|
Post by skybright on Dec 23, 2007 1:42:55 GMT -5
Marla smiled. "I'd like that."
Then she ducked her head. "And, uh . . . you don't need to worry. You think pretty quietly, and I'll . . . do my best not to eavesdrop. I know it's sort of uncomfortable, being around someone like me."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 23, 2007 22:18:31 GMT -5
"Actually... it's not. Not the way I thought it would be." Nate grinned, almost surprised to make that realization.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 23, 2007 23:34:10 GMT -5
Marla smiled crookedly and pushed her hair back. "It's nice of you to say that. I . . . I have to say, I'm not nearly as nervous as I thought I would be, either."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 24, 2007 23:38:22 GMT -5
"I'll bet you expected one of those big boot-camp bruisers," Nate chuckled. "Nah--they grow 'em wiry in our family. I was so scrawny when I enlisted, I was afraid they'd just bury me behind a desk, if they took me at all."
He shrugged and grinned self-deprecatingly. "But I guess we've all got our strengths."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 24, 2007 23:49:10 GMT -5
Marla laughed. "I guess we do. And I'm glad they didn't send a . . . a 'boot-camp bruiser'. I don't think my nerves would have stood it." She grinned crookedly.
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 24, 2007 23:57:40 GMT -5
Their conversation went on in a light and fairly comfortable vein for the rest of the drive, until they came to their destination: a handsome four-bedroom beach house on the Jersey Shore.
"That lawyer or whoever it is uses this as a summer house," Nate explained, as he pulled up to the garage that adjoined the house. "I guess he owed Sid Rosenstein a favor or something. Anyway, we shouldn't be bothered by anybody."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 25, 2007 0:04:23 GMT -5
"It certainly seems like a nice place." Marla said as she slid out of the passenger seat. "I haven't been this close to the ocean in . . . oh, ages. Since the last time I was in California, I guess."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 25, 2007 0:16:50 GMT -5
"I've never been there." Nate unlocked the trunk and lifted out Marla's suitcases. "I spent some time in Germany as a kid, though. Dad was there for a couple of years. We didn't always get to go with him, but we did then."
With her suitcases in hand, he led the way to the front door. He unlocked it and carried the luggage inside, then looked around admiringly at the stylish interior.
"Well, I'll say one thing--this beats the underground life."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 25, 2007 0:21:47 GMT -5
Marla nodded and glanced quizzically at him. "This is probably a silly question, but . . . you, um, you don't literally live underground, do you?"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 25, 2007 22:09:51 GMT -5
"Well, uh..." Nate smiled wincingly and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's kind of a rule with us not to talk about our setup. Safer for everybody that way. But I'll say this much, we don't have any one place to bolt to--and actually, Nick Tiernan's not the only guy to get some use out of the literal underside of the city."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 25, 2007 23:03:54 GMT -5
"Oh." Marla ducked her head. "Sorry . . . I didn't mean to snoop. I've just heard those urban legends about people running around underground beneath the city." She laughed nervously. "Apparently there's some truth to every story."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 26, 2007 21:33:37 GMT -5
"Well, we definitely know Tiernan's taken over a good chunk of abandoned subway tunnels," Nate replied as they wandered through the rooms of the lavish, modern house, giving it an exploratory once-over. Then he paused and grinned blackly. "I'd love to get down there with some C4 one of these days."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 26, 2007 23:33:22 GMT -5
Marla's eyes widened slightly. "And here Marcus told me you were the less explosive member of your family." She said, with a slightly faltering grin.
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 26, 2007 23:41:11 GMT -5
Nate chuckled. "Oh, I don't mind a few bangs now and then. I just have to do it the hard way."
He paused in the hallway, waving a hand toward the bedrooms. "Take whatever room you want. I'm not picky."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 26, 2007 23:50:30 GMT -5
Marla shrugged slightly. "It doesn't really matter that much to me -- a strange room is a strange room." She stuck her head in the nearest door and shrugged again. "This one looks nice."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 26, 2007 23:55:20 GMT -5
"Sure." Nate looked through the doorway of the next room over. "This one's a little... girly. I guess I'll take the one across the hallway here."
He paused. "I'd take one of the downstairs rooms, and leave the whole upstairs to you, but... you know." He shrugged and frowned. "On the off chance anything does happen... the bodyguard's supposed to be close at hand." He grinned wanly.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 27, 2007 0:04:16 GMT -5
"Oh . . . right." Marla ducked her head, smiling thinly. "My family actually had a bodyguard for a while when we were children. I remember how much having him following us around used to irritate Marcus."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 27, 2007 0:14:11 GMT -5
Nate stifled a laugh. "Oh, man. I can so completely see that. You should see your brother's face every time he sees my dad outside his door."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 27, 2007 0:21:33 GMT -5
Marla laughed brightly. "I know just the expression you're talking about." She said, "That sort of longsuffering put-upon look he gets when things don't go as he plans them."
She grinned a bit mischievously. "I have to admit, he's pretty funny when he gets that way. I wouldn't be much of a little sister if I didn't think so, I guess."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 27, 2007 0:26:46 GMT -5
Mention of little sisters made Nate feel once again feel briefly saddened, but he suppressed the feeling quickly and shrugged it off.
"Well... are you hungry? I brought a whole bunch of groceries, and that oughta last us the whole time. Or we could order some delivery." He grinned awkwardly. "I--don't guess you're big on going out to eat."
|
|