Chapter One #2
Most people went to Susie’s Diner down the street for breakfast, but Georgia was building up an impressive collection of regulars who stopped in for coffee and a pastry or muffin on their way to work.
The bell over the door tinkled, and she turned with a greeting on her lips.
It died when she got a glimpse of the man stepping inside.
He was at least six and a half feet tall with wide shoulders that filled out the leather jacket he was wearing to perfection.
The soft blue fabric of his jeans molded muscular thighs, and big black boots covered large feet.
Straight black hair was pulled back in a short tail at his nape.
He had a square jaw, high cheekbones, and dark eyes.
In short, he was masculine perfection. She hated him on sight.
Which was totally unfair. It wasn’t his fault she was mistrustful of most males, especially good-looking ones. Plastering a smile on her face, she greeted him. “Good morning.” She bustled around to the back of the counter to put some distance between them. “What can I get you?”
“Coffee. Black.” His deep voice sank into her bones, spreading delicious warmth through her entire body.
Stop it! She’d fallen victim to a man not nearly as handsome as this one.
In the end, all she’d been left with were lies, a broken heart, and a career in tatters.
Not this guy’s fault, she reminded herself.
She’d worked hard not to become bitter about her experience.
Most days she succeeded. “Coming right up.”
As she filled his order, she covertly studied him. He was easy on the eyes, but there was an edge to him, something she couldn’t quite pinpoint. He glanced at her, catching her watching him. There was speculation and something she couldn’t quite define reflected in his eyes.
“Here you go.” She placed the cup on the counter. The longer he stared, the more uncomfortable she became. “Is there anything else?”
He stuck out his hand. “Kieran Blackwell.”
She automatically took it, and the heat from his skin spread across hers.
A tingle raced up her arm. No, no tingles.
She was done with tingles, at least for the foreseeable future.
Then his name rang a bell. “Blackwell. You any relation to Sam Blackwell?” Now that she’d made the connection, the resemblance was undeniable.
His fingers tightened around hers. “You know Sam?”
She shook her head. “Not personally. He stopped in recently with a friend.” His big hand was still holding hers, so she gave it a tug, and he released her.
“You didn’t tell me your name.”
“No, I didn’t.” There was something about him that put her hackles up and made her wary. It wasn’t anything specific he’d said or done. She was likely projecting her mistrust of men onto him, which wasn’t fair.
He pulled out his wallet. “What do I owe you?”
She sighed, already regretting her actions. A business ran on the goodwill of customers. She didn’t have to like them all, but basic politeness was a necessity. “I’m sorry. That was rude. It’s already been a long day.”
He studied her before giving a slow nod. “I totally get it.” Something in his tone told her she wasn’t the only one having a rough start. He pointed to the case. “Can I get two of those blueberry muffins?”
“Sure can.” She wiped her hands on her white apron with the store’s logo on the front. “You want that for here or to take out?”
“For here. Do you know where I can find Sam?”
She paused, her hand hovering over the muffins. “You don’t know?”
He shrugged. “We’re not exactly close.”
A myriad questions ran through her mind. If they weren’t close, why was he in town?
Not her business. “Here you go.” She set the plate with the muffins next to his coffee.
After ringing up his order and taking his money, she pointed to the end of the counter. “Napkins, extra sugar, cream and such are there. If there’s something you need but don’t see, just ask.”
He opened his mouth but closed it again when the door opened and Cal Jones walked in. Tall with dark skin and short black hair, he was an officer on the local police force, a longtime friend, and had become one of her regulars. “Morning, Cal.”
“Morning, Georgia.” His deep-brown eyes darted from her to Kieran, assessing them both.
“Cal, this is Kieran Blackwell. Kieran, this is Officer Calvin Jones, one of Redemption’s finest.”
Cal held out his hand. “Any relation to Sam and Alex?”
One dark eyebrow rose. “You know them both?”
“Sure do.” Cal laughed and leaned against the counter. Georgia wasn’t fooled by his casual pose, his brawny arms crossed over his chest as he sized up the newcomer. “They both managed to find themselves in the middle of trouble, something we don’t have much of around here.”
The warning was clear. One corner of Kieran’s mouth quirked up. “I’m not looking for trouble.”
“You another brother? You look related.”
Georgia didn’t bother to pretend she wasn’t listening, curious about the answer to Cal’s question.
“I am.” With that, Kieran took his coffee and muffins and sauntered over to one of the stools by the window.
Cal paid for his coffee and Danish. “Any problems, and you call me. You hear?” It was said loud enough for Kieran to hear.
“I will, but everything’s fine.”
As he was leaving, more customers trickled in.
Kieran sat quietly in the corner, but his presence permeated the shop.
She rang up sales and made small talk, but her awareness of him never faded.
And she wasn’t the only one noticing him.
Everyone who came in stared at him with undisguised interest. He ignored them all.
When there was a lull mid-morning, she cleared tables and restocked napkins in the dispenser, doing her best to ignore him.
“Busy place for one woman.”
“I manage.” Criticism was nothing new, but that didn’t mean she liked it. “And we’re only open for limited hours five days a week.” Something she hoped to change down the road.
He held up his hands in mock surrender. “You handle it all like a pro. Just an observation.”
Sighing, she tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear.
Once again, she’d jumped the gun, assigning motives to him that didn’t exist. As a stranger, there was no reason for him to actually care about her or her business.
He’d simply been making conversation. “I had an employee, but she up and left town with her boyfriend yesterday. I haven’t gotten around to hiring a replacement yet.
” And why was she telling him that? It was none of his business.
Back behind the counter, she took stock of the display case and mentally calculated what was out back. She’d likely be closing early today. It was impossible for her to bake and tend the shop at the same time.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
Startled, she spun around—and found herself face-to-chest with Kieran.
For a big man, he moved as silently as a ghost. She hadn’t heard a sound, but she’d been occupied with her thoughts and probably wouldn’t have heard an elephant stampede.
Heat radiated from his solid body. The leather jacket was open, displaying a T-shirt stretched across a massive chest. Plain white cotton had never looked so tempting.
Her fingers itched to stroke it. Another part of her wanted to lean her head against it and listen to his heartbeat.
What was wrong with her? She must be more tired than she realized to be having such fanciful thoughts.
Some days, all the responsibilities she carried sat heavy on her shoulders. She envied those people who had a partner to share the burden, someone who stood by them in good times and bad. She’d never had that, and she’d stopped looking.
Taking a step back, she shook her head. “Not unless you’re a trained baker or have experience working in a coffee shop.”
The smile that crossed his face turned her knees to rubber. “Sweetheart, this is your lucky day.”