Page 26 of Safe With Me

“Kelly Lakes likes to party.” He shrugged. “Tomorrow is more for the kids. I’ll be there with my sister while my father and stepmother mingle with all of Russo’s customers.”

“Which is everyone, right?”

“Pretty much,” he said, his smile shrinking for a minute as his gaze fell to my lips. A weird silence washed over us for a second before he met my eyes.

As inconvenient as it was, something was brewing between us, no matter how I’d try to ignore it or reason it away whenever I ran into him.

When Mike had gotten so flustered the night he’d put my dresser together, it was enough to break the ice between us. I was thankful he’d been so embarrassed that he hadn’t noticed my cheeks heating from having him in my bedroom, even for an innocent reason.

Maybe it had just been a long time since I’d had a man in my space—or one I’d wanted in my space.

Mike was the first friend I’d made in Kelly Lakes, and the only one besides Claudia to know that something bad had led me up here, but he didn’t judge. He didn’t make me feel that I had to hide anything, although I dreaded ever having to go into detail if and when it came down to it.

From the minute I’d met Mike, I’d felt seen and safe, two feelings sadly foreign for longer than I’d wanted to acknowledge.

“Here you go,” Mary said, setting a white paper bag in front of me.

“Thank you,” I said, rooting around in my purse for my wallet and handing her the money. She took the bill from my hand as she focused on Mike.

“Hello, Mike. Everything okay?”

“Yep, everything’s fine. Just taking a lunch break like Lila.”

“Oh yes. You know each other,” she mused, nodding as she rang me up at the register.

She’d saidknowwith a connotation that implied we knew each other a lot better than we did.

“So, I’ll see you later,” Mike said when I popped off the stool.

I cringed when Mary’s brows popped in my periphery.

“Yes, I will see you later. Claudia told me to meet her at the bar, even though I’m sure she’ll be busy.

“I’ll come find you. It’s about time you start meeting some people other than my father and the guys he works with. Not that they’re bad, but there’s more to this town.” He shot me a wink. “I’ll have my usual, Mary. “

“That’s right. You love the turkey sandwich too. Something you have in common.” She clicked her tongue against her teeth and headed to the back.

We shared a laugh as Mike rubbed at his temple.

“The turkey sandwich is something special, even if she looks me over when I come in,” I whispered to Mike.

He bent his head and leaned close enough for me to stiffen for a moment. “She looks ateverybody.So, congratulations. You’re officially a Kelly Lakes resident if she’s in your business.”

I registered his cologne or aftershave. It had a sandalwood scent mixed with whatever detergent he used. I backed up an inch as the thought of burying my head in the crook of his neck to breathe him in slammed into my brain.

“I better get back to your father.” I lifted the bag. “I’ll see you later.”

“Don’t change your mind,” Mike called out as I turned to leave. “I know where you live, so I’ll come get you.”

“Noted, Officer Mike.”

My smile grew as a wide grin split his mouth.

Mary probably had Mike and me almost engaged from the time she’d seen me in his arms that morning.

I couldn’t blame her on that one as I had been pressedveryclose against Mike, and it had taken longer than necessary for both of us to let go. There had been a spark between us from that first moment, but if I wanted any of this to work, I had to learn to ignore it.

And I didn’t know if I could really trust anybody, or myself, after what had happened with Ted.

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