Page 29 of Broken By Her Mate
Laughing, Laila caught her in an embrace.
“You’re back!” Cora chirped. “Finally.”
“Welcome back, boss,” Ryan, the new employee, said with a smile. “I heard you were on a romantic getaway, getting engaged and all. Congratulations.”
There was an awkward silence as Laila and Tolliver exchanged glances. “Erm… Thanks,” Laila muttered. “Cora, how are things here?”
“Great! Melanie is at the front. It’s been a busy morning so far.”
Laila walked to the door to peep through the window. Her other employee was at the counter, effortlessly handling orders with her usual warmth and ease, her laughter ringing out as she chatted with customers. That was why Laila had hired the young human. She was sweet. As Laila took in the satisfied customers,the kitchen, and the various delicious scents coming from the ovens, relief filled her.
She gave Cora a grateful look. “You seem to have everything under control.”
“Of course.” Cora pressed her flour-covered hands to her chest. “I told you I’d take care of things. I’d never let you down.”
“I know.” Laila was impressed with the nineteen-year-old’s ability to keep a business in order for days without direction. Some teenagers couldn’t even sit still for five minutes. “Thank you.” Laila glanced at Tolliver. “I’d like to speak with Cora alone. Maybe we can go upstairs to my apartment.”
Tolliver opened his mouth to protest, but the beseeching look in Laila’s eyes stopped him. “Fine. I’ll be outside.”
Checking for suspicious persons, no doubt. Laila nodded. “I’ll be fine.” She grabbed Cora’s hand. “Ryan, you can handle things alone for a few minutes, right?”
The young man nodded. “Sure. The breakfast rush is over.”
As Laila practically dragged Cora out of the kitchen and through the backdoor to the stairs that led to the apartment, Cora giggled. “Sheesh, Laila, where’s the fire?”
“No fire,” Laila grumbled. “I just need to tell you the truth about what’s going on.”
“What?”
Laila waited until they were in her apartment before she responded. Closing the door, she turned to Cora. “I need you to block us.”
“What?”Cora’s eyebrows wrinkled with confusion.
“So Tolliver doesn’t hear us. He’s got acute hearing, so make this room soundproof… in a witchy way.”
Cora snorted. “You know I’m not good with magic like that. I was raised like a normal human, for goodness’s sake. I don’t know how to…block.”
Laila’s eyes narrowed to suspicious slits. “Oh, please. I know you’ve been practicing magic in secret. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been able to pull that stunt you did the night Tolliver showed up.”
Cora pursed her lips, and guilt flickered in her eyes. “All right, the jig is up. Of course, I can put up a sound block.”
Laila rolled her eyes as Cora grinned sheepishly.
“Okay, it’s done. Tolliver won’t be able to hear us from outside.”
“Good. There’s something I need to tell you, and if he knows I’m blabbing, he’ll be pissed.”
“So we’re keeping secrets from your fiancé?” Cora tutted. “I don’t like it.”
“He’s not my fiancé, Cora.”
“So, the proposal was a bust? What happened? You didn’t turn him down, did you?”
Laila scoffed at her accusatory tone. “There was no proposal.”
Cora’s dramatic gasp rivaled all dramatic gasps. “But Tolliver said…”
“He didn’t really whisk me away for romance, Cora. He just wanted your help to get me out of the bakery—out of Cedar Ridge, really.