Page 68 of Erik's Redemption
“We’llwait outside,” Henry replied. “You stay and make sure the woman doesn’t bail on us. But don’t take long. I’m hungry.”
She smiled. He was always hungry. “Okay.”
Hannah moved to the counter, surveying the selection of sexy bras. Every piece of lingerie she owned was from this store, but that wasn’t because Brigid was her best friend. She stocked the most beautiful lingerie in town, possibly in the state. And she had something for everyone. All sizes. Modest. Sexy. Even cute pajamas—three sets of which Hannah also owned.
Not that she wore pajamas anymore. Erik’s T-shirts had become a bedtime staple for her.
Brigid rushed over. “I’m sorry! I can’t do lunch today. We’re just too busy.” The words came in a rush, her gaze barely meeting Hannah’s.
She opened her mouth, but before she could respond, Brigid was already moving toward the back of the store.
Hannah frowned, looking around the shop. There were three customers. She’d hardly call this unmanageable for Brigid’s shop assistant.
Carefully, she weaved through the store to find her friend going through boxes in the storage room. She quietly closed the door behind her. “Brigid, is everything okay?”
“Of course.” She didn’t look up. In fact, she seemed to be doing everything possible to keep her head down.
When she finally turned, lingerie in hand, she tried to pass Hannah, but she blocked her friend’s way.
“Brigid—what’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
She stepped to the side, but Hannah mirrored her, this time wrapping her fingers around her friend’s arm. The touch was light, but Brigid immediately recoiled.
Hannah snatched her hand away. “Did Ihurtyou?”
“I’m fine. I did a workout this morning and my muscles are a bit sore.”
Her best friend rarely worked out. “Brigid—”
“Hannah, I need to go.” Finally, she looked up—and Hannah saw what she’d missed in the store.
“Do you have a black eye?”
Brigid immediately turned her head so Hannah couldn’t see that side of her face. But it was too late. Her friend had obviously tried to cover it with makeup, and she’d done a pretty good job, but standing this close, there was no missing the dark bruising.
“Did someonehityou?”
Brigid sucked in a deep breath. “It’s not what you think. I was in the storage room last night and I pulled a box down from the top shelf. It fell on my face.” Brigid’s eyes darted around the room, and she touched her cheek.
Hannah’s frown intensified. “If that’s true, then why are you trying so hard to hide it?”
“Because it’s embarrassing.” She swallowed. “I’ve got a customer waiting. I need to go. I’ll call you later, okay?”
This time, Hannah didn’t block her way. Instead, she watched as she left the room, wondering what the hell was going on…and worrying for her best friend.
Erik pulledinto the parking lot at Black Bean. He’d been with his dad all morning and was sick to death of the damn hospital coffee. Why the hell it had to taste like dirt mixed with water, he had no fucking idea.
He climbed out of his car and had only taken a couple steps when his phone rang. He stopped at the sight of Chandler’s name on the screen.
“Chandler. Have you got anything on the attack?”
He’d told his friend what had happened years ago between Hannah and Clarence, but only because he knew the information would never go further. He trusted Chandler with his life, and with Hannah’s. Now he was looking into Clarence Burns to find out who could’ve been close enough to the man to know what Hannah had done. It was either that, or Nico had told someone.
“I ran a really thorough background check on Clarence.”
A vein in Erik’s temple throbbed. “And?”
