Free Black Friday by Alex Kava Page B

lack of trust. When you grew up without anyone to count on you learned quickly to count on yourself. His mom had done her best but as a single mom she was gone a lot, working long hours. Patrick didn’t blame her. It was what it was. Besides, he turned out just fine. Maybe grew up a bit sooner than his classmates. Nothing wrong with that.
    He had never felt like he belonged with kids his own age anyway. They were always too immature. Like Dixon Lee, full of unrealistic ideals. Patrick didn’t have the time or luxury to worry about and protest things like immigration when it took all his energy just to keep his own job and work full-time so he could pay for his rent and tuition. He didn’t make time for guys like Dixon Lee. Didn’t let them in. Didn’t trust them. Or anyone, for that matter. It was part of the creed. You can only trust yourself. But then came Rebecca messing up his resolve.
    She was witty—that dry humor that takes you by surprise—and smart. Not just book smart but capable of debating an issue, reasoning, quipping with a polite sarcasm he found totally charming. Most importantly, she knew how to listen. He’d throw out bits and pieces of himself—the safe stuff, not anything that would reveal his true secrets—expecting her to bat them aside. Only Rebecca absorbed it all. Not just absorbed, but sorted and sifted and tried to put the bits and pieces together. Patrick had never met anyone quite like her.
    And oh, by the way, did he mention she was pretty easy on the eyes? Small with an athletic build and enough curves to offset her tomboy attitude. Big brown eyes and creamy skin, although right now, she looked too pale. Her shoulder-length hair was wet with perspiration, the feathery bangs stuck to her forehead. Her normally full lips were now thin and tight from fighting the pain.
    Her eyes fluttered open and he reached for her hand underneath the blanket. He decided he liked the sound of her being his girlfriend though he wouldn’t admit it out loud. If you let someone in they usually expected to know everything, including all your secrets. Patrick wasn’t ready for that.
    The plasma arrived and the woman in the blue uniform started preparing the lines and checking Rebecca’s other arm for an entry vein. She didn’t ask Patrick to let go of Rebecca’s hand as she positioned the arm to her liking.
    “You’re gonna be just fine,” she said and Patrick nodded before he realized she was talking to Rebecca now.
    Her eyes focused on him and stayed there. She squeezed his hand and he smiled at her. Had he ever told her she had the prettiest eyes he’d ever seen? Of course he hadn’t.
    He wanted to tell her she could count on him. Right now. For as long as she wanted or needed. She could set aside that fierce independence and lean on him. And it didn’t have to mean anything. But instead, he didn’t say anything and he knew he would regret it.

CHAPTER
21
     
    A sante lost the GPS signal halfway to the airport. That happened sometimes with control towers and radar from incoming and outgoing airlines. It didn’t matter. He needed to let Danko handle the loose ends while he moved on to the next phase. There could be nothing that got in the way.
    The snow tapered off. Trucks with blades and sand were already out on the streets. Asante had to slow for them. As soon as he’d speed up again he’d have to hit the brakes and skid around nervous drivers. The first snow of the season and everyone seemed to have forgotten how to drive. He had counted on that fact as being an advantage. Now it was simply annoying.
    He caught his eyes in the rearview mirror. The adrenaline had been replaced by anxiety. He told those simmering blue eyes to stay calm, to be patient. Then he took several deep breaths, holding each one before letting it out slow and easy.
    He told himself that no project ran completely without flaws. The brilliance of a project manager like himself relied on his ability to react and readjust.