She’s silent for a minute, those same shocked grey eyes analyzing me like she’s trying to decide if I am crazy. “Can I give you some advice?” She stacks the money into five piles.
I could use a lot of advice right now. “Sure.”
“Tell Ridge or better yet Bennett. Tell him everything. Trying to figure it out on your own is dangerous. Our boyfriends are kind of bad ass and they can handle it.”
Bennett? Boyfriend? “Bennett is not my boyfriend. Why would you even think that?”
“He’s here all the time. He might not be your boyfriend yet, but he wants to be.” She finishes stacking the money and then taps her fingers on the rows counting.
Bennett is here at least once a day, normally for a coffee and a doughnut, but besides some casual flirting there hasn’t been any serious conversation between us. We’re friends. And that’s really not what’s important here.
The thin metal swinging doors that separate the front of the bakery from the kitchen open, hitting the walls with a clamor. “Holy shit,” Katy says slamming to a stop halfway through the kitchen. “What was all that crap about having a budget and decorating cheaply?”
“It’s not hers,” Tabitha says, her eyes never leaving the stacks of money.
Katy stops at the counter. “Oh, okay then.”
“What? It is not ‘okay then.’ What am I going to do?”
“I don’t know, but you better decide soon,” Katy says backing away from the money like it might reach out and grab her, “because Bennett’s on his way back here.”
“What?” Tabitha yells, jumping from the counter.
She races around to the other side of the prep table, and she and Katy stand side by side. Their bodies block the large stack of money right as Bennett pushes open the metal swinging doors like he’s entering a saloon of an old Western.
“What’s up, ladies?”
CHAPTER TWO
“Hey, Bennett,” I say, taking little side steps until I’m standing next to Katy. One more body in front of the money won’t hurt.
He stops and tilts his head to the side, giving us a thoughtful expression I can’t quite put my finger on a name for. “Why are Katy and Tabitha standing in front of a stack of money?”
Inquisitive. I guess his look would be classified as inquisitive.
“Well…funny that…” I’ve never been especially quick on my feet when it comes to lying, and it doesn’t look like I plan to start now. It doesn’t help the hunky man-beast in front of me is gorgeous. He’s not as wide-chested as Ridge, but the bulging arm muscles more than make up for it. With his almost black hair and bright green eyes, he reminds me of all the crushes I had back in high school.
Apparently I have a type.
“Do you need a ride to the bank?”
“Anessa found it in the wall.” Tabitha takes a step away from the money pile, distancing herself.
Not to be outdone, Katy steps back gesturing to the table. “It’s probably dirty money.” They’re fleeing like rats from a ship!
“Of course it’s dirty, Katy. I found it in the wall!”
“Whoa, calm down.” With three long strides, Bennett stops in front of the money. “Anessa, tell me the story.”
Katy opens her mouth, still standing on the other side the table, but Bennett holds up a single finger to silence her. “Only Anessa.”
“The new oven I’ve had on backorder for the last few weeks is being delivered today so I figured I’d pull out the old one and clean behind there. You wouldn’t believe the crap I found on the floor, Bennett, enough flour to make a batch of cookies and two rubber bouncy balls. Where did they even come from?”
“Yeah, but why were you in the wall?” he cuts off my story.
While I’d been busy telling my story Bennett spent his time inspecting the wall and floor where I previously found said bouncy balls. He reaches in, his hand disappearing into the hole, and pulls out even more stacks of money. “Get me a flashlight.”
Bennett continues peering in the hole while holding one hand out behind him waiting for a flashlight. When one doesn’t appear he turns his upper body around. The four of us cast glances back and forth, our eyes jumping between each member of our small group.
