“Yeah.”
“Perfect. I can help you with that. I’m in chemistry this year because I’m ahead in science. Do you have Mr. Mallory?”
Sammy nodded.
“I had him last year. Stop by if you can get to school early, okay? We’ll help each other out.”
If Sammy didn’t agree, Lia was about to agree for her, but finally Sammy nodded.
“Yeah, okay.”
Lia put lids on the coffees and handed them to the older woman. “Here you go.”
“Thanks,” the older woman said. “The antique store closes at three, Izzy, but you can stay here and talk with your friend if you want.”
“I have to work,” Sammy said, not exactly unkindly, but definitely not inviting anytalk.
“Okay. Well, see you tomorrow,” Izzy said, unfazed. She waved to Sammy as the two left, and Sammy waved awkwardly back.
Lia watched the pair exit the bakery, then turn in the direction of the antique store. The girl grinned up at the woman, clearly enjoying their muffin and coffee andtimetogether, and Lia felt an odd, softhearted pang.
“Well, that was terrible,” Sammy said miserably once they were out of sight.
Lia looked at the teen dubiously. “Yeah, she seemed socruel.”
“You don’t know what it’s like,” Sammy said, miserably and cryptically all at the same time.
“Whatwhat’slike?”
“Having to hide everything so no one finds out who you really are.”
Yeah, Lia actually knewexactlywhat that was like. Maybe not at fifteen, in fairness. But not far off that. Of course, Sammy wasn’t in witness protection, so she meant it in the teenage-angst way.
“Who you are isn’t half bad, Sammy,” Lia said firmly.
Sammy clearly did not see this as acomplimentor even something that needed to be said. “Yeah, but when people start asking questions aboutparents, things get real bad, real quick. Deadbeat dad I never knew. Teen drug-addicted mom. Everyone’s out then.”
Okay, maybenotaverage teenage angst. Still. “I’m sure there are other kids with crappy parents,” Lia said.
But Sammy clearly didn’t agree, because she went and got the supplies to clean the tables and actually got to work without Lia having to harp on her anymore.
So, Lia did her end-of-day tasks. Maybe it wasn’t her place, but she’d make sure Gard knew about the invitation so he couldencourage Sammy to take it. The girl might be worried about how the truth of her parents would affect relationships, but she needed friends her own age.
Lia knew how important that was. To find people who…felt safe. And teenage girls were a whole thing, no doubt there’d be drama, but it should be…fifteen-year-old drama. Not adult drama.
Lia had learned that one the hard way.
Like clockwork, Gard entered the bakery right at three, dressed in his uniform. No matter how many days she saw it, Lia’s heart did an obnoxious flutter. Worse as the days went on, because now she knew he’d stay and chat.
Flirt.
She liked to think she’d remained strong, but the fact of the matter was, it wasn’t hard to remain strong when the guy never made a move. Sure, he flashed her that knee-melting grin. Said something with a little innuendo that had her cheeks heating and her imagination running away with her.
But he didn’t ask her out. He asked her what kind of music she listened to, what movies she liked. He asked pertinent questions about the bakery business. He told her funny stories about his day—never getting into the nitty-gritty, though she was beginning to recognize thatbad daylook in his eyes.
But he didn’t ask her out. Which wasgood.
“We need to go by the store on our way home,” Sammy told Gard. “I’ve got a recipe I want to make tonight.”
