Page 44 of Bennett

Annie answered on the second ring, her voice chipper but slightly groggy. “Morning, sweetheart. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just…wanted to check in. Make sure you’re feeling all right,” Laurel said, trying to keep her tone light. “Any pain or swelling?”

“Just the usual stiffness,” Annie replied. “The ice packs are helping. See? I can follow the doctor’s orders like I promised.”

“Good,” Laurel said. “Don’t make me send Pete over there to enforce them.”

Annie laughed. “Oh, Lord, I’d rather deal with the sheriff.”

Laurel smiled at the sound, but her fingers tightened around the phone. “You didn’t happen to stop by the diner late last night, did you?”

“Nope. Haven’t left the house since yesterday afternoon. Why?”

“Just wondering,” Laurel lied, gently. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Everything all right?” Annie asked, instantly sharper.

“Everything’s fine,” Laurel said quickly, hating the sudden worry she heard in her aunt’s voice.

“You sure?” Annie didn’t sound convinced.

She nodded as if her aunt could see her. “Yes. Of course. Just a little tired myself.”

“Ah,” her aunt said with a note of humor in her tone. “Late night with your handsome Bennett?”

“No,” she blurted a little louder than necessary. “And he’s notmyanything.”

Aunt Annie’s chuckle filled the phone. “But you want him to be.”

“What? I do not,” she replied much too quickly, because it made her aunt chuckle longer.

“Sure. Sure, sweetheart. You trying to convince me or yourself?” Annie asked, but she let it go. “Call if you need anything.”

“I will. Promise.”

She hung up, slipped her phone into her pocket, and after taking an extra few seconds to get her heart rate under control, Laurel headed for the front of the diner, doing her best to remove the thought her aunt planted out of her head.

Her Bennett…

A laugh bubbled up her throat. The guy was too growly to be anyone’s anything.

So why did the memory of him pressing her against the wall with blatant hunger in his eyes flash through her mind?

Because she was an idiot.

Forcing that second unwanted thought out of her head, she reached the counter and began wiping it down for something to do. So far, the only customers were Arthur and Nelson, both comfortably parked in Belinda’s section.

The bell above the door jingled again.

Bennett walked in, with Matthew just a step behind him.

Both looked serious, focused, and damn, even in jeans and worn T-shirts, they still managed to look like a pair of action movie heroes. The sight of them sent a ripple of relief through her, though she kept her expression even.

She straightened and nodded. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” Matthew smiled.

Bennett didn’t smile, but his gaze was locked on hers, sharp and unreadable. “You okay?”

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