Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 100188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
And then the big navy SEAL would know the resident loser had a giant crush on him.
“You sounded like you were choking.”
Water shot out of my nose, making his assertion come true. “Crap,” I sputtered. “Shit.”
I grabbed a few tissues out of a box in a nearby drawer and wiped my face. “Sorry. No. Well, I mean, yes. Now I am.”
I wasn’t even sure what I was saying. Being around Saint was suddenly impossible if I wanted to keep any semblance of dignity.
“What do you need?” I asked in my haughtiest voice.
His eyes were like lasers, and his nostrils flared. “Why didn’t you tell me about the break-in?”
“Oh. Ahh… it was just a random break-in,” I began, picking at the edge of the lip of the water bottle with a fingernail.
“Bullshit.”
I blinked up at him. “What do you mean, bullshit?”
“Tell me about the antiques that were missing.”
My heart was suddenly in my throat. I didn’t want him or anyone to imply it was something other than a regular home invasion. The very idea I could be a deliberate target for violence was something I couldn’t handle. “No,” I whispered.
Saint’s stern face softened into one of concern. He reached out slowly and clasped my shoulder with a large warm hand. I wanted to lean into him and feel more of his strength.
“Augie, please tell me. I saw the police report online. Why do you think they took those specific items?”
It was the first time he’d called me that. The nickname was somehow extra intimate spoken in his voice. I felt myself begin to shake. “They looked old. Maybe they thought that was the same as valuable. It was just… you know, random stuff. It’s fine. I’m fine.”
Saint’s eyes again. Fuck. I looked away, fiddling with the cap of my water bottle and looking for something that needed doing in the shop. I heard him take in a breath like he was preparing to ask me more questions, make the connection between the home invasion and the vehicle entry the night before, but what came out wasn’t what I expected.
“Okay. Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew you could call on me if you need anything. I mean… If you want me to check your house or help install extra security… I’m happy to help in any way. I don’t want you to feel—”
Thankfully, he was interrupted by an older couple pushing into the store in the middle of an argument about the difference between a soup tureen and a punch bowl. I greeted the pair with a pasted-on smile and quickly ignored Saint in order to help explain the features of both the tureen and the punch bowl. By the time I explained several rare pieces of cutlery and helped them purchase a sterling silver gravy boat that was neither tureen nor bowl, Saint was gone.
It wasn’t until later that evening when I went to close the shop that I found his note.
Augie, call me if you need anything at all. Sheriff Walker is my brother-in-law. It’s natural to be nervous after the experiences you’ve had, and it wouldn’t hurt to make sure they’re not anything specific to who you are. Let me know how I can help. I realized last night I never gave you my number. - Saint
PS - Remind me to tell you about my grandfathers’ vintage cake breaker and ice cream knife set. But if you dare say the phrase “marrow scoop” in my presence again, I’ll insist on an extra twenty push-ups at our next session.
I chuckled at the mention of the marrow scoop and noticed he’d included his phone number at the bottom in small, clear print.
Specific to who I was? Was I a target because I was a Stiel?
I resisted seeing myself as the child my family seemed to think I was, but I couldn’t deny feeling off-kilter and freaked-out by the implication. I was determined to find a way to get my confidence back and feel strong after the burglary. I’d agreed to take the self-defense lessons, but secretly wished I had my very own bodyguard. Someone to keep me safe so I wouldn’t feel like I always had to watch my own back. If only I had the kind of job that could justify hiring one.
But that obviously wasn’t happening, and besides, I didn’t need anyone else to protect me. As my grandfather would say, I simply had a weakness that needed to be annihilated.
That was all.
Chapter 8
Saint
When I left the shop, I headed to the firehouse to see if I could catch up with Otto. Out of all my siblings, Otto was the one I was closest to besides MJ. We’d joined the navy together and even lived together in Dallas for a time after getting out. Now Otto was married to Hobie’s sheriff, and I needed to see if I could pull some strings to get inside information about Augie’s break-in or find out if there was suddenly an uptick in home invasions in Hobie.