“There we go.” Moving more cautiously, he waited for the blender to finish its cycle then poured us each a glass. “What do you think? Can you taste all the nutrients?”
“Uh-huh.” It tasted like fruity grass with a distinct coconut chaser, but he looked so pleased with himself that I took a second sip. “Good job.”
“Thank you.” He beamed like I’d handed him a medal. While he drank his smoothie with far more enthusiasm than me, I quickly rinsed the blender. “That’s so smart. Cleaning it now.”
“Always clean as you go.” I shared the wisdom that had helped me time and again. “A friend’s mom taught me that.”
“Same friend with a clubhouse?” For someone who could seem so innocent, he was also remarkably sharp.
“That’s the one. Great family. The dad was stationed at the nearby base. They eventually got transferred, and we lost touch.”
“That’s sad.”
“Yeah. But that’s life. And it showed me my own ticket out of town if I could survive long enough to enlist.” Being around Daniel’s quiet curiosity meant there was no point in pretending the Huerter family moving away hadn’t sucked. I had no reason to pretend around him, but I wouldn’t dwell on the past either. “Thanks for the smoothie. Let’s see the grounds now.”
“Okay.” After following my lead to put our glasses in the dishwasher, Daniel led me outdoors to a truly beautiful pool and a truly crappy security setup. Ancient lights. Nonexistent sensors. Rickety gate latches. Locks a bolt cutter could take an easy bite out of.
“Who remodels and ignores security?” I grumbled.
“Maybe I chose badly.” Daniel was back to sounding glum, slumping onto a lounger near the pool.
“You didn’t know this was a security nightmare.” I stepped closer, more of that urge to touch him that I needed to get a handle on. “Don’t beat yourself up.”
“Are you sure you don’t want a bodyguard job?” His tone was somewhere between wary and hopeful.
“I’m sure,” I said firmly, but he started laughing, a musical sound that echoed through the backyard. “What?”
“It’s funny.” His grin was even brighter than the late morning sun. “We’re both too young to be retirees.”
“True.” I joined him in laughing, which felt weird, like joining in on a song I didn’t know all the lyrics to but liked. “You’re really done with acting?”
“Yup. One hundred percent. My one friend, Ezra, says I’ll get bored without a spotlight, but I truly hated it after a while. I just wanted to be normal. Whatever that means anyway.”
I nodded because I got that mood much more than he’d ever know. “If you hated it, find something you love instead.”
“Is that what you’re going to do?” He sat forward, hands on his knees. “Find something you love?”
“Yeah.” My voice came out far too gruff. “That’s the plan.”
“Good.” Daniel met my gaze, and time slowed. Even the rickety fence I’d been checking faded away. Under other circumstances, I might have called it a spark, but this didn’t fit my limited experience with such things. Understanding. That was it. He understood me, more so than even some buddies, and that might be more powerful and dangerous than sparks.
I was still trying to make myself be the first to look away when I heard buzzing. Buzzing I knew only too well. Drone.
“Danny. Back in the house. Now.”
Chapter Six
Danny
Right before Cash called me Danny and bodily hauled me off the lounger, I’d been pretty sure we were having a moment.
“Hey! What the—”
“Not so loud.” He had the sternest whisper I’d ever heard as he hustled me into the house. “Stay away from the windows too.”
He started closing curtains I hadn’t even been aware of owning. Apparently not happy with the window situation in the dining area facing the pool patio, he muscled me into the living area beyond the dining room, a more casual space where I had a giant purple couch, screening room-worthy TV, and little else.
“I’m still working out a theme for in here.”
“I don’t give a damn about your decor.” He was back to the clipped tones and efficient movements he’d had when we discovered the rat prank. “Stay away from the windows.”
“What’s wrong?” I was still a little unclear why he’d gone into uber-SEAL mode.
“Drone. I could hear it. Couldn’t you?”
“Oh. That’s not that uncommon here.” I waved a hand like that could settle him. “People fly them over the public land part of the ravine. But it’s also a really common paparazzi thing. Someone likely got wind of the police story. Damn it.”
“Yeah, damn it. I don’t like this one bit. You’re too exposed here.”
“It’s my home.” I could be just as stubborn as him if I wanted, and I plopped myself onto the couch for emphasis.
“I take it there’s no way I could talk you into coming back to Duncan’s with me?” He yanked his hat off, revealing short light-brown hair. Staying hyper-vigilant, he kept his eyes trained on the dining area windows. “That might be safest until I can decide what to do with you.”