Page 79 of Slow Burn Summer

Kate all but laughed. “Oh, that’s good, then, I’m glad I’ve served my purpose.”

He faltered, frowning. “That isn’t what I meant.”

She shrugged, tired. “I’m sure it wasn’t, Charlie. I’m glad the book has been such a success, I truly am. The author wrote something beautiful and readers love it, so you can all give yourselves a big old pat on the back for a job well done.” She paused. “Hey, here’s an idea—you could even write a rom-com about it with your ex-wife.”

He looked as if she’d slapped him, and she closed her eyes and sighed.

“Sorry,” she said. “You’re right, I’m tired and cranky.”

For a moment she thought he was going to leave, but he pushed the brown bag toward her instead. She looked at it, andthen at him, then sighed and unraveled the top. The smell hit her first, taking her straight back to Cornwall.

“Cornish pasties,” he said.

“I see that,” she said. “Thank you.”

“I was kind of hoping we could talk,” he said.

She’d been feeling so alone over the last few days, his quietly spoken request was enough to soften her resolve. Crossing the shop, she flipped the sign toClosedand dropped the latch.

—

Liv had the smallest ofcourtyards shoehorned in behind the shop, a tiny sun-trap she’d made the most of with a bench and a couple of potted plants. It served them well as a place to escape to with a sandwich, or a Cornish pasty with your agent who you just happen to have slept with. It might have been a blank page in their story, but she was having a hard time deleting it from her head as they sat either end of the bench with the brown paper bag between them.

“Liv’s pregnant,” she said.

“Wow, that’s big news,” Charlie said.

She nodded. “That’s why she’s away, getting over the shock.”

“Have you been all right here on your own? No runaway T-Rex’s giving you grief?”

“No.” She looked down, ripping the paper bag open, suddenly so overwhelmed with the need to off-load that she couldn’t meet his eyes.

He put his head on one side, studying her. “Sure?”

“For God’s sake, Charlie, I said everything’s fine, okay?” she snapped, tipping her head back to stop the tears gathering in her eyes from falling.

“It clearly isn’t,” he said. “Talk to me.”

She looked at him fully then, hating the fact that the tearswere sliding down her cheeks. “What do you want me to say? Congrats on your movie deal? I’m pissed off that my daughter is being comforted by my ex-husband’s lover? I hate that you left the bed we were sharing to sit on the balcony and text your ex-wife? I’m scared my sister might lose the baby because she’s so stressed about all the shit that’s been happening with the book? I’m being terrorized by a guy in a fucking balaclava defacing the shop every morning and I don’t have a bloody clue how to make it all stop?” She threw her hands up in the air, then stomped back inside the shop and stood with her back rigid against the wall, her hands pressed over her face.

Charlie followed her in, and pulled her hands down to look in her eyes.

“There was a lot there, and we can talk about all of it at some point, but a guy in a balaclava? What guy?” He was still holding on to her hands.

“I don’t know who he is,” she huffed. “He comes early every morning and throws food at the door, smearing it with his hands sometimes. I confronted him the other day and he threw it in my face.”

“Fucking hell, Kate, you should have told me,” he said, his tone harsh.

“Why? You were on the other side of the world, and I don’t know if you’re even my agent anymore. The book’s done with, you said so yourself.”

“I’m not just your goddam agent,” he muttered, letting go of her hands to grip her shoulders instead. “Did he hurt you?”

“No.” She was furious with herself for crying. “I need to make it all stop before Liv gets back. She’s under doctor’s orders to stay calm for the baby’s sake. She’s always been protective over me, but it’s my turn to protect her now. And the baby.”

“We go to the police,” Charlie said, sure. “Right now.”

She shook her head. “I can’t. They’d involve Liv, it’s her shop.”

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