“Why do I have to be up to something?” Trinity asked Connie with a tad of defensiveness in her tone. “Maybe I just wanted to have my friends over for dinner.”
They were in Trinity’s massive kitchen preparing side dishes, while Trinity’s husband, Gunner, and Trace were on the deck out back grilling.
Connie sliced the strawberries that would go into the fruit salad she was preparing. “Who invites people over to eat and then makes them cook? I assumed dinner would already be ready.”
“Where’s the fun in that? Besides, you and Trace aren’t guests. You’re family. This is what family does. We cook together. We eat together. We love on each other.”
“Yeah, whatever. Next time you call us over here for dinner, I expect it to already be prepared.” Trinity set a bowl of green grapes, a cantaloupe and a fresh pineapple on the counter. “I can’t wait to cut into the pineapple. I can already smell its sweetness.”
Trinity popped a grape into her mouth and leaned against the counter. “So, you and Trace seem to be getting closer.”
Connie didn’t take the bait. Her friend had been trying to push the two of them together for a long time. Now that Connie was getting to know Trace better, she recognized Trinity might’ve been right. He was beyond what she’d expected, and she looked forward to spending more time with him.
“Okay, you don’t have to tell me what’s going on. I saw the way he looked at you before he headed outside. Or maybe I should say, the way he ogled you. I guess staying the weekend at his place was the turning point, huh?”
“Maybe. Is that why you called us over here, so you could pry into our personal lives?”
“I do not pry. If I want to know something, I just ask.” Trinity grabbed the oven mitts and went to the stove to pull out a pan of baked ziti. “But, anyway, I called you two over because I’ve been thinking. Since you told me about the incident at Heavenly Sandwich Shop the other day, something has been on my mind. I have an idea, and before you say no, hear me out.”
Connie started shaking her head before Trinity could say anything else. “Whatever it is, no. Every time you start out with ‘before you say no,’ I already know I’m not going to like whatever you’re going to say.”
“That’s not true. Remember when I suggested you quit your job and join me at the agency? That hasn’t turned out bad, and I started the conversation the same way.”
True. Trinity’s call had been a godsend. Before joining LEPA, Connie had helped her with administrative work on occasion, had even filled in a few times when other staff members were on vacation. She hadn’t expected the job offer. Trinity called and practically begged her to consider working at LEPA, saying that she needed someone she could trust and depend on by her side.
The timing couldn’t have been better. It was days after Connie’s world imploded with Quincy’s betrayal. She had taken some vacation time to pull herself together, time to expel the anger and hate that had consumed her. Connie knew she could no longer work for the marketing company. Had she stayed, Quincy would’ve been her boss. Trinity didn’t know any of that before she called, which made Connie think that it was divine intervention at its best.
The door to the back deck slid open, and Trinity’s three-year-old son strolled in with a teddy bear tucked under his arm. Connie smiled as her thoughts went immediately to the night she had told Trace that she still slept with her doll, Vinnie. She had to keep herself from laughing now as she remembered his reaction.
“Mommy, can I have a cupcake? Ple-e-ease.”
“Not before dinner, baby. How about a slice of apple?”
“Can I have apple and a cupcake?” Jonah tried bargaining, giving his mother the sweet puppy-dog eyes that he had mastered.
Connie didn’t know how Trinity could say no to all of that cuteness. Jonah had the most beautiful eyes, and long, curled eyelashes that would make any woman jealous. He also had Gunner’s disposition—sweet and mild-mannered. Their easygoing personalities were the opposite of Trinity’s. She wasn’t the most patient person.
“Nope, only apple right now.” Trinity held out a slice, and Jonah stared at it with his eyebrows pulled together. He glared at the fruit as if it had the ability to bite him.
“But, Mommy, I don’t want apples.”
“All right, I guess that leaves more for me.” Trinity ate the slice in two bites and returned to what she was doing. Jonah frowned at her but didn’t say another word. He turned and headed to the family room. Seconds later, Connie heard the television, and the sound of his giggles drifted from the other room.
“You do know that this next child is probably going to have your personality, right?”
Trinity’s shoulder slumped, and she leaned against the counter. “Yeah, and it scares me to death. Gunner wants a girl and that terrifies me even more.”
“That would be so cool. Then you’ll have a little Mini-Me,” Connie gushed, thinking how she would love to have a little girl of her own. It was something she used to think about often, but after she and Quincy parted ways, that dream left with him. Until lately. The other night she had dreamed that she and Trace had gotten married, and she was pregnant with their first child. Connie had woken up in his guest room, and hearing him bumping around in the condo made the dream seem that much more real.
“I don’t think I can handle a Mini-Me,” Trinity said, interrupting Connie’s thoughts. “My mother often tells stories of how I was a little terror growing up. She also says that payback’s a you-know-what.” Trinity waved her hand as if dismissing the notion. “But, anyway, getting back to what we were talking about. I think you should consider keeping Trace around.”
