Protecting My Heart Read online

  Kevin laughed loudly. “Still is. That’s why I loved her. She was always so incredibly strong.”

  “That explains why you couldn’t stay away.”

  “I promised her I would marry her in kindergarten,” Kevin replied.

  Tristan’s eyes sparkled in delight. “I’m sure your parents got sick of that.”

  “I think they’re just happy we waited until after college.”

  Tristan laughed. “That sounds about right. Did you want a cup of coffee?”

  “Not today, but I hear you’ve turned into a pretty good barista. Did I hear that you’re also starting to make donuts now?”

  “I figure it’s a good business investment.” Tristan shrugged. “Designer donuts and pastries are all the rage these days.”

  Kevin nodded. “That and we haven’t had a good donut shop around here for ages.”

  “That too,” Tristan said.

  “When do you think you’re going to start?”

  “Well, probably within a couple of weeks. We’re still learning how to use all the equipment and developing recipes.” Tristan offered a smile. “We still haven’t figured out what we’re going to offer the best of yet.”

  “Any ideas?” Kevin leaned in. He was looking for some kind of inside information.

  “Most of the basics, but we’re still working on some unique ideas.”

  “Oh! Taking suggestions?” There was a hopeful gleam Kevin’s eyes. It almost made Tristan laugh. People were always happy to ask for their favorites.

  “Sure. Any idea is a good idea,” Tristan replied.

  “My wife and I went to one of these places a few years back.” Kevin carefully held the box of cupcakes. “In another town. They had a strawberry cheesecake one. But we thought that a cherry cheesecake would be a good idea.”

  Tristan nodded. “I’ll put it on our list.”

  “Thanks. I should get going before she starts to get worried.”

  “Does Lydia worry a lot?”

  “Hormones, you know. She hates feeling like that.” Kevin shook his head. “It’s not her fault. It’s just messing with her head.”

  “Poor Lydia. Let her know that I miss her.”

  Kevin laughed as he started to walk toward the door. “I will. Don’t worry. She’s just miserable because she’s stuck on bed rest. So, I’m running around doing all her errands and just trying to make sure she doesn’t freak out too much.”

  “Ouch. Wait a second.” Tristan reached into the case and carefully pulled out two of his best cupcakes. The ones with cheesecake filling and cream cheese flavored icing and packaged them in a duo box. He carefully settled them in, which didn’t take him very long.

  Kevin walked back to the counter. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Just tell her that we wish her well, okay?” Tristan handed over the box. “I insist.”

  “Are you sure?” Kevin asked.

  “Yeah. I’m sure. We’ve got a new batch of these ready to come out and these are the last ones on this tray.”

  Kevin nodded with a grin. “That’s sure to make her day brighter.”

  “Glad I could help. Enjoy.” Tristan nodded once again as Kevin headed for the door. This time he made it outside.

  Once the store was empty, Tristan walked around the counter and started to clean up the seating area. The bakery only had a couple of tables. Most customers picked up their orders to go. It worked for the business and made it so they had less to clean on any given day.

  His father, Martin, had founded this little bakery several long decades before. Tristan had grown up as a part of the business and had even gone to culinary and business school to help keep it running and to try to make it more popular. He had worked hard at it. Trying to make something of it. And it had worked.

  Tristan had helped take it from a simple “hole in the wall” bakery to something that could cater to a lot of people from simple and inexpensive cookies and cakes to more fancy products that were made with unique ingredients. With the current gentrification of the area, it seemed to be a good business plan. There was a great cross-section of people in the area. So, the bakery’s décor was simple and easy on the eyes, but with cool colors. It was the kind of place that was easy for anyone to walk into.

  Maybe it wasn’t as fancy as some other bakeries, but it was no longer a “hole in the wall” either. It just worked well, standing firmly at the intersection of two communities. Tristan was proud of his family’s business and the work that he had put in to update the place. His family had never been afraid to change with the times. They had once been a lot smaller. Simple bread and cakes for low prices. Now they’d expanded the range that they were offering.

  Tristan couldn’t help but smile as he saw an old familiar car pull up in front of the store. “Dad’s here.” He shook his head. His father had just retired the month before.

  His father, Martin, made his way into the store slowly.

  “How’s business going for you?” his father asked moving slowly.

  Tristan had noticed the change over the years. His father had waited too long to fully retire, trying to keep going as long as he could.

  It had been a great source of irritation. Tristan had been ready to take over long before he’d actually been given the reins of the place.

  “It’s going pretty well. Aren’t you supposed to be relaxing?” Tristan asked.

  Tristan’s father shook his head with a soft chuckle that seemed to be a rumble in his chest more than anything else. “It’s fine. I just figured I would come by and check-in.”

  “You could have mentioned that you were bored,” Tristan said, laughing. “I would have penciled you in for a shift.”

  “Not here to work today.”

  “What can I get you then? A cupcake? Do you want to try a donut? I can make some for you.”

  “I’m not bored or hungry. I just want to see my son. He’s been working so many hours that he hasn’t had a chance to visit his old man.”

  Tristan grinned. “Is that the case?”

