“But you said someone shot at you? I don’t understand.” Connie straightened, and a crease marred her normally smooth forehead. “You mean like with a gun?”
“Emerson was there. He kept me safe. Honestly, he was in much more danger than I was.” Sophie glanced over her shoulder and found him watching her instead of paying attention to her boss. Something in her chest relaxed a fraction, but she didn’t like herself very much for it.
“You’re Emerson?” The crease on Connie’s forehead deepened.
Sophie had to get out of there before the thing became permanent. It would be a horrible way to repay her boss for worrying about her.
“Southerland Security,” he said, offering her his hand. “Seaton Purveyors is one of our clients. I’m looking out for Sophie until we get things sorted.”
“Of course,” said Connie, nodding like everything suddenly made sense.
Sophie wished it made sense to her. Every time she thought about the attack, she had to fight the feeling that she’d been dropped into an alternate universe. In the world she normally lived in, gunmen didn’t go after twenty-three-year-old jewelers.Not ones who spent more time working with seed pearls than diamonds anyway.The thought gave her something to anchor onto, and she started toward the back of the shop.
“I suppose I can reschedule the trunk show with Seaton again. Of course, I can,” Connie said more to herself than to Emerson or Sophie.
“That won’t be necessary. Not unless Sophie wants to. We can provide security for her for the event.” He watched Sophie, waiting for her response.
She didn’t care much about the show. Color matching row after row of pearls into perfect pairs had never been her thing, but the show was important to her boss.
“I’m not afraid.” Not, strictly speaking the truth, but it was going to have to be close enough.
“Only if you’re sure.” Searching her face, Connie reached for her hand.
Apparently waiting for Sophie’s reaction was turning into a popular pastime. It was one she could definitely do without.
“Positive. I need to grab my tools and the bridal set I was working on. I’d like to finish them before the show if possible.” It was foolish to think that any of the women who showed up for Seaton’s pearls would be interested in her designs, but the trunk shows usually brought out a fair number of brides, so it wasn’t impossible.
“Sure. I packed everything up for you. The flowers are gorgeous. I can’t wait to see it finished.” Connie hurried around the counter and came back carrying canvas rolls holding her bench tools and a few velvet-lined boxes. She found a tote behind the counter and tucked everything carefully away. “You’ll call me if you need anything. Promise,” she said, handing Sophie the straps.
“I will.”
“Oh God. I don’t think I’m going to be able to stop worrying.” She reached across the counter to crush Sophie in another hug. “You’ll take care of her?”
“Absolutely. I’ll guard her with my life.” Emerson’s words had the ring of a pledge, as if he were a knight taking an oath and not a bodyguard who’d already risked everything for her.
It must have been enough for Connie. She relaxed her grip on Sophie and nodded. “I guess that will have to do.”
By the time they got back to the car, it was too late to stop for lunch without risking the groceries spoiling.
“I didn’t really think that through. I should have saved buying the frozen stuff until last.” Emerson pulled out onto the main road. “I guess we could fix something at my place. Or I could call for takeout.”
“Oh, what about a bucket of chicken? My treat.” She pointed to a fast food place up ahead. They had the best mac and cheese to go with the crispy chicken.
“Seriously?” Emerson spared a glance in her direction. “You want to eat greasy fried chicken?”
“Absolutely. We can go through the drive-through and eat it back at your place while I beat you at theArrangement. Unless you have to work.” She added the last as an afterthought. She hadn’t intended to tell him about the game, but he’d been such a snob about the food. She liked the idea of throwing him off balance.
“You can’t beat me at theArrangement.” He said it as if it were a fact as immutable as gravity. “But I’ll be happy to let you try. If it would make you feel better.”
The man acted like he was doing her some kind of favor.
“You’lllet me? Oh sweetheart.” She slid as much honey as she could into her voice. “You have no idea.”
