Chapter 66 - Liza #3
He looked across at Jamie, who shrugged. “Sorry, didn’t ask, just made them delete the photos they took and got them to leave.”
Still none the wiser but with a gnawing sense of unease in my gut, I let both men know my plans, locked up the office, and continued on to my parents’ house, determined to enjoy a brief reprieve from the mounting stress.
When I arrived at their house, I was surprised to find the door unlocked.
I walked right. The door should have been locked.
Even if they were home, the door should be locked.
Since Castro had come on the scene and made our shared history known as well as his deep displeasure about Ty and me, we’d all had to increase our security—my parents included.
My stomach clenched.
This could be a trap. I could walk into the kitchen and find Castro holding them at gunpoint. Luckily, before I turned tail and ran to get Robin and Jamie, I found my parents sitting down to dinner, their expressions lighting up when they caught sight of me.
“Hey, sweetheart. I didn’t know you were coming to visit today.” Mom pushed her chair back and rushed over to envelop me in a warm hug. “It’s been too long,” she chastised gently, her eyes twinkling with affection.
“Mom, why the hell is the door unlocked? You are fully aware that Castro is still at large, right?” I crossed my arms, making her pull away from me.
She waved her hand in the air and scoffed.
“Liza, Ty talked us into having guards stationed outside twenty-four hours a day. He allowed them to remain in their vehicle and not have them literally standing at the door. Why in the world would I bother locking the door? That’s a little overkill, don’t you think? ”
“Overkill?” I hung my head and covered my face with my hands. “Mom, listen to me. Castro isn’t someone you can be too cautious about. Trust me when I say that he is ruthless. Please, for the love of all the gods, lock your damn door.”
Mom cocked her head to the side and placed her hands on her hips. “Fine. If it means that much to you, I’ll do it.”
“Hey, kiddo.” Dad dabbed at his mouth with a napkin, then came over to me. “How have you been holding up?”
“I can’t complain too much… other than Mom leaving the bloody door unlocked for all the world’s criminals to enter as they please.”
Dad laughed and guided me into the dining room. Despite my side trip to the office, I’d arrived in the middle of their dinner. Their warm reception, though, had me smiling and momentarily forgetting my worries, including the unlocked door.
“Have a seat, Liza, and I’ll grab you some dinner.” Mom moved quickly to the kitchen, then returned with a plate full of pork chops, salad, and freshly baked dinner rolls.
My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten in several hours. The extra adrenaline from the creepers who’d photographed me had probably lowered my blood sugar levels, because I dug in ferociously, as if I hadn’t eaten in days.
Dad raised an eyebrow. “Do they not feed you at the Keller Estate?” He chuckled at his terrible joke.
As we enjoyed the delicious meal, I filled them in on my plans for the catering company.
“You guys know how much I love to cook. I hadn’t given too much thought to how my career path might change once Ty and I were mated, but I can’t just drive around to people’s houses, taking charge of their kitchens, preparing meals for their families. ”
“Why not?” Mom eyed me over her glass of water. “If it’s what you enjoy, your security detail can follow you anywhere. Right?”
“Well, that’s true. It’s just not that easy now.
I’m the alpha’s mate. My responsibilities are to the pack.
I can’t spend my days dealing with suppliers, speaking with potential clients, cooking, and serving them.
” I grinned. “Luckily, I’ve figured out a solution.
I’ll keep doing what I love but from the privacy of the estate’s kitchen.
I’ve already carved out time each day on my calendar to cook.
Plus, I’m going to hire an assistant chef.
I’m hoping to find someone new and right out of culinary school.
That way, I can teach them my way of doing things, and share my recipes with them. ”
My father nodded in approval. “Sounds like you’ve put a great deal of thought into it and found a compromise that suits your new position as Ty’s mate. What does he think about you cooking meals out of the estate’s kitchen?”
I smiled, remembering Ty’s excitement over my new fall menu. “He’s very supportive. Plus, he’ll get to try new recipes all the time, so I doubt he’ll ever complain.”
Before I could delve further into the conversation, the earlier events at my office nagged at me. “Have either of you noticed anything strange going on in town?” I asked, my tone turning serious. “People lurking around or taking pictures when they shouldn’t be?”
My parents exchanged glances before shaking their heads. “Can’t say that we have,” Mom said, her brow furrowing with concern. “Why? What happened?”
I recounted the incident at the office of the two people who had been taking photos of me without my consent. Though they agreed it was odd, neither seemed overly alarmed.
“Maybe they were just tourists,” Dad suggested, trying to ease my worry.
“Perhaps,” I mused, although I remained unconvinced.
Presley Acres wasn’t exactly a tourist hotspot.
Like one of those annoying tunes that gets stuck in your head, I couldn’t quite shake it.
I promised myself I’d talk to Ty about it.
Even if it was nothing, it was better to err on the side of caution, especially with Castro still lurking in the shadows.