Archer

Chapter 39

"I will bring our lunch in at that time." I said.

"Thank you, Ms.Lynne." He said.

"You're most welcome, Mr.Rivera."

At twelve-thirty, I rolled the small food cart in with our warm up lunch and bottle of water. He stood up immediately to help me. When I told him I can handle it, he insisted he wanted to help.

At the beginning, we ate quietly. I assume he's waiting for me to start the conversation.

"I thought about the Seattle trip." I said.

"We don't have to go.."

"You are going there for work purpose."

"That was because I didn't want people to find it suspicious that why I was visiting Seattle without visiting that location."

"We already made plans." I said. "We will stick with that, but there will be changes." I will be back in the apartment I was staying in. Isaac said that I can stay in the apartment until the end of this month because I already made the payment. I can still stay there, but no one should visit me.

"And what are those changes?"

"I won't meet my family and friends."

He nodded his head, "It sounds too realistic to be true. Your friends may come and visit you."

"Unless I tell them, I'm not coming home."

"I still doubt that plan." He tells me.

"Then tell me a better plan." I said.

"Let's stay in New York." He said. "We will push the Seattle plan a little further."

"Then your schedule will be all over." I said. "People are expecting to see you."

"They can wait. Honestly, they don't want me over because they know they will be in trouble." He rolled his eyes.

"That's not professional, Archer." I said. "We have duties and responsibilities."

"Safety is important." He said.

"We will be safe." I said. "Let's go with the plan."

"And how can you guarantee your safety to me?"

"You should worry about your safety's first." I said. "And your family. They are out there for you."

"And you are involved as well." He said.

"I can manage my safety." I brushed him off nonchalantly.

"Sure." He said with sarcasm. "You didn't even notice people following you for a while and you expect me to believe you can manage your safety."

I glared at him. "If I was made aware of that before. I would have been more cautious."

"Of course." He said. "My fault."

I sighed and looked at him. "Archer..." I didn't know where to begin from. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I'm sorry okay? I'm just a little frustrated here as well." I said.

"I want to keep you safe because you are in this mess because of me and also because I like you way more than you think." He suddenly brought that topic, again.

"You like me?" I asked.

"Yes. Didn't I make that obvious yesterday?"

"But how? When? Why?"

"That's a funny question. I don't know when did that feeling started? Maybe when you threw me out of your hotel room and you looked pretty hot and sexy when you were fuming and cussing at me. No women ever threw me out of a room before."

"Of course, they never." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Why do I like you? You are kind, smart, intelligent, pretty.."

I cut him off. "Okay, let's not go over my qualities."

"The lists is endless." He said.

"I'm still mad at you for hiding things from me."

"I know." He said. "I will make it up to you."

And that give me an opportunity.

"I will give you a chance to make it up to me." I said.

He eye me warily. "How?"

"You have to trust me, okay?" I said.

"You want me to give you some space?" He repeated. "I'm giving you space." He pointed to the table in-front of us.

"How funny is that." I said rolling my eyes.

"What space are you talking about?"

"When we go to Seattle, I will be staying in the apartment that I was staying in while you can stay wherever you are suppose to. We will meet on Monday for work."

"If you think you will be out of my sight after last night. You are definitely wrong." He said.

"They caught the man didn't they?"

"We don't know if it's the same person that was following you." He said.

"I will be in my apartment and I will be fine."

"Didn't you give up your apartment space?"He asked.

"How do you know that? I never spoke to you about this."

And for the first time, I found him looking flabbergasted. "You told me."

"No." I said. "I clearly remember I didn't spoke to anyone about this apart from my family."

"You did." He wanted to argue with me about this.

"I did not." I said. "You better tell me the truth. If I find out later... I will be more mad."

"Fine." He said. "I overheard your conversation."

"Now, you are eavesdropping my conversation."

"It's not like I meant to.. I was calling you for dinner and I overheard it. I'm sorry." He said.

I paused to think. "I will accept your apologies if you agree to my terms."

"Are we negotiating now?"

"Yes." I give him a grin.

"I would have agree to anything else you wanted, but when it's your safety. I cannot."

"I'm an Adult."

"You keep saying that, but you are like a baby to me who needs quite a lots of supervision." He said with an expressionless face.

My mouth dropped open. "I-I don't need anyone's supervisions. That's creepy."

"We will go to Seattle, and I can let you stay in the apartment if you promise me not to risk your safety." He said.

"Can you enlighten me of the word safety?"

"I will ask Jen to be your body guard during your stay in Seattle alongside Grant."

"No." I said interrupting him. "That makes it more suspicious. I will be at home most of the day?"

"Most of the day.. you are planning to go out then?" He said. "And since you want a little space from me. That's the only thing I can do. You didn't tell me about why you want a little space from me."