The Carrier (The Carrier Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

take such inappropriate
risks?”
    I laughed loudly to cover my embarrassment.
“No. I’m not normally a risk taker, I just...” My mind raced back to that
stupid little glittery rock. “Never mind. It doesn’t
matter.” I smiled, suddenly lost in Nolan’s eyes.
    He placed his hand on my shoulder momentarily
as if to say, “I forgive you.”
    Something electric stirred inside me. I could
feel the warmth of his hand radiating through my thin work shirt.
    Some more customers came up to the windows and
Nolan’s hand drifted off my shoulder too soon. Just like that the three ticket
agents were hard at work again. I lifted my hand up to the spot where Nolan’s
had just been, but Jack pulled on my elbow.
    “Come on, we’ve gotta go sweep before our next trip.”
    I reluctantly slid off the chair, unable to bid
Nolan goodbye as Jack dragged me out of the ticket booth.
     
    *    
*     *     *
     
    As
the days went on, I convinced Jack to hang out in the ticket booth several
times a day, but about a week later, unhappily to me, Jack revealed that he
felt the tiny booth was too small for five people and wanted us to find a new
hangout space.
    I disagreed, but for some reason didn’t want to
tell Jack how I felt about Nolan, despite the truth that I simply couldn’t get
him out of my mind. 
     It was incredibly difficult to judge
Nolan’s feelings for me, however, because his
naturally flirty personality made it appear as though he was hitting on
basically anyone he came into contact with: elderly ladies, children, hot
twenty- somethings , and everyone in between.
    I tried to tell myself it was all stupid,
anyway. Was I ready to jump into a relationship with someone right now? My
heart still felt like it was in a million pieces after my last boyfriend,
Aaron, was done with me and my faith in love had completely crumbled.
    On the other hand, there was no denying the
jolt of life I felt every time I was within a few feet of Nolan.
    Darren spotted Nolan’s talent early on and
scheduled him frequently in the best booths. Nolan had completed his training,
and I was happy to see him at work almost every day. Time made my mysterious
connection with Nolan that much stronger. With our comfortable conversations
and benign flirting in the booth, we were definitely passing from friendship
into perhaps something more. I was still cautious, but with each encounter I
started to feel a tiny flame of excitement rekindling my heart.
    After the last tourist hopped off the back of
my boat one afternoon in mid-June, I waited the right amount of time for them
to head for the exit, and then I raced up the stairs by dispatch to visit Nolan
in the corner booth again. I hoped Suzanne had headed home early so Nolan and I
could spend a few minutes alone together before my last tour of the day. My
heart skipped a beat as I approached the booth and saw only him leaning up
against the counter on the opposite side of the booth. Careful not to make too much
noise, I approached the booth quietly, hoping to sneak up on him. When I got
close enough I realized he was talking on the phone, but what was that I heard?
It sounded like he was speaking a foreign language, like maybe Russian.
Curious, I slipped in the back door and sat down on a stool just as he hung up
the phone. He turned his head over his shoulder, saw me, and then flashed that
captivating smile. A pleasant tingle slid through my body, making me forget all
about the weird phone call.
    “So, Miss Ava, can’t
stay away, huh?” he teased. This was my fourth trip to the ticket booth today.
Were my cheeks the color I felt they were? I surely looked like a fool! I tried
to wipe them inconspicuously with the back of my hand, as if that would do
something to help.
    “Jack wanted to run to the bank before our 5:15
tour and I’ve already swept the top deck, so I thought I’d come up here and
keep you company. Where’s Suzanne?” I tried to nonchalantly thumb the rack of
brochures on