Bethany looked to the left and right, then crossed Stadium Street and entered the dry cleaners on the corner. It was a busy store and there were three customers in line ahead of her. She pulled out a brochure from a display on the counter and perused it as she waited, looking up from time to time. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the store to suggest it was anything but a dry cleaners. Racks of clothing in dry-cleaning bags were behind the counter and the shop smelled of cleaning fluids and bleach. Posters on the walls advertised a variety of prices and deals available to special customers, as well as special ticket discounts for tourists that wanted to visit Ruby Falls or the Tennessee Aquarium. A small Christmas tree was also standing in the corner, decorated tastefully in red-and-green glass balls of various shapes and designs. Underneath the tree were several wrapped packages that added to the festive air.
A holiday tune played on the sound system and Bethany sang along to the Christmas carol. When it was her turn, she approached the young man at the register. He was blond with blue eyes and a ready smile. “May I help you?”
She smiled back. “Yes, I’d like to sign up for the monthly special.”
The man looked a bit confused. “Monthly special?”
Bethany nodded. “Ah, yes. My friend J.P. gets all of his clothes dry-cleaned here. He told me about the monthly special for your best customers, but said I needed to sign up to get the discount. He recommended that I come in here.”
The man pushed a pad across the counter. “I’ll have to ask the manager if we’re still offering that deal. Please write down your name and cell phone number, and he’ll call you back as soon as he gets a chance to check on the latest specials. Will that work?”
She shrugged. “Sounds perfect to me. I’m not in a rush. I’m more interested in quality than speed.”
“Well, we just might be able to help you then.” He pulled the pad back over to himself after she had finished writing, removed the top sheet with her information and pocketed the paper. “We’ll be in touch.”
“Thanks.”
She left and returned to Daniel, who was waiting across the street for her. It was a bit chilly and she pulled her jacket closer as she approached. “See anything?”
Daniel shook his head. “Nobody followed you, and I didn’t see any suspicious people milling about, but my money is on surveillance cameras. I see three things that could be cameras, and they’re making surveillance equipment so small these days, there could be even more. There’s no telling for sure.” Bethany noticed a spark in his eye, but when he took her in his arms and leaned forward to kiss her, she pulled back, unsure. “What are you doing?”
He gave her a smile and touched her nose affectionately. “We’re supposed to be dating, remember? We’ve rekindled a lost love and are sharing an apartment? If anyone from the Guard is watching us, you can bet they have someone stationed near this dry-cleaning place, and I’m sure they’ve got their eyes on us right now.”
He made a valid point. She laughed, hoping to cover up her gaff in case he was right. She had to sell this romance between them, whether she felt it or not. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” She drew her hand down his face in a gesture of intimacy, then pulled him into an embrace. She found herself enjoying the contact more than she thought she would, yet still she felt herself awkwardly tighten up in his embrace. Daniel was warm and his strength made her feel safe and secure, but letting Daniel go and moving on with her life had been two of the hardest things she’d ever done. She didn’t want to open herself up to that kind of hurt again. Letting him be a part of this mission and pretending they were a couple were both going to be harder than she’d ever imagined.
“Is it really that difficult to let me help you?”
She pulled back, surprised at his question and also frustrated that he had hit the nail on the head. Instead of admitting her own issues, she went on the offensive. “I can’t believe you’re asking me that. I should be asking you that question.”
He took her hand and they started walking down the street as if they were carefree lovers but inside, her stomach was in knots. She had been avoiding this conversation with Daniel ever since she had first seen him at the bank, but maybe it was time they hashed it out. If they weren’t going to be able to work together, they needed to know it now before the Guard drew her into the new cell and Daniel became even more deeply entrenched in his role in this undercover assignment.
“Do you know why I never set the date to walk down the aisle with you?” she asked quietly.
His grip tightened on her fingers, but that was the only sign that he was affected by her question. He was apparently quite aware that they needed to maintain appearances in case their performance was being watched by the Guard, even as they got farther and farther away from the dry cleaners.
“No, I still don’t understand. I thought we were in love.”
She smiled at him. “There are so many things I love about you, Daniel. I love that you remembered my favorite dessert. I love the way you are considerate and kind to others. I love your giving heart.” She gave him a playful nudge as they walked and he laughed. “And I think you are the most handsome man I have ever met in my entire life. You have the most amazing shoulders...and you look absolutely fantastic in a Santa’s hat.”
He laughed with her but stopped when he noticed the look on her face. “Why do I sense a big but coming my way?”
She shrugged. “Do you remember last night when I shared a few details about my family?”
“Sure. I enjoy hearing about them.”
“Well, last night was a perfect example. When we talk, Daniel, it’s always me sharing, never you. I can’t marry you because I don’t even think I know who the real Daniel is. You rarely share details about yourself. You don’t tell me about your past, and I’m left guessing about who you really are inside.”
He stopped and looked her in the eye. “That’s not true. I’ve shared more of myself with you than with anyone.”
She met his eye, but then dropped his hand and kept walking. He paused a moment, but then followed her, taking her hand again. “That might be true, but I still don’t really know you, Daniel. Even after we dated for a year. Even after you asked me to marry you.”
“We talked all the time. I remember having long conversations.”
“I talked. I told you about myself and my family. And don’t get me wrong, you were a good listener. But when you talked, it was about your job or maybe current events. We’d talk about anything and everything but you. There was never anything personal in the conversation. You never told me about your past and where you came from. I don’t really know you. I don’t even know what you feel or what you think. I never have.”