  “It is, indeed. Now how are things?” Martin asked.

  “It’s going well. Business is steady. Which is where I want it. The transition has been fairly smooth. I’m still looking for a couple of new bakers now that you and Mom are gone.”

  “I see. Well, I’m sure you’re going to pick the right people.”

  “Of course, I am. We’re not exactly at a busy moment. So, why don’t you sit down. We just installed an espresso machine. I can get you a cup of coffee.”

  “How fancy. Coffee,” Martin said as he pretended to be surprised.

  “Well, I thought it was a good business decision,” Tristan said.

  “Did you mention this before?”

  “I did. But I was in the middle of a shift and it was kind of busy. You probably forgot about it. Things like that are easy to forget about, I guess.” But he knew that he’d discussed it with him. They had shopped around and gone over every feature in great detail.

  Tristan frowned heavily. He hated the thought of his father forgetting things. It was probably one of the biggest fears he had with his parents growing older. Tristan knew that he would always make sure to take care of his parents if he could, but he wasn’t sure how he would juggle them and the business that they had lovingly built up.

  The thought was still bothering Tristan when he saw another customer walk into the store. At least he thought it was a customer. Before he could do anything to greet the young man who had walked into the building, his father made his way over. The two started to talk quietly.

  Tristan tried to make his way up to meet them, but his father held his hand to block the approach. The older man must have somehow seen his son approaching.

  Tristan glanced at the windows. His father must have seen his reflection in the window. He didn’t quite understand what was going on but could only watch as Tristan’s father passed over an envelope and the not-customer walked away and out of the store.

  The sec
ond the door was closed there was a large release of tension like the air was finally thin enough to pull into his lungs. Tristan had no idea why that man had made him so nervous. It was a young guy, probably in his early twenties.

  Martin turned around. Their eyes met.

  Tristan just looked at him, but there was a knowing glance shared between them. There was a payment of some kind in that envelope. Tristan knew it but didn’t know what it was for.

  Tristan considered asking, but before he could, his father had made his way out of the bakery and was climbing into the car. He could have caught up, but there was no point. If his father didn’t want to talk about it, he wasn’t going to.

  Chapter Three

  Zeke glanced over at the bakery. It was the place that Tristan owned now, or at least that was the last he had heard. He was happy for his ex-boyfriend. Tristan deserved all the best. And he couldn’t help but smile slightly as he saw the place.

  Jennie must have noticed the way he was looking at the building. “Something wrong?”

  Zeke shook his head. “Nothing.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Jennie smirked at him. “Pining for days gone by, maybe?”

  “I don’t pine for anything.” Zeke smirked at her. “I’m not a ‘piner.’ I would never do anything like that.”

  “Yes, you would. And I don’t think ‘piner’ is a word.”

  “It’s a word now.” Zeke shook his head. “Do I look like some character from a romcom?”

  “I don’t know. You could totally pull off the leading man. Especially in those jeans.”

  Zeke rolled his eyes. “Of course, you would say that.”

  “I know a lot of young men and women that would say the same. Have you seen how people seem to fawn over you?” Jennie asked.

  “Nobody fawns over me.”

  “Nobody that you notice. But only because you’re always too busy to notice.”

  “I don’t think that’s true at all.” Zeke shook his head. “There are no fainting people in my path. I’m not chased.”

  “Would you even pay attention if you were?” Jennie asked.

  Zeke sighed heavily. “Do we have to talk about my sex life?” His voice had taken up the tone of a frustrated groan. “It’s got nothing to do with this at all.”

  “If it might interfere with the case? Yeah, we sure do,” Jennie said.

  “What do you mean by that?” Zeke asked. He was completely taken aback by Jennie’s answer.

  “Conflict of interest is a real thing. Do I need to bring in someone else so you can step out?”

  “Really? You’re honestly asking me that?”

  “I am, yeah. I need to know,” Jennie said.

  “Don’t you think that’s going a little far?” Zeke asked.

  “What makes you say that?”

  Zeke squinted. “You know this isn’t going to get in the way. I don’t do things like that. I don’t let things get in the way of us getting our job done. And neither of us break rules.”

  “This is kind of iffy ground, though,” Jennie replied.

  “I’m sure it’s going to be fine.”

  “Yeah. You’re probably right. But I had to ask.”

  “That’s because you’ve got the spirit of a mom. Nothing but worry and fretting,” Zeke said.

  Jennie laughed. “What makes you say that?”

  “I see it every day.”

  “You’re trying to turn this around on me, aren’t you?”

  Zeke laughed. “I’m sitting here with you, aren’t I?” He motioned over his body and the fact that he was in a seated position.

  “That doesn’t make it less of a thing.”

  “What kind of thing?” Zeke asked.

  “The fact that you're so damn attractive to people.”

  “Then why couldn’t I scare up a date this weekend?” He countered the argument with one of his own.

  “Probably because you’ve been through most of the men in this town that would be interested in you. And those who you haven’t, have been warned.”

  “That doesn’t exactly fill me with hope you know?” Zeke stared out the window, in the direction of the bakery. But he knew that she was right. He had always run away when it actually counted.