“If I agree with you, can we change the subject?”
Trinity narrowed her eyes. “I’m not sure because that was a little too easy. I had this great speech planned and you’re ruining it.”
Connie shook her head, laughing.
“But I will say this, sis. Trace adores you, and he’s worried. We both are. So heads up—he’s probably going to try planting himself into your life one way or another.”
The doorbell rang before Connie could respond, and Trinity went to the door. Trace had already made it clear that he was around to stay, at least until the robbers were caught. Connie would be lying if she said that the incident at the restaurant hadn’t shaken her a little. Yet she didn’t want a bodyguard, or someone following her around 24/7. As for Trace being in her life for other reasons? Connie was warming up to that idea.
“Hey, baby girl,” Maxwell said to Connie when he strolled into the kitchen with his arm looped around Trinity’s shoulder. The brother and sister were a couple of years apart, but when they stood that close to each other, they could be twins. At over six feet tall and built like Trace, Maxwell was handsome with skin a deep shade of mahogany and a smile that could brighten the darkest day.
“Hey, yourself.” Connie wiped her hands on a dish towel and moved around the counter to hug him. “Trinity didn’t mention you were coming to dinner.”
“I wasn’t planning on it, but when I found out Trace was here, I figured I’d stop by.” He held up a folded sheet of paper and glanced around. “Where is he? I have something for him.”
“He’s on the deck with Gunner.”
“Uncle Max!” Jonah yelled. He tore out of the family room and leaped into Maxwell’s arms.
“What’s up, li’l man?”
“Nothing, but Mommy won’t let me have a cupcake.”
Maxwell laughed and tickled his nephew, who fell into a fit of giggles. “I guess I need to talk to that mommy of yours, huh?”
Jonah nodded vigorously. “Yes. Can you tell her to give me one? The yellow one?”
“Jonah, I’m not changing my mind,” Trinity said simply and placed dinnerware and utensils on the counter. “Go see if Daddy is finished barbecuing.”
After Maxwell walked out with Jonah in his arms, Connie and Trinity organized the food on the long center island.
“Before they come trampling in here, think about what I was saying. If you don’t officially want personal security, at least continue hanging out with Trace. I know he won’t let anything happen to you, and it’ll make me feel better knowing someone has your back.”
Connie pulled the lemonade that Trinity had made earlier from the refrigerator and set it on the center island next to the glasses. “Did Trace put you up to this?”
“No, but he did ask my opinion. He wanted to know if I thought there was a chance you could be in danger.”
Connie trusted her friend’s instinct. “Do you? Do you think there’s a possibility that those guys will realize that I saw part of one of their tattoos? Or that I worked with a sketch artist?”
“At first, I didn’t really think so, but there’s too much we don’t know. Will the guy you made eye contact with remember what you look like? Like, you remember his eye color, but he might recall your hazel eyes. Does he have the ability and resources to find out who you are and hunt you down? Those are things no one knows.”
Unease clawed through Connie, and she tried to steady her breathing. “I doubt he’d go to the trouble. I didn’t see much of him.”
“That’s true. I didn’t start to really get concerned until hearing about what happened at the restaurant. You know I don’t believe in coincidences. You said the man’s eye color was unusual and that his eyes looked familiar. Then you run into someone whose eyes are identical to the bank robber? Too much of a coincidence for me.”
“Maybe, but I’m not a hundred percent sure about anything. Besides, I can’t remember seeing a tattoo on the guy. So at this point, I don’t trust my judgment or my memory.”
“I get it. When I was a cop, we could interview ten different people who claimed to have witnessed the same crime, and all ten would give different accounts. Everyone notices different things. That’s just how it is.”
“I guess, but it doesn’t make me feel any better about this situation.”
“That’s okay. Right now, my main concern is that we’re looking out for you. At least think about it. I’d rather you have someone by your side and not need them than to need them and not have anyone.”
“All right, all right. I hope you ladies are ready,” Gunner said when he hurried in with a large platter of meats. Jonah trailed behind him carrying tongs and a spatula.
“Looks like ‘The Hunk’ has done his cooking proud,” Connie said, using the nickname she had given Gunner when he and Trinity first started dating. He wasn’t much of a cook, but like many men, he was great on the grill. “It smells amazing.”
“And it tastes even better,” Gunner said, setting the food on the counter where Trinity had made space.
Connie’s heart melted when he wrapped his arm around his wife and placed his hands on her small baby bump. Then he turned her and kissed her as if he hadn’t seen her in days.
