Santa Monica by Cassidy Lucas

Author:Cassidy Lucas
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2020-07-28T00:00:00+00:00

18

Regina

“LADY WOLFE!”

Regina looked up to see Jensen Davis ambling toward her on Bay Street, a block from Color Theory, waving at her and grinning. She dropped from the brisk jog she’d held since leaving the beach to a slow walk, her chest clutching at the sight of him. She leaned over and rested her hands on her knees, gulping for breath. She hadn’t felt winded until just now. An animal urge to wheel in the other direction and sprint back to the beach rose inside her but Jensen was too near, closing the gap between them on the sidewalk with a brisk, scissoring stride.

She straightened and watched him approach, feeling helplessly rooted to the spot. He wore slim black jeans, a white T-shirt crossed by the strap of the messenger bag he carried, and a close-lipped smiled that reminded Regina of a reptile.

Breathe, she reminded herself. Stay cool.

“If it isn’t my star client,” Jensen said, lifting his palm for a high five. “Fancy running into you here.”

“Hey, Jensen,” Regina said, slapping his hand reluctantly.

“You’re late for class, missy.” He feigned a stern look.

“I skipped the gym today. Took a run on the beach instead.”

“Nature instead of Color Theory? How granola. I take that personally.” He grinned at her, unsealing his lips to reveal teeth even whiter than the typical Santa Monican (Veneers? Regina wondered). “Kidding. If the Lady Wolfe needs a beach run, she needs a beach run.”

“Ha.”

“You know what you can do to make it up to me?”

She wanted to tell him to fuck off, that she didn’t owe him a thing, but her mouth was too dry. She reminded herself that Jensen couldn’t possibly know anything about the transfers—that was why she’d installed Zack as a buffer, given him the hands-on role—but she could not quell her rising panic.

“Um,” she managed. “What . . . can I do?”

“It involves your, uh, good buddy Zack. He was supposed to be at CT, in the back office, doing the number-crunching work he does for me.”

Regina’s stomach lurched. Maybe he did know.

“But the golden boy is MIA. Maybe out getting a bite to eat,” Jensen said with a shrug. He shifted his messenger bag to his hip and rummaged through it. Then he extracted a small, worn paperback book and handed it to her.

She recognized the cover instantly: a black-and-white photo of a tiny nun in habit, head bowed beneath the title The Little Way for Every Day: Thoughts from Thérèse of Lisieux. Zack’s prayer book. It felt mealy and fragile, as if it might shed pages under her touch.

“Found this on the bathroom shelf in the back office,” said Jensen. “Guess Z-man likes the company of a nun at all times.” He shrugged and arched an eyebrow. “No judgment, right? Anyway, I walked off with it by accident. And now I’m late for a thing. Do you mind popping your head in the office and giving it to him? He might not be able to say his bedtime prayers, otherwise.” Jensen laughed.

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