Given that we weren’t cops, we really had no legality to stay once we were told to leave, so Vince and I made our way to the door.
He opened the door, and Vince walked out first, but for some reason, I turned before exiting to face him.
“I’m glad you’ve moved on,” I told him, my voice low and clear with a veiled threat. “But if you get the urge to try again…don’t.She’s seeing someone, and he will not take kindly to you making her uncomfortable. I suggest you find a new bakery, or he will be back to makeyoufeel uncomfortable instead.”
With that, I turned and walked out the door and made my way down to our car. Despite Vince having left first, he was now behind me as my gait was powered by a small bit of rage that propelled me faster.
Once we got into the car, I glanced over at Vince, who was grinning.
“Why does your face look like that? That guy was an asshole.”
“I’m smiling because that man damn near peed his pants when you threatened him just now,” Vince said, still grinning. “Plus, I didn’t know Stella had a man.”
“I just made that part up to deter him,” I informed him, dismissing it as nothing.
“Did you?” Vince asked. This time, his face had more of a quizzical look to it. “Back before Cat and I started dating, some creep came to visit her while I was there. I pretended to be her boyfriend to get him to back off—at least that’s what I told myself. But if I’m honest, it was because I secretlywantedto be her man. You got a thing for Stella, Axel?”
“I find her attractive, yes,” I answered.
He chuckled and shook his head before he spoke. “I’ll let you off the hook for now, but if you’re interested in her, maybe you should tell her.”
“You heard Doucet. She has a lot on her plate right now, and unlike him, I’m not the type to push her.”
“Admittedly, I don’t know Stella very well at all, but I have a feeling she used those excuses because she didn’t want to datehim, not because she doesn’t want to date in general…but I could be wrong,” Vince said.
Maybe when I filled her in on our visit with Doucet today, I would casually bring up the subject. She had definitely blushed when I’d made the casual comment about her thinking I was hot. And I’d caught her gawking at me a few times when she thought I wasn’t looking.
She had come to the Watering Hole to visit me several times over the last week.I knew it was initially because we wouldn’t let her pay us for looking into Doucet, but it was quickly becoming more than that. I enjoyed spending time with her and learning more about her. Plus, she was gorgeous, so the view I had every time she “tutored” me was not a bad thing.
“You think my threat worked?” I asked, hoping this visit was a one and done. “He was very defensive toward the end.”
“Yes, but honestly, I think he was just playing tough guy and trying to save his pride. I don’t think he’s got it in him to retaliate.”
I wasn’t so sure, but I hoped Vince was right.
Me: Hey Stella, I’ve got an update for you on Braden. It’s nothing bad, but I’d rather not tell you in a text. I had planned to stop by Scandinavian Sweets before my shift at the Watering Hole tonight, but I got held up with work. Do you have a few minutes for a phone call? If not, I will stop by tomorrow.
Stella: Hey Axel! This is Luna texting on Stella’s phone because she is driving. We’re about to drop off a big catering order. Can she call you back in about 45 minutes?
Axel: Sure. My shift at the bar starts in an hour, so if she can’t call before then, I will come by the bakery tomorrow morning.
Stella: She said if we can’t call before your shift she will just swing by the bar tonight so you can tell her in person.
Axel: That works too.
Stella never called,and I didn’t want to start my shift late, so I put my cell phone in my locker in the break room and made my way out to the bar. Tammy was already there but was only on shift for about another two hours, and then Corey would take her place.
I had met Corey during my training, and he seemed great. His full-time job was working at a gym a few streets down as a personal trainer and fitness class instructor, but he was like me and picked up a few shifts at the bar here and there.
“Axel!” I heard Ruthie’s voice as I pushed the buttons on the computer to clock in for my shift.
I glanced over to see Ruthie and Cat sitting in the middle of the bar, both with wide smiles on their faces.
“We wanted to come support you on one of your shifts,” Cat said to me.
“But also, we love Tammy, so that’s why I’m sitting on her side of the bar and Cat is on your side,” Ruthie said, pointing to their seat choices.
We chatted for a bit while I tended to a few other customers and helped Tammy restock clean glasses for behind the bar.
