Glancing up at the door, my movements momentarily freeze when I note Axel sauntering toward the counter. His tall, well-muscled frame looks damn good in snug-fitting jeans, white sneakers, and a Henley t-shirt that brings out the ice- blue shade of his eyes.
Eyes currently locked on mine as he strides toward the counter. When he reaches me, I force my gaze up to the sunglasses resting on top of his closely-cropped head. Those eyes of his are too damn dangerous to look at for long. The other night at the bar, I felt like Axel was reading every story I never wanted to tell.
“Hey, there.” His subtle Georgia drawl rolls right off his tongue, causing my stomach to knot and my toes to curl inside my Toms. “Something smells amazing in here.”
His eyes drop to the brownies, and he actually licks his lips.
On the inside, I groan.
Axel’s always made it difficult for me to hold onto my resolve when it comes to “friends-only.” Looking at him today, remembering our conversation on Saturday night, it’s damn near impossible. I never opened up to him the way I did then. I never felt so…exposed.
But for me, being exposed isn’t an option. I can’t allow that to happen. Not with Axel. Not with anyone.
“You want a brownie? I just made them. Or…lunch? Chicken salad?” My voice rises with uncertainty. Something I normally never feel. Axel has me all twisted in knots.
Pulling out a stool, he plants himself in it. “I’d love a brownie, Brantley. And some coffee.”
Pressing my lips together, I grab a mug. “Coming right up.”
He glances around the shop. “Arden here today?”
Jerking my thumb over my shoulder, I clear my throat. Nerves seem to be building in my throat. “She’s in the back. Sculpting.”
Axel lifts his eyebrows. “Ah. That usually how you guys roll? She does the art, you provide the sweets?”
I slide him his coffee and a plate with two brownies. Then I lean forward, my chin resting on my palms. Now, I do meet his eyes. “Usually, yeah. When we became partners, we each had our ‘thing.’ Brantley is the people person, and she’s artistic. She’s really good at chatting up the customers and marketing, and makes all the stuff we sell around the shop. She makes a pretty good latte, too. Me; I’m the baker and the barista. I also have a business degree, so I run the books.”
Axel’s expression shows interest. “Cool. I didn’t know you had a business degree.”
One corner of my mouth quirks. “Pretty sure there’s a lot you don’t know about me, Axel.”
His response is immediate.. “Pretty sure we can change that if we try.”
Straightening, I busy myself with the counter, straightening the desserts in the cabinet and wiping the surfaces. “What brought you in today, Axel? Other than trying to sweet-talk the owner?”
Axel’s dark chuckle sends shivers crawling down my spine. “That’s pretty much it, sugar.”
My eyes narrow.
Axel’s lips tip upward in a grin. “But that’s not the correct term of endearment for you, is it? You’re never real forthcoming with the sweetness. You’re more like…Spice.”
In spite of myself, I smile. His eyes crinkle at the corners, making them light up. And the effect is dazzling. The blue is fiery ice, and my chin almost drops off of its resting place on my hands.
“So…” I watch as he bites into a brownie, momentarily distracted by the sweet morsel disappearing into his mouth. “You just came in to shoot the shit with me?”
Axel swallows, then hums. “This is damn good. And yes, I wanted to check in on you. You know, say hello.”
Speculation pulls my brows together. “This is what we do now?”
Axel polishes off the first brownie in two bites. “It can be. Easy.”
Slowly, I nod. “I suppose so.”
I watch in fascination as Axel destroys his second brownie. It’s never been so interesting, watching a customer eat my baked goods. When he’s done, he takes a swig of coffee. There’s a satisfied expression on his face; his handsome features settle into a contented half-smile.
“That was really good. And your coffee is worth the trip from the beach.”
That pulls a chuckle from me. “You live in Tybee, then?”
His eyes meet mine again, and that dizzy feeling threatens to overcome me again. Those damn eyes. “Yeah. Isn’t it weird that we’ve known each other for a year, and I’ve never been to your place? You’ve never been to mine, either.”
I nod, wiping the counter more slowly now. Setting my cloth down, I focus my attention on him. “I guess it is. Mostly, we just find ourselves in the same place at the same time because of Arden and Flash.”
Axel dips his head in a slow nod. “Think we should change that? No reason we can’t be friends.”
My stomach flips. “Friends?”
His eyes flash. “Sure. Can’t have too many of those, right?”
My mind travels, wondering…can Axel and I be friends? I’ve actually never even considered it. With my attraction to him, I merely shut down the thought of becoming any closer to him at all, in any respect. But I’ve seen how he’s been there for his brother, the kind of solid stability he offers both his brother and my best friend. But the thought of reaching out and grabbing just a bit of that for myself?
It’s tempting.
I open my mouth to answer him when my phone rings in my purse under the counter. Usually, I’d ignore it. But this ringtone is special, and I immediately drop what I’m doing and reach for my phone.
When I pull it out and see the familiar Florida area code, I answer the call. Turning away from the counter, I listen carefully to the voice on the other end of the line. It isn’t the one I expected to hear.
“Miss Hughes?” A woman I’ve never spoken to before asks with a polite, detached tone.
For reasons unknown, my stomach drops toward my toes. “Yes?”
“My name is Nadia McBride. I represent the interests of Ethan and Evelyn Hall. I’m sorry to inform you that Mr. And Mrs. Hall have both died in an accident late last night. You are the person they’ve placed as guardian of their daughter, Eden, in their will. I’ll need you to come to Fort Lauderdale immediately to collect—”
“I’m on my way.” I end the call, my heart pounding a harsh rhythm in my throat. I stand there in the coffee shop, staring at the phone clutched in my hand with my chest heaving and my lips pressed together so tightly they must be turning white.
I jump, my whole body tensing, when a hand brushes my shoulder.
“Brantley.” Axel’s voice, firm yet gentle at the same time, coaxes me to turn and face him. “What’s wrong?”
My thoughts are spinning in circles, my brain threatening to explode. I can’t tell him, I’ve never told anyone. And now…now my whole life is about to change.
Oh, God.
Eden…what she must be going through. She just lost both her parents…
I’ve never told anyone about Eden. Not even Arden. And now…now everyone in my life is going to find out the truth about my past. Not that I’m ashamed of it. I’m not. I kept Eden a secret for a far different reason, and that reason hasn’t changed, or gone away. Far from it.