Amazing Part 21
"That was…enthusiastic," Annie laughed as she rolled away from Auggie to catch her breath.
"Apparently lack of sex overruled exhaustion," Auggie agreed.
"Dinner is in half an hour, we really need to shower now," Annie informed and reluctantly got out of the bed.
"I'm kind of trapped here until you tell me where everything is or find my cane," Auggie settled into the pillows as if to nap.
"Not so fast buster, you can feel your way across the room, there are no land mines or holes in the floor….or I could shower alone," Annie called back over her shoulder as she started the water.
"You are cruel woman," he laughed as he made his way across the room towards the sound of the water and his laughing girlfriend.
Once the business of actually getting clean and washing their hair was done Auggie slipped his arms around Annie and just enjoyed the hot water.
"How do you want to handle the meet?" Auggie asked quietly.
"Do you mind if I go alone?" Annie turned to gauge his reaction.
"No," he shook his head and didn't seem hurt.
"If she's in she's in, if she has doubts , well, she might not want to voice them in front of a man. Especially a man who has been as brave as you, she might feel better discussing her concerns with me, does that make sense?"
"Of course it does, if I can be of help just have someone ring me up in the room, I'll wait it out here," he agreed with a smile and a kiss.
"Thanks," Annie appreciated his support.
"No thanks necessary, bring this home Walker, I know you can," he kissed her again.
***555***
"I want to live here," Gary announced as he joined Auggie at dinner.
"In Alaska?" Auggie asked confused.
"In this hotel," Gary clarified.
"It's nice?" Auggie asked as he pretended to look around.
"It is beautiful," Brian chimed in.
"The bed is comfy," Auggie admitted.
"You've already…."Gary started to ask as Annie approached the table with a huge plate of food.
"I cannot believe how hungry I am," she smiled at the guys across the table.
Brian and Gary just laughed as Auggie ate his food innocently.
"Did I miss something?" Annie quirked an eyebrow.
"Gary wants to live here," Auggie filled her in.
"Alaska?"
"No, the hotel," Auggie repeated the conversation.
"The bed is really comfortable," Annie confessed.
All three men laughed and Annie looked more confused. Auggie just smiled and leaned over in his universal signal for 'kiss me.' So she did.
Around 8:30 Auggie suggested they get some sleep, not really needing to fake being tired. They said their good-byes and headed up to the room.
"I feel like I am going on a first date," Annie shook her hands to release the nervous energy coursing through her.
"You've turned tougher assets," Auggie whispered in her ear.
"I know, but I like her," Annie turned around to face him, her hands slipping up over his shoulders.
"I like you. A lot," he kissed her forehead.
"I like you too, so much," she held him tightly.
"It's too late to call Barber, so we'll wait and call him in the morning, hopefully we'll have good news," Auggie tried to absorb her anxiety.
"OK, I am heading out," she released his warm body and was instantly chilled.
"I'm a phone call away," he indicated where he thought the phone might be.
"Thanks," she kissed him good-bye.
***555***
The air was cold but clean as Annie trekked down the softly lit path to the lake where Gwen had asked to meet. Luckily Annie had not run into any other race members, everyone truly exhausted after a long few days traveling the globe.
Annie could see Gwen standing at the end of a short boat dock, no boats in sight. She made sure to bring her footfall down sharply on the wood so as not to sneak up on the woman, last thing Annie wanted to do was spook her.
Gwen turned with a smile on her face, "You came."
"Of course I came, good news or bad, I am here for you Gwen," Annie reached out a gloved hand and placed it on the woman's shoulder.
"I brought down some tea," Gwen indicated the small boathouse where a lantern gave off a yellow glow.
"Sounds good."
"Where's Auggie?" Gwen realized Annie was alone.
"A phone call away, but I thought you might like to talk one on one, we didn't want to gang up on you," Annie answered truthfully.
"Thanks," Gwen's face brightened.
"We're not all cloak and dagger, you know, the Auggie and Annie you know are the real us," Annie assured.
