28
By four in the afternoon,the bakery repairs were nearly complete. Cara restocked the espresso station, forcing herself to focus on the simple, physical rhythm of the work instead of the fact that she’d woken up this morning to the sound of Gabe Sawyer showering in her bathroom.
She’d spent the night under the same roof as an FBI agent—one she was starting to have complicated feelings for. Not exactly the way she’d planned for any of this to go.
Something had shifted when he’d insisted on staying. The protective instinct should have felt patronizing. Instead, it had felt like safety. Like someone actually cared whether she lived or died. That was dangerous territory for a woman who couldn’t afford to get close to anyone—especially not a federal agent who was getting far too good at reading the skills she worked so hard to hide.
She’d emerged from her bedroom to find him disturbingly attractive after a shower and shave, wearing jeans and a henley that showed exactly how well he kept in shape. She’d handed him coffee without speaking because words suddenly felt too intimate.
Cara shoved a sheet pan into its slot harder than necessary and dragged herself back to the present.
The team had gathered again without being asked. Tom and Piper cleaned up tools while Wade made final adjustments to her new security system. Reagan organized serving trays in the repaired glass cabinet with her usual flair. The only one missing was Piper.
“She’s not happy with me right now,” Tom had admitted. “But she’s already missed too much school. I had to promise we wouldn’t get too… ‘action hero’ without her.” He made air quotes around the last few words.
Wade laughed. “Girl’s gonna be a handful, Nakamura.”
“Going to be?” Tom shook his head, looking dazed. “She’s been kicking my butt since the day she was born.”
Gabe lifted a hand, his voice carrying across the bakery. “I made a command decision about tonight. I’m going alone.”
Reagan popped her head out of the pastry case. “Speaking of action heroes….”
Cara’s hands tightened around the espresso cup. “Absolutely not.” The words came out before she could stop them—sharp, certain. She set the cup down and crossed her arms. “I’m coming with you.”
“No, you’re not.” His jaw set as his gaze swept the room. “None of you are.”
“Gabe—”
“I’m not debating this.”
Anger flared in her chest, hot and sudden. It made no sense, but she felt abandoned. “You don’t get to shut me out after everything we’ve been through. You don’t get to sideline me now.”
“Last night at the warehouse was too close,” he said, firm but not unkind. “Checking out this tavern will be even worse. It’s a no-go.”
“He’s got a point,” Wade added. “The Rusty Anchor’s gota reputation. The clientele won’t welcome law enforcement, and management will hate it.”
Gabe looked directly at her. “And you’d have to use every skill you’re trying to hide. Every bit of training you can’t explain if things go sideways. One wrong move and you’re exposed—not just to me, but to whoever’s running this operation and everyone they’re connected to.”
The truth landed like a punch.
If she went with him, she wouldn’t be Cara Sweet.
She’d be Carly Reid.
“But you need backup,” she said, hating the wobble in her voice. “Walking into a bar alone to provoke criminals is insane.”
“I won’t be alone.” He gestured to Tom. “Remote monitoring. GPS tracking. State Police on standby.” His eyes flicked to Wade. “And someone watching you.”
“Copy that,” Wade muttered.
Understanding passed between the two men, silent and complete.
“You stay here,” Gabe said, his voice softening enough to tighten her throat. “With Wade. You don’t leave this building. You don’t follow me.”
“This is ridiculous.” Her voice shook despite her effort to steady it. “I can help you. I’ve proven that.”
“You absolutely have.” Gratitude flickered across his face. “But this part is my job. Walking into hostile territory and gathering intelligence is what my training prepared me for. I’ve done this dozens of times in places that make a rough tavern look tame.”
