my new job.

“So, it’s official now,” I tell her. “I’m a bodyguard. The job comes with a lot of perks, including a furnished apartment in a fancy, secured building.”

“Oh, honey, I’m so happy for you,” she says. “I knew you’d get it. You can do anything you set your mind to.”

“Is Rachel there?”