Page 40 of Let Me Protect You

“You’ll look gorgeous either way.” His cheeks turn a deep red, but he doesn’t look away. “I mean, it’s just a fact, not a compliment or anything.”

I press my lips together, trying to hold back a laugh. “Of course not. It might make things awkward if you think I’m attractive.”

“Good thing I find you completely repulsive then.”

The bell over the door dings. Who is here when we’re still closed? Instincts kick in, and I duck down.

“Is that my ex-BFF hiding from me?”

Wait. Is that Abigail’s voice? Last time I saw her … Ugh, I still can’t think about my mother. Once I can go in public without worrying about my safety, I think it will be time to start therapy to deal with the lingering grief.

Popping back up again, I find my best friend since kindergarten standing in the middle of Cutesy’s. Her long, platinum blond hair is pulled back into a ponytail. She has her hands on her hips, and she clicks her tongue.

“I-I’m sorry—” My words are cut off when she closes the space between us and pulls me in for a long overdue hug. A piece of my heart snaps back into place as she squeezes me.

“Don’t be sorry. It definitely hurt, but after everything with your mom, I understand.”

A tear streaks down my cheek, and I choke back a sob. After my mom passed, I ignored all of Abigail’s texts. Anything that had to do with Granite Falls was too much for me to handle. “Thank you, Abby.”

“No need to thank me, girl. I know how you feel, as you know.” She pulls back and swipes away my tears. And she’s right, I do know. Her mother walked out on her and her father when she was young. “We definitely need to hang out and catch up, though.”

“I wholeheartedly agree. But what are you doing here?” I glance at my watch. “We’re not open for another five minutes.”

She laughs. The sound is like medicine. “I work here! I’ve been on vacation. So the better question is why are you here?”

“I work here, too.”

We both turn to Elias, and he raises his hands in front of him. “This isn’t my battle.”

“But you didn’t tell either of us that the other works here?” Abigail chases him down as he ducks into the break room, and she disappears out of sight along with him. “Get back here, you chicken!”

“This is between the two of you. I didn’t want to get in the middle—” His voice cuts off when something crashes. It sounds suspiciously like a box.

Elias bolts back into the cafe. Abby trails after him while holding a makeshift weapon that looks like an apron wrapped around her fist. I shake my head and place the last croissant into the display case. Abigail follows Elias around the tables, weaving in and out of them. He changes tactics and runs to the counter and hides behind me. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen her chase him down inside this shop. And I have a feeling it won’t be the last.

Elias wraps his fingers around my arms as he pokes his head out. “Tell her to stop.”

His body heat seeps through my shirt and envelops me. It takes everything in me to not sink back into him. I crane my neck to look up at him. “I thought you were a big, bad bodyguard now.”

My voice comes out a little breathless, and Abigail’s mouth forms an O. She fans herself with a dramatic flair, and I resist the urge to smack her.

If Elias notices, he doesn’t show it. “Yes, but no one can handle the wrath of Abby.”

“Then you shouldn’t have pissed me off.”

She raises her hand as if to punch Elias when the entry bell rings. With her fist raised in front of my face and my ex-boyfriend behind me, I find John standing by the door, taking us all in.

Talk about timing for Elias’s backup to waltz in.

“What’s going on here? You three don’t have me to interfere, so you’re still acting like teenagers?”

Abigail flicks her blond hair behind her shoulder. “As if you’re the mature one.”

“You’re the one with your hand raised like you’re going to punch your boss.”

That new information filters through my brain, and I turn to face Elias. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re the manager?”

Abigail opens her mouth to say something, but Elias holds a hand up and says, “We all kind of run Cutesy’s together, so I didn’t feel it was imperative.”