Playing With You (8 page)

“Since you were a kid?” she repeated. “You started solving mysteries when you were young, like the Hardy Boys?”

“Not exactly,” Garrett said with amusement. “Missing or stolen objects were my specialty.”

His amusement shifted to anger that he made sure he didn’t show on his expression. Finding things was not the only thing he’d done. He’d also begun spying on Butch, his birth father. Garrett’s investigative skills had come in handy when the bastard had cheated on Garrett’s mother and on one of the many times Butch had beaten Garrett’s younger brother, Reese. All it took was a little spying and his father’s old camera.

“There’s something else,” she said, her intuition surprising him.

Rather than responding to her statement, Garrett gave a nod toward the glass cases filled with bakery items. “I’d say that your job is likely rewarding.”

She smiled. He loved her smile—it made the world seem somehow brighter.

“It is.” She took a packet of raw sugar from a container to the right, tore off an end and poured the contents into her cup before stirring it with the spoon. “As long as my baked goods are up to par, what I do makes people happy.”

“Your baked goods are above par,” he said and meant it. “This éclair is damn—I’m sorry, darned good.”

“Thank you.” Her cheeks turned a little pink at the compliment. “Lettie helps so much. She’s truly a find.”

Garrett wiped his fingers on a napkin as he finished the éclair. “I forgot to get your number when we were out.” He’d been too intent on kissing her and had nearly lost his head. She told him what her number was and he gave a nod. “I’ll call you before Sunday.”

Bells jangled at the door and both Ricki and Garrett glanced in that direction. Deena walked in. She looked at them both as they rose from their seats.

“Hi, Deena,” Ricki said.

“Good morning, Ms. Samson,” Garrett drawled.

Deena’s smile looked forced. “Good morning.”

Garrett looked at Ricki as he picked up the Styrofoam cup that still contained coffee. “Thanks for the éclair and the company.”

Ricki had already picked up the used napkin along with her mug and the empty sugar packet. “See you later.”

Garrett touched the brim of his hat and nodded to Ricki then Deena before heading out the front door.

Smiling, he made his way to his truck and after unlocking it he climbed in. He was glad he’d ended up on autopilot and at the bakery and had gotten a chance to spend time with her.

As he turned the key and started the big engine, he looked through the window at the odd woman and Ricki and his smile turned into a frown. He studied them for a moment. They were so different…Ricki with her soft curves and pleasing personality versus Deena who had nothing soft about her. Her personality seemed to be sharp and rigid, much like her looks.

Everything about Deena Samson gnawed at him. His gut was telling him that something was off about the woman, and his gut instincts were almost always right. Maybe it just had something to do with their first meeting and the way she’d reacted to meeting Garrett. For all he knew, the woman could be a man hater.

He backed the truck out and headed toward his office on Union Street. His thoughts seemed to zero in on Ricki and their conversation. He wondered what the hell was wrong with him that he couldn’t seem to keep himself away from her. It wasn’t hard to figure out that he was attracted to her more than any woman he’d ever met.

But that didn’t change the fact that he wasn’t a damned bit good for her.

The moment Garrett walked out the front door, Deena grinned with excitement on her face. “I’m renting a house in your neighborhood,” she told Ricki. “The one with the nice yard.”

“Wow.” Ricki’s eyes widened. “That was fast. We just looked at it three days ago.”

“I can’t stand that hotel any longer, so I already put a deposit on the rental.” Deena clasped her hands together. “I’m paying with cash so I’ll be able to move in by next week.”

“That’s great.” Ricki smiled, delighted to have a friend moving into her neighborhood. “Congratulations.” Maybe Deena could be someone who would watch over her house and check on Xena when Ricki had to go out of town.

Well, on second thought, that wasn’t likely to work considering Deena and Xena didn’t seem to like each other. She wondered why that was.

“It’s really a lovely house inside,” Deena was saying. She slipped her purse off her shoulder and set it on one of the tables along the window. “It could use a little brightening, but it works. I can’t wait to show it to you.”

“Looking forward to seeing the inside,” Ricki said. “I’m glad you found a place you really like.”

