Read Online A Spy Like Me by Laura Pauling - Free Book Online Page B

newbie sort-of excited way, something about night vision
goggles.
    I placed my hand on his arm to shut him up.
“I’m going to check inside. You keep watch. I’ll be right
back.”
    I walked into Les Pouffant’s and
strode over to the glass case. No one noticed me because some woman
was crying and babbling in French into the arms of Pouffant
himself. He snapped his fingers and the maitre d’ scurried
over with a steaming cup of cocoa. Watching him listen and care for
her made me feel a bit empty. I missed my friends and my mom.
    The official Extravaganza sign-up was taped
to the front counter. Prize money would be offered to the
contestant who made it to the finals a month from now. The
preliminaries were in less than two weeks. Mom’s words came back to
me about meeting at some pastry thing. This Extravaganza was
it.
    I signed up then hurried back outside.
    Malcolm was leaning against a lamppost with
his legs crossed, so casual and relaxed. He held a cup of coffee in
his hands. “Is this part of the Spy Games route? You and your
friend came here often enough.”
    I took up guard next to him, my eyes glued on
the moving faces. “It’s not part of the route, but we started every
morning here.” I felt like a robot, shooting out the answer to his
question without any thought. Muscles in my arms and legs tensed,
willing Aimee to appear. Strangers weaved through the tables, and I
wanted to scream at them to move out of the way. I couldn’t leave
until I was absolutely sure.
    “How do you start a typical work day? After
coffee and croissants, that is.”
    “We meet at the warehouse, my dad introduces
the mission, the staff does a bit of training. Blah, blah, blah.” I
couldn’t stop glancing at the table where Aimee and I usually sat,
hoping she’d appear. Just yesterday morning, before the start of
the games, I’d told her about my date with Malcolm. Maybe I’d been
so busy talking about myself, I’d never given her a chance to talk.
Maybe she couldn’t break through my blabber to tell me she was
leaving.
    “You want to talk about it?” Malcolm
interrupted my thoughts.
    “Right, the debriefing. Wear long johns
because it gets kinda chilly hanging from the rafters. And don’t
forget gloves for the bat poop.”
    “I meant talk about whatever it is you’re
worried about.” His head tilted to the side and it was like every
fiber of his being was focused on me.
    “I was thinking about Aimee.”
    “The friend you meet here?”
    I nodded. “And the one who supposedly quit
the games to travel the world.”
    “But you don’t believe that.” He blew on his
coffee, meeting my eyes over the rim of his cup.
    “Not really.” I longed to hold a latte, feel
the warmth on my hands, a simple distraction. But I probably
wouldn’t enjoy another one until I found Aimee.
    “Sometimes people make impulsive decisions.
Ones they might regret later.” Malcolm emphasized the word regret
and didn’t take his eyes off me.
    Inch by inch, the slow burn of embarrassment
crept across my neck and face. By the tiny quirk of his lips and
the glimmer of mischief in his eyes, I knew he was referring to me.
Time to get this out in the open. “Yeah, um, sorry about the other
night and you almost getting killed. That usually doesn’t happen on
my first dates. And thanks for helping me out with Peyton.”
    Malcolm pressed his lips together and paused,
as if to stretch out my ultimate humiliation. “Apology accepted. I
just wish the kiss had lasted longer.”
    My face turned the color of a crimson sunset,
or that was what it felt like. I tripped over my words, until I
managed to ask the question burning on my mind. “How’d you get
home?”
    “I can’t tell you all my secrets.” He leaned
into me and whispered, “But I am known to like a bit of
revenge.”
    As soon as he said that, he pulled back and
acted like he hadn’t just threatened me. Or flirted? I couldn’t
tell, so I changed the subject.
    “Enough.” I wanted to