AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What is?” she asked.
“I’ve never heard you sound so … upbeat and happy. I’m glad things are working out with your man and your new job,” Emery said. Even though she couldn’t see his face, Sadie could sense he meant every word.
“Sadie, a large group of customers just walked in, and I could use your help!” Tad, her manager, called out, disrupting their conversation.
Quickly refocusing on Emery, Sadie asked, “What was it you wanted to talk about?”
Emery hesitated for a moment before abruptly saying, “You know what? Forget it. I’m good, Sadie.”
“Emery,” she warned.
“It’s just that apart from the mayor’s men dropping by my place again, your dad’s been coming by as well, but I got it handled,” Emery quickly explained. “Anyway, I gotta go. My lunch break’s almost over.”
Before Sadie could press further, Emery abruptly ended the call. She stared at her cellphone for a few moments, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. The mention of the mayor’s men and her father’s visits left lingering questions. What was he not telling her? Was the situation back home more serious than she had initially thought?
The nagging thought lingered, casting a shadow over her shift at the cafe. Sadie had assumed that once she left, Mason would move on to find another unsuspecting bride, though she could never wish such an awful fate on anyone. However, it seemed her assumptions were wrong. The mayor’s men were still relentlessly pursuing Emery for clues about her whereabouts.
Throughout her shift, the same troubling questions circled her mind. Should she bring this up to Priest? The weight of her concerns pressed upon her, and with each passing moment, the decision loomed larger.
As closing time approached, the familiar rumble of a motorcycle engine outside the cafe disrupted Sadie’s thoughts. Looking up, her troubles momentarily forgotten, she caught sight of her man dismounting his Harley.
The sight of him never failed to captivate her, and a brief respite from her worries came with the simple joy of seeing him. Priest met her gaze, and a sexy, possessive smile played on his lips, as if he could sense her thoughts about him. It reminded her of their plans for the night—a dinner date at an actual restaurant.
No, Sadie decided. Emery had assured her he had everything under control, and she trusted him without question. She resolved to share her concerns with Priest only if the situation worsened. Perhaps she was merely entertaining the worst-case scenario in her mind.
As Priest entered the cafe, Sadie told him, “Give me five minutes to change.”
“Sure,” he replied, but before she could retreat, he tugged her close for a kiss that left her momentarily breathless. “Missed you,” he confessed.
“Same here,” Sadie whispered before excusing herself to the employees’ locker room.
She swiftly changed out of her waitress uniform and into the sleek black strapless dress she had acquired after Priest asked her out. After Priest asked her out, she immediately asked Cassie to accompany her on a shopping trip. This dress was the result. Upon emerging, Sadie noticed the hungry gaze Priest cast her way.
“You look beautiful,” he murmured, holding out his arm like a true gentleman. Seeing Priest’s reaction certainly justified the price tag of this dress, she thought.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she quipped with a playful smile.
“Ready?” he asked.
“I am,” Sadie replied.
After being on her feet the whole day, Sadie was ready to let loose and enjoy herself with her man tonight. They walked out of the cafe. Priest grabbed his spare helmet from the compartment under his motorcycle and handed it to her.
“Put this on,” he said.
Gratefully, Sadie took the helmet, securing it in place before climbing onto the back of the motorcycle behind Priest. The engine roared to life, and they were off.
Despite the thrill of the ride, Sadie couldn’t shake the nagging concern about Emery. She made a mental note to give him another call tomorrow. Sadie just wanted to ensure everything was truly under control as he claimed.
Chapter Seven
Priest was abruptly woken from his sleep by the sound of Sadie coughing and vomiting. Frowning, he quickly got out of bed. When he tried the bathroom door, he found it locked.
“Sadie? What’s wrong?” he asked, worried. After a brief pause, she eventually unlocked the door and flashed him a tired smile.
“My stomach probably didn’t agree with something last night,” she admitted.
He had a feeling she was trying to downplay the situation. Priest’s irritation flared as he remembered the lobster they had at the restaurant. With the hefty tab he had paid, he felt inclined to pay the establishment a visit and check if their produce was really fresh.
