He shrugged.“Okay, fine.But at least tell me what beef you have with me.”
She sucked in a deep breath and thanked the lord for the scent of incense and herbs that clung to her workspace and calmed the storm brewing inside her.Otherwise, saltiness would be the least of his worries.
“I just...I don’t like men, okay?”
His eyes widened and he leaned back an inch as if her words had physically blown him away.“Could have fucking fooled me.You seemed to like—”
She held her hands in the air.“Stop.”God, this was getting frustrating.“It’s not that I don’t like the male...anatomy.It’s that I actuallydon’t like men.Especially men in this teeny town who’ll brag about the ass they got over the weekend to all their buddies.So, while I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of our evening, we’ll end it there.Now can we please get back to my statement?”
A muscle at his temple pulsed, but he didn’t counter.The bewilderment left his expression, and he pulled a pen and notepad from his pocket.He asked several mundane questions, and it took all of her effort to answer them over the jumpiness of her heart.
Not only had someone smashed her front window, making a direct impact on her livelihood, they’d threatened her.On top of that, she had to rehash the whole bloody thing in front of Saturday night’s delicious mistake.
Aiden flipped his notepad closed.
“Are we done?”A little bit of hope flourished inside her.If he’d just leave, she could at least focus on cleaning up the glass, getting the window replaced, and doing everything in her power to rid Aiden Thorne from her mind.
“Yeah, except for one thing.”He jammed his thumbs in his belt buckle.“You stained my countertop.”
Mortification spread through her, and she covered her mouth with one hand.Oh lord.She opened and closed her mouth, an apology on her lips.
He held out a hand.“We’ll talk about it another time.Right now, you’ve got bigger things to deal with.”He nodded and took a step back.“Have a nice day, Dez.”
He strolled out of the shop, leaving her in a churning abyss.Tears stung her eyes, but she grabbed a broom and started on the glass.
She wouldn’t use another ounce of her energy thinking about Aiden today.
***
“That’s silly.Youknow I always carry bear spray,” Dez said, as she closed out the cash register with the phone pinched between her shoulder and ear.She was hours past closing, but because of the break-in chaos, everything had been pushed back.
She’d at least gotten someone out to quote her for a new window.She’d also filed the insurance claim and had the window covered with plastic.
Josie made a huffing sound.“That won’t help you if a brick gets hurled at your head.”
The reminder of how her morning had started sent a trickle of unease up her spine.The same trickle that had crept up on her a hundred times throughout the day.“I know.It all makes me sick.”
“I’m so sorry.I wonder if it was Ray.”Josie’s voice held an ominous tone.“I mean, he called you what?Last week?And then this happens.”
Dez really didn’t want to go down that road just yet.While it was entirely possible that her stepdad was pissed at her for refusing to see him—or pick him up from jail on his release day—throwing a brick through her shop window wasn’t really his style.
She locked up—not that a deadbolt would do much when only a sheet of plastic protected half her storefront—and flicked off the lights before making her way to the back room, where her purse sat on her desk.
“You really don’t think it’s him?”Josie asked, her voice not hiding her surprise.
Dez blew a breath through her nose.“I didn’t say that.But he’d be more likely to come and shove me into a corner and skulk around mad and drunk than vandalize my shop.He’s too impulsive to make threats.The note saidStay away, Witch, remember?”
“Hmm,” Josie mused.“Yeah, you’re right.I still think you should stay with Quin and me tonight.”
“I don’t even know for sure the note was for me.Louise sure seemed surprised about the incident, but Daphne had a bit of guilt in her voice,” she said, remembering the calls she’d made to her staff.Louise only worked part-time as she’d retired from her bank job just last year.“Makes me wonder if she ticked someone off and doesn’t want to tell me.”
“Well, if you change your mind just come by.Doesn’t matter the time, okay?The door’s unlocked and you know where the loft is.”
“Thanks,” Dez said, as she swung her purse onto her shoulder.
She hung up, dropped her phone into her bag, then dug out her bear spray.With her keys in hand, she slipped out the back door.Her day had been grueling and emotionally draining.Every customer who’d come into the store had asked what had happened to her window.
A diluted version of the story eventually rolled easily off her tongue, but every time she had to speak the words, it was like plunging her mind into a torture chamber.
