slipping away.
And further down the rabbit hole I fell.
9
Sleep came. The Rev did not. I was disgusted by the sense of disappointment I felt for both, knowing I should have been grateful.
With a grand sigh, I dragged myself off the bed, mentally exhausted even though I was well rested. My game plan had been pissed on and I had no backup. Cooper was gone, probably off studying at the local library. It was Sunday, so I didn't have to open the store, but I couldn't stand the silence in the apartment; the stillness was making me mental. I had to get out.
After throwing on some clothes, I brushed my teeth, pulled my hair back in a messy bun, and grabbed something to eat on my way out the door. I hadn't been at the shop much all week, and I wanted to see how Peyta was faring with all the added responsibility.
I peeked through the window before attempting to unlock the door. It turned out I didn't need to. Much to my surprise, I spotted Peyta and Jay inside, laughing hysterically at the front counter. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her stomach, crunched forward over herself. I remembered what it felt like to laugh like that. I hadn't done it in a long time.
Not wanting to interrupt, I decided to head down to the bakery first, to pick up some treats to say thanks for her dedication to both me and the store. She had a wicked sweet tooth, and I had learned that Jay loved anything savory. I knew just what to get.
I walked down the street, smiling to myself. Peyta and Jay were becoming quite attached during the time they spent together, and I couldn't have been more pleased. They'd make a great couple.
Once I arrived at the patisserie, I ordered a chocolate éclair for Peyta and an entire spinach quiche for Jay. The PC boys ate nearly as much as Cooper did. After ordering an extra-tall latte for me and paying for all the goodies, I made my way to the door, hands full. I eyed the door curiously, trying to figure out how to grab the door knob without dropping anything. Looking dubious with a paper bag dangling from my mouth and my coffee balanced atop the quiche, someone came to my rescue.
“Let me get that for you, miss,” a man called out from behind me.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, my mouth still closed around the white bag it held.
An elderly hand reached around me to the door, opening it easily. I turned to thank him again, pulling the bag from my teeth, but the words never came. I froze when I saw him.
“Ruby,” he said, smiling, “it's nice to see you again. I hope I didn't frighten you yesterday.”
Gavin, the old man from the dock, studied me as I did him, hovering in the doorway of the bakery.
“No,” I replied, trying to breathe normally. “It had just been a really long night. You were probably right to shoo me away though. It likely isn't safe for a girl to be out at night alone anywhere these days. Not with what's been going on around town.”
“Not at all,” he said, nodding slowly. “ You need to stay away. T'isn't safe. Not for you .”
His eyes were mesmerizing—I couldn’t help but stare. They looked sharp and fierce, too young for the rest of his healthy but aged body. There was a twinkle to them I hadn't seen the other night when light was sparse, and it was bewitching to say the least. Something about him just didn't add up.
Not wanting to stick around and find out exactly what that was, I tried my best to duck out of his enigmatic ramblings as politely as possible. He may have meant well, but he totally creeped me out, and I was itching to bail.
“I will,” I said, backing out of the door. “You won't have to worry about that, Gavin.”
“For your sake, dear, I hope I don't.”
I hurried back to the store, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Nothing about his behavior came off as malicious in any way, but there was something to his energy—something familiar . He was warning me, but why? What did he know that he wasn't saying? Had he seen the murder that
And further down the rabbit hole I fell.
9
Sleep came. The Rev did not. I was disgusted by the sense of disappointment I felt for both, knowing I should have been grateful.
With a grand sigh, I dragged myself off the bed, mentally exhausted even though I was well rested. My game plan had been pissed on and I had no backup. Cooper was gone, probably off studying at the local library. It was Sunday, so I didn't have to open the store, but I couldn't stand the silence in the apartment; the stillness was making me mental. I had to get out.
After throwing on some clothes, I brushed my teeth, pulled my hair back in a messy bun, and grabbed something to eat on my way out the door. I hadn't been at the shop much all week, and I wanted to see how Peyta was faring with all the added responsibility.
I peeked through the window before attempting to unlock the door. It turned out I didn't need to. Much to my surprise, I spotted Peyta and Jay inside, laughing hysterically at the front counter. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her stomach, crunched forward over herself. I remembered what it felt like to laugh like that. I hadn't done it in a long time.
Not wanting to interrupt, I decided to head down to the bakery first, to pick up some treats to say thanks for her dedication to both me and the store. She had a wicked sweet tooth, and I had learned that Jay loved anything savory. I knew just what to get.
I walked down the street, smiling to myself. Peyta and Jay were becoming quite attached during the time they spent together, and I couldn't have been more pleased. They'd make a great couple.
Once I arrived at the patisserie, I ordered a chocolate éclair for Peyta and an entire spinach quiche for Jay. The PC boys ate nearly as much as Cooper did. After ordering an extra-tall latte for me and paying for all the goodies, I made my way to the door, hands full. I eyed the door curiously, trying to figure out how to grab the door knob without dropping anything. Looking dubious with a paper bag dangling from my mouth and my coffee balanced atop the quiche, someone came to my rescue.
“Let me get that for you, miss,” a man called out from behind me.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, my mouth still closed around the white bag it held.
An elderly hand reached around me to the door, opening it easily. I turned to thank him again, pulling the bag from my teeth, but the words never came. I froze when I saw him.
“Ruby,” he said, smiling, “it's nice to see you again. I hope I didn't frighten you yesterday.”
Gavin, the old man from the dock, studied me as I did him, hovering in the doorway of the bakery.
“No,” I replied, trying to breathe normally. “It had just been a really long night. You were probably right to shoo me away though. It likely isn't safe for a girl to be out at night alone anywhere these days. Not with what's been going on around town.”
“Not at all,” he said, nodding slowly. “ You need to stay away. T'isn't safe. Not for you .”
His eyes were mesmerizing—I couldn’t help but stare. They looked sharp and fierce, too young for the rest of his healthy but aged body. There was a twinkle to them I hadn't seen the other night when light was sparse, and it was bewitching to say the least. Something about him just didn't add up.
Not wanting to stick around and find out exactly what that was, I tried my best to duck out of his enigmatic ramblings as politely as possible. He may have meant well, but he totally creeped me out, and I was itching to bail.
“I will,” I said, backing out of the door. “You won't have to worry about that, Gavin.”
“For your sake, dear, I hope I don't.”
I hurried back to the store, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Nothing about his behavior came off as malicious in any way, but there was something to his energy—something familiar . He was warning me, but why? What did he know that he wasn't saying? Had he seen the murder that
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