“Crap,” Thalia said. “Are we out of ice?”
***
“I’LL STAY.”LAURENsqueezed Jane’s hand. Despite the sweltering heat inside the bakery, Jane’s fingers felt cold. “At least until Thalia gets back with the ice.”
Jane’s fingers tightened once, convulsively, before she pulled away. “I’ll be fine. You’ve done enough already. I probably have to close for the rest of the day anyway.”
Lauren pushed back her hair with her wrist. “What about tomorrow?”
Jane sighed. “I don’t know. The temperature will drop enough overnight that I can get some baking done, but there’s no way I can decorate cakes in this heat. And it’s going to be miserable in the shop.”
It was miserable now.
“I’ll be here,” Lauren said staunchly.
“It will be a light day.” Jane pressed her trembling lips together. “If we open at all.”
“I can still help out,” Lauren said. Although she didn’t want to take Jane’s money if there weren’t going to be any customers. “Or just, you know, hang out. If you want company.”If you need support.
Jane met her gaze, gray eyes soft and grateful. “Thanks.”
They weren’t friends. But they could be. It had been a long time since Lauren had connected with anyone outside the bubble created by the bank standoff. With someone who needed something from her besides a sound bite or a book.
“No problem,” Lauren said warmly. And it wasn’t. Shewantedto help. Whether that help would be welcome or not.
“Jane.” She hesitated, trying to figure out her approach. They weren’t therapist and client. And questioning your boss about her potentially vengeful ex was definitely not in the employee handbook. “Do you have any idea who could have done this?”
Jane’s gaze dropped to the counter. She moved a glass a quarter of an inch to one side. “No.”
She was lying. But confronting her directly would only make her more defensive.
“I’m not judging. I want to help,” Lauren said honestly. Sometimes sharing the truth, even a small, personal truth, created trust between strangers. It had worked before with Ben.Ben, who was in prison now, so maybe that hadn’t worked out so well for him.
Not a positive thought. Think positive.
Jane’s lips parted, as if she might actually speak. And then her gaze caught on Jack, entering silently from the kitchen, and her lashes swept down again.
“Thanks,” she said. “But I’m fine.”
The breakthrough moment—if that’s what it was—slipped away. Lauren bit her lip in frustration.
Jack prowled closer, his black eyes alert. “Everything okay here?”
Jane raised her chin. “Yes. I was just telling Lauren she should go home.”
His gaze switched to Lauren. “You need a lift?”
She tilted her head. “That depends. Do I have to sit in the back of the patrol car?”
Black laughter leaped in his eyes like flames, sending flickers of warmth through her. “It’s my day off. You promise to be a good girl, you can sit up front. I might even let you play with the siren.”
Her heart thumped. She wanted to play. The flickers kindled and spread, heating her from the inside out.
But it didn’t feel right, lusting over the chief of police when Jane had just been vandalized. “I don’t want to take you away from your crime scene.”
“I’m done here. I need to get back to the office and type up my report.” He looked at Jane. “Grady has the case number. He’ll be able to file the claim today.”
“Thank you.”
