Page 73 of A Very Daddy Christmas

“You’re the one getting too close,” Hamilton replies.

“You’re the one blocking the bakery’s front door. Which, by the way, is illegal. So step aside, or I’ll make you step aside, and itwill hurt.”

Finally, Hamilton moves to the right while I struggle to drown out the constant insults and name-calling the crowd keeps throwing at me. My cheeks burn and tears flood my eyes as I hold on to Sebastian for dear life.

“Pay them no mind,” he tells me and gets me inside, then locks the door behind us. “Sorry, ladies, I guess you’re not open today.”

Eva collapses in a chair, running her trembling fingers through her hair. “I don’t know what to do.”

“How long have they been out there?” Sebastian asks, already going through his phone while I pull up a chair to sit next to my sister. My knees feel weak.

“Maybe a few minutes,” Eva says. “They showed up out of nowhere. It wasn’t just one or two crazy idiots with signs; they all appeared at once.”

Sebastian nods slowly. “Obviously staged.”

“Our customers can’t get inside,” I say. “They’re driving everyone away.”

“Sheriff Foreman?” Sebastian manages to reach the sheriff’s direct line, a smile lingering on his lips. “Has anyone called about the angry mob currently interrupting the Levine Bakery’s business?”

Eva raises her hand. “I did.”

“Oh, I see, it’s a legitimate protest,” Sebastian repeats what I assume the sheriff just presented as a spineless excuse. “They’re blocking the entrance to the building. That’s a fire hazard,”he retorts. “Sheriff, it’s pretty simple. Either you get a deputy down here to keep the crowd under control, or I will get the state troopers involved. They’re using hate speech, which, as you know, is not protected by the First Amendment.”

“State troopers?” Eva asks me, slightly confused.

“One of their former Marine buddies is a trooper,” I mutter. “It’s a bit out of the way for them, but it would put enough attention on the sheriff to show how poorly he’s handling this situation. Placing him in a bad light, I guess, which hopefully will light a fire under his ass to do something.”

“Whatever works,” my sister exhales sharply. “This is an effing nightmare.”

Sebastian gets off the phone and lets a heavy sigh roll from his chest. “I didn’t know Madison was run by such colossal cowards,” he says. “A deputy car will come down within the hour, though. In the meantime, I suggest you keep that door closed and locked and stay out of sight.”

“It’s no use,” I reply, shaking with anger and frustration. “As long as they’re out there, waving their stupid signs, no legitimate customer will approach.”

Eva squeezes my shoulder, then gives Sebastian a slight nod. “She’s right. Business is done for the day.”

“What are you going to do if they keep coming back?” he asks, nowhere near ready to accept even the slightest defeat on our part. “Will you just shutter the bakery altogether?”

“Of course not,” my sister says.

“You’re damn right,” he replies. “Every single word spoken and written out there is cause for a slander lawsuit.”

“Leave Mr. St. James alone!” a man shouts near one of the windows, then bangs his fist against the glass. “Leave Mr. St. James alone!”

“Wow, this is a whole new level of screwed up,” I mumble. “He’s painting himself as a victim. And check out Hamilton over there…” I nod, drawing Eva and Sebastian’s attention to George, who stands in front of the front door with a most insufferable grin. “He’s enjoying this a little too much. It’s sickening.”

Eva gets up and walks over to the door. Hamilton stills, waiting for some kind of reaction. He’s eager to stir more trouble, to get us to step outside the lines of the law. But my sister just stares at him for what feels like forever, while Sebastian and I watch.

I, for one, am wondering how Waylan and Riggs would react if they were here with us. I know one fuse would definitely blow between the three of them. Maybe it’s better that it’s just Sebastian.

“What are you looking at!” Eva shouts and slaps the glass, startling the crap out of Hamilton. The weasel jumps back, white as a sheet of paper. It makes her chuckle. Sebastian stifles a laugh of his own.

“Scaredy cat,” my sister mutters and walks back to the table. She reclaims her seat and takes a sip from her cold coffee. “Well, today has clearly gone right into the dumpster, I’ll tell you that much. Sebastian is right, though. We can’t close the business forever, nor can we let these idiots bully us out of this building. We’ve come too far.”

“We need a plan,” I say.

“What you need is a security detail,” Sebastian suggests.

I give Eva a wondering look. “What do you think?”

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