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Klaire laughed. “Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.”
Lara inhaled deeply to get her breathing under control.
“Now, I’d like a dozen cookies to take with me to the Ball Committee meeting.”
Grateful for something to do with herself, she immediately began boxing up the cookies, taking extra care to arrange them nicely.
“Mrs. LeBeau called me for cookies for the ball. I appreciate the order.”
“Oh, of course. I’ll let her know. She loves your cookies. We all do. Plus, with the troubles of late, we wanted to make sure you’re supported.”
Lara smiled at Klaire. This woman had been more of a mother to her than her own most of the time. “Thank you, Klaire. I don’t know if you’ll ever know how much you mean to me.”
Klaire, who looked so much like her daughter, smiled at her. “Honey. We’ve always loved you. Just like Shianne.”
Lara walked around the counter and hugged Klaire. “Thank you.”
Klaire squeezed her tightly, then kissed her cheek.
“Now you enjoy that new young man you have. I can’t wait to meet him.”
Her cheeks heated again, but she said nothing in response. Klaire picked up her box of cookies and left the bakery.
She watched out the big front window, and that’s when her blood chilled. Kent sat in the Jeep on the road in front of the bakery, watching. In plain sight.
Lara watched Klaire get into her car, then she walked to the front door and locked it. She pulled her phone from her pocket and called her dad first.
“Hey, honey.”
“Dad. Kent’s here. He’s sitting out front in his Jeep watching the bakery.”
“Dammit. Lock the door. I’ll be right there.”
“I did. Hurry.”
Her fingers shook as she dialed Tate’s number.
“Hey, baby.”
She smiled, but it was gone in a second. “He’s here. Kent. He’s out front watching the bakery.”
“You’re shitting me. Lock the door. I’ll be right there.”
The line went dead, and she felt her side where her gun rested. Tate had insisted this morning that she wear it and she had to admit, right now, she was glad she did.
She peeked out the window; Kent was still sitting on the road, watching her. Or, at least, her bakery. She tried keeping herself hidden so he didn’t see her watching him.
Suddenly the sirens sounded, and her father’s squad car pulled in behind Kent. Kent gave her the finger out his window and took off. Her father took off after Kent and her stomach twisted into tight coils.
Tate’s truck sped into the parking lot and she almost worried he wouldn’t stop in time. He jumped from his truck and ran up the steps to the door. She unlocked it as quickly as her shaking fingers would allow and the instant he stepped in, his arms wrapped around her in an embrace.
“Is that your dad’s sirens I heard?”
“Yeah. He pulled up behind Kent. Then Kent gave me the finger and took off. Dad chased after him.”
“Okay.” Tate filled his lungs with air, and she stepped back a bit.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure how fast Dad could get here. I was so scared.”
