Page 48 of Hold the Line

“No.” I narrowed my eyes on him. He knew I didn’t like talking about my little sister. “She’s a kid, and she has a chance now.”

“So do you, Deke. If Phoebe doesn’t see that, it’s her loss, not yours.”

“I heard you. Appreciate the sentiment, but I’m done talking about this.”

“Might as well still be wearing shackles,” he mumbled, knowing full well I would hear him.

He wasn’t wrong. If this was freedom, I sure as hell didn’t like the taste of it.

Chapter Twenty-one

Phoebe

Islicedtwopiecesof fresh, warm rosemary bread. One went to Hailey, the other to Cormac. This was the first loaf I’d made since my class last week. Hailey had smelled it baking during her shift and asked if she could taste it when it was done. Cormac had stopped in right before we closed, so now they were both my guinea pigs.

I hadn’t intended to bake bread this week, but I’d needed to keep myself busy. Any downtime I’d had had been spent with my family, cleaning like a madwoman, and baking. I’d managed not to have a single sighting ofhim.

My heart was a little less achy, but not by much. For the most part, in those few quiet moments I’d allowed myself, I vacillated between confusion and anger.

But it didn’t matter why he’d behaved that way, only that he had. I was moving on, baking bread and spending time with people who wanted to be with me.

“Mmmm.” Hailey’s eyebrows popped as she chewed. “I don’t think I’ve ever tasted rosemary before, but I like it.”

Cormac nodded in agreement. “This is your first loaf?”

“It is,” I preened.

“I shouldn’t be surprised; it’s the best bread I’ve ever tasted.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and tucked me against him. Everyone in our family was tall, but my baby brother towered over even Caleb at six and a half feet. “I’m going to have to forbid you from selling it, though.”

Twisting under his arm, I gave him the side-eye. “Why’s that?”

He wagged his finger at me playfully. “Young lady, tell me where you’re going to get the time to add baking bread to your insane schedule? Do you want to start going to work at four a.m.?” I wrinkled my nose, and Cormac laughed. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. Maybe lay off the bread until you bring in another full-time employee.”

Hailey stole another piece. “But wouldn’t selling a lot of bread pay the salary of a new employee?”

I tapped my temple. “I like the way you think, smarty.”

Cormac gave me a shake. “How many loaves are you going to need to sell to pay that salary?”

I sighed, reluctantly admitting defeat, even though I really didn’t have plans to hire anyone else so soon. That idea was a year or two down the road.

“Okay. I concede. I won’t start selling bread.”

Hailey slid the rest of the loaf across the cutting board, bringing it closer to her. “But maybe, on occasion, you could bake some for your very best employees.”

“And your best younger brother,” Cormac added, eyeing the bread Hailey had very obviously laid claim on.

I patted his arm. “It’s okay to let her have that one. You don’t have to fight her for it.” With a flourish, I whipped a towel off the second loaf I’d baked. “You can take this one home.”

He grinned wide. “I knew you loved me. Thanks, Phe.”

Cormac stayed to help Hailey and me close up, then drove the two of us to my place so I could grab my car. Hailey’s foster mom hadn’t been able to pick her up from work today, so I’d volunteered to bring her home. My brother would have done the driving, but he had a real live date he had to get to. Since he’d had his heart broken years ago, he rarely dated, and it seemed I was more excited about it than he was. Still, he was trying, and that was the first step.

After waving Cormac off, I unlocked the doors of my car, ignoring the big silver truck parked next to it. Hailey climbed in beside me, eyeing the truck and my house.

“I like your house,” she said.

“I do too. During the summer, I can open my windows and listen to the concerts in the park.”

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