Carlson sweeps his laptop into his arms and gets up from his chair so fast it topples backwards. I catch it before it clatters to the floor, shaking my head at his panicked excitement.
“It was an honor to meet you, Ghost,” he mutters, then does some kind of half bow thing that makes the entire encounter weird.
Eleanor doesn’t seem surprised at all. “And you, C.”
He bites his lip and opens his mouth, but William cuts him off. “Tick tock, Carl. Otherwise, you can wait for Cheryl to finish.”
Carlson hurries out the door without a backwards glance. William shakes his head and follows him. The door closes,leaving the three of us in the silent bakery. Now the real test can begin.
Cheryl strolls over and slides a box in front of me, and I groan at the peach pie inside.
“So, you’re the woman who has stolen his heart?”
If we were alone, I think her response would include never wanting my heart in the first place, but that wouldn’t make Cheryl’s blunt observation any less true.
“He’s doing plenty of stealing himself,” Eleanor replies evenly. I can’t detect a lie. She’s probably thinking of the panty collection myself and Charlie have going.
“I see. Then you can spend a morning with me on Sunday while Hunter attends club business.”
Eleanor tries and fails to come up with an excuse for her demand quick enough. Sunday. Yes, I will need to disappear for a few hours, and given tonight’s revelations, I want to ensure Eleanor isn’t alone too long. I know she’ll convince herself staying for a week is a bad idea if she’s left alone that long.
“Excellent. Bright and early, please. Seven o’clock works. It will let us enjoy a slow morning first,” Cheryl says with a smirk as she heads out of the bakery.
“Doesn’t she need to lock up?” Eleanor asks as we follow onto the empty street.
I shake my head as I grasp her hand and start the journey back to my apartment. “You aren’t getting it—this town is safe. We leave our doors unlocked and don’t worry about our kids playing on the street.”
“You don’t leave your apartment unlocked,” she counters as we cross the road.
“No, but that’s my problem, not a reflection of the people I trust.”
She stares up at me like she’s trying to pick apart my brain and understand the meaning behind those words.Notyet, Eleanor; you aren’t the only one with demons.I kiss her knuckles, letting the warmth of her hand in mine fight the darkness trying to claw its way back in.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Eleanor
Finders keepers.
An invisible noose tightens around my neck with each hour that passes. Christopher, at minimum, knows I am with Hunter, and while they have every indication we aren’t hiding out in his hometown, it doesn’t mean they won’t come looking for a trail that leads to me. It’s what I would do, and my gut tells me Hunter has already thought of this. But he’s weighed the possibilities and decided remaining here is still our best bet. I stop short of the front entryway, my breaths quick and short. When didmychange toour? I feel like I missed a level and suddenly, I am facing a boss level relationship.
His hand squeezes mine as he enters the code on the gate for the yard surrounding his home. “I want you to turn on your tracker and give me access. Do I need an app on my phone?”
My lips twitch. “You already have it on your phone, and if needed, you can turn it on at any point.”
His stride falters, and he spins to face me. His fingers grasp my chin, tilting my head back to stare in my eyes. “Since when?”
“Since we arrived.” His eyes close briefly, a muscle in his jaw fluttering. “No need to get excited. We discussed it in the car with Honor and Fox, and I acted as promised.”
He lets out a slow breath, slowly opening his eyes. “You forgot a major point, Eleanor.”
No, I didn’t. “What would that be?”
“If I don’t know I have it, how could I, in the event of not being able to find you, know to turn it on?”
I blink, my mouth pursing. I did forget that. “Well, now you know.”
“Show me.”
