“Even then, he’ll probably find a way to sneak work.”
“Without a doubt.” His expression sobered when he quietly added, “Reach out if you need anything else, yeah?”
“Got it,” I whispered back. I wouldn’t. Not unless I needed more coffee or sweets. But, again, the sentiment was appreciated.
“Ready?” Rhys asked, suddenly close behind me.
I lifted my chin at him before thanking Piper, Joss, and Harlow for their time.
Well, kind of Harlow. She was in the process of being lured into the kitchen by Kase. Despite her insistence that she needed to get back to the station, she wasn’t exactly putting up a fight about it.
It made me wonder how much work even got done on either side. Clearly, it was enough to keep them in business, but I wasn’t sure how.
Armed with a box ofeverything—based on the weight of it—and a to-go coffee, I followed Rhys out the door. My guard stayed up until we were in his car and on the road with no sign of anyone trailing us.
I’d thought the quiet of the ride would be a welcome reprieve from the chaos of the bakery, but like the ride there, it felt tense. Uncomfortable. It wasn’t my own apprehension throwing off the vibes.
It was Rhys’s continued tension.
I didn’t get it. I’d watched for flares of jealousy. Anger. Resentment.
Something that showed his feelings for Piper went deeper than friendship.
There’d been no furtive glances between my current protectee and my past one. No longing ones just from him. Not even a quick glare of envy aimed toward Jake.
Rhys might’ve sung Piper’s praises—accurately so—but that seemed to be as far as things went.
My initial read on the couple themselves during their ordeal had been correct.
But it was also kinda wrong.
Because Jake was definitely obsessed with Piper, but it went both ways. Her face lit up every time she mentioned him. I was surprised glittery hearts didn’t flutter over her head.
It was obvious the attack on Rye wasnotorchestrated by Jake in revenge for an affair his friend was having with his wife. Or an affair his friend wanted to have with his wife. I mentally crossed those motives off my list.
The longer we drove, though, the more I wondered if I was wrong. Rhys’s pissy mood had me second-guessing my instincts—something I wasn’t familiar with.
Maybe he does have feelings for her.
Maybe he has a better poker face than me.
Maybe I should just ask him.
Blurting it out of nowhere might startle him enough for something to slip. It could also tip my own poker hand, something I was reluctant to do.
It went against the usual blunt way I handled things, but I turned the metaphorical steering wheel in my head and went the roundabout route.
I watched him without making it obvious I was staring. “Can I ask you something?”
“Since you just did, I’m gonna go with yeah.”
I rolled my eyes, and they settled just in time to watch as his fingers on the steering wheel stretched before regripping it. With the sleeves of his flannel rolled, I got the perfect view of how his muscles, tendons, and veins shifted with the movement.
Hot.
Why is that hot?
“Your question,” he prodded when I continued ogling the veins in his forearm.
