I stared at him while saying nothing, partly in disbelief, and partly because I was giving him more time to add more in case he wasn’t done talking. When he said nothing, I realized “because I said so” was all he was going to give me, and that made me agitated.
Who said that other than a child?
I crossed my arms and repeated his words just to make sure that is what he meant to say. “Because you said so?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “Ruthie often says that to Jack when she does not want to justify her answer but needs him to trust her reasoning anyway.”
Tammy chuckled next to him. “Damn, I wish Ruthie and Jack were here right now to hear you say that.”
“Why?” Axel asked her.
“Never mind that.” She waved her hand dismissively at Axel before looking at me. “How about we do this. You can pay him by bringing more desserts…which I will eat for him…and his punishment is him watching me eat them in front of him.”
I chuckled at Tammy’s suggestion.
“That could work,” I told her.
“Problem solved!” She clapped her hands together loudly.
“I’m going to head out,” I told them both, leaning over to grab my jacket and purse.
“Wait, I will walk you out,” Axel offered, looking around to see if he’d had any new customers show up.
“It’s okay. You have to work. But thank you for the offer.”
“It is dark outside, and you have a man who sends you creepy letters,” Axel countered.
“You can just call it a night if you want,” Tammy interrupted. “We’re slow tonight and well past the dinner rush. I’ve got it from here.”
“You are sure?” Axel asked her.
“Yeah, you walk my favorite baker to her car and get her there safely,” she replied, grinning at me.
“Stella, stay here and wait for me to grab my phone and keys, please,” Axel asked me nicely.
As much as he didn’t need to do it, I still did as he asked and stayed in my chair for two more minutes as he gathered his things, typed something into the computer screen, and said goodbye to a man named Chuck who worked in the kitchen.
“Night, you two,” Tammy said from the other side of the bar, just as Axel walked around to my side.
“Thank you for waiting,” Axel said, putting his hand at the small of my back and guiding me toward the front door.
It wasn’t necessary, but it still felt nice.
We walked in silence through the restaurant and out the front door. I had scored a great parking space only three spots from the front door, so we didn’t have to walk far.
“You didn’t need to do this, but thanks anyway,” I told him as I unlocked my door.
“I know, but your safety is very important to me.”
“Why?” I asked him, genuinely wanting to know if it was simply because I was a client or if it was more.
He said nothing in response, but just stared and held my eyes for a long moment.
“Let me guess…Because you said so,” I teased, giving him a small smirk.
His face remained silent and stoic as he took a step closer, effectively boxing me in between him and my rear driver’s sidedoor. He reached up to gently cup my cheek with his palm as his gaze raked over me, and I swore he was about to kiss me.
“Because you deserve to be safe,” he replied quietly and then used his hand to open my door. “Get home safely, Stella. I’ll talk with you soon.”
