Page 20 of Bennett

But as she headed for the door, a sense of unease settled in her chest.

If the damage was bad enough for Carter to call in Gabe, then this wasn’t just some harmless prank.

It was a threat.

That thought stayed with her as she walked toward the construction site, trying not to overthink things until she saw the damage. The salty tang of Gulf air clung to the breeze, rustling her ponytail as she covered the short distance down the street from the diner.

Her nerves hummed with equal parts frustration and determination. She hadn’t been back inside the large, two-story building since she was a kid chasing dust motes and sneaking cookies while her uncle polished furniture with the kind of meticulous care she’d only ever seen on TV commercials.

She clutched the takeout bag in one hand and the coffee in the other, her fingers tightening around the bags handles. She could feel the heat through the to-go cup, grounding her as she eyed the brick building. Her mind flashed back to memories of running through the old showrooms, darting between couches, polished tables, and towering bookshelves, like they were obstacles in a maze. On numerous occasions, she’d grabbed oneof the books off those shelves and found a cozy spot in a corner to hunker down and read. It hadn’t mattered that they were meant for décor, she’d found them all fascinating.

Winslow Fine Furnishings had been her uncle’s pride and joy. A place built on quality craftsmanship, reliable service, and a reputation for carrying the best-made furniture in the county.

Uncle Jim had built his business from the ground up, pouring his heart into every inch of the place. For years, people had come from all over just to browse the sprawling warehouse and admire the solid wood furniture he sold with the same pride as the craftsmen who’d created the pieces.

For Laurel, it had been a place of discovery and endless games of hide-and-seek. It had also fostered her love of books.

Now, it was a construction zone. And apparently, someone’s favorite target.

Rounding the corner to the back of the building, she spotted the guys huddled just outside the door. Carter was hunched over something, his attention on a bundle of wires, while Matthew stood nearby, arms folded, his gaze fixed on the building. Bennett was there, too, his stance stiff and his expression even stiffer.

“Food delivery!” she called out, striding toward them through the opening in the fence. “For the guy who’s been running himself ragged while his buddies enjoyed a leisurely breakfast.”

Carter’s head whipped around, and his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “You beautiful, glorious woman. Gimme. You have no idea how much this helps my mood.”

“Pretty sure I do,” Laurel said, handing him the bag and coffee. “This is compliments of Annie, and from what she said, you’re knee-deep in wiring nightmares. You deserve something strong enough to jumpstart your brain cells.”

“Bless that woman.” Carter took the bag like it was made of gold. “At least somebody cares, unlike some fellow teammates I know.” He popped open the lid off the coffee and sniffed. “And bless you, too. This might be the only thing keeping me alive right now.”

“To be fair, my aunt did say Mac had ordered it for you,” she felt compelled to add.

The guy grinned. “Ah, bossman does care, after all.”

“Rough morning?” she asked, arching a brow.

“You could say that,” Carter grumbled around a mouthful of bacon. “Seems like I spent more time inspecting damage than actually installing the damn security system. And since my job is to make sure this place is secure, it means I’ve got a lot of crap to redo.”

Alarm stiffened her spine. “That doesn’t sound good,” Laurel said, her gaze flicking to Bennett, who was watching her with that unreadable expression of his.

“Nothing about this is good,” Matthew chimed in, his tone far too cheerful, considering the circumstances. “But hey, at least we can count on Carter to get security up and running…by next week.”

Carter flipped him off without breaking his grin. “Don’t start with me, Walker. I’ve got hot coffee and I’m not afraid to use it.” He took a long sip, his eyes practically rolling back in his head. “Sweet caffeine, I missed you.”

Matthew snorted. “Let’s hope the boost helps you actually fix something instead of blowing something up.”

“I’m a tech genius, Walker. Not one of your squid brothers,” Carter shot back.

Laurel smirked. “You guys always this charming?”

“Only when we’re hungry,” Matthew quipped.

Her gaze strayed Bennett’s way again. His expression was calm, his gaze taking everything in like he was cataloging it forlater. The man was all business, and yet, he still looked at her like he was trying to figure her out.

Yeah, well, good luck. She’d been told she wasunfigure-out-able.

“So,” Laurel said, her gaze moving past them to the building’s half-finished facade. “How bad is the damage? Aunt Annie asked me to take charge of the renovations.”

Carter’s expression shifted from pleased to frustrated in a heartbeat. “Wiring’s been meddled with in a few of the open units. Someone yanked out cables and cut a couple clean through. Not to mention they busted the lock on the nearly finished apartment and tampered with the wiring at the entrance.”

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