Page 59 of A Bloom in Winter

The kind of life she wished she lived.

“Things were a lot simpler a year ago.”

There was a pause, like he was waiting for her to explain. And then he started scanning again, going even faster.

“Well, I’m sorry about whatever,” he said.

As she focused on him, she could feel his frustration, and she contrasted his mood with the way he’d been as he’d carefully carried her inside the night before. She was responsible for the change. Sure, she didn’t owe him anything, but at the same time, you could only leave so many hints until the other person just felt strung along.

At least he wasn’t going to be in Connelly long. On the way north, he’d told her it was just a night or two, at most. She should be able to put off her father for forty-eight hours.

“I’d like to be friends.” She offered him a smile. “You and I.”

With a frown, he reached into the cart and took out an armful of things. If it was possible to make quadra-time, he somehow managed it, the littlebeep!that was released every time going a supersonicbeep!beep!beep!beep!—

And then it stopped.

For the first time since they’d left the big house, he seemed to really look at her. “Sorry. That would be great.” He smiled a little. “Let’s . . . be friends.”

When he stuck his hand out, he said, “Hi, I’m Mayhem.”

She stared down at his palm. As she clasped it, she smiled again. Or tried to. “Not Hemmy, then?”

“It’s a nickname—that I figured might make a better impression than something that, if you looked it up in the dictionary, means damaging disorder and chaos.”

“I like Hemmy.”

He bowed. “Then Hemmy I shall be.”

After they shook, he let go first. And the next thing she knew, she was stepping up to the screen with her credit card.

“It’s on me.” She put the thing in the slot. “It’s the least I can do for . . . everything—”

“Mahrci.”

“Hmm?” She looked over at him. And instantly stilled. “What’s wrong?”

Mayhem was half-turned on his hips and staring at the entrance, which was about thirty feet away. His stare seemed to be on a man who had just walked in, and there was nothing casual in the way he was tracking the human.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

The customer, who was dressed for the cold in a knit cap and parka, didn’t seem to be anything other than a regular Joe out late at night, just like the rest of the people in—

The keys to the SUV were pressed into her hand. “I want you to go out and wait for me. Lock the doors—”

“Why?”

Hemmy’s face was suddenly in hers, and everything about him got through to her, especially the way his eyes were so intense on her own and the tone of his deep voice, all the I’m-not-fucking-around spearing into her brain.

“Okay,” she said with a nod. “All right.”

“And stay there. If I’m not out in five minutes, drive away.”

As he started to walk off, she grabbed his arm with alarm. “Wait, where are you going? What’s going on—”

“Go out, and get in the car.Right now.”

The plan had been to go back to work.

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