by Eileen Green
They walked back to the table where the mom was looking at her phone. She set the device down and sighed as Augusta and the kids stepped up to the table.
“Bad news?” Augusta asked.
The two businessmen were walking out of the store while the four ladies remained. They came every day and stayed for a couple of hours. Gossip was spread, and families were discussed by the four women occupants. Augusta didn’t know much about these women, but she was sure some of them were widows, so they didn’t have much to do except sit around and keep company with each other.
“Their father was supposed to take them today while I looked for a job, but he says he can’t because of the storm.” The woman sounded bitter as she spoke.
Not wanting to butt too much into the woman’s life, Augusta decided to take the conversation away from home life. “What kind of work do you do?” she asked as she pulled a chair over from the nearby table and sat down.
“I don’t have a lot of experience. I got married right out of high school, and Jordan came within a year. Jessica came along the next year. When Seth and I got divorced six months ago, I didn’t really know what to do. I’ve been living off what little savings I had and then the child support. Now, times are getting really difficult because the money is running out.”
Turning to look around the shop, and then out the window, Augusta made up her mind. “What’s your name?”
“Penny,” the woman answered, her brows knitting together in confusion.
“Well, Penny, I’m Augusta. I need someone to work the weekday morning and afternoon shifts. I’m the one that comes in around four a.m. to begin baking all this stuff, and then I usually stay until late afternoon, or even closing. Recently, events in my life have changed, and I am looking to cut my hours. Would you like to come work for me?”
The woman gasped. “But I don’t have experience.”
“It’s not hard. We’ll teach you how to run the register. The baked goods will all be made before I leave, and Margo can teach you how to make the coffee drinks. How does that sound?”
The door opened, the small bells announcing the new visitors. She had already seen them when they had parked their SUV across the street. Both men looked around, slightly frantically, until they spotted her.
Augusta smiled up at them before turning her attention back to Penny.
“I guess I can give it a try. I’ll have to put the kids in day care.” The woman was thoughtful. “But I’m afraid that will take up a lot of money.”
“So, neither one of them are in school?”
“Jordan starts kindergarten in the fall, but Jessica is too young.” Worry weighed in Penny’s voice.
After thinking a moment, Augusta had a thought. “I have an idea about that but come in tomorrow morning at nine. I’m pretty sure we can keep the kids busy while you work until I can get things arranged for you.”
“Are you certain?” Penny asked in disbelief.
“You need experience, and I need another employee. It’s a win-win for both of us.”
Tears sprang to Penny’s eyes as she jumped up from her chair and gathered Augusta in an embrace. “Thank you, so much,” Penny whispered. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure. I’m glad I could help you out.”
Penny unwrapped herself from her new employer and smiled at her kids. “Looks like Mommy’s got a job, guys. Let’s go home before the storm gets any worse.”
Both kids clapped their hands happily at the announcement of a job. Augusta had to wonder how bad things were for these three.
Penny and the kids headed for the door where Trent and Hunter were standing. Trent opened the door for them. Jessica looked up at him, smiled, and said, “Thank you, policeman.”
Both men laughed as Penny thanked them also. Trent closed the door behind them.
“Good morning, darlin’,” Hunter said as he came over to Augusta.
She glanced quickly at the quad gossipers and saw that they were gathering up their purses and coats. Apparently, they were going to head out earlier than usual.
“Morning,” she said as she moved out of the ladies’ way. Addressing the women, she said, “Get home safely, ladies. Be careful out there.”
Mrs. Kingsly stopped and looked at Augusta. “The bridge out to Anna’s house is nearly underwater. She wants to get home before that happens.”
Augusta looked at Trent, worry filling her at Mrs. Kingsly’s words. He looked worried also. He stepped in front of the ladies, blocking the door. “Then perhaps Miss Anna should stay here in town,” he suggested.
Anna Parsons looked up at Trent, a good half a foot difference between the two. “My husband is not well, and I need to get home for him. This is the only time I can get out each day so that I can have a bit of personal time.”
“Then let us follow you home, just to make sure you get there all right. The weather is nasty, and there are already reports of flash flooding,” Hunter declared. Augusta knew they wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Mrs. Parsons stood for a moment as if deciding to take them up on the offer or not, before she finally gave in. “All right. As long as I’m not taking you away from more important business.” She turned at her words and looked at Augusta, a small smile appearing.
Heat suffused Augusta’s cheeks for she was certain the woman, if not women, knew that both men were interested in her.
“Take the lady home, you guys. Make sure she’s safe. And, you need to stay safe also,” Augusta said with a smile.
Hunter walked up the Augusta and looked down at her. “We will be back.”
He leaned down and laid a kiss to her lips. “You stay here until we come back. I don’t want you out on the streets in this weather.”
Nodding, she agreed, “I’ll stay.” Then, she called out to Mrs. Parsons. “Wait. Let me get a box for you to take home for Mr. Parsons.”
