“Don’t you dare,” I grumbled.
Quinn’s eyes danced with mischief as he rubbed his sore side.
Chapter Eight
Kandra
“It’s just...” Benji let out an exasperated sigh. “I never imagined you working in a bar.” He said the word bar with enough disgust that I was insulted for Roy.
“The place is respectable.” I picked a table for two to make sure he had no choice but to sit opposite me. Something told me if he had the option to sit next to me and be close, he’d jump at the opportunity. “You go there, so what’s the problem?”
His shoulders drooped under his salmon-colored button-down. The tawny sports jacket he wore over it did nothing to mute the loud fashion choice. The disappointment in his features lent him an almost comical air, like an angry cartoon character.
I tried to push aside my rude thoughts as I stared at him. Planting both elbows on the table, he pressed his palms together, brought his hands up to his face, and rested his lips against them. “It’s the only place to grab a drink, but it’s still a bar.”
I sighed. “Okay, what are you concerned about, exactly? Roy walks me to my car at night.”
I went quiet as Dottie approached because the woman couldn’t keep quiet to save her life, and part of me was terrified that I’d give away my big secret somehow. If she found out now, the whole town would know yesterday. Dottie gossip wasn’t constrained to time and space rules.
She stopped at our table. “Kandra. It’s so good to see you again, sweetheart. I was just telling people you were back in town.”
I didn’t doubt that for a second. Everyone in town probably knew my address as well as the number of panties I had in my top drawer. “I’m happy to be back. It’s good to see you, Dottie.”
She beamed at me as her attention slid to Benji. Her smile pressed thin, then returned to full force as she lifted her pad. “What can I get you, kids?”
“Water.” Since I had to watch my caffeine intake and I’d already had coffee today, my choices were limited. I also wanted to keep this visit short and sweet and having a no-cost option allowed me to leave when it was convenient.
My stomach twisted, and I wasn’t sure if it was from morning sickness creeping into the afternoon, or nerves.
I wished I hadn’t come, but it would have been rude to say no to Benji’s invite. Benji wasn’t someone you wanted to upset. When he put pen to paper, he could be downright deadly.
Benji looked up at Dottie. “I’d like pancakes for lunch, and she’ll have some too.” He lifted his chin in my direction before glancing at me. “My treat.”
“You and half the restaurant. Must be a Monday thing,” Dottie said.
It was a nice gesture, but something about the whole situation, the look in his eyes, the way he said it, everything about the moment rubbed me wrong.
“No, thank you. I had a late breakfast, and I couldn’t possibly eat another bite.” I patted my belly like I was full, then mentally kicked myself for drawing attention to that area of my body. I wasn’t showing, not yet, but I didn’t want anyone to have any suspicion about my condition.
Benji’s eyes narrowed at me, but he smiled when he looked at Dottie. “Just one, I guess. Thanks, Dottie.” He handed her his menu, and the full weight of his attention shifted back to me. The intensity of his stare put me on edge. I sipped the water Dottie dropped off. Curbing the urge to chew the ice chips almost overwhelmed me. I inhaled a deep breath through my nose and continued. “But, back to the conversation before, I’m happy working at Roy’s.” I met his serious gaze and shifted uncomfortably. Why was he looking at me like he was trying to figure out every thought in my head? “And Roy is a great boss.”
“But it’s a bar.”
I tried my best to hold back my scoff. “Yeah, you’ve mentioned that. But I still don’t see why it’s a problem. This is the twenty-first century, and women can have jobs, even in bars.” My humor didn’t seem to move him, so I took another sip of water. The back of my neck prickled, and I ran a hand over the spot.
“You were a model. Isn’t working at a bar a steep fall for you?”
“I was working as a model, and now I am working at a bar. It isn’t down, it’s parallel. I’m still serving the public, but in a different way.” I focused on him instead of the prickling sensation and the rising anger that made my skin tingle.
“I have a proposition.” He cleared his throat.
He had a proposition? For me? With a sigh, I said, “Let’s hear it.”
“You should come work with me.” His gaze slipped away, then came back to meet mine.
Stunned, I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. I smiled, trying to think of something to say—anything. “At the Sentinel? I’m not a writer.” Why would he think I could do the job?
As if I hadn’t said a word, he leaned in and lowered his voice. “I have it on good authority that you take beautiful pictures, and you’re a career model—both of which are helpful to the paper.” He sat back with a pleased look on his face.
Something skittered up my spine like a snake climbing a tree. “Why are you so worried about me and where I work?” There was something weird going on here. Why was he suddenly so concerned about things he shouldn’t even care about?
“Because we’re friends, and I worry about you.” His eyes slid from me, and he thanked Dottie for the coffee as she filled his mug. He added half and half and a generous amount of sugar before stirring. The whole time, I stared at him, unsure what to make of the awkward situation.
“We were friends over a decade ago in high school—and only kind of.” I crossed my arms and sat back, determined to get to the bottom of his recent interest in my life. “We were more acquaintances, the kind who said hi to each other in the halls; that hardly counted as friends.”
He shifted in his seat and peered at something beyond me. “We also took swimming lessons together.”
