His words pierced her heart and she wondered once more why she agreed to help Nancy with this case. She and Nolan were friends, and that’s all they would ever be. Memories of teenage wishes needed to be pushed back into their box. Holding his gaze steadily, she smiled widely. “Absolutely.”
Closing and locking her door, she allowed him to escort her down to his vehicle. With her case stowed in the back along with his duffel, she sat in the passenger side, her hands nervously clasped in her lap.
Driving back through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, this time she felt less like a tourist, knowing what was at the end of the road. He focused on their plan, reviewing it several times, and she could feel his nerves zapping inside the truck. Wanting him to trust her ability, she tried to remain calm in the face of his repeated questions.
“So, you don’t think you’ll have a problem getting past his computer security?”
“I talked with Nancy last night and got the latest information that Sally gave her. Plus, I have a program that can extrapolate the information that we need, and that includes getting through his password. According to Sally, he doesn’t have an extensive security system on his computer.” Shrugging, she added, “While that might seem strange to us, I don’t think he’s very worried about security. He only has Junelle as his one full-time employee and for the fancier weddings, everyone else is hired on an as-needed basis, such as bakers, musicians, florists, and photographers.”
“And once you get into his computer?”
“I need five minutes to transfer what’s on his computer.”
“And—”
“Nolan! We’ve gone over all this.”
He swung his head around, his face holding contrition. “Sorry. I know.”
She reached over and placed her hand on his leg, feeling the tight muscles underneath the material of his slacks. “What are you worried about? I know I’ve never done anything like this, but I’ve extrapolated material from people’s computers before.” She shrugged and sighed. “Granted, they brought their computers into my office, and I haven’t had to resort to skulduggery to get the information, but I can do this.”
He scrubbed his hand over his face and shook his head. “It’s not you. Well, that’s not true. It is you. I looked into the background of Errol Hightower, and he appears to be just an average guy, but if he’s doing what his soon-to-be ex-wife says he’s doing, then he’s got a lot to lose. I’m used to walking into a possibly dangerous situation.”
“You think this is dangerous?”
“I think people who are desperate to hide illegal activities are dangerous. That’s why we’ve gone over and over what our plan is today.”
“But you have the written authorization from Sally, who’s listed in the business as a co-owner, to obtain what’s in the computer, right?”
He nodded. “Yes, but it would be nice not to have to use it. It would be nice to be able to get the information we need without him knowing. That would give you more time to analyze it, and him less time to possibly contact the casino to hide anything that he’s been doing.”
“Well, if he’s gone for lunch today like he always is on Wednesdays, there should be no problem.”
They remained quiet for the rest of the drive. She had felt more confident before Nolan’s nerves transferred to her. She had focused on the bizarre aspect of the fake wedding planning with her teenage crush, but it was obvious he had no such qualms. Of course not. He never thought of me that way. It seemed his only concerns were whether she could do the job. Sucking in a deep breath through her nose, she let it out slowly. No worries… I can do the job. And that’s all this is—a job.
Nolan hated the way he kept barking questions at Lynn as they drove, but it was the only way he could keep his mind off thoughts of how beautiful she looked. No stranger to attractive women, there was something about Lynn that captured—and held—his attention. If I was looking for a relationship, she’d be the type of woman I’d want. Strong, smart, independent, and gorgeous. But he was definitely not looking for a relationship. He had pushed her away when she was sixteen years old, knowing the timing was not right. And ten years later, it’s still not fuckin’ right.
Forcing his eyes away from her trim legs and the curve of her breasts, he pulled into the parking lot. He heard her sigh, but it sounded more like a hiss, and he jerked his head to the side to see her wide eyes as she glanced around. “You ready?”
With a quick nod, she replied, “Yeah, let’s get this done. The sooner we can get the financial data, the sooner we can put this place behind us.”
As much as her words should have made him happy, there was a strange prick near his heart as she dismissed this place so quickly. Climbing from his truck, he walked around and assisted her down. His gaze shot to the small purse in her hands, but before he had a chance to question her further, she assured, “Yeah, I’ve got what I need. My thumb drive is in here along with lipstick. Believe me, Nolan, I’m ready.” Linking fingers with hers, they walked back into the wedding chapel.
Junelle’s eyes were just as bright as yesterday, and her hair was teased to an impossible height. Today, she was wearing a light blue, Sunday-best dress, ready to stand in as their witness. “Oh, the lovebirds are here!” She immediately jumped into her efficient wedding day persona, looking over Lynn’s dress and excitedly showing her the fresh bouquet with its stems dipped in water. “And, for you, the handsome groom…” She stepped around the counter and moved directly to him, pinning a boutonniere onto his
