Page 7 of The Beach House With You 2

“What do you think of this cardigan?” Carmen asked Franny. She pulled the blue-dyed, hand-knit wool attire off its hanger and flung it over her shoulders. It cut off the cool breeze immediately, allowing a snuggly warmth to settle inside.

“Oh, I love that on you,” Franny gushed, turning Carmen left and right as she inspected it. “It fits so cute around the waist too! Definitely get it.”

“Sold.” Carmen laughed, tucking the hanger into her shopping basket, opting to wear the cardigan as they continued shopping.

Franny was holding up a multi-colored patchwork duster to show Carmen when she noticed her friend wasn’t focused on the beautiful, handmade jacket but on the storefront window.

“What are you looking at?” Franny asked, starting to turn around.

“Don’t look,” Carmen said quickly, lowering her eyes to the floor.

Franny’s dark brows drew down in concern as she lowered the duster and stepped closer to her friend.

“What’s going on, Carm?”

Carmen took her hand and pulled her further into the store until they were camouflaged by the racks of clothing.

“Okay, now you can look,” she said quietly, raising her eyes to the window again. “See that man there? I think he’s been following us. He’s definitely been watching us since we came in here.”

Franny slowly raised her eyes above the rack of dresses they were behind and sure enough, there was a man standing outside, facing the window. Though there was some distance between them now, she could see him turning his head left and right, as if scanning the room for them.

“Creeper,” Franny hissed, looking away.

From their hiding spot, Carmen studied him. He had small eyes practically hidden under giant, wildly bushy eyebrows that sat on a very circular face. His mustache, like his eyebrows, was not cared for at all and overtook most of his face. The shape of his face matched his body perfectly, and he looked uncomfortable in the dark blue sweatshirt that hugged his belly and arms tightly.

Though she wasn’t normally one to judge a book by its cover, Carmen felt a bad feeling slip over her as she continued to study him. Something about him seemed…off. Unsafe, even. Finally, after a few more seconds of him looking through the window, he began to walk off.

“He’s gone.” Franny sighed, stepping away from the racks. “Do you want to head home? I don’t know about you, but after that, I think I’m done shopping today.”

“Me too,” Carmen agreed, pulling out the sticky note Gloria gave her and her cell phone from her pocket. To her relief, Jacob replied to her text immediately and assured them that he would be there shortly.

“He’s on his way,” Carmen informed Franny, who had decided to get the duster she was viewing. “Come on, let’s go get checked out. Jacob said he’ll meet us at the parking meters by The Kitten Café.”

As the cashier rang them up, Carmen kept glancing toward the door, her feelings of apprehension growing worse. She looked away when the clerk gave her her total, and by the time she finished the transaction and looked back toward the door, the man was standing there. Before she could react, the cashier groaned and shook her head.

“Joe, you know you’re not allowed in here anymore,” the woman said, pointing at him. “Not after that stint you pulled last time. I told you before, we’re not interested in helping you sell whatever half-brained product you come up with.”

The man the cashier called Joe let out a harrumph and scratched his stomach as he straightened his back.

“Now, Nina, you know that what I brought you was good, high-quality stuff. It’s not my fault your store doesn’t know how to sell the higher-end products.”

Nina, the cashier rolled her eyes, clearly disgusted.

“I don’t care what you say, the answer is still no,” she replied in a steely voice.

Joe put his hands up in surrender and said, “Relax, Nina, I’m not here for that anyway.” He pointed a meaty finger toward Carmen. “I’m here for her. I know that blonde hair and freckles anywhere. That’s my kin you’re ringing up right there.”

Startled, Carmen’s eyes grew wide as she took an involuntary step back. Nina caught her movement and looked over at her with concern.

“Miss, do you know this man?” she asked.

“I’ve never seen that man in my life,” Carmen replied quickly, vehemently shaking her head. Nina turned her head back to Joe.

“She doesn’t seem to know you, Joe, and if you take one more step towards my shop, I’m calling the police. Back off. Now.”

Joe chuckled as he shook his head, but obeyed Nina’s demands and walked away. The moment he was gone, Nina turned back to Carmen with a sympathetic look.

“I’m so sorry about that,” she apologized. “Would you still like me to call the police? Or have one of my associates walk you to your car?”

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