Chapter 7 Zach
ZACH
I’m sitting at the table in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee when Sky walks in the next morning. She’s wrapped in a fluffy robe, her hair is up in a knot on the top of her head, and she’s rubbing her eyes. “Coffee. I smell coffee.”
I stand up and go over to the coffee pot. “Have a seat. I’ll get you a cup.”
She’s about to argue with me but stops and sits down across from the chair I just vacated.
I take my time pouring the hot liquid. “Cream? Sugar?”
She groans. “Nope. I need it black.”
I chuckle and carry it over, setting it down in front of her. “How did you sleep?”
She just grumbles, then blows on her coffee before taking a hesitant sip. I can’t seem to take my eyes off her. Even with the creases from her pillow lining her face, she’s beautiful. I clear my throat. “Can you give me access to your social and email today?”
She huffs and rolls her eyes. “You’re not going to give this up, are you?”
I shake my head. “Nope. Not until you’re safe.”
I nod and gesture to my laptop on the end of the table. “It’s all in there. Everything is in the folder titled Sweet Temptations. You’ll have access to my social media and emails through that tab. If you need passwords, it’s in the notes folder, titled the same thing.”
I grab the laptop, open it, and run a hand across my jaw as it loads. I start with her email first.
The email app opens, and there’s a little over three hundred messages that arrived overnight.
I glance at her and then start clicking, reading.
I’m stunned into silence as I see all the fan mail she receives.
So many emails from people thanking her for her videos or the recipes she’s shared.
Another person thanked her for her support on her live the other night.
My heart expands in my chest until it’s hard for me to breathe. “Wow.”
“What?” she asks.
I gesture to the emails. “This. You really make a difference here, Sky.”
She blurts out a laugh. “Thanks, I mean, I know I’m just a baker and—”
I reach over and put my hand on hers. “Don’t do that. Don’t put yourself down. This is amazing. You’ve really touched these people.”
She blushes and takes another sip of her coffee. Almost like she can’t sit still under the scrutiny, she stands up. “I’m going to fix breakfast.”
I watch her until she notices me staring, and then I go back to the emails. The next email I open has me sitting a little taller. “Sky.”
“Yeah?” she says as she opens the carton of eggs.
“Do you get emails like this one a lot?”
“What’s it say?” she asks.
I read, my body coiled with tension. “Hey my sweet princess. You looked good tonight. So good I would like to spread that peanut butter icing all over your—”
“Hey, hey, hey!” she says, face red. “I get the picture. Yes, I get those all the time, but my assistant or I just delete them. It’s no big deal.”
I pick up the laptop and move closer to her in the kitchen. She’s cutting bread and putting it into the toaster, and I set the laptop open on the counter. “Sky, I need to know these things. Every email like this could be a clue into who your stalker is.”
She cracks eggs into a pan and avoids looking at me. “I got it, but in my defense, yesterday was the first time I’d seen you in forever, so don’t go getting your boxers in a bunch.”
I know she’s right. I know I’m being ridiculous, but this whole thing is crazy. I’ve never felt this out of control before.
I carry the laptop back over to the table and keep reading. I take some notes in my phone, sending a text to our IT guy to have him look into a few things.
Sky plates the food and carries it over to the table. She points me toward it. “Dig in.”
She brings over two more plates, and I’m about to ask her who the third plate is for when the back door opens.
I stand up, pull my gun from my waistband, and have it pointed at some young guy carrying a stack of pink boxes. I see the Sweet Temptations logo as the boxes fall to the ground.
“Oh my God, Zach, what are you doing? Put the gun down!” Sky screeches at me.
I tuck it back into my waistband. “A strange man just walked in your back door. How did the door get unlocked? Who is this?”
I’m glowering at the man that just walked into Sky’s house like he has every right to be here.
Sky starts to walk over to him, and I loop an arm around her waist. “Who is he?” I demand.
I know I’m being an asshole. Sky jerks from my hold. “Zach, you have to chill out.” She walks over to him, and my jaw is so tight it feels like it’s going to break. “Terry, I’m sorry about this neanderthal. Are you okay?” She looks at me. “You could have killed him.”
I glower at her. “If you don’t take your hands off him, I still might.”
The man is gasping, hand over his chest. “Oh my God…” He points at me and wiggles his eyebrows at Sky. “He spent the night?” He pulls his phone out and starts typing.
“What are you doing? What’s he doing?” I ask them both.
Sky puts her hands on my chest to push me back toward the table. I could easily resist her, but I let her lead me away. “He’s texting his wife.” She looks at the man. “Are you texting Janie?”
He finishes typing. “You know I am. We saw the live last night. She’s going to flip.”
Sky takes a deep breath, and it’s obvious she’s completely irritated with me right now. “Zach Campbell, this is Terry Stevens. He’s my assistant.”
I freeze. “Your assistant? He works for you?”
Sky shakes her head. “We work together. He keeps me organized.”
Terry sits down at the table, laying his phone next to his plate. He picks up the fork and starts eating. He moans and then points at the plate with his fork. “You always fix the best eggs. Do you have any more of that apple butter you made?”
Skyler laughs and opens the refrigerator. “Janie still have you eating low carb?”
Terry groans. “Yes, and it’s killing me.”
She puts down a jar of apple butter in front of Terry and then sits down next to me. They start to talk, ignoring me, and I know she said Terry is married, but I hate the closeness that Terry and Sky obviously have.
I interrupt their conversation and point between the two of them. “How did this happen? How long have you been working for Skyler? How—”
Sky reaches over and puts her hand on mine. Then, as if she just realized what she did, she pulls back quickly. “He’s fine, Zach. Logan did a whole background check on him when I hired him.” She looks at Terry and points a thumb at me. “This one takes his job a little too seriously.”
I open my mouth. I’m about to tell her that this is more than just a job to me but quickly shut my mouth. I need to keep this as professional as I possibly can, and I’m finding it’s going to be damn near impossible.
I turn to Sky’s assistant. “What’s your take on the stalker?”
Sky starts to choke on the eggs she just took a bite of. I reach over to pat her on the back, and when she’s calmed down, I keep my hand on her.
Sky shakes her head. “I don’t have a stalker.”
I lean toward her. “Honey, he’s definitely a stalker. Just in the few emails and messages I’ve seen, it’s obvious he knows your every move.” I sit up a little taller. “He had flowers delivered to your house.”
Terry, with a mouth full of bread and apple butter, mutters, “He had flowers delivered? Here?”
I nod and pull out my phone. “I need your cell phone number, address, full name, date of birth—”
Sky cuts me off. “How about his blood type and first born?”
She’s trying to joke, but I just level her with a look. “That would be great.”
She points a finger at Terry. “Look, Terry checks out, and I’m not going to have you—”
Terry interrupts us both. “Hello. I’m sitting right here.” He turns to me. “Do whatever you need to do. Just keep her safe.”
I nod, giving some respect to Terry. “Thanks.”
Terry shrugs and points between Sky and me before asking her, “So, uh, you going to tell me what’s going on with you and Zach here? I mean, you know when I go home, Janie’s going to ask.”
Sky blushes. “Nothing is going on. He works with my brother. He’s been assigned to protect me until Logan gets home.”
I interrupt her. “Until you’re safe, I’m not leaving until you’re safe, sweets.”
Her face lights up for all of a second, and then she quickly hides it. She clears her throat and points at Terry. “I have the brand trip this weekend. We need to go over details for it.”
Terry looks between Sky and me before picking up his phone. “Okay. I’m ready.”
They start discussing the weekend, and I take notes. Sky may not be happy about it, but I’m about to be her plus one.