Splintered (30 page)

He briefly considered going back to sleep, hiding from the day, but a rap on his door had him leaving his bed grudgingly. He grabbed a pair of sweats from the floor and slipped them on as he made his way to the door. He looked out through the peephole—something Hutch had insisted on—to find the man himself standing on the other side. Noah could feel the smile spread across his face as he flung the door open.

“I brought bagels?” Hutch said in way of greeting and held up a small brown paper sack.

“C’mon in,” Noah responded and stepped back to allow Hutch entrance. “I just got out of bed, so I haven’t started the coffee yet.”

“Really? I thought you’d have been up and raring to go, excited about your last day. Didn’t you say they planned a going-away party for you down at the center?”

“I’m excited,” Noah lied, keeping his back to Hutch as he set up the coffeemaker. “But the bed was pretty warm and…. Well, not even the thought of a potluck was enough to rouse me.” He pushed the button on the coffeemaker and then turned to lean against the counter.

“Have you given any more thought to what you’re going to do after you graduate?” Hutch asked as he pulled a bagel out of the bag and handed it to Noah, then grabbed another for himself before tossing the bag aside.

“Other than taking a six-month sabbatical, not a clue,” Noah confessed.

He kept his eyes low, picking at the bagel, not daring to take a bite as the thought of what the day was to bring caused his stomach to churn.

Hutch placed his hand under Noah’s chin and tilted his head up, forcing him to meet Hutch’s eyes. “I know that look. What’s going on in the amazing mind of yours?” Hutch asked gently.

“Just thinking about my future, what I want to do next,” he admitted.

“Have you ever thought about Virginia?”

“What about it?” Noah asked cautiously.

“They have a great entry program at Quantico. You’d be a real asset to the bureau.”

“Never really thought about it. I mean, I always thought I wanted a cushy desk job, but I don’t know.” Noah worried his bottom lip with his teeth. After being around Hutch and the other guys, Noah found the idea of working with them appealing. “I wouldn’t know how to go about it, where I’d live, where to begin. I’ve been a little occupied the past few years. Hadn’t really thought about my future seriously, I guess.”

“I may be able help you get in the program.” A lopsided grin spread across Hutch’s face. “I might know one or two people within the bureau. Hell, you could be a rookie with Byte. He’s finally decided to join us officially. Hey, maybe one day you could even be part of our crazy-ass team.”

“I thought he said the bureau doesn’t hire hackers.”

“Don’t let Byte fool you. He’s got a master’s degree in IT. Besides, what better way to combat hackers than with one of your own? Seriously, you should really think about it.”

Noah’s heart started thumping wildly, the nausea of moments before turning into a pleasant fluttering sensation. A few years ago, he’d thought casually of joining the FBI after school, the idea appealing. With Hutch asking him, offering to help, it was more than just appealing, it really did sound like a dream come true.

“So you think you may be able to help me, huh?”

Hutch tilted his head, his grin growing. “Yeah, I think I can, Dr. Walker.” Hutch slid an arm around Noah’s waist and pulled him close. “You could be my prodigy, and I’d be more than happy to show you the ropes—or my cuffs.” He waggled his brows.

“I’m not sure, but I think threatening to use cuffs on your understudy may be pushing the whole sexual harassment thing to a new level.” Noah smirked.

“Well, you know what they say, you have to break a few rules to get the job done.”

Noah’s happiness grew in spades as he imagined what it would be like to live in Virginia and work with Hutch, Byte, and Granite. He kept his voice neutral, however, when he said, “I’ll consider it.”

Hutch pecked him on the lips and then turned Noah loose before grabbing a mug from the counter. “You’ll do it,” Hutch said, sounding confident, as he poured a cup of coffee.

“Oh really? And what makes you so sure?” Noah countered.

“I have a way of reading people.” He brought the mug to his lips, blew on the hot brew, and then looked up at Noah. “I’m psychic, ya know,” he said with a wink and then took a sip.

Noah gaped at Hutch, who started to laugh. Noah apparently wasn’t as good at reading people as Hutch was, because he had no clue whether the man was teasing or not. But he damn sure planned on finding out the truth. He was moving to Virginia.

About the Author

SJD P
ETERSON
, better known as Jo, hails from Michigan. Not the best place to live for someone who hates the cold and snow. When not reading or writing, Jo can be found close to the heater checking out NHL stats and watching the Red Wings kick a little butt. Can’t cook, misses the clothes hamper nine out of ten tries, but is handy with power tools.

Visit Jo at http://www.facebook.com/SJD.Peterson; http://sjdpeterson.blogspot.com/; https://twitter.com/SJDPeterson; and http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4563849.S_J_D_Peterson. Contact Jo at [email protected].

Guards of Folsom Series

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Whispering Pines Ranch Series

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Whispering Pines Ranch Series