Page 6 of Evidence of Secrets

He gave her an amount. Laura winced. Did she have enough in her purse to cover it? Laura dug out her wallet and dipped into her emergency stash. It was just enough to cover the bill. The crappy day was going downhill fast. The good news was Jake didn’t hear this exchange. He would try to fix the problem for her, and it wasn’t his to fix. The bad news was that she didn’t have extra money for any more crises today.

It was her turn to buy coffee this week, and she had just enough money to treat them both.

That meant the soap lady was out, as were the fishmonger, the pickle lady, and the cheese tent.

Laura caught up to Jake, told him she’d get the coffee and would meet him on a bench by the water.

The waves were long and shallow today. Laura inhaled. The briny scent tickled her nose and brought her to her sweet spot. Growing up in North Carolina, she and her mother never visited the ocean. They were too far away and too poor to stay overnight. Living in Black Pointe and being close to the ocean was a treat that kept on giving.

“So, what’s good on your menu this week?” asked Jake.

Laura glanced over at Jake. The sun backlit his face. He looked like the typical surfer dude with streaked blond hair; straight, white teeth; a firm chin; and a lean but muscular build. She smiled. Jake had never surfed in his life, and he was okay with people thinking he did.

Some people thought Jake was a love ’em and leave ’em type of guy, but Laura knew better. He didn’t date much. It was hard when you owned a restaurant. The hours were crazy and long. Jake told her once a while ago, he loved a woman who died. Hearing that broke her heart.

They weren’t in a serious relationship; neither wanted that. Yes, they’d had sex a few times. It was pleasant and scratched an itch they both had, but they agreed that there were no fireworks, bells, or whistles. It was just enjoyable. They were both too busy with their restaurants and had no plans to take their relationship any further.

“I’m working on a new vegetable tart recipe. More people are becoming vegetarians and asking for something different. I’m developing a tomato tart using the multicolored heirloom tomatoes. It’ll have a base of whipped goat cheese and a layer of tapenade in an herbed crust. I’m serving a pickled cucumber salad as a side.”

“Sounds delicious.”

“The fundraiser for the shelter is in a couple of weeks, and I thought I could make a smaller version for an hors d’oeuvre.”

“How many people are you expecting?”

“I’m not sure. Sam mentioned that two hundred invitations went out, and most people responded that they’ll be there.” Laura shrugged. “So I guess a lot.”

“It sounds like the shelter will make a lot of money.”

Laura sure hoped so. The shelter in town was Sam Knight’s charity of choice. The KnightGuard Security team volunteered their time to give free self-defense lessons to the women and children living there. KnightGuard also provided seed money to women who gave up everything to escape an abusive situation and were starting over on their own. It was a win-win for everyone.

Sam scheduled the fundraiser for a Monday night when Salt & Sea was closed. Besides the use of the facility, Laura was paying for any staff that wanted to work that night. Sam offered to pay for the food and alcohol. Still, the cost of paying her staff was going to be expensive. Money she couldn’t afford to waste. She hoped there would be a substantial uptick in reservations, which would help offset expenses.

Jake finished his coffee and stood. “I need to get back. How about the same time, same place next week?”

“Sounds good.”

Jake stood and tossed his cup into the wastebasket. He gave her a chaste kiss and left.

Laura sat back on the bench and pondered her options for getting back on track. The list was getting shorter and shorter.

She watched several young kids dart in and out of the water, screeching their pleasure. They were so innocent and happy. Laura was jealous for a minute, wishing happiness wasn’t eluding her. However, she had good friends who were always there when she needed them and a bistro she loved.

Those were the important things in life, but she wouldn’t reject an infusion of cash and good luck.

She blew out a long breath. Laura didn’t know how she was going to get either.

CHAPTERFIVE

Jaimie Walton picked up a candle and sniffed it. Lavender and honey. Not her favorite combination. The honey made it smell too sweet, but she wasn’t at the farmers’ market for candles. Or artwork. Or seafood, vegetables, or any handmade item. She was here to shadow Laura Clark.

She scooted between two older women who were comparing items and standing in the middle of the path, forcing people to walk around them. Little kids ran shrieking between groups of adults. The musician was taking a break, and the murmur of voices was just background noise.

The market was bustling, and while Jaimie wasn’t concerned about Laura recognizing her, she didn’t want Laura to feel like someone was watching her. Although for several weeks, she had been playing a game of cat and mouse with Laura, always dodging into corners when Laura looked around. It wasn’t time for her to reveal herself.

But, oh my, who is that man Laura is with?Eye candy times a hundred. Something about a well-built guy in a T-shirt and cargo shorts made her heart flutter. Although Laura and the hunk sat fairly close, they weren’t touching and didn’t look serious about each other. She was a trained observer.

Jaimie found a bench farther down the boardwalk and glanced around. With her wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, no one could tell she was watching them. She leaned back and inhaled deeply. There was something about the sound of crashing waves and the briny, salty smell of the ocean. Nirvana. Even the bright-colored beach umbrellas and people jumping waves excited her. Jaimie and her mom never got to the ocean. They were lucky to swim in a lake.

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