Chapter 13
Lonnie showed up at the shop just before closing. He surveyed the street for anything unusual, but he only saw couples strolling hand-in-hand on the sidewalk as they made their way over to the Lock and Key Bridge. He stepped inside the shop and waved at Alexis, who was ringing up a customer.
“Thank you for shopping with us today,” she said.
Once the customer left, Alexis came around the counter and locked the door before turning to face Lonnie.
“Hi,” she said, smiling shyly.
“Hey, you.” Lonnie held up a takeout bag. “I brought Italian again. I hope that’s okay.”
“I love Italian.”
“Me too!” a voice chimed from the back.
Lonnie looked past Alexis to find Melissa adding ingredients to a mixer.
“Melissa is joining us tonight. I got a little frazzled last night, so I need the extra hands,” Alexis said.
“I brought plenty of food, so it’s no problem. I’m sorry my absence frazzled you,” he said, following her to the table in the back of the store.
“It’s okay. I was able to get things done, but the orders are ramping up the closer we get to the weekend.”
Melissa joined them at the table, and they all dished up food.
“Do you put a cutoff on orders?” Lonnie asked before taking a bite of his noodles.
Alexis shook her head. “I never have before, but I’m thinking we might need to next year.”
Melissa agreed. “It seems a lot more chaotic this year, and I’m sure that won’t slow down. Thank you for bringing dinner, Lonnie. And I’m sorry for crashing your date.”
Lonnie chuckled. “It’s quite all right.”
After the conversation with the women that morning about the creepy man who had been in the shop, he felt better being there with them while they worked late. While neither of them expressed concern about late hours, it gave him peace of mind.
“Are you on call tonight?” Alexis asked with an amused glint in her eye.
“Nope. I’m all yours.”
Melissa let out a low whistle. “And that’s my cue to get back to work. You two crazy kids don’t have too much fun over here. Remember, I can see you.”
Alexis blushed and Lonnie laughed as Melissa went back to her workstation.
“Did you see that guy again after I left?” Lonnie asked.
Alexis shook her head. “No. I’ve only seen him twice, and both times were in the morning.”
“I’m still planning to come by and hang out for a bit. I’m not needed at work until the afternoon.”
Alexis looked relieved. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
Alexis was a bundle of nerves waiting for Lonnie to show up.
The evening had been incredibly productive as Lonnie followed directions well.
Having an extra set of hands had Alexis considering hiring extra help for the holidays.
At least then maybe they would only have to work normal hours rather than having a lot of long nights and overtime.
Melissa joined Alexis shortly after she had arrived, and they started working on the next day’s orders. Lonnie had gotten them far enough ahead that they didn’t have to worry about any more orders to finish for the current day.
Thirty minutes before the shop was set to open, there was a knock on the front door. Alexis looked up to find Lonnie waving and holding a carrier of coffees.
“If you don’t marry that man, I will,” Melissa said.
Alexis giggled and unlocked the door. “Hey, handsome. I’m pretty sure you’re going to have Melissa hitting on you soon if you keep doing these nice things.”
Lonnie chuckled and stepped inside, holding out a drink for Alexis after she locked the door behind him.
Alexis peered outside, and Lonnie watched her. “I already did a sweep of the street and didn’t see anything unusual.”
Alexis smiled up at him in gratitude as they walked back toward the preparation area. Lonnie handed a coffee to Melissa, who took a sip and closed her eyes.
“How did you know what to get?” Melissa asked.
“I have my ways,” Lonnie said.
Alexis smiled. Lonnie had texted her an hour ago asking for coffee orders. She insisted he didn’t need to do it, but he told her he was buying them regardless, so she might as well tell him and get something she wanted. The man had a point.
“Thank you,” Melissa said.
“You’re welcome,” Lonnie said.
Lonnie picked up the trays of cupcakes to carry to the front while Alexis restocked the display case. Then, when the timer chimed, she walked around to the front door and unlocked it for customers.
“Here goes nothing,” she murmured, peering out the window. The creepy man was nowhere in sight, but she saw the van parked down the street. “Lonnie?”
“See him?” He walked around to the front window, where she stood.
“Not yet, but I have seen that van hanging around, and I’m pretty sure it’s the same one I saw him get into the first time I saw him.”
Lonnie’s eyebrows furrowed as he watched it. “I’ll keep an eye on it.”
“Thank you.”
He took his eyes away from the window only briefly to set a hand on her arm and give it a squeeze.
Butterflies beat wildly in her chest as she walked back to the display case.
Lonnie stood near the window gazing out with his coffee in hand.
He blended in seamlessly, looking like he was just a customer hanging out.
She wondered whether everyone who worked in security blended in so easily.
“Incoming,” Lonnie said.
Alexis looked up to find the creepy man entering the store. He paid no attention to Lonnie as he stepped inside, his eyes zeroing in on Alexis. Even though Lonnie was there, her hair still stood on end. Her eyes flicked to Lonnie, who was watching them closely, and inched closer.
“Hi, how can I help you?” she asked.
The man’s eyes stared into hers, and she took a small involuntary step back. “A cupcake, please. You choose.”
She gave a curt nod and boxed up a cupcake as quickly as she could. He passed over cash, and a slow, spine-tingling smile crept onto his face.
“Have a great day,” he said.
“You too,” Alexis said.
He turned to walk out, only looking at Lonnie briefly before disappearing outside. Lonnie went to the window and watched him. After a few minutes, he returned to the counter.
“He got into that van. I got a license plate. Are you okay?”
Alexis nodded. “Yeah. I’m all right. Thank you for hanging out with us.”
“You won’t get rid of me so easily. I still have another hour to hang out.”
Alexis giggled. “Well, all right then. Come help us.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The next hour went by quickly as the three of them joked around and worked closely together. Alexis scooted closer to Lonnie and enjoyed his company far more than she ever thought, and when the hour ended, she surprised herself with how disappointed she felt.
“All right. Duty calls. Ladies, I’ll be here again tonight to help you out, if you’re willing to have me,” Lonnie said.
“Yes, please,” Alexis said.
Melissa smiled. “Oh look, a customer. I’ll get it.”
Alexis had no idea if there was actually a customer as she hadn’t heard the bell, or if Melissa was just trying to give them space, but she didn’t care.
Lonnie took a step closer to her and brushed a hand down her cheek. “It was fun hanging out with you today.”
She bit her lip. “You too. Thank you for bringing coffee and coming by.”
“The pleasure was all mine,” he said.
Before she could react, he dipped his head and pressed their lips together. She sank into him, but it ended far too quickly for her liking. Lonnie stepped back and winked at her before heading to the front.
“I’ll see you soon,” he said. When he got to the front counter, Melissa handed him a box of cupcakes on the house. He thanked her and disappeared.
“Oh my God!” Melissa squealed, hopping up and down and clapping. “The two of you are going to make such cute babies.”
Alexis shook the fog from her love-struck brain and looked at Melissa. “What?”
“Seriously. Such cute babies.”
“Too soon, Melissa. Too soon.”
Melissa smiled. “Perhaps, but I’m not wrong.”
Alexis bit back a smile and stared at the door where Lonnie had disappeared. “You’re not wrong,” she whispered, putting two fingers to her lips.