Page 158 of Back in the Saddle

My day brightened.

I turned to Tito to see how he reacted to these goings-on, but he had his nose stuck in a book.

It was a Rock Chick book with a light-purple cover.

Not surprising, Tito had always had a quiet way with keeping his finger on the pulse.

Anyway, somebody needed to do the research, and I was back and forth on it. But when it came to those books, I was leaning toward that somebody not being me.

I got to work, and it was just after the lunch rush when they walked in.

Daisy.

With Stella Gunn.

Stella showing caused more than a mild sensation, and for once, it wasn’t because of the addition of Daisy. Even if Daisy was wearing a track suit comprised of shimmery, pale-pink velour joggers and a matching cropped jacket that was unzipped to the point Mr. Shithead might give us a limitless number of questions he’d answer for an entire year just for a glance. This was bedazzled with diamante around the waistband of the joggers and at the wrists of the jacket.

Oh, she also had sequined, pink and purple platform sneakers on her feet.

But Stella outshone her because Stella was mega-famous, and it didn’t hurt she was also mega-gorgeous.

Totally got why Eric decided to date her as his cover.

One didn’t normally hang at a kickass coffee/cocktail/fusion food joint and have one of the most celebrated musicians in history casually stroll in.

Therefore, I, along with everyone in the joint, only had eyes for Stella.

On my part, it was for more than just the fact that she seemed to be an uber famous chick wandering out in the wild without a bodyguard.

I kept my gaze on her as Daisy took a stool at one end of the bar and Stella approached where I was standing at the other end.

She slid onto a stool there and greeted, “Hey, Jess.”

I moved to her and put my hands on the bar. “Hey, Stella. Want a coffee? Or are you here to eat? Lucia’s got an awesome chorizo toad-in-the-hole with cayenne-garlic mashed potatoes and green chile gravy on the menu today. Trust me, it’ll rock your world.”

“Although that sounds fantastic, I already ate.”

She shifted on her stool, and to me, it seemed like it was nervously.

Terrific.

This wasn’t a fun getting-to-know-the-new-girls-visit.

“Listen,” she went on. “I know you’re working, but Mace told me you girls were going to be busy for a while in your off hours, and I just wanted to…”

She didn’t finish that.

I didn’t know her well enough (say, at all) to fill in the blank, so I waited patiently, hoping she wasn’t there to try to talk me out of being an Angel.

Since her Rock Chick Ride was as bumpy as Eric said, I got why she’d be concerned about us.

But I had no problem with what we were doing. And the girls had no problem with it. And Eric had no issue with it.

So, no shade, but I didn’t see why Stella should have a problem with it.

“I just wanted to make sure we got off on the right foot,” she announced.

Now I was confused.

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