Chapter 19 #2
Haven and Durban are packing up crates.
“Was it a good night?” Durban asks, leaning over the counter. Haven joins him. Two dark-haired country boys who happen to run a distillery.
I should take a picture of them like that and send it to Campbell.
If all five of the guys lined up for a photo shoot and we put it on the flyers for next year, attendance would triple.
“I moved a lot of cookies, but it was mostly one-off desserts. Hopefully, tomorrow there’ll be orders by the dozen or half dozen. You?”
Haven grins. “Whiskey was flowing.”
“And gin and vodka.” Durban squints up and down the street. When his eyes fill with heat, I don’t have to look to know Campbell’s heading our way. “I expect tomorrow will be slower until the evening.”
Campbell’s skirt swishes a little harder around her knees when she notices Durban and she rushes over. He pushes back to wrap an arm around her and plant a big kiss on her.
A strong tug jerks my heart. The way Durban looks at her? That’s the smoldering gaze I get from Cruz. How did I ever think he was messing with me? The heat has always been in his eyes, but now it glows.
“There’s the lady behind the event,” Haven says.
Campbell laughs but stays tucked into her man’s side. Her bright gaze lands on me. “I was just coming to check on you. Need anything for tomorrow?”
“Nothing comes to mind.” Other than more customers. Sell everything. Make it last forever so I don’t have to pay off my ex and his brother and then figure out how to extract myself from the mess. “See you tomorrow.”
Cruz and I resume walking. I have one more fair in Bozeman next month, and then it’s holiday baking.
But I can’t keep up this breakneck pace.
Cruz is going to get tired of my limited time.
He hasn’t said so, but the worry is in his features.
I want to hire a full-time baker and give someone else in the area a chance to work a job they love instead of having to move to a bigger town.
I want to do cookie dough fundraisers and help the community.
I want to give back, and I can’t while my ex is still taking from me.
I took from him first.
No. That money was mine. Dwayne used me to pay his bills—and Damon’s. All I did was take it back from him. He had such a big stash because he was living off me.
After waving goodbye, Cruz stays with me all the way to the bakery. I turn at the front door. This is a lot like getting dropped off after a date.
I’m anticipating a goodnight kiss—a long one—but his troubled gaze creates a lump in my throat. “What’s wrong?”
He scratches the back of his neck. His hair is pushed off his face and there’s no hat crease since he wasn’t wearing it while working. I want to ruffle my fingers through it, but I stand still. “Did you get another visit from that guy Dean?”
A pit forms right in the middle of my stomach. Shit. Why would he ask that?
A chill drips into my veins.
“No.” Horror almost chokes me. There’s no other reason Cruz would ask, or why he’d have that worried and pissed-off expression on his face. “Oh god, was he here?”
“You didn’t see him?”
I look up and down the sidewalk. Where is that bastard? Did he harass Cruz and not me? Why? What game is that asshole playing?
There’s no trace of Damon.
I dig into my pocket for my keys, unlock the door, and haul Cruz inside. “What happened?”
He gives his head a small shake. “So he didn’t bother you?”
“Not today, no.”
Relief smooths the crease on his forehead. “Good.” He frowns. “He said he’d stop by tomorrow, and I’m not sure he just told me that to fuck with me.”
A knot yanks so tight in my chest that I can barely breathe. Damon’s lurking around. He’s bothering a guy I’m seeing. When will this end?
“I think we should find Deputy Palmer.”
I’m shaking my head before I open my mouth. “We can’t.”
“Elodie, something was seriously off with this guy. I think he might be stalking you.” Concern is scrawled all over his handsome face, and it’s for me. I’m a terrible person. I said I wouldn’t be like my old self and here I am, justifying how what I’m doing isn’t lying.
I let out such a long breath it’s a surprise I’m not a deflated mess on the ground. “His name’s not Dean. That was Damon, my ex’s brother.”
My gut twists in a hundred different directions when realization plays across his face. Disbelief. Understanding. Betrayal. That last look is like a physical slap, but I don’t deserve any less.
“Like your ex who’s in jail, Damon?”
“I’m sorry I lied.” My voice is hoarse and hot tears fill my eyes.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” He’s not raging at me, but his pupils are big and it’s not from desire.
“I don’t want to drag you into it.”
“Into what, Elodie?”
