“Excuse my manners. I’m Duke.” He stood and held out a hand despite Lane’s hardened glare.
Her palm slid easily into his large one, and she gave a tiny shake before taking a step back. “Nice to meet you. I’m Celine. New in town?”
“Just visiting an old pal. Right, Lane?”
Lane grunted.
“I helped him at your place. Got you all fixed up. I don’t know much about those systems, but my buddy was hellbent on finding the best possible. Dragged me all over God’s green earth to get the perfect one. But I’ll let him give you all the details while I go wash my hands.”
Once Duke was out of earshot, Lane shook his head. “Sorry about him. He just showed up out of the blue this morning. He tagged along while I installed everything and got it all up.”
She shrugged her indifference even though a multitude of questions sat on the tip of her tongue. She’d often wondered about Lane’s life. What he did when he wasn’t riding bulls, who he spent time with.
If he thought of her as much as she thought about him.
But voicing any of those questions put her on dangerous ground. She still hadn’t figured out if she could trust him to have a relationship with Parker. He’d proven time and time again he couldn’t be trusted. That he’d promise the moon only to disappear without warning, leaving her in a world of pain.
She could handle the heartbreak—heck, she hadn’t had a choice but to nurse her wounds and move on. But she wouldn’t let him waltz into his son’s life only to abandon him once an attachment was formed.
“It was nice of him to help,” she said, forcing her mind back on the matter at hand. “Is there anything I need to know?”
He nodded. “Do you have a minute to go over things? There’s an app that needs downloaded on your phone.”
It all sounded like a headache. Technology wasn’t exactly her friend, but she wouldn’t admit that to Lane. “If you have instructions, I can figure it out myself. Thank you for installing it for me.”
The vein at his temple ticked, broadcasting his frustration.
But she couldn’t let that sway her. Buying some equipment and placing it in her home didn’t erase everything that had transpired between them. Didn’t erase all her fears and doubts about letting him play a role in Parker’s life.
She’d opened the door a crack, but she wasn’t ready to open it any further. Which meant continuing to stand on her own two feet.
“If I have issues, I’ll let you know and I’m sure you can walk me through it, but for now I need to take your food orders to the kitchen and get back to work.”
He dipped his chin, mouth pressed in a firm line. “Okay. I have the box with the instructions in my truck. I’ll make sure to grab them before we take off.”
She tucked her order pad into her apron and made a round to her other tables to see if anyone needed anything before heading for the kitchen. When she lifted her hand to slap the barrier open, an obnoxious beeping sounded from outside.
Customers murmured their annoyance behind her, a few people getting up and messing with their keys to make sure their vehicle wasn’t the offending party. The loud blare continued.
Duke strode down the hall where the restrooms were located and frowned. “Is there a back lot?” he asked, hiking a thumb over his shoulder. “Alarm sounds like it’s coming from back there, not out front.”
A shiver of apprehension shot up her spine. “That’s the employee lot.”
Concern rippled across Duke’s forehead.
She wasn’t sure how much Lane had confided in his friend, but it was enough for him to raise his hand high over his head.
“Lane, let’s check this out before we eat,” he said.
Standing, Lane stalked forward. He led the way back down the hall, she and Duke on his heels. The exit loomed ahead, the bright red lights of the sign above the door announcing somekind of impending doom. The alarm grew louder, her heart pounding faster with each step.
Lane shoved open the door, the bright sunlight pouring inside, and his mumbled curse twister her stomach into knots.
Halting in the doorway, her gaze landed on her little blue car. Lights flashing. Windshield smashed. And not a soul in sight.
7
Lane stood behind Celine, Duke beside him, both men flanking her while she spoke with Spencer about her vehicle.
