“I should have gotten a security system a long time ago.”
“Why didn’t you?”
She ran a hand through her hair, and I found the motion extremely distracting. She really was quite attractive. I blinked and got ahold of myself. She was a client now and completely off limits.
“I’m trying to be careful with my money. I thought the gated community with the security guard was enough.”
“Makes sense.” I sat forward and leaned my arms on my knees. “Your friend, Robert, has asked us to make sure you have the best, and we’ll do that.” I opened my briefcase and took out the watch first. “Please wear this when I’m not with you. I’ll be able to track your whereabouts, and there’s an emergency button here.” I pointed to a red button on the watch. “The police will be notified immediately, and they’ll be able to access your location. I will have it as well, but only push the button in a true emergency. If there is a false alarm and the police come out, you’ll have to pay a fine.”
“I understand.” She smiled slightly. “It’s nice to know I have that option.”
“Yes. Technology makes all of our lives easier.” I took out the paperwork from the briefcase. “Also, I’ll need you to sign this, and after that, we’ll discuss your schedule for the week. I’ll accompany you wherever you go, and I’ll leave my cell number with you so you can reach me at night if you’re concerned about anything.”
“Sounds good.”
“My day off is Sunday, but sometimes I take Monday as well depending on the hours I work. Will is going to send someone else to cover me on those days, but I’m not sure who yet.” I reached out and shook her hand, feeling the need to reassure her. “I have your back. Nothing will happen to you as long as I’m around.”
She smiled then, a big warm smile that completely caught me off guard. “Thank you, Troy. I think we’ll get along just fine.”
I glanced over and noticed a Bible sitting on the coffee table with a bulletin resting on top from Calvary Community Church. “Oh, I have a friend who attends this church. You go there?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been a member for many years. Do you go to church?”
“Yep. I go to Providence Bible Church. Have since I got saved five years ago.”
“You’re a Christian.” It wasn’t a question, and she said it with a smile.
“Yes, and now I’m embarrassed, considering how I treated you at Busy Bean.”
She laughed and waved me off. “It’s all water under the bridge. Anyway, being a Christian doesn’t make you perfect.”
“No, but it does make me accountable.”
“Well, we’re both accountable then. I wasn’t exactly kind in my responses.”
“Looks as if we both got caught. The Lord has a way of using circumstances to make His children grow. I’d love to hear your testimony.”
“Sure, I’d love to hear yours as well.”
“I’d like that.” I told her about my youth and how I rebelled against my parents and dropped out of school. “The Lord used the Marines to straighten me out. I joined when I was eighteen and quickly learned they didn’t put up with any unruliness. About five years ago, I met a woman named Teresa, and she invited me to church. I thought she was cute, so I went.”
Kayla chuckled. “So that’s what it took to get you there.”
I smirked. “Pretty much. But God had other plans. The pastor shared the gospel that morning, and I gave my life to him.”
“And what happened with Teresa?”
“We stayed friends, but nothing else came of it.” I glanced at her curiously. “What about you? How did you come to the Lord?”
“I was raised in a Christian home, so I had plenty of head knowledge, but I had never given up my heart. It wasn’t until I was fourteen that I finally surrendered my life to the Lord at a church retreat. I’ve been following Him ever since.”
“That’s awesome.” I stared at her for a long moment, seeing her with new eyes. For a second, my pulse sped up and a strange feeling came over me. What if I was looking into the face of the woman I would one day marry? I blinked, shocked at the thoughts going through my mind. What was wrong with me? She was a client. I cleared my throat nervously. “Well, we have a lot of paperwork to do. Let’s get to it.”
Chapter 6
Kayla
Wait until Verity found out the hunky jerk from the coffeehouse was my new bodyguard. She’d have a cow, and then she’d try to figure out a way to get the two of us together even though she didn’t live out here anymore. I smothered a smile while I signed the paperwork. This was an unexpected turn of events. I wasn’t sure what to think or how to feel, for that matter. Should I be annoyed I was about to spend the better part of my day with this man? Probably.
My body hadn’t gotten the memo, though, because my stomach twisted in the most delightful way. Not that anything would ever come of it. He didn’t even like me, for one. He’d hinted at that when he said he kept his feelings to himself. I didn’t care for his personality either after our run-in at Busy Bean, but he had managed to convince me he would do a good job of guarding my safety, and it was nice learning he was a Christian. That was the one moment he’d let down his guard a little, and he’d seemed genuine and human. The rest of the time, he’d responded in a businesslike manner, keeping a professional distance.
Thankfully, he was a big guy and carried himself with confidence, making it easy to put
