The Recruit (24 page)

Jaz laughed. ‘I’ve never seen you so lost for words, Ryan.’ She wanted to touch his face where the red blush crawled up his cheeks.

‘You know what I mean, Jaz.’ His eyes caught hers.

Ryan reached over towards her hair. Jaz waited to feel the pressure of his hand against her head and was disappointed when he pulled it away with a yellow petal between his fingers. He raised his eyebrow curiously.

‘Your fence is high.’

He smiled and this time reached for her hand and held it tightly as the warmth spread through her fingers. ‘I know it’s a lot to take in Jaz. But we’d still love to have you at MTG. I can see you’ll make one of our best agents, but I can’t force you either. It has to be your choice. James said to bring you into the agency. He’s keen to meet this young firecracker I found.’ He winked.

‘Will I still see much of you if I don’t join?’ she asked quietly.

She felt his thumb rub against her hand and it sent tiny shivers all over her skin, and it wasn’t from being cold.

‘I’d try and drop into The Ring and say ‘hi’ when I’m around. Maybe even to try to convince you to join still. I’d like to keep sparring with you, and besides you’re still one up, as I seem to recall,’ he said. He pulled his hand away and cleared his throat. ‘You do remember that everything we say is not to be repeated.’

‘Yeah I know,’ she sighed. ‘But what about Pax? Can I talk to him about this stuff? Will he talk me out of joining?’

Ryan scratched his head. ‘I don’t know, Jaz. You can talk with Pax, but right now I’m not his favourite person. He loves you and doesn’t want you in harm’s way. Maybe you shouldn’t join us. It’s all a bit of a worry and I don’t really know what’s best for you, Jaz. I think only you can decide that.’

Damn, why was nothing ever easy. Jaz bit her bottom lip as the thoughts ran through her head.

‘I have a work case on the weekend, so we’d like your answer before then if that’s possible. The board are chasing an answer, as they don’t like people running around with too much detail…if you know what I mean. And they want to find someone for this job,’ he said lifting the folder. ‘We have some young guys who could do the job.’

Jaz had the feeling that they thought she would be better for it. Maybe a girl was less of a caution and she could get into his house faster and be trusted if she was his girlfriend.

‘I have gone over more with you than I probably should,’ he added as he glanced away. ‘But I want you to know what you could be getting yourself into.’

‘Yeah, that’s cool. I understand. So this case, are you leaving?’ Would she see him again?

‘Yes, Saturday will be my last day.’ His eyes watched her and for a moment, he looked sad. ‘Don’t you have your ball on?’

‘That we do. Gonna swing by?’ she asked almost hopeful. Going to the ball didn’t seem as exciting if she couldn’t see Ryan.

‘I can do that, my flight leaves around midnight.’

‘Flight? To where?’ Ryan gave her a funny look. ‘Yeah I know, you could tell me but then you’d have to kill me.’ Jaz glanced at the folder again. ‘When can I meet James?’

‘I could set that up for you tomorrow if you like?’

Ryan’s eyes were so deep with warmth she felt like she would get lost in them. ‘Thanks, I’d like that a lot. At the moment it just doesn’t seem real.’

‘I get that. You only have me to go off, and Pax, I guess, but it is hard to believe. How about I swing by and pick you up after school?’

‘Cheers, I’d like that.’ Jaz smiled weakly at him. He would make sure she was okay. ‘Ryan, I…’ She reached for his hand, wanting to tell him just how much he’d come to mean to her. She didn’t quite understand it much yet herself but just being near him caused her heart to pound. He made her feel safe and adored at the same time. Her fingers slid over his wrist, causing a tingling sensation throughout her body. ‘I am so glad you came to The Ring that day. I…’

Someone knocked at the door.

‘You expecting company?’ Jaz asked curiously, drawing her hand back quickly. A woman perhaps? Oh, why did that thought make her stomach turn?

Ryan frowned. ‘No.’ He went to his door and opened it.

‘Steph, what are you doing here?’ Jaz heard him say excitedly. She leaned back on the couch to see who he was talking to. Ryan was hugging a tall, blonde girl who looked amazing in skinny jeans, high heels and a fancy short leather jacket. Wow, she was beautiful and she was hugging Ryan with gusto. How could Jaz ever compete with that, and the girl was closer to his age. She felt dizzy.

Jaz stood up quickly, suddenly she felt like she shouldn’t be here. She slipped off Ryan’s jacket, folded it neatly over the chair, and picked up her wet hoodie. They were coming into the lounge. Happy laughter and mocking tones filled the air and she got the feeling they knew each other well.