My lungs freeze and I can’t inhale. I went too far. “Nothing.” I squeeze my eyes closed. “No, it’s not nothing. He and Dwayne want their money back.”
“What money?”
“The stuff he put in an account with my name on it to hide. I paid his victims back and used the rest to buy my bakery.” My vision gets blurry as tears crowd my eyes.
“It was mine too. I-I paid all the bills. They lived off me and I supported those selfish pricks. It wasn’t stealing.
” I swallow hard and a hot tear rolls down my cheek.
He brushes it away with the rough pad of his thumb. “It wasn’t stealing,” he repeats softly.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who he was the first time.” Another tear falls and he catches that too, and I sniffle. “I thought that I could deal with him, but he just keeps asking for more.”
Confusion dulls his eyes. “That’s why he’s in Huckleberry Springs? To bully money out of you?”
My heart pounds. I could leave it at that. If I can’t tell my boyfriend I’m getting blackmailed, who can I tell? But Damon’s starting to harass him. What if Damon goes after my family next to milk more pennies out of me? “He’s . . .” Ugh. Do I have to do this?
“Yes?”
I lace my spine with steel. “He’s blackmailing me.”
The air gets sucked out of the room, and it’s like a thundercloud builds right in front of me. A mass of swirling, boiling anger. “He’s who you were on the phone with that one day?” His voice is cold, even. “When you were shouting about money? How long has he been harassing you?”
He’s too smart and caring for his own good. I don’t answer.
Cruz paces a few steps to each side before stopping in front of me. He props his hands on his hips. “What’re the terms of his blackmail?”
“I pay him each month,” I say hoarsely, “and he won’t spread the word about everything I did.”
“Everything you—” He tilts my face up to him. “You did nothing.”
“I was—”
“Young. Scared. Getting conned.”
“I would pretend I lost my wallet so older people would buy me a coffee.” I wince at how absurd yet callous it sounds.
Incredulity screws up his face. “And if they’d heard what you were going through, they’d probably have bought you a coffee anyway.”
I grip his wrists. He has to see what’s at stake. “My family will learn what happened, and it’ll stress them. Their health isn’t the best. Huckleberry Springs is a small town. I’m asking the public to spend their money on me. They won’t do that if they don’t think they can trust me.”
“You’re underestimating just how highly everyone regards you.”
My heart expands until it hugs my ribs. “I can’t take the risk. If the bakery fails, I’ll have to move to get a job to support myself. My parents need me. I lost too much time with them and Clem.”
Some of the fury drains out of him. “Damn, Elodie. How many times have I told you that you don’t have to do it all alone? You’re worried about everyone but yourself, and trust me. I can handle that asshole.” He growls the last part.
I’m worried about him too. “I know, but you have to respect me on this. My worst fear is that I’ll drag my past into my present. You can’t interfere, you can’t call Callum, and you can’t engage with Damon if you see him again.”
He doesn’t agree, but he pulls me into him. My cheek is tucked against his broad chest as he wraps me in his arms. I hook my hands around him and soak up the strength.
Fucking Damon. Fucking Dwayne. Fucking Dee Palmer, who wanted to live on the wild side.
“They used to call me Dee,” I murmur against his shirt. “I hated it, but I named the bakery Dee’s Sweets as a small fuck-you to both of them. I just never thought I’d be worth their time again.”
I was once more a naive girl. It wasn’t like they didn’t know where I came from, but it’s easier to link an entire business to me when I name it after the nickname they used to call me.
“That man isn’t going to leave you alone,” he says, the words flinty.
“He will. I’ll figure it out.”
“Not on your own, you won’t. I’ll help him figure out it’s in his best interest to leave you the hell alone.”
I yank back and spread my hands on his chest. “No, you won’t. Damon is not going to interfere with you or the distillery. He’s not going to be responsible for any bad rumors or gossip or whatever. Please don’t engage with him.”
“I’m not going to let him harass you.”
“Cruz, please. I just need to get through the weekend.”
“And after the weekend, you’ll let me help?” Energy ripples under his skin, like if I let go, he’ll bolt out the door and hunt Damon down.
I nod. Anything to make sure he doesn’t get caught in Damon’s snare. “Please. Promise me that you won’t get involved.”
He cups my chin and brushes his thumb across my lower lip. “I don’t make empty promises.”