Deena pushed her fingers through her short spiky hair. “I’ve had some of my things in storage, so I’ll move in as soon as the landlord is ready. I didn’t bring a lot here, so it won’t take me too long.”

Ricki moved around the cases to get the polishing rag. “Do you need help moving in?”

“I’d love that.” Deena beamed. “If you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” Ricki walked back to the table she and Garrett had been sitting at and wiped it down.

“When do you get off work?” Deena asked. “We could celebrate.”

Ricki smiled. “I have some things to take care of at home tonight. How about drinks at Nectars after I close the shop?”

With a nod, Deena said, “That sounds great.”

When Ricki was behind the cases again, she started organizing the pastries. After the bakery closed, Lettie would take the day-olds to the women’s crisis center and to the police station, depending on how much was left over.

As she made everything look attractive, Ricki asked Deena, “Can I get you anything?”

Deena studied the cases. “I’ll take two Easter cookies.” She glanced at the beverage center. “And how about an iced tea?”

“Coming right up.” Ricki selected two of the egg-shaped Easter cookies frosted with yellow, white, pink, and blue icing. She put them in a bag and set them on the counter before filling a plastic cup with ice and tea. She handed the tea and cookies to Deena over the case. “On the house, in celebration of you finding a place to live.”

“Thank you.” Deena smiled as she took the bag and the cup. “You’re a sweetheart.” She looked around the bakery, her chest rising as she breathed deeply. “This place always smells so wonderful.” She returned her gaze to Ricki’s. “I don’t suppose you have a job opening? I’m looking for work.”

“Sorry, no openings.” Ricki shook her head. “I have two employees, Lettie and Poncho. You won’t see Poncho around because he does most of the baking between midnight and six, then Lettie comes in around five.”

“That’s early,” Deena said. “Is Lettie working out okay?”

“I don’t know what I’d do without her,” Ricki said, and meant it. “Or Poncho, for that matter.”

Deena nodded. “I’ve been searching the job ads online but I haven’t run across anything where I can utilize my skills.”

Ricki tilted her head to the side. “What are they?”

Deena shrugged. “Managerial.”

Ricki took the polishing rag and wiped down the cash register. “If you’re in management, why would you want to work in a bakery?”

“Why would a paralegal want to own a bakery?” Deena’s snippy tone caused Ricki to blink. “I’m sorry.” Deena sighed. “You’re so happy here and working for you would be fun. I’m just frustrated with job hunting, and working with a friend would be great.”

Ricki didn’t remember telling Deena she’d been a paralegal, but she nodded. “It is nice having a job or career where you enjoy the people you work with.”

The front door opened, bells jangling with merry abandon as an unfamiliar couple walked through the door.

“Excuse me.” Ricki smiled at Deena before she moved along the cases to where the man and woman were looking over the pastries. “Welcome to Sweet Things. Are you looking for something in particular?” Ricki asked.

“We want to see what you have,” the woman said. “It all looks so good.”

While Ricki’s customers browsed the bakery items, Deena stood with her arms folded across her chest, almost like she was impatient. Ricki was certain that wasn’t the case. Deena was just waiting to see if Ricki had more time to talk.

More customers came through the door and soon there were enough people in the shop that Ricki knew they’d be busy for a while. She called Lettie up to the front to help. Lettie had been icing cookies in the kitchen for a bridge club. One of the members would be picking them up later in the day.

When it looked like Ricki wasn’t going to be able to spend time talking with her, Deena sat in a chair at the table where she’d set her purse and proceeded to eat her cookies and drink her tea.

At times Ricki thought she could feel Deena’s stare, but when she looked at the woman, she seemed to be intent on eating or was looking through the window at the street.

The lunch rush started and soon all of the tables were filled until there wasn’t enough room for anyone else to sit, and yet Deena stayed. Ricki glanced at her watch. Deena had been there for nearly two hours.

She must be really lonely,
Ricki thought, and felt bad for her friend.

Eventually everything slowed until Deena was the only one in the shop. She got up and tossed the bag and cup, hitched her purse strap over her shoulder, then went up to the case. “You sure get busy here.”

