Spies in Sandals [Book Four]

Chapter Seventeen: The Future of My Spy Career

Hi! Okay, here it is, the final chapter of SiSandals. And of SiS overall, but I think I'll discuss that in an Author's Note at the end. I hope you enjoyed this book, and the series, and much as I've enjoyed telling Nat's story. Please shoot me one last comment (or several!) and let me know what you think. Thank you so much for all your support! It always makes my day :)

Gracias! <3 vb123321

Chapter Seventeen

The Future of My Spy Career

"So Jer's really leaving? By Monday?"

I gave Zach a suspicious look. "Is that excitement I hear in your voice? And also – where the hell have you been? We've known he's moving to DC for three weeks now!"

"Sorry, babe." He shrugged, green eyes innocent. "I've been caught up with life."

"If you ever call me babe again, I swear –"

Zach's laugh rang through the front lobby of CIA headquarters back in Chicago, like music to my ears because I hadn't heard him laugh like that in so long. Even though he'd been slowly adjusting to his mother's presence over the past three weeks – and by adjusting, I mean he'd stopped turning white whenever she walked in the room – it was clear that they had a lot to work out. All the rest of us could do was wait to see where it would go.

The skyscrapers and city smell of Chicago hit me like a wave of relief after the old-fashioned, sea-scented Boston and Cape Cod. I'd been back home in Michigan after we'd returned from Boston, since school was starting at the end of August, but I'd taken a trip to Chicago for Labor Day weekend to see Jer off.

Washington, DC. Why was that so far?

The attendant at the front desk of the lobby knew us by sight and simply gestured toward the elevators. Zach's hand still tightened around mine as we stepped inside, even though after three years in that agency he should've been more comfortable inside it. I was pretty sure the combination of his nerves and his meds made him more on edge than usual.

He was doing better, really. But some things go away slowly. I was learning that.

"The first time I came here," I said as the elevator slid upwards, "I'd just found out that Jer was a spy. It was pretty much the coolest day of my life."

Zach glanced at me. "You're really going to miss him."

"Yeah." I swallowed hard, looking down. "I mean, I only saw him a few times a year anyway – and DC is only, like, four hours further away – but yeah. It sucks."

"You'll see him lots still, don't worry." He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I bet he'll come visit all the time to check up on me, anyway. Make sure I'm not messing up your life like usual."

I laughed shakily. "Definitely true. He's warming up to you, though."

"That's what you told me in January."

The elevator pinged as we arrived at our floor. Hand-in-hand, we made our way down the same hall that I'd first walked down at that agency last October. Back then I'd been a wide-eyed, naïve kid amazed at the new spy world. Now I was still that kid, mostly, only a little less naïve and a little more experienced and with a pretty dang hot boyfriend.

Who would've guessed?

Someone had already removed the plaque bearing Jer's name that adorned the office door at the end of the hall, which felt a little rude. The wood underneath was newer-looking than the rest of the door. I remembered how many times in the past nine months that I'd stood there searching in vain for his hidden cameras, how many times I'd tried to sneak up on him or tried to illegally send a SnapChat of his office.