Page 17 of Island Whispers
Though it was uncomfortable for her, Boone had kept his word. He’d been conscientious all afternoon, staying out of the way and yet somehow never letting her feel alone. He was present without being domineering or anything else she might’ve expected a bodyguard to be. He’d even carried plants back and forth when Connie and Lila, the grandmother and granddaughter co-owners of the bakery, needed some advice about a wilting peace lily.
“Are you feeling better?” Molly asked.
“Yes.” Boone was currently somewhere outside of the shop and she could breathe a bit easier when his sexy masculine scent wasn’t crowding her. “I’m sorry for being awful. It’s been such a weird day, though that doesn’t excuse my foul mood.”
“Not your fault.” Molly grabbed a broom to clean up the debris around her work space. “I can’t imagine how I’d feel in your shoes.”
“You’d be taking it all in stride,” Nina replied confidently. “You’re one of the toughest women I know.”
Molly froze, hands locked around the broom handle. “You mean that.”
Nina thought Molly might be on the verge of tears. “Of course I do. You’re a single mom building a great life for your son. Why do you doubt yourself?”
Molly chuckled. “Probably because I’m the single mother of an active little boy.” She resumed her sweeping. “Some days the smallest decisions feel gigantic. Without Aunt Sharon and you and the rest of the island I’d constantly be wading through a puddle of panic.”
“That’s just not a picture I can see when I think of you.”
“Are you nervous about this whole thing?” Molly wondered. “I mean, if you need a bodyguard at least he’s polite. And handsome.”
“The anxiety attack speaks for itself,” Nina said. “I’m not thrilled that the police think I need protection, but we’ll get through it. Boone seems nice enough and he’s not constantly underfoot.”
That was as far as she’d go with singing praises about the man she never expected to see again.
Molly glanced around and lowered her voice. “He seems into you.”
Nina couldn’t let her assistant fall down that romantic rabbit hole. “He’s supposed to be attentive.” She might’ve said more, but a commotion near the door caught her full attention.
Her shoulders locked up and her heart lurched until she recognized Lila chatting with someone on the sidewalk. A moment later, her friend came into the shop, still wearing her bakery apron. Her dark red hair was gathered into a top knot, with stray curls framing her face. Her gaze was full of concern as she hurried into the design area.
“Nina! I just heard.” She set a bag on the work table and pulled Nina into a hug.
Over Lila’s shoulder she saw Boone walk inside. “Heard what?” She suspected Boone had been chatting with store owners on the street, asking them to keep an eye out for the criminal she’d caught on video.
Lila stepped back. “About the incident this morning,” she said, confirming Nina’s suspicions. “How are you holding up?”
Other than being a nervous wreck and utterly crabby? “I’ve had better days.” What an understatement. “Just be careful, okay. I didn’t mean to bring trouble down on all our heads.”
Lila planted her hands on her hips. “That is a load of crap.”
“She’s not wrong,” Molly added.
“Boone shouldn’t have stirred up worry.”
Lila shook her head. “I heard about it from Travis, since Jess put him on standby. And Gram just heard about the carjacking on the news.”
She would not collapse or complain. In the long run, it was probably for the best that the entire island would know what happened and why there was a new face lurking over her shoulder. But she could regret that Lila’s fiancé was involved. Like Boone, he was a Guardian Agency protector, but he and Lila shouldn’t be worrying about anything other than settling in and planning their wedding. “I wish I knew what to say.”
“I’ll say what matters. You’re a hero,” Lila stated. “Without you stepping in, that guy might’ve gotten away.”
She didn’t feel like a hero. All she’d done was take a video. A video that might have put her family and business in danger. Maybe going into hiding until the escapee was captured again was the better option. If Jess could hide her somewhere from Boone too, that would be the best.
“Don’t worry about us,” Lila said. “Boone warned me he might show up. We have Travis, of course. Trust me, he’s told Gram and me what to do if we see anything suspicious.”
“That’s…good.” What else could she say?
Lila’s gaze sharpened. “Do you need to talk?”
She shook her head as Boone walked into the design room and Molly slipped out front to help a customer. “I’m glad you have Travis.”