"You're both really nice and smart and funny and clearly love each other, you seem so normal," Gwen laughed.
"Regular old normal folk, that's us," Annie grinned.
"Would I work with you?"
"Yes, you would be my asset and Auggie is my handler so it would be me or him that would be reaching to you for help."
"If I want to take the next step, what is that?" Gwen looked Annie right in the eye.
"You would need to come to DC and meet with my boss, she would explain all the protocols, the compensation, etcetera," Annie waved her hands in the universal symbol for red tape.
"If you were me, would you do this?"
"Yes, and I was you at one point. I had a chance to travel after college and went all over the world meeting amazing people seeing incredible things. If I had been approached for this I would have jumped at it, as it was I had to go home to DC and apply like a regular person," Annie laughed.
"Are you ever scared?" Gwen asked as she blew a stream of air across the steaming tea.
"Sure, but I am well-trained and I have a great handler," Annie blushed when she spoke of Auggie.
"Does he know everything you do? Are there secrets between you?"
"We work in a world of secrets, we try to keep the secrets to a minimum though. If keeping the secret can keep someone else or each other safe we will keep it, otherwise no. Do you have a boyfriend Gwen?"
"In LA, we met on a Race, he was the brother half of a brother/sister team. It is hard because we are apart so much, but I have doubts about changing my whole world without talking to him. Will you investigate him?" Gwen got nervous.
"Standard background check, he isn't a Russian anarchist is he?"
"He's an 8th grade social studies teacher," Gwen laughed.
"Then you should be fine. If you decide to tell him it is a big step, reading in my sister was the hardest thing I ever had to do. You may want to talk to Auggie about that too, he had a bad experience reading in a fiancé," Annie's mouth stuck on that word.
"Auggie was engaged?"
"Briefly, she wasn't the right girl," Annie blew that off.
"So I want to take the next step," Gwen agreed.
"Great, when can you come to DC? Or we can try to set it up remotely, but I think my boss would like to meet you in person."
"Oddly enough I have a break right after this race. My 2nd in command is taking the next group, so I have 4 weeks off. I have to do some paperwork in the London office at some point, and I want to see Gary, but otherwise I am free," Gwen grinned.
"Come back with us, after the race. We'll put you up and take care of you for a change and then we'll fly you wherever you need to go, London or LA."
"You don't want me to change my mind," Gwen nodded.
"See your instincts are already very good. I am booking you a flight home with Auggie and I from Denver at the end of the week."
"OK."
"OK," Annie smiled.
The women cleaned up their tea and walked back to the hotel together, chatting about the race and their boyfriends. Once in the lobby a hotel caterer stopped Gwen.
"Ms. Masterson, there was some dessert left from your dinner, I was going to send it up to your staff," she held three bakery boxes out.
"I'll take those, thank you," Gwen smiled and accepted the boxes, the top one was small, only big enough for a couple of pieces of cake or pastry.
"Take the top one up to Auggie, to celebrate," Gwen nodded towards the box.
"Thanks Gwen, good night," Annie took the box and swung into the hotel bar.
Annie had squirrelled away some money over the race and exchanged it all for US at the airport today, they had over $100 and she knew they would be done soon, so she decided to splurge.
"Can I see a wine list please?" Annie asked the bartender.
He produced it and she flipped to the sparkling wines.
"I'd like this bottle of Prosecco please and two glasses," Annie pointed at the bubbly Italian wine on the list.
"Right away," the bartender smiled and went off to claim the wine.
Annie paid for the wine and headed up to her room with the wine, glasses and bakery box in hand.
Annie entered the dark room, she could make out Auggie's shape lying in bed.
"Just a phone call away, huh?" she teased as she made her way over to him, deposited her bounty on the bed and stripped off her jacket and gloves.
"I am awake and dressed, well partially dressed," he grinned as she turned on the light.
"What's all this?" he felt his way over to the cold wine and the cardboard box.
"We're going to have a party."
"Are we celebrating or drowning our sorrows?" he cocked his head in anticipation.
"Celebrating of course," she answered haughtily.
TBC…