Jaz stood and waited like a wet sock, wanting to be any place but here as Ryan entered with his arm around the girl. Jaz wondered if maybe she should have hidden. She felt like a twit, standing half wet in her school clothes.

‘Sorry, Ryan. I didn’t know you had company,’ said the girl.

It wasn’t said in a nasty way that Minka might have, instead the girl sounded interested and apologetic.

‘It’s okay, Steph, this is Jaz. She’s from The Ring where I’ve been working out.’

‘Hi.’ Jaz smiled and waved, but she really wanted to run off like a frightened rabbit.

Steph ran her deep brown eyes over her uniform then raised an eyebrow to Ryan, which he didn’t see.

Jaz glanced to Ryan, hoping he’d tell her who this lady was. He must have caught her questioning look as he cleared his throat and added, ‘Jaz, this is my little sister I was telling you about,’ he said nodding to Steph.

Oh, thank God.

His little sister was still a few years older than Jaz. ‘I can see the similarities now.’ Now that she’d stopped her overactive mind and took the time to look at Steph and not think of her as the competition. ‘You both have the same smiles and eyes.’ Well, they came from great breeding stock, what a gorgeous family. ‘Nice to meet you, Steph.’

‘You too, Jasmine. I don’t get to meet many of Ryan’s friends.’ She said nudging Ryan in the ribs. ‘He keeps to himself a lot,’ she said. ‘So you work at this gym place?’

‘Yeah, I keep it going when the boss is away. It’s a second home for me and I like to train.’

‘And kick my butt. Seriously Sis, you do not want to meet Jaz in a dark alley. Don’t let her innocent face trick you, she can hold her own with the best of them.’ Steph raised her eyebrows at Ryan’s praising words. She glanced between them as Jaz felt heat rising in her cheeks.

Jaz realised she was wringing her hoodie in her nervous hands; soon she’d end up leaving a pile of water on Ryan’s carpet. ‘Um, well you’ll wanna catch up and I better get back to The Ring before Pax thinks I was run over. Catch ya later.’

Steph raised her hand, ‘Bye, Jaz.’ Then started to take her jacket off.

Ryan moved to walk her to the door, but Jaz stopped him by holding up her hand. It nearly met his chest. She was glad she hadn’t touched him, she was scared of how her body would react and that Steph would notice. Girls noticed things like that better than the guys.

‘I know my way out, Ryan.’

She’d taken a few steps when Ryan grabbed her hand. ‘Hey Jaz? We’ll talk later,’ he said, shooting her a look that said he hadn’t forgotten she was trying to tell him something before Steph arrived. ‘Okay?’

Jaz shrugged and pulled away. She was at the door when he called out her name again.

‘Jaz.’

Pausing, she glanced back to see him smiling.

‘Maybe take the gate this time,’ he laughed. ‘There’s a release button on the side of it.’

Jaz felt her cheeks glow. ‘Sure.’

She opened the door just as she heard Steph’s quiet voice. ‘Ryan, why do you have a schoolgirl in your house? I mean she’s gorgeous and I’ve been waiting for you to introduce me to someone special…but did you not notice the uniform?’

‘She’s a friend Steph, and she’s nearly eighteen.’

‘Friends, really?’

Jaz was itching to hear his reply but she figured he’d be listening for the door, so Jaz shut it then placed her ear against it in the mere hope of still hearing. Nup, just the sound of solid wood. Damn.

She picked up her school bag, which she’d left by his door, and made her way to the front gate. She thought about Steph’s words. She’d actually thought Ryan and her were…well maybe…together. She couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face. Jaz was walking on air as her mind ran with thoughts. Steph had thought she was pretty, that was weird considering how she’d never match up to Steph in a million years. If anything, she resembled a drowned rat. Oh, how she wished she could have heard Ryan’s reply. Could they ever be more?

Jaz was a few blocks away when she realised it was spitting. Her mind was still racing with thoughts of Ryan, how he’d held her hand, how amazing it felt; and then there was the meeting with James at the agency. Life certainly was interesting now. The wetting drops didn’t worry her. Instead she started running to warm up, with her mouth open to taste the rain.

Anna threw her bag down on the spare chair at their lunch table.

‘Hey, Taylor might want to sit there.’ Jaz asked. ‘Bad morning?’

‘Oh, yeah,’ said Anna shifting her bag to under the table. She sat opposite Jaz and plonked her head on the table. ‘You won’t believe it; I’ve been stuck with Angelica as a class partner!’ She started banging her head repetitively.

‘Bahhaha, that’s hilarious…I mean that’s terrible. Can’t you swap?’