Hurriedly, Augusta went around and gathered a variety of items for the older woman and her husband. She sent some of her sandwiches, items that could be eaten cold. Mrs. Parsons lived out in the country, and if the bridge was going out, then most likely her electricity might also.
She gave the box to the woman. “Here you go. Please give my regards to your husband.”
“Thank you, dear. We appreciate this.”
Trent took the woman’s umbrella, and as he stepped out the door, he raised it. Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Kingsly ducked under the item with Trent while Hunter held the umbrella over the other two women. Both men walked the women out to their cars and waited for them to drive off. They followed Mrs. Parsons.
Unsure of how long the electricity would be out, Augusta began to put away the food in the fridges in the back. She took the items that wouldn’t stand up to be sold the next day and put them in a box. The homeless shelter would receive a donation that would go over well with the recipients.
The back room got a good cleaning as she waited for Trent and Hunter to return. When that was done, she went into her little office and pulled out an empty file and an application just for the sake of having Penny’s important information. She should have given Penny the application before she left, but seeing her two men come in befuddled her a bit.
After Hunter asked about her father last night and she had to admit who the man was. He had been a golfing legend, working the circuit. He traveled all over the country every year, leaving her and her mother behind. Sometimes her mother would go meet up with him, giving them some time together, at least until she got sick.
He had invested his small fortune in the stock market, which was how Augusta ended up with a fortune of her own. It was what Josh was after.
The front door opened, and then heavy booted footsteps walked through the café part of the shop. When whoever it was didn’t announce themselves, Augusta got scared. She was certain that Hunter and Trent would have announced themselves, and after the incident with the police from yesterday, she wasn’t sure who she could trust.
Before she could close the door t
o the office, she heard whoever it was reach the door between the front and back of the shop.
“Darlin’? Are you still here?” Hunter called out.
She rose to her feet and started out toward him. “Dammit, Hunter! You scared the shit out of me!”
“I’m so sorry,” he said as he reached for her. “I didn’t mean to.”
Gliding into his arms, she felt safe against chest. Behind her, warmth pressed against her backside. Trent had come up to sandwich her between them, letting her feel treasured.
“Are you ready to go home, precious?” Trent asked as he laid kisses in her hair. “We have some things to talk about.”
Well, that doesn’t sound good.
The power was out at Augusta’s house also. She went into the kitchen and placed a pink box in the fridge. Thankfully her stove was gas, so she could warm up food on the stove and in the oven.
While she was standing at the fridge, she called out, “Do either of you want some juice, or water, or a soda?”
Both men called out for water, so she grabbed three bottles. She didn’t want to keep opening the fridge and letting out the cold air too much before the electricity came back on.
Carrying them out to the living room, she found Trent building a fire in the fireplace. Hunter was missing, but then she heard something from her bedroom.
“What’s Hunter doing?” she asked as she moved over to the couch and sat.
“He made a fire in the fireplace in there,” Hunter replied as he exited the master bedroom.
“Thank you,” she said with the knowledge of where they were going to end up. “Don’t you guys have to go to work?”
Trent stood. He looked at Hunter who in turn was looking at him.
It was scaring her the way they looked at each other. “What’s wrong?” she asked quietly.
The men walked over to her, taking a seat on the coffee table before her. They each took one of her hands.
“Precious,” Trent began. “Yesterday afternoon, two Kalispell police officers were knocked unconscious and their car stolen. The officers we saw yesterday were imposters. Their fingerprints were lifted from the vehicle and are being run as we speak, though personally, I don’t think they’ll come up in any database.”
Cold fear swept through her even though she could begin to feel some heat from the fire reach her. “They’re coming after me, aren’t they?”
Solemn looks were on both faces before her. They didn’t need to speak.
“What’s going to happen?” she asked, wrapping her arms around her waist. What had that prick brought to her beloved town?
“We’re working, Augusta, but we’ve been assigned to protect you,” Hunter explained. His expression was pained as was Trent’s. “We’re going to stay here until nightfall.”
“Then, we’re going to move you out to one of the ranches in the area. They have better protection against people sneaking up on the houses,” Trent added.
Both men opened their water and drank nearly half the bottles. When Trent had swallowed, he continued. “Do you happen to know how much money your ex owes?”
“No,” she answered, not knowing where this was going.
“He owes close to a million dollars.” The answer was quite matter-of-fact.
Shock rocked her senses. At nearly the same time, a clap of thunder sounded. She jumped in her seat.
* * * *
The shocked look on her face saddened him greatly. This was not supposed to happen at the beginning of a relationship. They were supposed to be happy.
Moving to sit next to her, Trent wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “We are going to do everything we possibly can to keep you safe.”
“I can’t believe he owes that much,” she said, bewilderment in her voice. “How could they let him borrow so much money? Wouldn’t they have cut him off after he was already in debt to them?”
“Unfortunately, when someone tells them they can get more money, if they just trusted them, they’ll do that a couple of times. The more money a person borrows, the more interest these loan sharks get in return. If he’s into them for nearly a million, then that means he borrowed nearly half a mil.” Trent hated to be the bearer of bad news, but he was the one who had the most experience outside the Feds in the area of how some operations worked in the mob.
