The door chimed, and Dez looked up as McKenna walked in.Her auburn hair was loose around her shoulders, the color accentuated by the dark-blue flower-patterned maxi dress she wore.
“Hey, you.”McKenna strode forward and pulled Dez into a hug.“I heard what happened.”She pulled away and her gaze swung to the window.“What kind of person would do such a thing?”she hissed.
Dez pulled some books from the box.“It’s not just the window.I didn’t get to tell you about the things that happened last night.”There were no customers in the store, so she quickly filled in her friend.
McKenna shook her head in disbelief.“This is terrifying.You have to stay with Jaxon and me until the person is found.”
A woman walked in, and Dez watched as the tall, leggy blonde skirted her way around the store, giving her a moment to browse.She picked up one of their local body butters and smelled it.
Bringing her attention back to McKenna, she lowered her voice.“Thank you, but I have somewhere to stay.”She flicked her gaze away while putting another book on the table.
McKenna gasped, either reading her mind or the blush on her cheeks.“Desiree.Are you seeing someone?”
She snorted, more lightly than she normally would have due to the shopper ten feet away.“Not quite.But yes, he’s male.I really appreciate your offer, but even if I didn’t have someone to stay with, I wouldn’t put you in danger.”
McKenna rolled her eyes.“That’s silly.Jaxon can handle things.But if I were you, I’d rather stay with the dude too.Are you going to tell me about him?”She propped her hand on her hip.
Dez chuckled.“Maybe.Right now, I have to help a customer.”
She turned away from the books and approached the blonde woman still browsing the body butters, soaps, and lotions.“Hi, I’m Desiree.Is there anything I can help you find today?”
The woman wrinkled her nose.“I was looking for some perfume that’s locally made.Do you have anything?”
“We have some essential oil rollerballs, and a few other things you might like.”She showed her where the products were.“Let me know if you have any questions.”
Returning to McKenna, who had picked up her job of setting out the books, she smiled.“Okay, long story short: Cop.Super hot.Saved my butt.And camped out at my house last night.”
McKenna’s eyes bulged.“Have I been living under a rock?”Realization dawned in her eyes.“Ohmigod.It’s Aiden!I can’t believe I didn’t piece that together.”She smacked her hand to the side of her head.“Wait, I thought you said Saturday was a mistake and you told him you didn’t want to get involved?”
“I did...”
“But?”McKenna countered.
Dez tucked her hair behind her ear, her brain unable to form a viable explanation.
McKenna sighed.“You don’t need to tell me anything else.Just be careful, okay?I mean, I know Aiden well enough.He’s a good guy so if you like him, I’m happy for you.”
“I don’t know how I feel about him, to be honest,” she said, keeping her voice at a whisper.“We slept together way too soon.”Casting a glance over her shoulder, she located Louise unboxing some oracle cards and the blonde woman making her way back toward the front of the store.“I don’t know if anything will come out of this, but for right now I’m not going to turn away his help.”
McKenna lifted a hand.“Okay.Well, I’m going to head out.If you change your mind, you know you have somewhere else to stay.”
Dez warmed.“Thanks.”
McKenna turned and almost bumped into the blonde.“Oh, hi, Meredith.How are you?”The two women walked outside chatting, the blonde towering several inches over McKenna’s frame.
Shoot, she’d missed out on a sale.She finished putting away the books and then glanced at her phone.It was past lunchtime and she still hadn’t taken a break.She made her way over to Louise.“I’m going to Rosie’s Café.Want anything?”
“A latte would be great,” Louise said, beaming.
McKenna hooked her purse over her shoulder and exited the front door.And at the same moment, a man stepped out from the alleyway and strode quickly toward her.
She leaped back and caught the streetlamp pole before she stumbled onto the road.A scream caught in her throat.Her brain took in his ancient black leather jacket, black jeans, and close-cropped red hair.Panic made her heart sputter.
Ray.
***
Aiden scrolled throughthe information on Raymond Lester.One charge of assault and battery thirteen years ago.Three charges for driving while impaired and another for disorderly conduct in the last six years.The fact that this human being had been near Dez made his skin crawl.
