It was an unfamiliar feeling. He’d never felt this way about any part of his job with the Burkes. He held a certain amount of affection—and possibly even love—for the Burke family.
But this felt… different, and he wasn’t sure he liked it.
"Of course," Jude said. "Whatever you need me to do. I’ll make sure she has the skills to protect herself if Jim decides to come after her."
“Just maybe nothing too intense at first. Let her build up her confidence.”
"What about Kiara?"
"She seems more… resilient. Less guarded. You can probably push her a bit more." Duncan closed the file. "But they're a package deal, Jude. Whatever happens to one affects the other."
Jude understood that more than Duncan realized. He'd seen how Angela looked to Kiara for reassurance, how she drew strength from her presence. "I'll keep them together for the training."
"Good." Duncan stood, signaling the meeting was ending.
As Jude left Duncan's office, he headed toward the back of the house. The sound of quiet conversation drifted from the kitchen, and Jude paused in the hallway.
Through the partially open door, he could see Angela standing at the large island, her hands dusted with flour. She was explaining something to Kiara, who sat perched on one of the bar stools, chin propped in her hands.
"The key is to knead it until you get it to this smooth and satiny texture," Angela was saying, her voice more animated than Jude had heard it before. He liked the sound of it. "You’ve got to put your back into it."
Kiara laughed. "Pretty sure Sandra told me all this already, and it didn’t stick. We both know you're the baker in this family."
"Only because you didn’t want to do it," Angela retorted, but there was warmth in her tone. "Besides, it's therapeutic. Helps me think."
Jude found himself lingering in the doorway, drawn by the sight of Angela in her element. Her shoulders had lost their rigid tension, and her movements were confident as she worked the dough. It was the first time he'd seen her look truly comfortable since he’d met her.
"Good morning," Jude said, stepping into the kitchen.
Both women looked up. Kiara offered a cheerful greeting, but Jude's attention was on Angela. Her eyes widened as her hands stilled on the dough.
"I hope it's okay that we're using the kitchen," she said quickly. "We didn’t know where Elizabeth was to ask her, but Mrs. Stevens said it would be alright.”
"Of course it's okay," Jude said, keeping his voice gentle. "This is your home now. You don't need permission to use anything here."
Angela's shoulders relaxed slightly, but Jude noticed she still had that cautious look in her eyes—the one that appeared whenever she wasn't sure of her footing.
"I wanted to make something to thank everyone for their hospitality," she explained, her flour-dusted fingers returning to the dough. "I thought cinnamon buns would be a good start."
Jude moved closer to the island, careful not to crowd her. "I’m sure they’ll taste great. You worked in a bakery after all."
"She was the star there," Kiara interjected. "Patty took all the credit, but Angela was the one who kept that place going with her baking. People in the town loved it."
Angela shot her sister a look. "Kiara exaggerates."
"I really don't," Kiara said with a grin before sliding off her stool. "I'm going to check out the library. Will you be okay without me for a bit?"
The question wasn't directed at Jude, but at Angela, who hesitated before nodding. "I'll be fine."
After Kiara left, silence settled between them. Angela focused intently on rolling out the dough.
"Duncan asked me to talk to you," Jude said finally. "About some practical matters."
Angela glanced up. “Like what?”
"Well, things that will help you both get acclimated to life here," Jude explained. "That includes teaching you to drive, getting you familiar with the security protocols, and some self-defense training."
Angela's hands stilled again. "Self-defense?"
