Titanium Security Series 4 - Extinguished Read Online Free PDF Page A

even though it was true. She’d been starved for the sight of him. But now that she’d seen him, that old wound had been reopened and all the damn insecurities that came with it rose inside her. Why had he run? Why drop out of her life like that? Did she mean so little to him?
    She mentally shook herself. If she was seriously even entertaining the idea of taking this job and maybe working with him at some point on an assignment, then she’d better get past all that baggage in a hurry. He’d clearly moved on. She had to find a way to do the same.
    Blake paused, opened his mouth like he wanted to say something else, but then true to his introverted nature, offered a parting smile instead and walked away.
    Staring at the back of him as the door closed behind him with a heavy thud, Jordyn dragged a grease-scented hand over her face. What the hell was she supposed to do now? She was already pretty sure she’d take the job if Blake’s boss offered it to her. The money would allow her to pay off the rest of her debt and make a sizeable contribution to the nest egg she’d been socking away to buy a house with.
    And if the job came with the potential of having to work with Blake in close quarters? She couldn’t decide whether that was a blessing or a curse.

 
     
     

Chapter Three
     
     
    “More potatoes, Blake?”
    He looked up from his dinner. His plate already held a mound of them, along with a pile of homemade pot roast, his hostess’s famous popovers and roasted veggies. “No thanks, Carol.”
    Jordyn’s mom smiled at him and passed the gravy boat. “Well there’s lots here, so don’t be shy about helping yourself to more if you want it.”
    “Will do.” He still couldn’t believe he was sitting here, doing this, after he’d said no to Senior earlier. Blake had been in the bar nursing a beer with him when Carol had called her husband’s cell and found out Blake was there. After that, he hadn’t had the heart to turn down her excited invitation to dinner. It felt surreal to be seated at the familiar dining room table after all this time. Seeing Jamie’s empty spot across from him and knowing his friend would never sit there again put a hard knot in Blake’s chest.
    “It’s like I knew you were coming,” Carol continued. “This always was your favorite meal here.”
    “I loved everything you ever made,” he told her.
    She beamed at him. “I’m just so happy to have you here again. We’ve missed you.”
    And now the knot had a heaping pile of guilt on top of it. “Missed you too.” He had, more than they realized. His withdrawal from their family after the funeral had probably confused them as much as it had hurt them. He hated knowing that.
    The back door opened and closed. A moment later he caught the faint scent of soap and shampoo as Jordyn entered the room. She stopped in the doorway when she saw him at the table, then quickly averted her gaze and went around the other side to take her place. “I thought you had to be back in Baltimore tonight,” she said coolly, not looking at him as she helped herself to some of the roast.
    “Yeah, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to enjoy your mom’s cooking again.”
    She lifted her eyes to his, the serving fork stuck into a slab of meat. The resentment burning there took him off guard, and suddenly he realized he’d hurt her way worse than he’d realized. He’d expected her to be frosty, but not this angry. “I’m sure she would’ve packed some up for the road.”
    Ouch. He hid a wince.
    “I asked him to stay, and you missed grace,” Carol interrupted, shooting her daughter a narrow-eyed look. Then she turned to Blake with a smile. “So. What’s brought you out here today?”
    He busied himself with cutting into a popover smothered in gravy. “I had to talk to Jordyn about something.”
    “Oh?” she looked back and forth between them, but when neither of them said anything more, she focused on Blake again. “What about?”
    Senior