Page 66 of Buck Wild Orc Cowboy
“She had very refined taste.”
The sound of the doorbell above the bakery’s front door jingled, and I straightened, blinking at the clock. We weren’t technically open yet, but we’d unlocked the door.
Sel frowned and nodded to me. “I’ll take care of this.”
I watched him disappear through the doorway, then moved to peek into the front. A woman, mid-thirties maybe, with sleek dark hair and a sharply tailored coat that didn’t belong in a Wild West tourist town stood by the door, looking around. Her heels clicked on the floorboards as she paced over to the counter where Sel waited with a pleasant smile on his face.
“Can I help you?” he asked. “We’re not open and fully stocked yet, but something might appeal.” His hand swept toward the display case.
“I’m not here for baked goods,” she said. “I’m looking for Holly Engle.”
My gut tightened.
Sel didn’t move, didn’t look toward me. “About what?”
“Family business. I need to pass her a message.”
Wait. I knew that voice. It had been years, but the tone hadn’t changed.
I stepped into the front, my heart knocking hard. “Cora?”
Her smile stretched wider, though it remained thin and didn’t come close to sparkling in her eyes. “Holly. There you are. You look…flour-y.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “What can I help you with?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I just wanted to chat.”
There was more to her visit than that. “It’s been a long time.”
“I moved out of the apartment unit next to your old one. Had you heard?”
The apartment where Max and I had lived with Melvin, where he’d hurt me badly enough I pressed charges. Since the rent was higher than I could afford on my salary alone, we’d moved into a smaller place. “It’s been years, so no.”
Sel stepped closer to me in support.
“You drove all the way out here for a social call?” I asked, not bothering to hide the disbelief in my voice.
“I heard you were living in the middle of nowhere, and I had to come see it for myself.” Cora shrugged. “I also wanted to give you a heads-up. Melvin’s out. I heard about it in the news.”
“I knew that already.” Hence, running.
“Bet you didn’t know he’s retained a lawyer.”
“For what?” I’d barely taken any of my own possessions. None of his.
“Not sure. Just heard it and thought you’d want to know that as well.”
“How did you find me?” That was the worst thing about all this. If she had, he could too. “Did he send you?” I’d swear they’d had something back then, but I was too tired and stressed to worry about what they were doing on the sly.
“No, I came on my own.” Her chin lifted. “You and I were friends once.”
Maybe. And maybe not if she was sleeping with the guy I was with.
This was a poor attempt to reestablish a connection.
“As for how I found you, I saw your face in someone’s Instaplug video,” she said. “I actually live a few towns over now and when I saw you were working in Lonesome Creek, I thought you’d want to know.” Cora took a step back. “Well, I guess I’ve said my piece, and I’ll leave now.”
The door bell jangled as she left.
