Pros & Cons by Sydney Logan Page B

after.
    “I see your mountain vacation did nothing to relax you.”
    Glancing over my shoulder, I see my best friend. I lift my glass and offer my congratulations.
    “I assume I’m your best man?”
    Coop walks over and joins me at the railing. “Considering you’re my only friend, I’d say that’s a safe bet.”
    “Seriously. Congratulations, man. You deserve to be happy.”
    “Thanks.” He grins and glances over his shoulder. “So, Jenna seems a bit on edge, as well. You wouldn’t have anything to do with that, would you?”
    I look through the sliding glass doors to find the girls huddled on the bed. Discussing what a jerk I am, no doubt.
    “The woman’s killing me.”
    “I’m pretty sure the feeling’s mutual. She’s barely said two words since you guys walked into the room.”
    I quickly swallow my drink. “Well, that’s two more than she’s said to me since we left Tennessee, so you guys should consider yourselves lucky.”
    Coop leans on the railing and gazes out at the city. “I have to say, I was surprised when Abby told me the two of you were in Tennessee. It was all the proof I needed.”
    “Proof of what?”
    “That you’re in love with this girl.”
    I try to deny it, but my mouth refuses to cooperate.
    “I need another drink.”
    “You don’t need another drink,” Coop says, taking the empty glass from my hand. With an infuriated sigh, I turn away from him and stare out at the New York skyline. “You need to talk to her.”
    “Yeah, well, she won’t talk back, so . . .”
    “So what?”
    “So I’ll deal with her later. For now, I have to get my head in the game since Stavros is being a complete pain in my ass and putting a rush on this heist.”
     I can tell Coop’s about to argue, but he glances down at his watch and nods reluctantly before giving me the details about tonight’s job. Maria, one of the Wonder Twins, has dealt with the museum curator before, so that’s our in. We’ll meet the two of them on the sixth floor of an abandoned building on Calico Road. Once the exchange is made, the five of us will take the ring and meet her brother at the plane.
    “This seems like an easy drop that the twins could handle on their own. Why include us?”
    “Stavros said it was a peace offering, of sorts. He knows he’s screwed us in the past. Plus, he wants to introduce the twins to the North American scene, and he’s trusting us to take care of any problems that might arise from the twins’ inexperience.”
    “Sure. Let’s train them so they can be our competition?”
    Coop shrugs. Of course he doesn’t care. He’s getting out.
    Just then, the balcony door opens, and I turn to find Abby smiling at us.
    “Guys, it’s time to go.”
    Coop and I follow her back into the room. We do a last-minute check of our radios, and I sneak subtle glances at Jenna. She doesn’t say anything, but I can tell by the frown on her face she’s not happy with this set-up. Her nervousness shows when her trembling fingers fumble with the knobs on her radio. It’s only when we’re ready to get into the vehicle that she finally voices her concerns.
    “I don’t trust Stavros,” she says.
    “Neither do I.” With a heavy sigh, I turn to her. “Listen, I want you to promise me something. If anything seems off, or if something seems suspicious, I want you to take Abby and get the hell out of there.”
    I expect a fight, but she surprises me by nodding in agreement. Things could get crazy, so Coop and Abby walk away to have a private moment while Jenna and I stand awkwardly next to the vehicle. All I want to do is hold her. And maybe kiss her. But I don’t dare. She starts to get in the SUV, but I reach out for her, grabbing her by the arm and gently pulling her back to me.
    “Promise me you’ll be careful.”
    She nods. “I will. Promise me, too.”
    “I promise.”
    My hand slides down her arm, and our fingers entwine. It’s the first time we’ve touched since the cabin. The