Page 57 of Death and Donuts

“Please.”

Cross shifted the plate to his other hand and pulled out his phone. My phone, which was on the nightstand, buzzed.

“Will Anchor be going with you?” he asked.

I nodded and reached for the plate. Cross leaned over and kissed the top of my head.

“I have to meet with contractors, so I need to get going,” he said. “Please be safe at the market. If you want my company, I can meet up with you there.”

“I’ll be fine.”

With one last kiss, Cross left, and I relaxed.

Once I finished my breakfast, I climbed out of bed, grabbed my clothes, and closed myself in the bathroom. Vena was awake and waiting when I walked out. She gave my “fifty percent sugar and fifty percent sass” t-shirt a once over, grinned at me, then claimed the bathroom.

Doc stood at the sink when I walked into the kitchen with my plate.

“Did you eat the cinnamon roll or toss it?” I asked.

Doc frowned. “I ate it. It was really good.”

I chuckled and washed my plate.

“Are you really going to the Shadow Trade market today?” he asked.

“Yes. Like I said to Cross, I need my charm charged, and it will be a great way to get ideas for the bakery. I have so many ideas already, but I know tastes vary and want to have a wide selection so that, no matter who walks in, they can at least find one thing they’ll like.”

I grabbed my shoulder bag and placed my small purse, a notebook, and a pen inside.

Vena entered the kitchen, sniffing notably.

“Why does this place smell like cinnamon? Where’s the food?”

Doc pointed to a box on the counter. “From Cross.”

Vena opened the box with a squeal. “He really does love me.”

“Who loves you?” Anchor asked, appearing in the doorway.

Vena held up the cinnamon roll. “Cross.”

Anchor made a disgruntled noise, which made Vena giggle.

Vena giggled?

“Let’s go,” I said. “The earlier we go to the market, the fewer people there will be.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Vena had been rightabout the dwarves being out in force. They milled around the market, speaking with the vendors and shoppers alike. I overheard one asking about a black cat and another about missing people. The way they asked, using a tone I didn’t associate with dwarves, bordered on rude. But then, my experience was limited to serving drinks at Blur and my very brief stay in the mountain.

I followed along behind Vena, aware of Anchor’s towering presence behind me. He’d said he would be able to keep an eye on both of us that way.

The crowded market didn’t make it easy to follow her when it was just the two of us. But with Anchor, things were different. People saw him and tended to move out of the way. It didn’t make sense until I glanced back at him and caught his fierce scowl.

Shaking my head, I let my gaze wander the immediate area and caught a man watching me. I smiled politely and averted my gaze.

Anchor needed to stop drawing so much attention.

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