What Hides Inside: Bay City Paranormal Investigations, Book 2

in what he hoped was a casual way. “Can I help you?”
Grabbing Sam’s outstretched hand in a firm grip, the young man shook it. “I’m Dean Delapore, I’m here for an interview with Dr. Broussard.” Dean flashed a grin Sam was willing to bet got him into—and out of—a whole lot of trouble. “Are you Dr. Broussard?”
“No, I’m Sam Raintree. Nice to meet you, Dean.” Sam retrieved his hand. “Bo’s in his office, he’ll be ready for you in a minute.”
“Okay.” Dean’s eyes shone with a teasing light. “So, what do you do here, Sam?”
Sam licked his lips, trying hard not to notice the openly appraising way Dean was looking at him. “I’m part tech assistant, part investigator, and part psychic-intraining. We all do a little bit of everything around here.”
“Do you? Hm. I see.” Dean quirked an eyebrow at Sam, then sauntered over to Cecile’s desk. He held a hand out to her, that thousand-watt smile still in place. “Hi, I’m Dean, what’s your name?”
With an amused glance at Sam, Cecile stood and shook Dean’s hand. “I’m Cecile Langlois, we spoke on the phone yesterday.”
“Oh yeah, I remember. Nice to meet you in person, Cecile.” Dean let go of her hand. “Don’t think I’m being forward, but you’re a very beautiful woman.”
“Isn’t she?” David came strolling in from the back room at that moment and walked up to Dean with a grin. “I’m David Broom. Don’t flirt with my girl.”
Dean laughed as he shook David’s hand. “Duly noted. Good to meet you, David, I’m Dean Delapore.”
“Yeah, Bo’s interview.” David clapped Dean on the shoulder. “C’mon, Bo’s expecting you. I’ll be in on the interview.”
“I hope you won’t hold my behavior against me,” Dean said, though he didn’t sound worried.
“Naw, it’s cool. Who could help it?”
Sam watched the two of them enter Bo’s office, already chatting like old friends. He shook his head.
“Okay, what was that?” Cecile asked after David shut the door. “Is it my imagination, or was he just flirting with you and me both?”
“I don’t think it was your imagination.” Sam laughed. “Should be entertaining if Bo hires him.”
Cecile gave him a sharp look. For a second, Sam was sure she knew all about him and Bo. A thrill of fear went through him. Then she smiled and sat back down.
“You want me to help you with some of the research and stuff for Saturday? I’m done with the last of the paperwork I had.”
Sam swallowed and managed a smile. “That’d be great, thanks. I’ll call Mr. Innes if you can do an internet search for the history of the school.”
“I’m on it.”
Cecile turned to her work, and Sam let out a silent sigh of relief. While part of him realized Cecile and the others must at least suspect what was going on, he wasn’t sure he was ready for them to know for certain. Or rather, he wasn’t ready for Bo’s reaction if he found out their relationship was common knowledge in the office. Bo was so skittish, the slightest thing could make him push Sam away right now.
He still wasn’t sure what his friends did or did not know, and he didn’t feel like thinking about it right then. Forcing the worry to the back of his mind, he picked up the phone and dialed Mr. Innes’s number.
    Forty-five minutes later, the door of Bo’s office finally opened again. Bo and David followed Dean out into the main office. Sam glanced away from his computer, trying to read Bo’s face, but Bo wouldn’t meet his gaze.
    “Thank you for coming in, Dean,” Bo said, shaking
    Dean’s hand. “We’ll give you a call when we decide.” “Great, thanks.” Letting go of Bo’s hand, Dean
flashed a blatantly flirtatious smile at Sam. “I hope I can
come to work here. I think we could be really good
together.”
Sam blinked, startled by the man’s boldness. He
was so busy staring at Dean that he almost missed the
angry flush rising in Bo’s cheeks.
“Yes, well. We’ll let you know.” Bo crossed the
room and opened the front door. “Thank you, Dean.” Dean’s eyebrows went up. He glanced at Bo, then
back at Sam, eyes glittering in a way that made Sam
distinctly nervous. “All right. Nice to meet you all. See
you soon, I hope.”
Sam watched thoughtfully as Dean shrugged his
jacket on and left the office. He wasn’t sure which unsettled him most—Dean’s shameless flirting, or the fact that the man had clearly noticed the tension between
Sam and Bo.
He’s around Bo and me together