“Benji,” I cleared my throat so the words would have a straight path out. “We didn’t even run in the same circles.” In truth, we weren’t that good of friends. I was kind to him because people didn’t seem to like him. I wasn’t going to be cruel to him or anyone else, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d taken my kindness to mean something more. “We didn’t even hang out.”
He let out a rude snort. “Well, how could we? You always had Noah around.”
He was right, Noah and I had been inseparable since we’d fallen for one another, but that wasn’t why he and I weren’t close. “Noah isn’t the reason we weren’t friends.” I said the words slowly, trying to justify my answer.
“Then, why?” Benji asked.
“Why weren’t you and I close?” The feeling that I needed to be very careful how I answered washed over me. I thought about guys like him—like Anthony—who I had to tiptoe around to make sure they didn’t make my life difficult. Suddenly, I didn’t want to spare his feelings anymore.
“If you mean close close, as in why we weren’t involved, then it’s because you’re not my type. You weren’t then, and you aren’t now. You seem like a nice guy, but there will never be anything between us. We don’t have chemistry.” Saying those words was the most freeing feeling I’d ever experienced. Had I ever told a man how I really felt, or had I always been polite to a fault out of fear that he would take it personally and get mad?
“It’s not like that,” he said quickly. “I’m just worried about your safety and well-being.”
The words didn’t ring true, and the feral look in his eyes made me doubt him even more.
“I appreciate that, but I’m safe, and I’m cautious. I’m not stupid or overconfident.” I wouldn’t risk anything when there was another life at stake other than mine.
“Here you go.” Dottie placed a massive plate of pancakes in front of Benji and gave him a blank smile before turning to me. “Do you need anything? Coffee? More water? Something stronger?”
“You don’t serve alcohol here,” I said with a
laugh.
She winked. “I’m sure I could find something if you need it. Just don’t tell my boss.”
I giggled because she owned the place, so she was the boss, but it was cute.
Obviously, Benji and I were putting out weird vibes, and she picked up on it. There was no doubt the whole town would know that we’d had an awkward lunch. “Thanks, Dottie, I’d love more water.”
She reached for my glass, and I pulled it back an inch. “Just water. I was teasing about the other.”
She nodded and left.
I focused on Benji, wondering what to do about him. I knew he wasn’t telling me the whole truth, but what could I do about it? His insistence that I join him for lunch was weird enough, but this was getting crazy.
While Benji cut into his stack of pancakes, I studied him.
He blinked, his fork going still for a moment. “What?”
I shook my head. “Just thinking.”
He stabbed the fork through the fluffy pancakes and drowned the bite in a puddle of syrup. “You’re staring.”
“You’re not telling me everything.” I took another sip of water. “I’m trying to figure out why you’re holding back.” Lowering the glass to the table, I ran my thumb under a drop of condensation racing down the side.
He sighed and set his fork on the plate with the bite uneaten. Pressing his napkin to his lips, he seemed to pause and consider his words for a moment, and then his attention locked on me again. “I always had a thing for you.”
I flinched. Being kind to Benji had sent the wrong signals. It meant more to him than to me.
“I didn’t know,” I said softly, giving my head a tiny shake.
He paused and glared. The angry look in his eyes told me he didn’t believe me, and I sat back in my seat. “Really, I didn’t know. You never told me, so how could you expect me to?”
“Come on.” He brought his fist down on the table so hard the plate in front of him rattled. “It was obvious.” I jolted in my seat and gaped at him in shock. “I’m sorry. It’s just crazy that you didn’t know. Impossible, even.”
“Are you saying I’m lying?” Offended, I pushed myself into the booth back and took another drink of my water. For some reason, my mouth felt like I’d been chewing insulation, all dry and itchy.
He shook his head. “No, no, I’m just surprised is all.”
I watched him settle back into his seat and pick up his forgotten bite of pancake.
“I’m just as shocked.” I offered a smile that I hoped didn’t wobble too much. This new development seemed like a lot to take in all at once. “Is that why you want me to work with you?”
He swallowed and pointed his fork at me. “I am worried about your safety.”
But…
“But it would be nice to work with you too.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Now that you’re back in town and single, I thought we could see if there’s still something between us.”
Still? Try never. “Like I said, Benji, I just don’t see us ever being more than friends.”
He reached out and touched my hand. “I know you just got out of a bad relationship, but when you’re ready, we can give us a go.”
Was he even listening? I let out a snort. “Actually, I don’t think we can, because I’m seeing someone.”
His attention snapped to me as if I slapped him. “What?”
“I’m not single. While this has been fun catching up and all, I think I should go.”
“Who?” He stood up as I did.
I lowered my head. “We’re not public yet,” I said, thinking on my feet.
Benji’s hand lashed out, and his fingers locked painfully around my wrist. “Who are you seeing?” His voice rose with each word.
My face burned with the heat of embarrassment. I refused to look around and see who witnessed this humiliating moment in my life.
“That’s none of your business, Benji,” I said.
His eyes widened like I had no right to keep things from him, and my heart shuddered.
Chapter Nine
Noah
She lied to me.
“Yo, you need to step in.” Quinn nudged me under the table before looking over his shoulder at Benji and Kandra.
