Page 20 of Shielding Soledad

“You need to get Facebook,” Lauren said, laughing. “You can see tons of them there.”

I had posted several photos after assuring Alex that I had my privacy settings adjusted so only my friends could see the images. “I’m happy to show you on my phone.” I pulled it from my pocket, but the sunlight was too bright for them to see the screen.

“Let’s duck in there.” Caitlyn gestured across the street to a café with a blue awning. “We can get a cup of coffee and look at pictures. I’ll treat.”

I hesitated for just a second before following them into the café. I couldn’t be away too long, but a few minutes couldn’t hurt. Before ordering, I checked my phone. No texts from Alex. Most likely he and Luke were still sleeping. I could take some time to catch up with my friends.

I ordered a cappuccino, and the three of us sat at a table in the café’s front window. Holding my phone so Caitlyn could see, I scrolled through images of Luke, beginning with when he was just a few hours old and going all the way to the day before, when Alex was playing with him.

“Is this Daddy?” Caitlyn asked, her eyes on Alex. “He’s a handsome one.”

“He is,” I agreed. I could tell that Caitlyn wanted to ask questions about my relationship with Alex, but she didn’t. I wasn’t sure how I’d have answered, but I knew my friends could tell I was happy. I supposed that said plenty about me and Alex.

“Are you ready to go back to work?” Lauren asked after we’d chatted about what my former coworkers were up to now.

“I’ve switched over to bookkeeping. It was really a lifesaver in the last trimester—it meant I could work from home rather than being on my feet all day.” Not that being on my feet had been an option, given that I couldn’t find any store to hire me, but I chose not to bring that up. “It’s been going well for me so far, though I could use a few more clients.”

“They might need someone where I’m at. The store’s owner has been handling it herself, but I heard her talking about how she wanted to hire someone to take care of it for her.” Lauren had taken a job at an upscale women’s boutique a couple of blocks from the café where we sat.

“At LaForce’s?” I asked. The shop was known for excellent customer service and the best quality clothing. I’d shopped there for special gifts and the occasional treat item for myself.

“We’re starting to carry men’s clothing. Beautiful pieces. We got in this cashmere sweater from Scotland that you’d love,” Lauren gushed.

I had worked in the men’s department, selling both casual and designer items, for the three years until I was laid off. I leaned forward, eager to hear the details of LaForce’s new offerings. Lauren filled me in on more of the products, such as Italian suits and shoes and designer sportswear.

“Sounds great,” I said, taking a sip of my drink. If I did some bookkeeping work for the shop, would that mean that I’d get an employee’s discount?

“I can put in a good word for you,” Lauren suggested, “but you’ll want to apply in person.”

“A personal touch always makes a difference,” Caitlyn added with a smile. “It’s a fact.”

I laughed. I’d been a good salesperson because I knew the product and was personable, but I admitted that a pleasant personality didn’t hurt sales.

“You’re getting checked out right now,” Lauren said nodding toward the café’s front window, which reflected the interior. “Guy in the back corner, blue baseball cap. He can’t take his eyes off you.”

I took a casual glance in that direction and saw an attractive, athletic-looking man dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. He caught my gaze and gave me a half smile and nod. A shiver went down my spine. There was something about his expression I didn’t like. He gave off a bit of a creeper vibe.

“Not my type,” I said to Caitlyn and Lauren. “He seems a bit… I don’t know. He’s making me uncomfortable.” I was rarely put off by anyone, so when my senses warned me about someone, I’d learned to listen.

I took LaForce’s owner’s name and number from Lauren and stored it in my phone. Maybe later I’d make a call or get dressed up and head to the store to talk about hiring on as their bookkeeper. It was too good an opportunity to pass up, and if the workload was about the same as what I got from Carolyn and Mandy then I shouldn’t have any trouble making time for it. While I was keying the information into my phone, I noticed the guy in the baseball cap get up and head for the door. He paused with his hand on the handle, eyeing me before tipping his head at me.

“A bit obvious,” Lauren commented as we watched him walk to a black Mustang convertible. He put the top down and drove away, but I couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling he’d given me.

“I should get home,” I said a few minutes later. “Luke will wake up soon and want to be fed.”

“We’ll walk with you part of the way,” Lauren said without being asked. I understood that my friends had my back.

We walked at a brisk pace until we were just two blocks from Alex’s house. After giving me more hugs and encouragement to apply for the job at LaForce’s, Caitlyn and Lauren turned in the opposite direction. I considered sprinting home but fought the irrational fear that the guy had left me feeling. But I wasn’t foolish either. I kept an eye on my surroundings as I continued toward Alex’s house. I was in front of Gina’s place when I noticed a black Mustang parked at the curb several houses up the street.

Quickening my strides, I hustled inside, locked the door, and set the alarm, feeling strangely vulnerable. It was probably nothing, I rationalized. Someone on the street happened to own the same car. I didn’t remember seeing it before, but I wasn’t overly observant about vehicles either. Alex likely knew the make, model, and license plate of every car on the street. That was who he was. I could ask him about the car, but what would I say? “I think some guy from the coffee shop followed me home”? No way.

I went up the stairs, listening for any sounds from Luke. When I heard nothing, I jumped in the shower and filed away my worry. I’d had a great run and a wonderful, unexpected reunion with my coworkers. That’s what mattered about the morning.

Alex

I sat at the little desk in the den to review alerts from the security system and footage from the cameras that covered the front and rear of the house. I’d gotten in the habit of analyzing the data several times a day, looking for any clue that Bruce was out there. I’d done it more often when I’d been in Lee’s old room, especially late at night when I couldn’t sleep. I wasn’t having that problem anymore. Sleeping with Soledad took away some of my restlessness. Probably because I could hold her and make love to her whenever I wanted. Doing that soothed me in ways I hadn’t expected.

Being with her was even better than I remembered. She was as sexy as ever, but there was something else, too. I skimmed through security data even as I thought about Soledad and our relationship. The trust between us was greater and more meaningful than it had been. It must be sharing a child that drew us together—which seemed natural, but parenting had done nothing for my parents’ interactions. Kids had been an inconvenience to them, a problem they blamed each other for. But it didn’t have to be that way if both adults took responsibility.

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