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I’d realized that much as I may want to keep my distance, I wouldn’t get any peace until I knew she had a better security system in place. I was hardly an expert in the field, but I could muddle through, and with assistance from the store manager, I’d found what I needed.
I parked outside Taste of Destiny and headed in, drawn by the scent of coffee and cinnamon. There was a line, so I stood in the back, waiting for my turn to order. The pair of women in front of me—Liz from the convenience store and someone who might be her sister—were talking in low voices. I tried to tune them out, but the sound of Kennedy’s name caught my attention.
“…you know the police were at her place yesterday?” Liz was saying. “I heard a deranged fan trashed the cottage.”
“Really?” The other woman sounded intrigued.
“Or maybe she did it herself,” Liz added. “To get attention. You know how much those Hollywood types love drama.”
My hackles rose. I didn’t like what she was implying. I’d seen Kennedy yesterday, and she’d been genuinely distraught. But I could hardly disagree when I might have had the same thought only a few days ago.
“I heard she’s a diva,” Liz’s friend said in a hushed tone. “Awful to work for. Rude to everyone beneath her. If something nasty is going on, it’s no wonder.”
Now that really wasn’t okay. I opened my mouth—to say what, I didn’t know—but Eden, the barista, beat me to it.
“Excuse me, ladies, but we don’t tolerate that kind of vicious gossip in this cafe.” She sent them a sugary sweet smile across the counter. “Especially not about someone who has only ever been friendly toward the staff here. I’d appreciate it if you could refrain from saying anything else unkind that you might regret later.”
Wow. I fought the urge to clap. Eden had always been fiery, and the fact that she was choosing to stand up for Kennedy meant something. I’d wondered previously whether Kennedy had been the type of person to let fame go to her head, and based on Eden’s defense of her, the answer was no.
Eden met my eyes, and one side of her mouth curled, as though she wasn’t sure how I’d react. Perhaps she thought her intervention had been disloyal. But Eden and I weren’t friends. She was a nice kid but much younger than me. She didn’t owe me anything, and I wasn’t upset, so I gave a slight tip of my head and a smile to show there were no hard feelings.
“Now, what can I get you?” she asked, turning back to Liz and her companion.
By the time I had my coffee and had driven to Grace’s place, I’d put the encounter to the back of my mind, pleased to see that Kennedy’s Subaru Outback wasn’t parked on the curb. I’d rather avoid her if possible. Coffee in hand, I walked to the front door of the main house and knocked. It took a few seconds for Grace to answer. Her hair was loose around her face, which was uncommon for her, and she was wearing a tank top and a pair of denim shorts that showed off long, shapely legs. Not for the first time, I wished Grace was my type. She’d have been a much easier woman to care for than Kennedy. Although Nate might have torn me apart if I’d ever made a move on her.
“I’m hoping you won’t mind if I upgrade the security for the cottage,” I said as she gave me a knowing look. “I picked up some equipment earlier today.”
“What kind of equipment?” She leaned against the door frame.
“A couple of cameras, motion sensors, and a keypad for the entrance.” I fidgeted, knowing she’d read into the fact I was here, and that she was right to. No matter how much I wished I didn’t care about Kennedy, I did.
“Just for the cottage?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“Yeah.” My cheeks heated. “Say whatever you need to. I’ll wait.”
Her lips quirked. “There’s nothing to say, Liam. I’ve been thinking about having the security upgraded anyway, so it was timely of you to drop by. Why don’t we head out there, and you can show me what you have in mind?”
I stared at her, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Could it be that simple? I’d basically told her I still cared for Kennedy, and she hadn’t pried. Hadn’t demanded more information or made me feel uncomfortable. In fact, she seemed to be going out of her way to make it easier for me. “Sounds good.”
“I’ll just put some shoes on.” She slipped on a pair of boots with a low heel that made her even taller. “Kennedy is out at the moment.”
I nodded, a lump dislodging from my throat. While Grace might be willing to let me off the hook, I doubted Kennedy would do the same, so I was grateful to know I wouldn’t have to explain to her. Hell, if I was in and out before she got back, I might be able to prevent her from knowing I’d been here at all.
“The keypad is self-explanatory,” I said as we walked. “And I thought we could pair it with a motion sensor that will go off if the keypad isn’t deactivated within twenty seconds of opening the door. Then perhaps another motion sensor at the bedroom window, which she could switch on at night to alert her if anyone tries to break in or sneak up to spy on her.” I ran through the other ideas I had, and Grace nodded along.
“Where will the video feeds go to?” she asked as she unlocked the door. “I have to ask because she’s my tenant. Legally, I should get her go-ahead before we start making changes, but I can’t see her disagreeing. I need to know who’ll have access so I can be sure they won’t abuse it.”
It made me sick to even think about the idea of someone abusing a camera feed into Kennedy’s safe space. “Of course. It will go to a secure server, which you’ll get access to as her landlord. If you’re comfortable with it, she’d also be able to share the link with her security firm and access it herself.”
“That all sounds good.” Grace rubbed her palms together briskly. “Is there anything I can help with?”
I shook my head. “I think I’ve got it covered, but I’ll let you know if I need a hand with anything.”
“Great.” She paused, then added, “You’re doing a good thing.”
I pressed my lips together and nodded, not wanting to examine the motivation behind my actions too closely.
“Right, well.” She backed away. “You know where to find me if you need me.”
