Page 34 of Island Whispers

Her eyes went wide. “My favorite! Boone, you’re the best! Thank you.” She gave a happy bounce on her toes.

“You’re welcome. Enjoy.”

“Are all bodyguards this thoughtful?” she queried around a mouthful of the flaky pastry.

“I guess we must be,” he said. It probably wasn’t true, but the Guardian Agency policy was to train everyone to be attentive to the person as well as the situation. Being aware of the charge’s needs was as essential to success as keeping that person out of danger.

Molly closed her eyes and took another bite. “Mm. Thank you,” she said again. “If I ever need a bodyguard, I want it to be you.”

“I’m sure Jess can make a note,” Nina said. She grinned at Molly, but the expression faded as she shifted her attention to him.

He approached her design table and opened the bag, but she waved him off. “No thank you. I’m not ready for chocolate.” She picked up a stem of white daisies and studied the arrangement in progress.

“Which is why I got you a plain one.”

Her gaze darted to him and though he wanted to push, to urge her to eat, he simply cleared a spot for the croissant. Deciding on a strategic retreat, he stepped away. “I’ll put these in the back,” he said. “Do you mind if I take a look at that drippy faucet?”

Her eyebrows dipped low. “You can do that?”

“Sure.” He felt her following him and when he glanced back, she was holding the croissant instead of her knife. He kept her talking, asking about the leak, her schedule, and any tools she had around. Between answers, she nibbled on the pastry.

By the time he was ready to get to work on the repair, she’d finished and there was some color in her face again.

He felt like a damned super hero.

Chapter 9

As the week went on, Nina was starting to feel a thousand times better. Spratt hadn’t done anything aggressive, even though the authorities had yet to find him. Boone hadn’t picked any more fights and he’d stopped harping on her about taking care of herself. He seemed pleased that she ate the croissants he kept delivering. Nina was simply grateful that something tasted good. She should go over and thank Lila for her miracle croissants. Thank Boone for thinking of her day after day. The satisfying pastry had a calming effect on her nervous stomach. She could rethink her daily habit once her life got back to normal.

Boone had fixed the leaky faucet and found other things to keep him busy between his rounds and daily check-in calls. After conferring with Nina and Molly, he was systematically doing a deep clean in the back room. All the things she and Molly had been putting off, Boone just tackled head on. He was a marvel.

She should speak with Jess and find a way to pay him for the extra work. Every time she mentioned it, Boone got grumpy, so she dropped the subject to keep the peace.

Nina was once again at her design table, the customers few and far between on a gusty, overcast day. When someone walked into the shop, she glanced up. Seeing Boone, she smiled, her heart filled with gratitude. But he didn’t smile back. Fear chilled her skin and her knife landed on the work table with a clatter.

“What did he do?” Spratt hadn’t been here, so he must’ve gone after her family or… Her stomach dropped. What if it was Molly? She’d sent her assistant home early. Oh, no. Had Henry been attacked? He was practically a sitting duck in the delivery car wrapped with the Island Bloomers logo.

“Stop.” Boone’s order was sharp, but not unkind. He walked right up and took her hands in his. “Nothing happened. Everyone’s fine.”

“Something happened.”

“Kind of.”

“Boone!” Exasperated, her heart racing, she couldn’t get her thoughts in order. Jess had called—Nina had heard him answer—and he’d walked outside and now he was back. The dark look in his eyes, the furrowed brow, none of that signaled good news. “Just spit it out.”

“Jess wants to meet with us at her office,” he said. That cool calmness only cranked up her distress. “Yes, Spratt was spotted, but not apprehended.”

She jerked the ties of her apron. They had to do something. Where was her phone? She needed to know everyone was all right.

“Hey.” He stilled her hands. “Jess said it can wait until after closing.”

“Great. No problem.” Nina waved at the empty showroom. “We’ll close early.” She tugged, but his grasp held. “Boone, please. I just need ten minutes.”

“Nina, there’s no real rush. Jess is monitoring the situation.” He gave her hands a soft squeeze and released her. “If we wait, she might have better news by the time we get there.”

Fine. She’d take her time. It was the responsible option considering tomorrow was Sunday and the shop would be closed all day. Molly had culled the stock in the cooler before heading out, so it was only a matter of cleaning tools and sweeping floors. She double-checked the list for her supply order next week and then asked Boone to turn the sign and lock the door.

“We’re alone,” Nina pointed out the obvious. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

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