  “Oh, I know.”

  Zeke shook his head. “You can’t honestly be trying to say this to me right now, can you?”

  Jennie laughed. Her voice was smooth and pure. It was one of the things that drew people to her. “Yeah. I am. You’re a catch, Zeke.”

  “I’m not a catch.” He shook his head, glancing back at the bakery that they were parked near. They were out of sight of the door, but he could still see the sign. He hadn’t been in the building in a couple of years. Ever since he had walked away from Tristan. They had never even discussed it. But he knew better than to walk into the building. “I’ve never been a catch.”

  “Look at you. Of course, you would argue with me.”

  “Yeah, I would.”

  “You can fight me all you want, but it doesn’t change the fact that you are. That’s why you have no lack of people trying to get close to you.”

  “Then why aren’t I snapped up yet?” Zeke countered her argument. “If I’m so great, why hasn’t anyone just come up and dragged me off the market?”

  Jennie grinned at him. “I think you know that already.”

  “What do I already know?”

  “That people take no for an answer. And that’s the only answer you give.” Jennie laughed. “It’s just in your nature to run away from stuff.”

  “Really? Is that where you’re going to go?” Zeke asked.

  “Yeah. I’m gonna go there. And I think we need to go talk to the bakery owner.”

  Zeke sighed heavily, feeling a little drained by the discussion. This case had been getting to him. “That probably won’t go anywhere either.”

  She glanced over at him. “You really think that?”

  “Yeah, I really do.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we’ve already established my history with the owner.”

  “Have you tried maybe apologizing?” She joked in his general direction.

  “What good would that do?”

  Jennie gasped. “You still miss him, don’t you? That’s got to be it.”

  “Why would you say something like that?” Zeke felt frustration fill up his chest and he set his jaw to keep from snapping at his partner.

  “Why else won’t you go into the bakery?” She smirked at him.

  “That’s ridiculous,” Zeke said defiantly.

  “You’ve never had a single problem going near any of your other ex’s.” She had the voice of a woman who had just put the last pieces of a puzzle together.

  It was a puzzle that Zeke didn’t want to hear about. “Do we have to talk about this now?”

  “I think we’re going to end up having to talk about it eventually. You’ll have to deal with him.”

  “Pretty sure I won’t be able to,” Zeke said, shaking his head.

  “You’re deflecting.”

  “Why would I be deflecting?”

  “Because you don’t want to answer my questions.” Jennie was staring at him.

  Zeke couldn’t match her gaze. Instead, he stared out the window, trying to avoid looking at his partner or the bakery. “I have been answering.”

  “I think I hit a nerve.”

  “Maybe you should just go.” Zeke motioned toward the bakery. “Maybe he’ll tell you something.”

  “I think he might tell you something. You already know the guy better than I do.” Jennie frowned heavily. “You can at least try to talk to him.”

  “That won’t do any good,” Zeke said, quietly sighing.

  “You can’t know that it won’t help.” She kept a cheerful look in her eyes. It was the same look that drove him crazy.

  Zeke shook his head. “I don’t know about that. I’m not even sure he’d want to talk to me.”

  “Was it that bad?” />
  “I know I would just shut up and refuse to talk, yeah.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I guess I just kind of lost interest.”

  “You can’t be serious?” Her incredulous face was far from unexpected. “You ghosted him? Really?”

  “I wouldn’t say that. I guess I just started contacting him less and less. And then I just disappeared.”

  “This better not get in the way of this investigation, damn it,” Jennie said, her voice tinged with irritation.

  “Hey, don’t get all mad at me.” He held his hands up. “How was I to know that this would have anything to do with anything?”

  “I don’t know.” Jennie sighed. “I guess I’m just a little on edge at the moment.”

  “That’s pretty damn clear, yeah.” Zeke shook his head. “Why don’t you just go talk to him. His name is Tristan. I think he just took over the place. His parents owned it before him. They make a great cake. You should try some.”

  “Really? Is it that good?” Jennie asked.

  “Some of the best in the city,” Zeke replied and nodded. “I order it sometimes through those delivery apps.”

  Jennie laughed loudly hearing that. “Really? You go that far to avoid him and still eat his cooking?”

  “He’s a great baker.”

  Jennie nodded slowly, drawing in a deep heavy sigh. “All right. Keep an eye on the street. And don’t go wildly running off.”

  “When do I ever go wildly running off?” Zeke said.

  “Every single time you get the chance.” Jennie shook her head. “Try to behave, all right? I may not be able to back you up.”

  “I know. I know.” Zeke rolled his eyes. “Mother.”

  Jennie playfully shoved his shoulder. “I’m not your mother, you know?”

  “I know, but you would have been a great mother.”

  She laughed at that. “I will be a great mother. Just not to you.”

  “What if I want a mother.” Zeke stuck his tongue out at her.

  “Then you can go and visit yours,” Jennie said, shaking her head with a laugh. “I should go ahead and get inside.”

  “Good. Have fun with that.”

  Jennie laughed. “You’re afraid of this guy. I swear you are.”

  “I am not,” Zeke said, a bit stiffly.