They were obnoxiously cute. Connie loved them both to death, and she hated to admit that sometimes she was jealous of their relationship. Trinity was living the life that Connie one day wanted. They made being married seem like so much fun while also making it look easy, though she knew it wasn’t. Considering Trinity and Gunner’s rocky start, though, Connie was glad to see that they were still madly in love. Gunner, a professional poker player who used to be Maxwell’s college roommate, had hired LEPA a few years ago. A deadly criminal was taking out professional poker players, and Gunner was concerned for his safety. His two stipulations when hiring personal security: he wanted Trinity as his security specialist, and he needed her by his side around the clock. Not only had Trinity kept him safe, but they’d also fallen in love.
“Where’s Max and Trace?” Trinity asked when the kiss ended. “I’m surprised they didn’t follow you inside. I know they have to be hungry.”
Gunner set a couple of bottles of beer next to the lemonade. “They were talking but said they’d be in shortly.”
“Mommy, now can I have a cupcake?”
“Jonah, do not ask me that again. I already said that you couldn’t have one before dinner, and I meant it. We’re going to eat soon.”
Trace and Maxwell strolled in, and Connie’s gaze immediately landed on Trace. At first, he was frowning when he entered the kitchen, but the moment he saw her, he smiled and headed over to her. She didn’t ever think she’d get used to the butterflies that took flight inside her stomach whenever he was near. Would it always be like that with him?
Trace pulled her to his side and placed a kiss on her temple as if it was the most natural thing to do. Connie’s cheeks heated when she made eye contact with Trinity. Her friend was grinning like she had just been awarded a billion dollars.
Connie rolled her eyes and glanced up at Trace. “Ready to eat?”
“Definitely. I’m starving.”
Once they were seated at the dining-room table, conversation flowed easily. That was always the case when Connie hooked up with Trinity and her family. But this was the first time that she was there with a man. Not just any man, but one who made her heart beat double time and her insides quiver.
She was done pushing him away. Done being afraid of getting hurt or making the wrong choice. Connie wanted...no, she deserved...to have the loving relationship she’d always dreamed of, and she could see that happening with Trace.
He squeezed her thigh, and Connie’s pulse did a little giddyap. How was it possible that, with only a touch, this man could arouse the passion that had been dormant for too long inside her?
“You all right?” he asked close to her ear, his deep voice sending goose bumps spreading up her arms.
Connie glanced at him and smiled, something she’d been doing a lot of over the last few days. “I’m great.” She noticed he had cleaned his plate. “Are you ready for dessert?”
His left eyebrow lifted in surprise and his lips quirked. She then realized how her question sounded.
“Cupcakes. I’m talking about cupcakes,” she said quickly and a little louder than intended.
“Yay! We can have cupcakes,” Jonah cheered at the other end of the table, where he was sitting next to Gunner and across from Trinity. “Mommy, can I have a yellow one?”
Trinity pointed her fork at Connie. “The next time you bring cupcakes into this house, you better sneak them in.”
Connie grinned at her friend. “I can’t make any promises on that.”
Everyone turned to Maxwell and Gunner, who were engaged in a heated discussion about basketball. The NBA playoff season was kicking off and Gunner insisted that the Lakers were going to win the title.
“Actually, the Lakers are playing tonight. I just can’t remember what time,” Trace said.
Gunner strolled into the family room, where they had the biggest television Connie had ever seen hanging on the wall. He scrolled through a few channels. “They’re probably on now.”
“Stop!” Trace yelled and jumped out of his seat before Connie could figure out what was going on. “Go back.”
Gunner flipped back to the previous channel and stopped on a news station. He turned up the volume.
Connie stood slowly, and unease crept through her body when she recognized the photo on the television screen. She walked over and stopped in the middle of the room next to Trace.
“According to authorities, a woman’s body was found at the West Meadow Inn motel. The woman, who sustained a single gunshot wound to the head, has been identified as Janel Landrey, age twenty-eight. She was the bank teller at Sunburst Bank for whom authorities have been searching in connection with the recent robbery. Her death is being ruled a homicide. The bank robbers are still at large and should be considered armed and dangerous. They are wanted for the murder of Richard Holmes and also are suspects in the murder of Ms. Landrey. There’s a fifty-thousand-dollar reward for information leading to the apprehension of these individuals. If you have any information...”
Connie didn’t hear the rest as she stood frozen. All she could think about was how they had shot the woman in cold blood. Her bank teller. A gunshot to the head. What type of heartless people would do something like that to another human being? She might not have known or even have ever seen Janel until the day of the robbery, but her heart ached for the woman and those she’d left behind.
“Connie,” Trace said, his voice raised as if he had already called her name several times. He was standing directly in front of her, and the worry radiating in his eyes made her stomach drop. He cupped her face between his hands and moved closer, their noses almost touching. “I don’t know what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours, but nothing’s going to happen to you,” he said, his voice only loud enough for her to hear.
She nodded. The conviction in Trace’s voice helped settle her nerves. One thing was for sure, though. Until all of this was over, she was glad he would be by her side.