“Where do you think they are?” Her eyes search the corners of the room and all the areas where things are gathered.
“Honestly, I’ve given up trying to figure it out.”
Winnie rolls her eyes also checking the spaces with Anessa. “I swear I found one in the bakery. It’s tiny, and set into the wall, but it’s a camera for sure.”
“The cameras aren’t that bad. We have used them a few times,” Tabitha says, smiling at her friends while their eyes continue to search the room. “I just go with it.”
Winnie nods. “You are marrying the man.”
Tabitha sighs, one of those deep-gut ones that says she’s in love and stares down at her diamond ring. “Yeah.”
“Wait a minute,” I step toward the girls, still putting all the pieces together. “Ridge has cameras?”
“Everywhere. How do you think he got to the bakery so fast when you guys pulled up with boxes of coke?” Tabitha’s eyes widen. She still can’t believe we drove a car to Anessa’s bakery while it was full of drugs. Neither can I, quite frankly.
“I thought you called them?”
She tips her shoulder up again. “I walked into the back of the bakery and said, ‘Hey, Ridge, there’s a car of drugs here,’ but he already knew. It’s the same thing.”
Except, it’s not. How does she think it’s even similar?
“The cameras are nothing, but after the drugs, he brought back the security guard at the bakery. One of his poor guys just sits there all day looking at us.”
“The bakery has a security guard?” I ask. I’ve never seen anyone there.
Anessa nods. “From his company, he and Bennett make somebody sit there all day doing nothing but watching us, eating food, and drinking coffee.” She pauses for a moment lost in thought. “Now that I think about it, the guys might not mind the job so much. But it’s weird on my end.”
“Especially when Dom or one of his brothers comes in.” Tabitha uncovers a few more dishes on the counter, balling up tinfoil and throwing it in the trash.
“Who is Dom?”
Anessa leans closer, whispering like she’s scared somebody will hear her talking. “He runs the local motorcycle gang. He and Bennett have this uneasy alliance, but I wouldn’t call them friendly.”
“The alliance or the guys?”
“Bennett and Dom. The actual guys in the club are super nice.”
Tabitha nods. “They’re at the bakery about once a day and are always polite.”
“I don’t know why everyone dislikes them,” Winnie chips in.
Definitely living in the twilight zone.
The front door opens and a woman’s voice calls out. “We’re here.”
Tabitha comes across the other side of the island and hugs a blonde-haired woman. “Josie this is Joslin. She’s dating Spencer. I’m so glad they let him off the cameras for the day so you could eat with us.”
“Josie and Jocelyn,” Winnie says, staring at the both of us. “What’s with all the J names?”
I shrug. “People like J names.”
“Anyway,” Tabitha says clearing her throat. “We were talking about all the new crazy things the guys are making us do after Katy’s little incident with the drugs. What does Spencer have you doing?”
Jocelyn thinks for a second. “I don’t have any. He’s crazy and protective in general so not much has changed.”
Winnie and Tabitha laugh like these conversations are natural.
The back door opens and a tall brown-haired guy peeks his head in. “Hey, Jos. Wanna come hang out with me?”