Anna lifted her head and frowned at Jaz. ‘Yes, it is terrible and no I’m not allowed to swap. Stupid cow of a teacher.’

‘I thought Miss Swanson was your favourite?’

‘Yeah, well she’s just burnt all her bridges, no more nice Anna! Anyway, how was your morning?’ asked Anna with a dramatic sigh.

‘The usual, total bore. Hey, how were your lessons? Did you have a cute partner?’ Jaz asked. ‘You did, didn’t you?’

Anna smiled sheepishly. ‘I wish! I had some little old lady…but on the plus side she knew how to move.’

Jaz burst out laughing and just about spat her egg sandwich over the table. She was still brushing the crumbs around her mouth away when Taylor sat down.

‘Did I miss a good joke?’ he asked, adjusting his sunnies on his head. No one else got away with wearing sunnies at school. Taylor was one of the gifted few who had the teachers on side. Suck hole.

Jaz was about to explain when Anna kicked her under the table. ‘Um…yeah, funny joke about a little old lady but I think you’ve already heard it,’ Jaz said under Anna’s glaring gaze.

‘So tomorrow night’s the big one! I hope you dust off your dancing shoes, Jaz, you’ll have to keep up with me,’ said Taylor moving his arms and shoulders in a smooth roll from one side to the other.

‘Oh, please, no boy band moves,’ she laughed.

‘Why, would you rather the Funky Chicken?’ Taylor started flapping his wings and sticking out his chin. Jaz and Anna were practically falling off their chairs in fits of laughter. ‘How about the Sprinkler?’

‘I’m sooo glad he’s your partner,’ said Anna after her chuckles died down.

Taylor turned to Anna. ‘Oh, no. Don’t you worry, I will be finding you for a dance too, Anna Banana! You can’t escape me and my cool moves,’ he joked.

Anna rolled her eyes and turned to Jaz. ‘You should have invited Ryan to the dance and ditched Mr MC Hammer over here,’ she joked.

‘Well actually, he said he’s going to drop by before he flies out tomorrow.’

‘Really, where’s he going?’ asked Taylor.

Jaz shrugged, she wished she knew the answer to that one. ‘I don’t know, he’s gotta start work again. But it’s nice that he’s going to come say goodbye.’

‘Yeah, real sweet of him,’ added Anna in a dreamy voice.

Jaz picked up her napkin and threw it at her.

‘So, what’s happening after school? You girls free?’ Taylor asked.

‘Not me, I might go to The Ring,’ said Jaz, hoping Anna hadn’t planned to go also. Her meeting with James, the head boss bloke at MTG Agency, was today.

‘You wanna come home with me then, Anna, and watch a movie?’ asked Taylor.

Anna smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘I was going to go and see Pax, but a movie sounds great.’

Jaz breathed a sigh of relief that Anna wasn’t going to The Ring. Her lie was safe.

‘Besides, you do have the best theatre room around. Hey, do I get to pick the movie?’ asked Anna.

Taylor squirmed in his seat, reluctant to answer. ‘I…guess so?’ he said unsurely. ‘Please, don’t let it be too chick-flicky!’

Anna smiled and pushed his arm gently. ‘Alright, I’ll try and pick a good one.’

For a moment Jaz wished she could join them. But she had bigger fish to fry. She was going to see what her possible future could be like.

A tingle spread its way through Jaz’s body when she saw Ryan standing against his car, waiting for her after school.

‘Oh, lucky you. I guess you’ve got a ride to The Ring,’ teased Anna. ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do?’

‘Right back at ‘cha,’ she smiled. ‘Catch you both later!’

Taylor and Anna veered off towards his Mustang. Both of them waved and said hello to Ryan.

‘Hey, you,’ said Jaz as she walked towards Ryan.

‘Hey, yourself. It’s good to see Taylor doesn’t glare at me anymore,’ said Ryan opening her door for her.

‘Oh, are you kidding, he thinks you’re God’s gift after the time at the range. If you weren’t a guy I think he’d want to date you!’ she said teasingly before jumping in his car.

She stowed her bag near her feet and waited as Ryan got in. Today he was wearing baggy jeans and a grey and white hoodie.

‘Hey, I like that jumper.’

Ryan paused, with his hands on the keys, to give her a dirty look.

‘What? I was just saying. If it goes missing don’t blame me,’ she smiled as he shook his head.

The afternoon sunshine was warm as it came through the car windows, but it did nothing to calm her nerves as they drove closer to the city centre.

‘You okay there, Jaz. You seem a bit nervous?’ asked Ryan.