“Why are they coming after me?” she asked, her voice getting smaller with each question.
She was being stronger than he thought she would be. Most women in her predicament would have been a bundle of tears, though he knew it was coming at some point.
“Most likely your ex told them that you had money to pay them,” Hunter pointed out.
“Then why don’t they just come to me for the money? Why are they hurting police officers? Why are they playing games?” She was on the verge of tears.
“Josh has probably gone to ground. They want him, just as much as they want the money. An example will be made of him to keep further loanees in line.” Trent pulled her closer to him. “Has he tried to call you anymore?”
“No. Not since you yelled at him,” she replied as she laid her head on his shoulder. Then suddenly, she sat up straight. “Are the police officers all right? The ones who were knocked out?”
“Yes, darlin’. They have headaches, but they’re going to be all right.” Hunter placed his hand on her knee as he spoke.
“I hate to think that someone got hurt because of me. If I had only given Josh some money, maybe those men wouldn’t have come here.”
“First off, precious, you can’t think of the past that way. The what-if game only makes a person more upset about something they didn’t know was going to happen. Secondly, Josh is the one in the wrong. The minute he took out that first loan, he put everyone in his life in danger.”
Trent knew the explanation wasn’t going to help her feel better. He looked over at Hunter.
“Darlin’, you’ve been up since early. Why don’t you go snuggle into bed for a nap? We’ll be right out here,” Hunter suggested. “The fire should have the room pretty warm now.”
Standing, Trent held his hand out to Augusta. Silky smoothness slid into his hand. He had been surprised at how soft her hands were since she had them in dough quite a bit and was constantly having to wash them.
She stood and looked up at Trent. The sparkle of tears was in her soft brown eyes, but also a hint of lust sat in them.
“I don’t want to be alone,” she whispered.
With a glance at Hunter, Trent knew that they needed to concede to her, to keep her fears at bay.
Both men nodded. Augusta took Hunter’s hand also and headed for the bedroom, both men trailing behind her. Trent knew in that moment, he would follow this woman to the ends of the earth to be with her.
* * * *
Butterflies were dancing an Irish jig in her stomach as she led two men to her bedroom. It was the same bedroom she had shared with Josh. It was the same bedroom that she found him in with another woman. Perhaps now was the time to exercise some demons and begin anew.
A glow lit the room from the gas fireplace. Hunter must have turned closed her curtains when he finished turning on the gas and leaving the room.
Stepping over to the bed, Augusta sat on the side she usually slept on. Both men stood near the door, watching her with interest and concern.
It felt as if a weight had settled over her. The news Hunter and Trent had dropped on her caused her to feel sick to her stomach, and her head hurt.
Trent stepped over to the bed and knelt before her. He began removing the running shoes she wore at work for the comfort they provided.
Hunter moved over to the fireplace and turned the gas down a bit as the room had warmed up though she didn’t really care. Cold was running through her veins. She couldn’t believe Josh had done this to her.
“You’ve had a shock today, darlin’,” Hunter said as he came around to the other side of the bed. “Why don’t you lay down for a bit? We’ll be right here.”
/> “I don’t know if I can sleep,” Augusta said as she removed the apron from the shop. She was surprised she hadn’t removed it when she left there. “I am so…I can’t…”
“It’s all right, Augusta. We both know that this must be hard to understand and believe. We’re here for you.” Trent stood and then sat next to her. “We are not going to leave you.”
A hand cupped her shoulder. She looked around since Trent had both his hands in his lap. Hunter had hold of her.
“Lay back and rest, darlin’.”
“Will you lay with me?” she asked sheepishly.
She would have preferred to do more, but her body felt like lead.
“If that’s what you wish, we will.” Trent stood. He held his hand out, and without question, she slipped a hand into it. He pulled her to her feet, and from behind her, she heard Hunter pull the blankets back on the bed. Trent then helped her lie down. “There you go, precious. Scoot on over so I can lay on this side.”
Doing as she was told, she pressed her back against the front of Hunter who had turned to his side. In front of her, Trent laid in front of her. Being sandwiched between the two men was as strange a feeling as it was wonderful.
Augusta wasn’t sure why she reacted the way she did to these two in such a short time, but she felt as if she couldn’t go on without them.
Both men pulled the blankets up over the three of them. Settling her head on the pillow, she savored the warmth from Hunter and Trent as well as the fireplace. Tiredness seeped into her as she closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of her two men.
Then, one thought struck her. Would they still want a relationship with her when her life was getting ready to turn upside down?
Chapter Six
“The fucking bitch closed up for the day!” Tony said from the passenger seat of SUV they had rented in Helena. “It’s a Monday. Who closes on a Monday?”
“It’s possible she closed due to the weather. There was that blackout earlier.” Albert was in the driver’s seat eating a burger. His fries sat on the dashboard, and his shake sat in one of the cup holders.