Page 39 of Let Me Protect You

I stifle a laugh. He’s as awkward as I remember. “It was okay. Victor was nice, and some of the other girls were amazing whenever I got nervous.”

“Victor was nice?” Vicki pipes up. “More like he’s the finest specimen I’ve ever seen.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Serenity makes a face. “If you met him, you’d change your mind.”

“I can tune him out.” Vicki cackles. “He’s only two decades younger than I am. Think I have a chance?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Sully’s cheeks turn crimson. “But the city might be a bit too much for you. I’ve only been there for two years, and I already want to come home.” He turns to me. “What about you? Are you moving back?”

Everyone else is smiling, waiting for me to answer. Then my eyes narrow in on the one person who isn’t. Elias sits there quietly with a frown tipping his lips downward. Maybe he’s still upset about his argument with Serenity. Or is it talk about me moving away again? But, why would it matter to him?

“As soon as I can, I’m going.”

Everyone starts chattering, but I don’t make out any of their words. It’s almost like I’m under water. I feel Elias’s dark gaze trained on me. Trying to resist the pull, I keep my eyes glued to Sully. He talks animatedly with Vicki. About what, I’m not sure. It’s taking everything in me to not look over at the man who plagues my mind all day and night.

I give in and peek at Elias. His fork pauses midway as he meets my gaze. I’m thrown back to four and a half years ago when Vicki invited my mom and Serenity over to dinner. All of the happy chatter, the delicious food, our families together … Something inside my chest pangs at the single thought of my mother.

I hope we figure this out soon because I need to get out of Granite Falls.

***

Serenity excused herself thirty minutes ago claiming it was Summer’s bedtime. I run my hands down my distressed jeans and exit Vicki’s bathroom. I’m so ready to head back to Elias’s house.

A man’s voice drifts down the short hallway, and I pause. “I can’t tell her yet.”

“What are you waiting for?” Vicki’s usual cheery voice is more serious than I’ve ever heard. “She needs to know.”

Sully sighs. “I’ll tell her when we’re both ready.”

“Her mother has been gone for three years now. It’s time.”

My heart jolts. Are they talking about my mother and me?

“I’m here and paying for her protection. Isn’t that enough for now?”

He’s … what? My breathing turns ragged, and I press my palm into my forehead. I should’ve questioned how I was assigned protection without a single payment. When he didn’t charge me, I thought I’d pay at the end. But why is he paying?

The sound of the front door opening makes Vicki and Sully go silent. Pasting the fakest of fake smiles onto my face, I head out to the living room and allow Elias to lead me to his car after saying our goodbyes.

“She needs to know.”

“I’ll tell her when we’re both ready.”

Neither of those statements makes any sense. What don’t I know? And what am I not ready for?

Chapter 20

Harmony

Drool practically leaks out of my mouth as I place a few of Barb’s baked goods in the display case. Yesterday, she prepared some sugar cookies, cinnamon rolls, and apple pie on top of our usual muffins and croissants. It takes all of my willpower to not gobble them up before we open for the day.

“If you eat them, you gotta pay.”

I jump at Elias’s voice and turn to face him. “Don’t I get at least one for being an employee?”

He shakes his head. “You get fifty percent off anything, though.”

I’ve got to admit that is a pretty sweet deal, no pun intended. Patting my belly, I say, “I’m going to gain so much weight here, but it will all be worth it. Barb is the best baker I’ve ever met.”