Ricki’s feet were already aching from the busy day but she smiled. “I’m truly blessed. I couldn’t ask for a better career.”

“You’re incredibly good, that’s what you are,” Deena said with enthusiasm. “Those cookies were amazing.”

“Lettie baked and frosted them.” Ricki gestured to the case. “She makes all of the cookies. She’s fantastic at it.”

“Oh.” By Deena’s expression it seemed as if she was disappointed to learn that Ricki wasn’t the one who’d made them, but her smile didn’t leave her face. “When do you close up shop?”

“Five-thirty.” Ricki glanced at her watch again before meeting Deena’s eyes. “I need to get in back while we don’t have any customers. I have a specialty birthday cake to finish icing. I’ll meet you at Nectars, after I run home to take care of a few things.”

Deena nodded and looked reluctant to leave, but she adjusted her purse on her shoulder. “Would you mind picking me up?”

“Not at all,” Ricki said. “I’ll call you when I’m on my way.”

“See you then,” Deena said before turning to walk out the front door. The bells jingled as she opened then closed it behind her.

Ricki watched Deena for a moment. Her friend was clearly lonely. Ricki understood making a fresh start in a new town and how stressful it could be.

The thought of stress made Ricki wonder if she’d remembered to take her pill that morning. She thought she had.

She thought about how important her friend, Greta, had been when Ricki was feeling isolated in a new town before the bakery was quite up and running. For a while she’d been depressed, wondering if she’d made the right decision in moving and buying the bakery.

Maybe she’d be able to introduce Deena to more people around Prescott so that Deena could make more friends. Ricki planned to check the town’s social calendar to see what upcoming events would be going on in the near future.

Deena passed by the window and soon she was out of sight. Ricki let out a little breath then turned and headed into the kitchen.

Brilliant spring sunshine played over Deena’s fair skin as she walked past the bakery. After looking both ways, she waited for an SUV to pass then crossed the street. When she reached the other side, she stood at an angle where she could see the bakery but Ricki shouldn’t notice her.

Once Deena was watching the bakery, she scowled. She didn’t like how Ricki had all but ignored her for the past two hours. Ricki could have taken the time to stop by Deena’s table and see how she was doing every now and then. Yes, the place had been busy, but now that they were friends, she expected more out of Ricki.

The fact that Garrett had been in the bakery when Deena arrived grated on her nerves and she clenched her teeth. Ricki and Garrett didn’t belong together. When she’d arrived, Deena had parked across the street from Ricki’s shop. Deena had stepped out of her car and had stood and watched Ricki and Garrett sitting at a table beside the window. She’d had a good view for only a few moments before going in and breaking up whatever conversation the pair had been having.

After unlocking the car, Deena moved from her spot on the sidewalk to her vehicle and climbed in. The interior was warm from the car having been parked in the sun for hours so she turned on the air conditioning and ran it full blast the moment after she started the engine. She backed out her vehicle before heading to the hotel. Heat prickled the back of her neck as she thought of Garrett and Ricki spending time with each other and she had to force herself not to speed. Still, her hands ached as she gripped the steering wheel so tightly that she felt like the skin covering her knuckles would burst.

It was a fairly short drive to the hotel, so it didn’t take long to reach it. She parked and headed up to her suite. She wrinkled her nose. The place smelled stale and of old carpeting that probably hadn’t seen a shampooer for ages.

Once she’d unlocked the door, she slipped inside then let it slam shut behind her. She tossed her purse on the worn couch, kicked off her shoes, and stripped out of her clothing, leaving a trail all the way to the bathroom. She turned on the shower and ran it until it was warm then stepped beneath the water. She soaped her skin with her favorite lilac-scented bathing gel that she’d brought with her. It had been her mother’s favorite scent.

Her mother, Dolores, had been her best friend. Her confidant. Deena missed her more than anything and her heart ached. Dolores had died from cancer just three years ago.

Deena’s father, on the other hand, had been a real bastard. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment as the water rushed over her but she had to open them because images started to assault her, images that she wished she could scoop right out of her brain.

Her whole body stiffened as the unwanted thoughts pounded at her mind.