“Perfect. I’ll text you before I get there. Wouldn’t want to interrupt your shift,” he said, all fake concern.
“Okay.” I told him where I was and ended the call, hand shaking, and put the phone face down on the counter. It didn’t matter. He was just dropping off a letter. I wouldn’t even have to talk to him, not really.
I took a deep breath, trying to get my heart rate back under control, then grabbed the cookies and headed for the front. I carefully stocked everything and after another thirty minutes I was done, and I took my apron off and hugged Vera, telling her I was going to wait by the window. The phone buzzed again and I answered. “There’s nowhere to pull up,” Stephen snapped. "I’m heading for the corner, you’ll have to meet me.”
I bit my lip. Daddy had made me promise to wait inside, but my shift was over, and I just wanted to get this meeting over with. I walked outside the shop and rolled my eyes. Sure, it was busy but there were at least two spaces I could see so he hadn’t tried very hard. I saw my uncle’s Mercedes pass, but he didn’t seem to see me and drove around the corner.
I huffed because it meant I would have to get the crosswalk to reach him. My phone buzzed loudly in my pocket just as I was about to step onto the crosswalk. It was my uncle again. “I can’t stay here long.” My phone buzzed with another call.Walker.I sent it to voicemail with a mental apology. I’d call him as soon as I got rid of Uncle Stephen. “Charlotte, are you coming?” Stephen snapped again.
“Yes,” I snapped back and clicked to end the call, hurrying as the crosswalk lights had just turned so I could get across, and my phone rang again. I answered an apology for Walker on my lips just as I stepped into the road.
“Lottie! Stay inside the store. Don’t go outside for any reason!” His voice was sharp, urgent, filled with panic I hadn’t heard before.
I paused. “What? Walker—what’s wrong? What’s happening?” I glanced up and saw my uncle winding down his window and holding an envelope.
Walker’s breath hitched, frantic, “Princess stay inside the store! I’m on my way, but—
Then I heard it—a violent screech of tires, rapidly approaching. I glanced to my right but before I could react, the vehicle hit the curb. Metal tore into the trash cans, scattering debris everywhere, and I stumbled and went down. People yelling, cars honking, then running footsteps toward me, a man I didn’t know talking but the rushing in my ears was so loud I couldn’t understand a word he said.
“I’m okay,” I whispered, hearing more screeching tires and running steps, but then the hands I knew were on me and I burst into tears. Walker wrapped me up in his arms.
Chapter sixteen
Lottie
Bright vests, gloves, someone’s voice right in my ear.
“Can you hear me? Miss? Can you tell me your name?”
I blinked up, light flashing, but all I could see was Walker, crouched so low he was almost on the ground, one huge palm cradling the back of my neck.
“Lottie. Charlotte Mallory,” I managed. “M’fine. Please, don’t…”
Walker’s voice cut through everything. “She’s diabetic. Check her blood sugar.” There was a command in it. Like he was the one running the whole scene.
The paramedic was already on it. Little click of the lancet, blood on my fingertip. I kept my eyes on Walker, needing to. His free hand found mine and held tight.
“Ninety-two,” the medic called. “Blood sugar’s fine, no obvious injuries.” She looked at me. "Did you hurt yourself?”
My body was shaking, but it wasn’t from the impact. It was too much panic, too many people, too much noise. I tried to slow my breathing. “No. Just…embarrassed,” I croaked out. "I tripped."
She smiled, softening.
Walker’s hand clenched on my shoulder. I could feel every muscle in his arm, the tension winding tighter. “Is there any reason she needs to be seen in the ER?” His voice was like gravel.
The paramedic hesitated a beat. “We’d always recommend it after a shock like that, but if she’s got someone to monitor her, and she can walk, and her sugars are okay, she can see her own doctor for follow-up.”
Walker’s jaw flexed. “She does. I’ll take care of it.”
The medic looked at me, double-checking. “You sure you don’t want to get checked out?”
I shook my head. “Please. I just want to go home.”
Walker didn’t wait for a second opinion. He helped me stand up, hands steady on my ribcage, slow and gentle. “Go easy,” he warned. But then he scooped me up, didn’t even hesitate. I heard someone mutter “Jesus” under their breath, but Walker ignored it. He carried me all the way to his car like I weighed nothing. I recognized a guy from the club as he opened the back door of Walker’s car and Walker simply slid in with me on his lap. “Doc’s on his way to yours,” the other man said. “Gideon’s going to close everything down.”
I buried my face in Walker’s neck. Tried not to cry. Failed.
He didn’t say a word until the car doors were shut. “You’re okay. I’ve got you. You’re safe, princess.”
