Phoebe returns to the table with a cup of coffee and another donut paired with a smile to show off her pearly whites. “Someone broke in through the back door last night. Looks like crowbar marks on the frame. Then they drilled a hole through the safe. Took our deposit.”
She’s too damn perky for this. At this point, I’m not sure which one of us needs a straitjacket more. Her for being… her, or me for being secretly happy to have another donut in front of me. I could eat these until I throw up.
“How much was taken?”
“Just over twelve thousand.”
Choking on the coffee, which is up there with some of the best I’ve ever tasted, I gape at her. “Is that for the week?”
“Oh, no, we do daily deposits.”
I’m shocked. Is she dealing whatever drugs she takes to be this damn perky this early in the morning? Does she put them in the donuts? Because fuck, I guess I’m getting high then. I’m never going to stop eating these.
“You make that in a day? And you don’t already have a security system?”
“No, that’s more than average. We had three weddings and an anniversary party yesterday.”
“Three weddings… How many people work here?”
“Just Sarah. Scotty’s girlfriend.”
Like I didn’t already know that. But she pulled off three wedding cakes and whatever the hell gets served at an anniversaryparty in a day with only her and one other person? Forget the drugs, I think I need to start looking around here for a charging port. There is no way this woman can be human. She has to be a machine.
“Why didn’t you drop it off last night? Does your bank not have nightly deposit boxes?”
Phoebe grimaces. “It gets kind of dicey at night, so we bring the money in the morning. Those who hang around looking to cause trouble tend to be asleep by then.”
Taking another drink, I nod. “Any idea who might have broken in? How they knew you keep the deposits until morning?”
“No, but I assume whoever took it needs it more than I do. It’ll be a little tight this month, but I’ll figure it out. You can always make more money, right?”
I just sit there and blink at her for a few moments. The person who stole twelve grand from her is someone who needs it more than her? And she can just make more money?
Yep, bitch be crazy.
“Okay, well, we have a few options for security to discuss…”
She may be a bona fide lunatic, but damn if the crazy woman can’t bake. And make one hell of a cup of coffee.
Chapter Two
Phoebe
Idon’t know what it is, but something about Tucker excites me. It’s a strange feeling because I’ve never really had these urges before, so I’m not entirely sure what to do with them. Or what they mean.
My hand touches the spot on my hip where my tattoo sits. The reminder of what I’ve been through in my life, but more than that, it’s a symbol of how strong I am. I’ve been through hell and made it out on the other side. Happier than I’ve ever been, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a conscious choice every single day.
“Hey, Phoebe,” Sarah says, running through the back door out of breath. “Thanks for giving me some time off. I really needed to reconnect with Scotty.”
I just smile at the brunette. She’s barely twenty-five, and she’s a great employee. Hardworking and dedicated. Until she started helping around the bakery, she didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life. It’s a really special feeling knowing I’ve helped her see her potential.
“No problem, Sarah. You’ve worked incredibly hard the past few weeks. I really appreciate it.”
The need to reconnect with Scotty doesn’t quite make sense to me, but I’ve seen them together. There’s real love between them. Something I don’t think I’ll ever have.
And I don’t know that I want it.
Love makes you weak. Vulnerable. As nice as it would be to have someone around to help me out with certain things—like bills after getting robbed—I never want to be in a situation where I could be destroyed.
