Huxley’s usually vibrant eyes are dulled, his smile forced. “Appreciate it. Bryn’s putting on a brave face but it’s hit her kind of hard because of what happened to her birth parents and Jarred wanted to be here but he’s taking some time out. He said he’ll pop by in a couple weeks when he’s back.”
“I’d like that,” I whisper.
“Who’s running the business while he’s away?” Roman asks.
Huxley rocks back on his heels. “That would be me.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Hey, I can run a business. Idorun a business.”
Hux owns the surf school down on Surfer’s Bay, but he’s always been the most laid-back North brother so I know what Roman means when he smirks and says, “Uh huh, knowing you, you’ll end up renting a cabin to his worst enemy.”
Hux brings his coffee to his lips and grins. “That, or his childhood crush.”
Roman’s phone buzzes and I tilt my head back to see him frown as he reads the message. “What’s the matter?” I ask.
His jaw hardens, and he holds me tighter. “That was O’Connor. Apparently, Carson made bail this morning.”
My bones crack. “He wouldn’t come here. Not today. Not with all these people.” My breath catches in my lungs though because Rob Carson destroyed my shop, Rob Carson raped me. And he thinks I ruined his life. There could be a million witnesses, and he wouldn’t care.
Roman’s hand strokes my hip as I twist in his arms. “It’s going to be fine.”
I squeeze my eyes shut.
“Hey, hey.” Roman tilts my chin up and I open my eyes. “I’m not going to let him hurt you, d’you hear me?”
I grip onto his shirt, the familiar starched material grounding me. I nod.
Roman kisses me, fast and sure. “I’m going to go out front and call O’Connor, see if he can come park outside the shop for a while. You stay here, okay?”
“Take Hux,” I say.
They both nod and I watch them head to the front door.
Everything feels like it’s happening around me while I’m stuck in the middle. I know the chances of Rob coming here are low, but I can’t help thinking he doesn’t have anything else to lose. He’s already going back to prison and if my stupid reckless self has done anything to jeopardize today, I’m never going to forgive myself.
Echoes of smoke are thick in my nostrils and panic seizes my chest. Then I remember the gate out back and the lock I still haven’t fixed.
Shit.
I dodge behind the counter and slip out the back door, only breathing again when I find the space empty.
I close my eyes, my legs turning to jelly. I rest my arms against the lid of the dumpster, needing a moment before I go back inside. It’s quiet out here, the chatter coming from inside the shop a low hum in the summer air. A bird sings. A car passes.
The hinge on the gate creeks.
I spin around, my eyes flying open and my arms up.
And then I see who it is.
“Oh my god!” I fling myself at Scott, throwing my arms around his neck till he stumbles back. “You scared the living daylights out of me, what are you doing here?”
Scott grins. “Surprise? I take it you missed me.”
I squeeze harder and squeal. “I can’t believe you’re actually here! How did you even find the shop? Never mind, it doesn’t matter, you have to come inside, you’re going to love it.”
“Woah, woah, woah. Slow down,” Scott chuckles.