With a forkful of pancakes en route to my mouth, I sat frozen, struggling to process what she said loud enough for the whole diner to hear. It was just my brothers and me, an older couple, Dottie, and the cook, Oswald. Not like it was a production for the whole town, but it was still very public, and Kandra didn’t like public scenes—she never had. So, this was likely driving her mad.
I could understand why Quinn thought I should step in, but I didn’t.
Her words sang inside my head, ringing so loudly I couldn’t hear my thoughts. I’m seeing someone. We’re not public yet.
But she told me …
She lied.
Pulling a deep breath through my nose, I winced as Quinn kicked me. “Are you going to do something?” He jerked his head toward where Kandra stood. Benji still clung to her wrist as if he could force her to stay against her will. She leaned away from him, staring at him in open-mouthed shock. Her expression screamed that she didn’t know what to do, and my blood boiled in my veins. Every muscle in my body tensed up as if I was seconds from a fight.
Did I have the right to step in on her behalf? I wasn’t her protector, or her savior, or her bodyguard. Sure, if she were in danger, I’d do something, but this was none of my damn business.
Would I cross a line if I interfered?
The bigger question was, would Benji be able to walk away if I got involved?
Her voice met my ears, but the words got lost in the slight buzz of the room. Dottie stood, shell-shocked near the kitchen, her eyes not missing a thing that happened. Behind her, Oswald offered her the phone, but she didn’t take it from him. She seemed lost in her world and as unsure as I was at that moment.
“She can handle herself,” Bayden said, shoving a bite of pancake into his mouth. His whole body faced forward with his shoulders hunched over his plate as if he thought someone might steal his food—a legitimate concern at this table. I’d already almost put a butter knife through Quinn’s hand for trying to take one of my pancakes. The entitled brat thought he could help himself, and I wouldn’t stand for it. If he’d asked nicely, it would have been a different story.
Ethan gave me a bitter glare. “Well, if you won’t do something to help her, I will.” He shoved his plate aside and pushed his chair back to stand up.
Anger burst in my gut, and my fork clattered onto my plate.
Ethan glanced at me as I grabbed my napkin, wiped my mouth, and prepared myself for what was about to happen.
I stood and put a hand on Ethan’s chest. With a firm push, I shoved him back into his chair. He glowered at me like I was the enemy, but I could deal with him later. He wasn’t stepping in to be Kandra’s hero.
She wasn’t mine, but she sure as hell wasn’t his either.
Quinn put a hand out to stop Ethan, but my brother sat on the edge of his seat, obviously ready to leap up and step in if I screwed things up.
I approached Benji and Kandra with assured, angry steps. My work boots thudded satisfyingly on the tile floor as I moved forward. I rolled my head to loosen up my neck in case Benji got cocky and decided to try and throw a punch. I could not imagine the guy in the pink shirt hitting anything but the pile of pancakes on his plate.
Benji noticed me and let Kandra’s wrist go as if she’d burned him.
She glanced over her shoulder at me, and relief flooded her expression. I promised myself I wouldn’t be her hero, but I’d be her backup.
“Everything okay here?” I asked, stopping at her side and clasping my hands behind my back. Rocking up on the balls of my feet, I stared at Benji and silently dared him to give me a reason to knock his ass flat on the floor.
“I think so.” Kandra rubbed her wrist as if the skin stung.
My knuckles itched. I wanted to hit Benji more tha
n I’d wanted anything in a long time.
“Yeah, everything is fine. I was getting my breakfast to go and getting out of here.” Benji let out a nervous laugh and glanced at his watch. “I’ve got work to do.”
I gritted my teeth and glanced at Kandra while shifting back on my heels. She said it was fine, so I wasn’t going to push. As much as I wanted to punch Benji, I didn’t want to make her life more difficult or step over any boundaries. I hated all the complications between us. I despised this tiptoeing dishonesty that she kept up like a shield.
“If everything is fine, then,” I turned as if to go back to my table. Ethan’s eyes narrowed on me, and I knew he didn’t agree with how I’d handled things. Quinn nodded slightly, a rolled-up pancake—one of mine, no doubt—dangling from his mouth.
Kandra’s hand touched my arm. “Noah, can we talk?” Something in her voice stopped me.
“Sure.” What the hell she wanted to talk about was a mystery. We had nothing more to say. Maybe it was her attempt to keep Benji at bay.
She stepped forward, and I stuck to her side. We headed for the front door, and I looked down at her. “What did you want to talk about?”
She told me with a slight shake of her head that it would have to wait until we were somewhere more private, or at least out of earshot of someone in the diner. It could be any one of them since Dottie was the town gossip, and Benji was giving her a hard time.
“Thank you,” she whispered as I opened the door for her. A breeze washed over us, bringing the scent of fresh-cut grass and sun-warmed pine with it.
“For holding the door for you? You know my mother raised me right.”
She smiled up at me, and my stomach tightened. “No, for stepping in back there. I know things are weird between us, but I appreciate the backup.” She stopped and tucked both hands into her back pockets. With her fresh face and casual jeans and T-shirt look, she could have been seventeen again.
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