Page 15 of Dead to Sin
I knew it was a bad idea to pursue my employee, but I wasn’t sure how much I cared.
I mostly only cared that she cared.
I understood why she had her reservations. If things didn’t work out between us for whatever reason, work would be hard for both of us. She seemed to love this job and I loved having her around, so I wouldn’t jeopardize that for either of us.
Especially not for her.
With that thought, I pulled away and closed her door.
INDIE
Ispent the next day dealing with the tire fiasco (thank the gods for comprehensive coverage), and blessedly spent the remainder of the work week at the crematoria.
Awayfrom Kiernan.
Being around him was not good for my well-being.
At least that’s what I told myself.
I’d had to file a police report about the slashed tire, which I didn’t want to do, but I had no choice since I needed to file a claim with my insurance.
I’d known exactly who’d done it, of course.
The longer I dealt with Mark, the more I wished I would have just turned him in from the get-go, but I’d thought he was just some harmless creep. He’d seemed nice enough, though not my type once we’d met in person after matching on a dating app. After I’d made that fact clear to him, he became a little more persistent than I was comfortable with, but nothing that I didn’t feel like I couldn’t handle on my own until more recently.
As much as I dreaded it, Friday was the day I always stopped by the office to bring breakfast for Sammy and Amelia. It was a habit I didn’t want to stop just because Sammy was gone. My heart pinched when I thought of him not being there, but Iadored Amelia and I wouldn’t let my sadness throw me out of my daily routines.
The problem was, I couldn’t take breakfast to her and leave Kiernan out. I wanted to keep it casual—simple—so I stopped for donuts and boxed coffee (don’t worry, I grabbed a quad for myself).
Amelia was her usual rosy-cheeked self when I walked in through the main entrance, sitting behind her desk and taking a phone call. She spoke in a sweet, caring tone to the person on the other end of the line and gestured for me to place my offering on her desk.
Kiernan ascended from the basement and hurried over to help me, placing a hand on my back and taking some of the load. Butterflies erupted in my stomach at the contact.
Or maybe I just needed an antacid.
Amelia returned the phone to the receiver and gave me a knowing look.
Great.
“What’s all this?” Kiernan asked.
“Indiealwaysbrings breakfast on Fridays,” Amelia answered before I could respond. “She’ssucha sweetie.”
Lay it on thick, Amelia.
Kiernan gave me a genuine, heart-stopping smile, and I forgot how to breathe.
“Thanks,” he said, opening the box and taking out a beignet. Those were my favorite.
“No problem.” I gave him a tight smile and scooted the open box toward Amelia.
She chose a pink-frosted donut with white sprinkles—just like I knew she would—and took a big, grateful bite.
“That was seriously amazing,” Kiernan said just as he swallowed the last bit of it. He must have eaten the thing in two bites. Impressive, honestly. “What is this place?” he asked,tipping the lid off of the edge of the desk so he could read the words written across the top of the box.
“Frankie’s,” Amelia told him. “They’re a cute little shop in town.”
“I’ll have to stop by sometime,” he said, now filling one of the to-go cups I’d brought with steaming coffee from the box.
