“That sounds good.We could all enjoy lunch together then,” Frank said.
Then they ended the call, and Rory put their empty cocoa mugs in the dishwasher, swept her up in his arms, and carried her to bed.
Frank and Florencecuddled in bed.“I’m glad we all get along.”Frank was so relieved that Lacy had come around as far as the event that had torn them apart, and that she was thrilled he had mated Florence.It was something he had worried about in case she felt he was forgetting his mate’s memory, but he wasn’t.Just like he knew Florence wasn’t forgetting about hers.
They just had a new lease on life when they met up and fell in love.He wished that Timothy wasn’t still an issue though.
10
Florence was up early, looking for gifts to buy online for Lacy and Rory.She’d already bought some things for Frank for Christmas.She just hoped everything would arrive on time.She heard Frank coming down the stairs.Travis was on his phone, trying to get an update on Timothy.
“So what do you think about these items for Lacy and Rory?”She showed her phone to Frank.
“Yeah, perfect.Let me put them on my card.”Then he bought them.
“Will we put our money together?”
“Yeah, whatever you want to do.I’m fine with it.”
“Okay.I’ll put your name on the deed.I don’t want to change the coffee shop’s name because everyone knows it like it is.”She headed to the kitchen to make breakfast and put together breakfast tacos while he made their coffee.
“I’m good with that.”
“I do want to take your last name for my own.I’m just old-fashioned like that.”
He smiled.“I’m glad.I’ll be proud for us to be known as Mr.and Mrs.Everest.”
She figured he would be, and if that made him happy, she was pleased.
Travis left the living room and said good morning to Frank.He began getting them glasses of water.
Frank brought over their mugs of coffee, then set the table.
“They haven’t had any luck in finding anyone matching Timothy’s description,” Travis said.“Everyone is still on the lookout for him.”
“I wanted to end this with him, but what if he left here for good, figuring he couldn’t get to Lacy and it was too hard keeping a cover?”Florence asked.
“It could be, but he seems to be too obsessive.If he can do this to one woman, he can do it to others,” Travis warned.“Plus, we don’t want the situation to escalate.And Lacy would always be looking over her shoulder.So it would be better if we could terminate him and stop the problem.”
“I agree,” Florence said.
“Yeah, that’s the best solution,” Frank agreed.
They ate their breakfast tacos in silence.
“Are you going to open the coffee shop today?”Frank asked.
“Nah, the shops and eateries are closed in town so everyone who wants to can attend the bazaar and eat there.That way, there’s no competition for the Christmas bazaar on that day.”
“Oh, that’s cool.It’s great having a unified cougar-run town.”
“It truly is.Everyone supports everyone else.”
Then Travis got a call.“Yeah, Dan.Near Hal’s ranch?”He glanced at Florence and Frank.“What?That’s impossible.”He drank the rest of his coffee.“Is it all right for them to go to the bazaar?Okay.Somebody’s got to be mistaken.Yeah.Okay, I’ll tell them.I guess Lacy and Rory and everyone out at the ranch have been alerted.”He sighed deeply.“Good.Talk to you later.”
“What’s wrong now?”Frank refilled everyone’s coffee mugs.
“We’ve had two different people see Timothy—one near the coffee shop, and one near Hal’s ranch this morning, both at the same time.”
