specialist tactical, negotiation, intelligence and command support services. The selection of the team depends upon the actual situation.”
She was filled with respect for the man who sat before her. Compared to what he did for a living, her daily grind was a walk in the park. She couldn’t even imagine a typical day in his life. “It must be incredibly stressful for you.”
“Yeah.” His voice held a wealth of feeling. “It can be that.”
“How do you deal with it?”
He shrugged, his face expressionless.
“It must be difficult when things don’t go right?”
His face closed. “Yep.”
Tactfully, she changed the subject again. “Um… I was wondering if I could put up a poster on your staff noticeboard? Even with the second job, funds have been a little tight and I’ve decided to look for a roommate.”
Andy’s eyebrows rose, but he nodded. “Of course. It’s in the tea room. I’ll show you, if you like.”
“That’s okay, I know where it is.”
“Then I’ll help you put it up. It’s no trouble.” He unfolded himself from the chair and stood. Cally tilted her head back to look up at him.
“Jack’s right,” she grinned. “You are tall.”
Andy shrugged and looked away, as if embarrassed. He strode to the other side of the squad room. Cally turned to follow him.
“Mom, I’m going to stay out here,” said Jack, pulling a library book out of his bag.
“That’s fine, Jack. I won’t be long.”
By the time she made it to the tea room, Andy was already inside. It was a small room outfitted with a counter and a sink, overhead cupboards, a table and a scattering of mismatched chairs.
“The noticeboard is right over there,” he said, pointing it out.
She looked in the direction he’d indicated. A noticeboard brimming with various brochures and notices hung on a wall.
“Do you have your poster with you?”
“Um…yes.” She reached into the pocket of her shorts and pulled out the folded piece of paper. Smoothing it out on the table, she moved toward the noticeboard.
“I’ll pin it up for you,” Andy offered.
He reached for the poster and his fingers brushed hers. Again, her breath hitched from the contact and her belly somersaulted.
Get a grip on yourself, she admonished silently. He was only a man and after her experience with Stewart, she’d vowed never to get close to one again, no matter how tempting.
She took a deep breath and willed away her jitteriness, watching while Andy moved a handful of the other notices out of the way until her poster hung in a prominent position.
“There, now it’s sure to be seen,” he said, turning to her with a triumphant grin.
Despite her best intentions, Cally’s heart fluttered again. She tried to stem her response to him, but she might as well have been trying to hold back a tsunami. Heat flooded her cheeks and once again, she was tongue-tied.
“Are you looking for anyone in particular? Female? Male?”
She nodded and did her best to regain the power of speech. “I-I think I would prefer to have a man around—” She broke off, suddenly aware of how that sounded. Andy eyed her with interest.
“W-what I mean is, J-Jack would love some male company. He hasn’t…um…”
“I take it his father’s not on the scene?”
She shook her head, wondering a little frantically how they’d come to this point. She had no intention of sharing her family history with a man who was little more than a stranger, no matter how good-looking and how interested he appeared. He turned away and she was relieved when he dropped the topic.
“I-I guess I’d better keep going. I still have a few more rooms to clean, including the squad room. It’s going to be late getting home as it is.” She moved toward the door. Andy turned to watch her leave.
“Thanks for helping me with the poster and…and for hanging it up and…everything,” she stammered. “I really appreciate it.”
He stared back at her, his expression thoughtful. “No
She was filled with respect for the man who sat before her. Compared to what he did for a living, her daily grind was a walk in the park. She couldn’t even imagine a typical day in his life. “It must be incredibly stressful for you.”
“Yeah.” His voice held a wealth of feeling. “It can be that.”
“How do you deal with it?”
He shrugged, his face expressionless.
“It must be difficult when things don’t go right?”
His face closed. “Yep.”
Tactfully, she changed the subject again. “Um… I was wondering if I could put up a poster on your staff noticeboard? Even with the second job, funds have been a little tight and I’ve decided to look for a roommate.”
Andy’s eyebrows rose, but he nodded. “Of course. It’s in the tea room. I’ll show you, if you like.”
“That’s okay, I know where it is.”
“Then I’ll help you put it up. It’s no trouble.” He unfolded himself from the chair and stood. Cally tilted her head back to look up at him.
“Jack’s right,” she grinned. “You are tall.”
Andy shrugged and looked away, as if embarrassed. He strode to the other side of the squad room. Cally turned to follow him.
“Mom, I’m going to stay out here,” said Jack, pulling a library book out of his bag.
“That’s fine, Jack. I won’t be long.”
By the time she made it to the tea room, Andy was already inside. It was a small room outfitted with a counter and a sink, overhead cupboards, a table and a scattering of mismatched chairs.
“The noticeboard is right over there,” he said, pointing it out.
She looked in the direction he’d indicated. A noticeboard brimming with various brochures and notices hung on a wall.
“Do you have your poster with you?”
“Um…yes.” She reached into the pocket of her shorts and pulled out the folded piece of paper. Smoothing it out on the table, she moved toward the noticeboard.
“I’ll pin it up for you,” Andy offered.
He reached for the poster and his fingers brushed hers. Again, her breath hitched from the contact and her belly somersaulted.
Get a grip on yourself, she admonished silently. He was only a man and after her experience with Stewart, she’d vowed never to get close to one again, no matter how tempting.
She took a deep breath and willed away her jitteriness, watching while Andy moved a handful of the other notices out of the way until her poster hung in a prominent position.
“There, now it’s sure to be seen,” he said, turning to her with a triumphant grin.
Despite her best intentions, Cally’s heart fluttered again. She tried to stem her response to him, but she might as well have been trying to hold back a tsunami. Heat flooded her cheeks and once again, she was tongue-tied.
“Are you looking for anyone in particular? Female? Male?”
She nodded and did her best to regain the power of speech. “I-I think I would prefer to have a man around—” She broke off, suddenly aware of how that sounded. Andy eyed her with interest.
“W-what I mean is, J-Jack would love some male company. He hasn’t…um…”
“I take it his father’s not on the scene?”
She shook her head, wondering a little frantically how they’d come to this point. She had no intention of sharing her family history with a man who was little more than a stranger, no matter how good-looking and how interested he appeared. He turned away and she was relieved when he dropped the topic.
“I-I guess I’d better keep going. I still have a few more rooms to clean, including the squad room. It’s going to be late getting home as it is.” She moved toward the door. Andy turned to watch her leave.
“Thanks for helping me with the poster and…and for hanging it up and…everything,” she stammered. “I really appreciate it.”
He stared back at her, his expression thoughtful. “No
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