Page 34 of Beautifully Broken Control

I gestured towards the back door. “Help yourself.”

Jensen appeared from the kitchen. “Oh, you’re here.” She crossed to us and wrapped Cain in a quick hug. He stiffened just a bit as though not used to the familiar gesture, but if Jensen noticed his hesitation, she didn’t show it. “I’ve been meaning to get an alarm in here forever. There just never seems to be the time.”

“No problem. I’m happy to help.”

J turned to me. “Can you hold down the fort for a bit? I want to walk through the building with Cain.”

“Of course.” The lunch rush was over, and we were headed into wind-down time, so I doubted I’d be overrun with customers.

They started towards the back door, but Jensen paused and turned back. “Oh, and is it okay if we go into the studio? I just want to show him all the windows up there.”

“No” was on the tip of my tongue. It wasn’t like I had anything to hide, but there was something so personal about my space and the idea of Cain in it. I couldn’t explain it, but it was like I wasn’t ready. I gave my head a little shake. That was ridiculous. “Of course. Just make sure Chuck doesn’t pull a Houdini.”

“Thanks. We’ll be careful and quick.”

“Take your time.” I returned to my task. Slowly and methodically wiping down all the tables, refilling pitchers of honey and jars of sugar on each one, and trying to ignore the deep voice that occasionally filtered down from above.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and I looked up to see Jensen. She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Shoot. I took longer than I thought. Sorry. Get out of here. I know you have ballet.”

I wiped my hands on the towel and set it behind the counter. “I’ve got plenty of time. Don’t worry about it.”

“No, you don’t. At least, let me handle Chuck’s walk.”

I grinned. “You know that would make his day. Thank you.” Chuck loved Jensen, probably because she snuck him bacon from the savory scones she made each morning.

“No problem. Now, skedaddle.” She shooed me on.

“Sir, yes, sir.” I jogged up the steps, laughing as I went, but came to a screeching halt at my open door. Cain was crouched, examining the lock. “What are you doing?”

He looked up. “Putting in an alarm. This lock is actually pretty good. I don’t think it needs to be replaced, but there will be sensors on all your windows, a keypad on this inside wall here. I could do motion sensors, but you have a dog.” He inclined his head towards my bed, where Chuck was snoring away. “Though I don’t get the sense he moves much.”

“I don’t need an alarm.” It was such a waste.

“Sure, you do.”

“Cain. It’s not like someone is going to drag a ladder over here and climb up two stories to try and break in and steal…what? My five books?” I gestured to the handful of worn paperbacks on my shelf.

Cain’s jaw tightened. “There are bad people in this world. It’s better to be safe.”

I fought the urge to throw something at him. I didn’t need any of this. My stomach twisted as I took in all the gadgets strewn across the floor. How much money did all of this cost? Hundreds of dollars, at least. Maybe thousands. My mouth went dry. How many more worthwhile things could that money be spent on?

I squeezed my eyes closed. It wasn’t my money. I couldn’t decide how it was spent. “Fine. I need to grab a bag and go, so please don’t set the alarm until I know how to use it. The last thing I need is to wake up the entire town when I don’t know how to shut the damn thing off.” I crossed to my closet, footsteps a bit heavier than necessary, and reached for my dance bag.

“Where are you going?”

I tossed a leotard and my pointe shoes into the bag, not looking up. “I’m teaching a class in twenty minutes.”

“A class?” Cain’s voice was closer now. I still didn’t look up.

I threw in a sweatshirt for my bike ride home. “Yup. I teach ballet.”

Cain let out an exasperated sigh. “How many jobs do you have?”

I straightened and turned. “Two. Why? Is it a crime to work hard?”

“Of course, not.” He opened his mouth to say something else, but then seemed to think better of it. “Are you riding your bike?”

“Yup.” I lifted the bag over my shoulder and headed for the door.

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