Someone wanted her to get out. Out of where? Amber Ridge? Why? And was she actually being watched by someone, andthiswas that someone?
She’d tried to call the number. No one answered. Not a surprise. That was the entire reason to text, right? Because they wanted to keep their identity secret. Because they wanted her scared of the unknown.
Well, mission accomplished. And what was worse, she felt like she was just waiting now. Waiting for the next text. Waiting for them to do something to her. Because she wasn’t leaving. This was her home right now. And she was not going to be scared away.
The door opened and Jules stepped in, her usual wide smile on her face. “Good morning, Addie.”
Addie tried to return the smile, but it felt wonky. “Morning, Jules.”
The food van had been so busy that Jules had hired help, which meant she was able to bring Addie’s hot chocolate to the office some mornings. It was honestly a highlight of her day.
“Uh-oh.” Jules stopped at the desk. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” If nothing included a phone terrorist and a complicated relationship with her boss.
“I can see that’s not true.” She pushed a to-go cup across the desk. “A new hazelnut hot chocolate to brighten your morning.”
“You’re too good to me.”
“Not too good. The perfect amount of good.” Jules tilted her head. “Want to talk about it?”
“Not at the moment, but I appreciate you asking.”
“I’m always here if you need someone.”
Addie’s smile softened. Another reason to love this woman…she cared. “Thank you.”
Jules squeezed her hand before heading out.
Addie lifted the hot chocolate and groaned the second the sweet liquid hit her tongue. Holy Hannah, it was good. Really good. Andsoneeded. She’d been in such a state this morning, she hadn’t even touched her chocolate jar…not once.
What shehaddone was check her phone a gazillion times for a text from Noah. She’d messaged him last night to ask if he was okay, but he hadn’t replied. Nor had he been in the office this morning.
She took the lid off her cup and went to pour the liquid into her chipped sloth mug, but as she did, her phone vibrated with a text. She looked up so quickly, she spilled hot liquid over her hand.
Shit! Crap! Hot!Too hot!
She set the to-go cup down on the desk and rushed to the kitchen, where she ran her hand under cold water.
Another reason to hate this damn person harassing her—she jumped every time her phone went off. And now she’d poured perfectly good hot chocolate all over herself.
She turned off the water and stepped out of the kitchen—only to stop. “Noah.”
He stood in the office, taking up far too much space.
He frowned at her, eyes cautious. “Addie, is everything okay?”
“I thought my hand was a better place for my hot chocolate than my stomach.”
He frowned.
She lifted her red hand. “I burned myself.”
Two steps and he closed the distance between them before gently gripping her wrist. And holy hell, but his fingers on her skin felt good. Not just good, they made every fiber of her being shoot to life and her lower belly ripple.
“Are you okay?”
His deep, husky voice almost made her shiver. “I’ve had worse.”
