Chapter 639
Jarrod was far more personable now than he’d ever been before.
She found herself wondering-who had changed him?
She’d thought she was the one playing hardball, but in the end, Jarrod had turned the tables.
Did he really not realize just how outrageous his words sounded? She knew his type all too well: Jarrod would never let himself be taken advantage of, not even a little. Even if turning the tables was a struggle, he’d do it anyway.
Patricia watched his retreating back.
She drained her wine in one go, then let a wry smile tug at her lips.
Jarrod… he really did treasure Elodie.
Even if it meant they both got hurt in the end.
He’d never let himself be tied down, not even for a moment.
Patricia almost envied Elodie for that.
But so what? She had plenty of time to play.
–
Elodie had received a call from Freya.
She politely turned her down.
Freya was someone Elodie genuinely liked, but as for Joseph Delacroix, she had no intention of keeping in touch.
Clear boundaries were best.
And she really did have work to do-straight after lunch, she headed to the 719th Air Force Base for a conference. The core members of her department ended up in meetings until nearly nine that evening.
There were temporary dorms available on site.
Her body was running on empty, so she decided to stay the night.
And honestly, she hadn’t wanted to risk running into Jarrod anyway.
The next morning.
Elodie needed to visit another large base to get Klein’s signature on some paperwork.
A transport from 719 happened to be heading that way, so they arranged for her to hitch a ride.
It wasn’t until Elodie climbed into the car that she realized Watts was behind the wheel.
He glanced up from his phone, grinning at her. “I’ll give you a lift. Don’t get the wrong idea, though I’m not chauffeuring you on purpose. I’ve got business over there myself, so no pressure.”
Since he’d put it that way, there wasn’t much she could say. Turning him down now would just come off as needlessly dramatic.
She nodded and got in.
“I’m heading to Sector Three,” she said.
“Perfect, so am I. Buckle up,” Watts replied, already switching the music to something soothing. “Heard you guys had a big meeting yesterday? If you’re tired, don’t mind me. Close your eyes and rest if you want.”
Watts struck just the right balance-considerate, but never overbearing.
Elodie could tell he had a knack for looking after people.
It was rare to see someone his age with that level of thoughtfulness.
“Thanks, but I’m not tired.”
He shot her a glance, laughing softly. “If we just sit here in silence, it’ll get awkward. I actually have a ton of technical stuff I’ve been dying to ask you about. My curiosity gets the better of me, you know? With my idofright here, it’s taking all I’ve got not to totally fanboy.”
He had a way of joking that dissolved any tension in the car, gently closing the
distance between them.
“It’s fine,” Elodie replied. “Ask away.”
If it was about work or research, she was happy to answer-detached and professional, with no emotional baggage.
Watts would occasionally glance over, watching her as she spoke. The corners of
his mouth lifted in a quiet, amused smile, and he’d pick up wherever the conversation led.
Before she knew it, they’d arrived.
The sun was blazing.
Elodie stepped out, instinctively raising a hand to shield her eyes.
Watts hopped out, and with a flourish, snapped open a folding sun umbrella, holding it over her. “You’ve got reports to write, right? Go ahead, I’ll hold the umbrella no glare on your phone screen.”
The scene looked almost like something out of a romantic novel.
But Elodie wasn’t in any rush to start working just yet.
She was about to say something when she sensed someone watching her.
Looking up, she caught sight of Jarrod, who had just stepped out of a car some distance away. His expression was impossible to read, but he was definitely looking at her his gaze lingering for a long moment.
Standing beside him was someone she hadn’t expected to see: Eaton Aldridge.
Elodie was genuinely surprised to see Eaton there.