Alexis giggled and unlocked the door. “Hey, handsome. I’m pretty sure you’re going to have Melissa hitting on you soon if you keep doing these nice things.”
Lonnie chuckled and stepped inside, holding out a drink for Alexis after she locked the door behind him.
Alexis peered outside, and Lonnie watched her. “I already did a sweep of the street and didn’t see anything unusual.”
Alexis smiled up at him in gratitude as they walked back toward the preparation area. Lonnie handed a coffee to Melissa, who took a sip and closed her eyes.
“How did you know what to get?” Melissa asked.
“I have my ways,” Lonnie said.
Alexis smiled. Lonnie had texted her an hour ago asking for coffee orders. She insisted he didn’t need to do it, but he told her he was buying them regardless, so she might as well tell him and get something she wanted. The man had a point.
“Thank you,” Melissa said.
“You’re welcome,” Lonnie said.
Lonnie picked up the trays of cupcakes to carry to the front while Alexis restocked the display case. Then, when the timer chimed, she walked around to the front door and unlocked it for customers.
“Here goes nothing,” she murmured, peering out the window. The creepy man was nowhere in sight, but she saw the van parked down the street. “Lonnie?”
“See him?” He walked around to the front window, where she stood.
“Not yet, but I have seen that van hanging around, and I’m pretty sure it’s the same one I saw him get into the first time I saw him.”
Lonnie’s eyebrows furrowed as he watched it. “I’ll keep an eye on it.”
“Thank you.”
He took his eyes away from the window only briefly to set a hand on her arm and give it a squeeze. Butterflies beat wildly in her chest as she walked back to the display case. Lonnie stood near the window gazing out with his coffee in hand. He blended in seamlessly, looking like he was just a customer hanging out. She wondered whether everyone who worked in security blended in so easily.
“Incoming,” Lonnie said.
Alexis looked up to find the creepy man entering the store. He paid no attention to Lonnie as he stepped inside, his eyes zeroing in on Alexis. Even though Lonnie was there, her hairstill stood on end. Her eyes flicked to Lonnie, who was watching them closely, and inched closer.
“Hi, how can I help you?” she asked.
The man’s eyes stared into hers, and she took a small involuntary step back. “A cupcake, please. You choose.”
She gave a curt nod and boxed up a cupcake as quickly as she could. He passed over cash, and a slow, spine-tingling smile crept onto his face.
“Have a great day,” he said.
“You too,” Alexis said.
He turned to walk out, only looking at Lonnie briefly before disappearing outside. Lonnie went to the window and watched him. After a few minutes, he returned to the counter.
“He got into that van. I got a license plate. Are you okay?”
Alexis nodded. “Yeah. I’m all right. Thank you for hanging out with us.”
“You won’t get rid of me so easily. I still have another hour to hang out.”
Alexis giggled. “Well, all right then. Come help us.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The next hour went by quickly as the three of them joked around and worked closely together. Alexis scooted closer to Lonnie and enjoyed his company far more than she ever thought, and when the hour ended, she surprised herself with how disappointed she felt.
