The Jake Helman Files Personal Demons by Gregory Lamberson Page B

so, but I doubt you do.”
    “No, really—I like it.”
    “Jake, you can’t just show up at my job like this. It isn’t fair. I told you, I need time to think things through. And I don’t want the people I work with to know what’s going on between us.”
    Jake feigned innocence. “My stopping by to see you is telling them something?”
    “When did you ever bring me flowers before? When was the last time you even picked me up here? When—”
    “All right,” he said, glancing around. “I just came by to let you know that I got a new job.”
    She glanced at his suit. “Doing what?”
    “You’re looking at the new director of security for the Tower.”
    “Uh-huh. Halloween was three days ago, and April Fool’s Day isn’t for six more months.”
    “I’m serious.” He held up his employee manual, embossed with Tower International’s logo, and she narrowed her eyes.
    “How on earth did you swing that?”
    “They came to me. Apparently Old Nick is a true-crime buff and wants a real gunslinger to protect him from those chromophobes outside the Tower.”
    “You mean you
met
him?”
    He smiled. “I’m contractually prohibited from saying.”
    Her eyes lit up. “My God, how does he look?”
    “Like Mr. Magoo crossed with Dracula, or a demented Jimmy Stewart.”
    “I don’t believe this. What are your responsibilities?”
    “I’ll be in charge of the entire internal security outfit. That means supervising surveillance, running background checks on potential employees, and implementing counterindustrial espionage procedures.”
    “How much are they paying you?”
    He grasped her shoulders to steady her. “Three hundred Gs.”
    Her jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
    Jake shook his head. “I’m on the level.”
    “That’s incredible! My God, congratulations! I’m really happy for you. I always knew you were meant for better things than the Department.”
    He let go of her. “It’s not entirely a perfect situation. I have to live in the Tower until this DCL-21 craziness blows over.”
    “We all have to make sacrifices to get ahead.”
    “I’m doing this for us.”
    “Do it for yourself.”
    “I don’t want us to live apart.”
    Her face cooled. “We’re already doing that.”
    “And I don’t like it.”
    “We’ve only just separated. You have to think about yourself right now, and I have to think about myself.”
    “I am thinking about myself. I want you back.”
    She sighed. “I know you do. If we’re meant to work things out, we will.”
    “I swear I’ll never touch that stuff again.”
    “You made that clear last night. What about the booze?”
    “I’ll give that up, too.”
    “We’re going around in circles. You can make all the promises you want, but the only thing that’s going to convince me that you mean business is time.”
    He stared at her, careful not to glare.
    “I don’t want to argue. When do you start this job?”
    “Tomorrow morning.”
    “So soon? You always manage to land on your feet, don’t you?”
    “I wanted to wait until Monday, but they need someone right away. They’re paying me a ten-thousand-dollar signing bonus to see things their way.”
    She whistled. “Good luck, then. I mean it. This will be a fresh start for you.”
    He glanced around the shop. “Can we have dinner next week?”
    She looked into his eyes. “I’ll think about it. That’s all I’m willing to commit to right now. Call me over the weekend and let me know how the job’s going, and we’ll discuss it then.” Her hand brushed his arm. “I have to get back to work. Thanks again for the flowers.”
    He watched her return to her office, sniffing the roses as she closed the door behind her. His heart swelled and he felt like a sap.
    I love you
.

    Jake charged three new suits to his credit card before returning to the Lexington. Treating himself to a steak dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, he resisted the urge to have a celebratory glass of wine. He knew