Before he arrives at the Blissful Brews table, I shoot off one last message to Jess.
I’ve got to get back to work. But I’ll text once I get home and showered. Talk soon.
Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I meet Alec’s smile with one of my own. “Hi. Are you here for some soup?”
“Hey, Hazel.” His smile expands. “How’s it going?”He glances at the jar of tickets. “Looks like you were busy tonight.”
Cast partly in shadow from the lamp post overhead, his features are an arrangement of strong lines and angles. His green eyes spark gold and amber as the light catches them. As he rakes a hand through his wavy hair, I can’t help wondering—and not for the first time—if it’s as soft as it looks.
Something else I can’t help noticing? How his biceps flex as he does it, straining at the sleeves of his dark gray sweater.
“It’s been pretty busy,” I reply while silently reminding myself not to ogle Alec’s biceps. “But we’ve still got plenty of soup left over. The cheddar ale soup has been a big seller, but the pumpkin stout bisque has been popular, too.”
Alec eyes the large crock pots in front of me. “They both sound good.” The corner of his mouth quirks, revealing a dimple to the left of it. “Could I try both? I’ve got tickets.” He reaches into the pocket of his jeans and pulls out a thick wad of them.
I laugh. “Alec. How many tickets did you buy? And how much soup are you planning to eat?”
He glances down at the tickets in his hand and chuckles. “I may have gone a little overboard. But I was late finishing up at work, so by the time I got here, I was starving. Plus, it’s for a good cause. Right?”
“True.” I ladle soup into two cups and hand them to him. “How is everything going at work?”
“Good.” He shifts both cups to one hand and leans against the table with the other. “Three new clients this week. So that’ll keep me busy.”
Alec owns a security system company over in Stowe, about twenty minutes from here. He’s offered to come by my house to work up a plan for a security system, but I’ve never taken him up on it. Not that I don’t care about security, but I don’t have the money for an expensive system with cameras and sensors and twenty-four-seven monitoring.
Besides, I have deadbolts and wooden rods wedged in the windows, like my dad always told me to do. I still remember him walking into my first adult apartment in Boston with an armful of broomsticks, and I jokingly commented, “I’m living in Boston, Dad. Not Salem. What are all the broomsticks for?”
They were for him to cut down and use to keep the windows from opening, I discovered. And for a do-it-yourself solution, it’s pretty effective.
Although, the danger doesn’t always come from outside. Sometimes you invite it inside without even knowing.
A memory prods at me, poking with a poisoned dagger tip. A chill races across my body, bringing goosebumps in its wake.
“Hey.” Alec’s forehead creases. Concern darkens his gaze. “You alright, Hazel?”
“Of course.” I shove the memory back down and force a smile. “I’m good. So, three new clients? That’s great news.”
His expression clouds as he inspects my face. I’m not sure he believes me—I’m a bad liar at the best of times, and after a nearly eight-hour shift on my feet, I’m far from that.
But we don’t have the kind of relationship where he’d push to know more. We talk when he comes into Blissful Brews with his friends or whenever we run into each other around town, but that’s it. We don’t text. We don’t hang out together. I don’t even have his personal number.
“She’s probably tired,” offers Frank. He walks over and holds out his hand to Alec. “Nice to see you, Alec. Trying out some of the soups, huh? If you want more to take home, just let me know. We’ve got plenty.”
“Ah, no, that’s okay,” Alec replies. “Save it for the rest of the customers.”
Frank gives a dismissive wave. “We’re nearly done here, anyway. Another half an hour and we’ll be cleaning up.” He glances between me and Alec. A speculative look crosses his face. “In fact… Hazel, why don’t you head out now? Wendy and I can take care of things from here.”
“Oh, no, I said I’d stay until eight-thirty,” I reply.
“But you’ve been on your feet all day,” he insists. “Without a break, I’ll add. Which youshouldhave taken.”
“Angel needed to leave early. And I didn’t mind.”
“Maybe so. But I think you’ve done enough.” Frank turns to Alec. “Would you mind walking Hazel to her car? I could go, but that would mean leaving Wendy here on her own…”
I can feel heat creeping into my cheeks. Could Frank be anylessobvious?
“Oh, I don’t need anyone to walk me to my car,” I protest. Although if I’m honest, I don’t particularly relish the idea of walking alone in the dark, even in a town as small and safe as Bliss.
