Page 21 of A Beta Protects

Things were a little tense for want of a better word when he found Galen’s bloody truck after enforcers from Galen’s former pack abducted him months before. With the amount of blood in the truck, Noel had believed Galen was dead. He was right to be concerned. If Galen hadn’t been a shifter, he’d have been dead.

Sierra and I had lied to Shawn, hiding the full extent of Galen’s injury as well as his abduction. All so we could rescue him and no one in town would know the people who lived in the remote farmhouse on the edge of town were not human.

When Galen reappeared, seemingly unharmed, Noel had accepted that he might have overreacted about the amount of blood he’d seen.

I rest my hands on the edge of the counter as Nina, Lacey’s full-time waitress lets me know that she’ll be on her way as she finishes taking an order from someone on the far side of the counter.

My gaze returns to Kira. She’s picked up one of the plastic coated menus from the table, and is busy scanning it. Since the drink side is pointing in my direction, she’s looking at the food menu and the cakes Lacey is famous for.

Is she hungry or is she trying to memorize the menu in case I get her a job here?

“What can I get you, Dom?” Nina calls out behind me.

I turn to face her, returning her smile as she fishes a small white notepad from the front pocket of her apron.

“Two coffees and a couple of slices of Lacey’s finest.”

“Two of Lacey’s finest coming up.” She returns the notepad to the pocket and, within a minute, is sliding two black coffees across the counter toward me. “I’ll bring the cake right over. Go grab your seat.”

I pick up the coffee. “One thing.”

“Yeah?” She pauses before she can reach into the refrigerated section filled with cakes.

“You’re still quiet, right?”

She makes a face. “It’s low season. Come mid-day it’s like a ghost town here. Lacey was thinking of having me finish earlier since there’s no point paying me to just stand around.”

“That’s what I thought.” I carry the cups over to Kira, and take a seat beside her, nodding at the cream and sugar in small white pots on the table. “Help yourself.”

Her expression is hopeful as her eyes bounce from me to the counter and back again. “What did she say about a job?”

“It’s low season,” I explain. “The tourists we get from New York are back in the city, so there aren’t enough hours to justify taking on new staff.”

I’d known beforehand, and I wasn’t lying when I said I would see what I would do. But that isn’t the only reason, or even the main reason, we’re in town.

Her face falls. “Oh, well. Thanks anyway.”

When Nina walks over and sets two thick slices of cake with a pale yellow buttercream frosting down in front of us, Kira’s brow wrinkles in confusion.

“We’re in Lacey’s Lemon Bar,” I explain, nodding my thanks at Nina, who leaves with a smile. “There’s no stepping foot in here without having a taste of the cake that made her world-famous.”

Interest stirs in Kira’s blue gaze. “World-famous?”

“Uh, though not for the reason you think. When she first opened this diner, everything was lemon.”

Kira stares at me. “Everything?”

“The tea, the cupcakes, the sliced cakes, the cushions on the chairs…” My voice trails off at her beautiful smile. It’s so distracting, I lose my train of thought. “Anyway, reporters came and did a story on the only all-lemon diner in the country, maybe in the world, so…”

“Ah. World-famous.” Her eyes dart to the cake, and I know I’m not imagining the flare of hunger in her gaze. I wonder about that, and the hollowness in her cheeks. “So this is lemon?”

I nod. “Lacey got fed up with all things lemon years ago, so did the locals. There would’ve been a riot if she got rid of the best tasting lemon cake anyone had ever tasted. Try it. I’d like to know what you think.”

She looks tempted. “But shouldn’t we…”

“Errands can wait, and this is Wylder. It’s a slower pace of life around here.” I pick up the fork from the table and offer it to her. “We’re here in town for errands. Might as well enjoy a slice of cake while we’re here.”

After a moment, she takes the fork. “Okay.”

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