“Yes, you do. You know me better than anyone. The rest are just details. They don’t matter. What you see here and now, that’s who I am today. I don’t want to live in the past. I didn’t have a great childhood, and there’s no reason to relive it by bringing it up.”
They turned down a different street, and she was glad for the diversion of walking so they could discuss this difficult topic. She couldn’t imagine sitting on a couch and having this conversation. She was sure he would have shut her down after the first sentence if they’d been in the apartment trying to sort this out. There was something good about walking and talking that helped get the words out. She took a deep breath and pushed on. It was time to broach the subject that had been eating at her the longest. “You told me your mother lives out west.”
Once again, she felt his hand tighten on her own. She could tell this conversation was difficult for him, yet, they still needed to talk about this elephant in the room if they were going to work together or ever have anything more. “That’s a lie, Daniel, or at least a huge omission.”
He raised an eyebrow, and for the first time, she saw a look of fear cross his face. “What do you mean?”
“I work in law enforcement, remember? I did some research and tracked her down. Your mom is in prison out in Texas for drug possession. She’s been incarcerated for over ten years. You’ve never mentioned that. In fact, you’ve never told me anything about her. And apparently, you have an older brother. Don’t you think you’ve left out a few of the important details?”
He didn’t speak for a long time. When he finally did, his voice was rough and there was anger in its depths. “What do you want to hear? That my dad abandoned us when I was five and my mom’s drugs were more important to her than I ever was? It didn’t take me long to figure out I needed to make myself scarce whenever she was using. I got pretty good at disappearing. Is that what you want to hear? Or maybe you want to know about how my older brother used to beat me up whenever he felt like it? Or about how I spent my evenings hiding outside under the car, or went for days without eating a decent meal? Is that what you want to know about?”
Bethany stopped and tried to pull him close, but this time, Daniel was the one that reeled back. “I don’t want pity. That’s a big reason why I don’t talk about it. I’m not that scared little boy anymore. I grew up quickly and I learned how to take care of myself. But I did a lot of things that I’m not proud of too. I had to survive. And survival meant stealing sometimes so I could eat, and some things that were a lot worse. I had to do a lot of terrible things. Is that what you want to hear? Is this what you want to talk about?” His voice was angry and when she reached for him again, he put up his hands and walked away from her. She followed a short distance behind, and for almost two blocks, they walked in silence.
Finally, he stopped and ran his fingers through his hair. He turned to face her, but he wouldn’t look at her directly. “I can’t believe I just told you that,” he said, his voice soft. “I’ve never told anybody that.”
She touched his chin and raised his head so she could see his eyes. He had such beautiful eyes. “I’m really glad you did, because that’s who you are. I want to know you, all of you, the good, the bad and the ugly. I am sorry that happened to you, Daniel, but I don’t want to hear the stories so I can pity you. I want to hear so I can get to know you better. So I know that you trust me enough to tell me. So I can know the real you. You’re an incredible person, Daniel. You must have overcome some amazing hurdles in your life to become so successful. I want to know how you did it. I want to get to know you in here.” She touched his chest.
He studied her for a moment or two, then took her hand again and started walking. “And if I don’t want to tell you?”
Bethany considered his words. Could they have a relationship without trust? Maybe for a while. But months from now, that lack of trust would eat at her, just as it had when she had found out the truth about his mother and her prison sentence. She had read that law enforcement file and it had been like someone had stuck a knife in her gut. She’d had a serious boyfriend before who cheated on her and ended up humiliating her in front of her friends and coworkers. She had trusted him and vowed to never make the same mistake again. Daniel was a different man, and she could never imagine him cheating on her, but trust was a vital part of any relationship. Without it, she would rather be alone and take her chances on her own.
“Then I guess friendship will have to be enough, Daniel. For both of us. I don’t want to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. That’s not what I’m about, and it’s obvious that you don’t want to give more than you’ve already given. That’s fair. It’s your life and it’s your choice. You don’t have to give more. I know we’re pretending to be more for this job, but I’m glad we were able to talk and clear the air. Now we know where we stand. We’ll play this game for the Heritage Guard assignment, but once this is over, we’ll go our separate ways, okay?” She stopped walking, and when he turned to face her, she reached up on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “But now we’ll part friends, okay?”
He looked like he was about to argue with her, but then her cell phone rang, and she answered it on the second ring. “Hello?”
“Did you make up with your boyfriend?”
She smiled and looked around, completely in her role for whomever was watching from the Guard. “Making up is always the best part. Where are you?”
“Nearby.”
“Who am I talking to?” Bethany knew it had to be someone associated with the Guard, because the only person she had given this phone number to was the man at the dry cleaners.
“We’ve met before, but it was quite a while ago. My name is Bishop Jacobs. You were part of Jackson’s team.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ve heard you can get things.”
“That’s also right,” she agreed.
“I have some friends I’d like for you to meet,” Bishop stated, his tone friendly yet businesslike.
“I’m all for that. When and where?”
“Two hours. Coolidge Park. By the carousel.”
“How will I recognize these new friends?”
“You don’t need to worry. We’ll recognize you,” Bishop stated, matter-of-factly.
“Alright then. I’ll be there,” Bethany agreed.
“Don’t bring your boyfriend.”
“Why not? He wants to join up.”
“We might let him. We might be able to use someone with his particular skill set. But we’re still checking him out. Leave him at home, understand?”
She shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “Whatever. It’s your show.”
“Yes, it is,” Bishop agreed. “And it’s going to be fabulous.”