Page 33 of Savage Keepsakes

“That was amazing. Do you think I can grab your number?” he whispers in my ear.

I don’t want a repeat, but he could come in handy in a clutch. “Sure.”

We untangle from each other. I snatch a large shirt to cover my body as he gets dressed. I put my number in his phone, and he leans down to kiss my lips delicately.

“I’ll be in touch.”

I smile and walk down the stairs with him.

Once he leaves, I lock the door and head upstairs. I pull the shirt off and head to the bathroom for a hot shower.

It wasn’t quite the performance I had hoped to put on for Miles, but it should be enough to show him I’m not fucking around.

When I get back to my bedroom, I pull down the heavy curtain. Darkness surrounds me and I close my door before getting into bed. Exhaustion sweeps through me, and I melt against my pillows.

“This is the place I was telling you about. Everything comes from the farmer’s market, or is locally sourced,” JoJo says as we enter the restaurant.

“How do you know so much about the market?” I run my hand over my arm, a random chill running through me.

“My grandparents loved them, and since I spent a great deal of time with them, it became our thing. Now that they’re long past, I want to keep it going. I love supporting locals,” she tells me.

A blonde woman in jeans guides us to our seats. The polished wood tables have apple placemats on them. The cushion is comfy as I settle into the chair.

“Today’s specials are on the front of the menu. I’ll be around in a minute with water,” the waitress says, then disappears. She comes back shortly after, a pitcher in hand.

JoJo pours each of us a glass as I look over the specials. There is a soup and sandwich combo that looks good.

“Do you know what you’re going to get?” I ask her.

“I usually get the sandwich and salad. You?” Her long brown hair is braided into a bun on the top of her head. The overalls she wears are possibly the most adorable thing I’ve seen lately.

“Same, except soup.”

The server returns and we place our orders. After she leaves, I glance at JoJo, then look down at my water.

“What’s going on in your head, Lucy?”

“Everything. I think Miles has been stalking me, but it seems too advanced for him. In other news, do you think you’d be able to help Billy get into the farmer’s market?” I stir the paper straw in the glass. Useless fucking things.

“Hold up. First, what’s going on with Miles?”

“I got a letter that said he wouldn’t share me with a toy or something.”

That’s not what the note stated. I have the actual words imprinted in my mind.

“He’s a loser. If it continues, we’ll go straight to the police, okay?”

I nod, and the server comes back with our meals.

“As for the market, what does he sell again?”

I blow on my soup and dip the corner of my crust in it. “Organic soap, leather products, and I think he’s going to expand. He picks up roadkill and repurposes it. I helped him last week understand online selling and build a storefront, but I think he would love the market.” I take a bite of my sandwich and chew.

“I’ll ask around. That’s definitely unique, and I bet there’s a customer base for that sort of thing.”

I nod and continue eating. When I’m done with my soup, I look down at the other half of my sandwich.

“Did you hear about the two women missing?” JoJo asks.

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