Curvy Valentine Match

“Maybe you ought to take the hint, then.” The last thing I wanted, or needed, was the whole town finding out that Mara and I used to be a thing.

“First love, right?” I said nothing and she nodded. “Interesting.”

“Why don’t you go wait for forensics?”

“Very interesting…” When I glared again, Tara held her hands up and smiled. “I’m gone, I swear.”

She was right about one thing. Mara and I had a long and intense shared history that was over before it really began, and no matter how much I wished otherwise, it was squarely in the past.

Mara

Two more days had passed since my run-in with Xander and Tara at the old farm house near the interstate, and still Lonnie hadn’t turned up. At least not at the Bread Box. My concern had officially turned to worry because I knew, better than most, just what dangers a young girl faced when living on the streets. Not that Lonnie wanted to hear that, her or any other sixteen year old for that matter. She’d run away from her foster home about six weeks ago, and though she refused to live with me, she took me up on the offer to feed her regularly. Until four days ago when she hadn’t shown up, and I haven’t seen or heard from her since.

Now it was ten o’clock on the fifth day and her usual time to stop by had come and gone. Best case scenario, Lonnie was locked up someplace locally. Worst case, someone would be notified to identify her body soon.

God, anything but that.

There was nothing to be done about it now, but when my shift ended I would keep looking. For now, I had a variety of red and pink and white pastries to sell to the small town masses.

“Next!”

Oliver’s lips twitched as he took a step closer to the counter and glanced down at the specials still available. “A six pack of lonely hearts truffles and a raspberry cream filled croissant. Oh, and a big black coffee.”

“Anything else?” Oliver shook his head, laughter still stuck behind his clenched lips. “Coming right up.”

“You all right, Mara?”

“Yep. Fantastic. You?” I gave him my best stare down, waiting to see if he had a point to this question, or if he was just fishing for information.

“Fine.”

“Great.” I loved living in Pilgrim and all, but on days like this, I often wondered why I’d chosen to move to another small town where everyone was all up in my business. Constantly. I busied myself with Oliver’s coffee, blocking out everything else for thirty seconds of peace.

“Thanks, Mara.”

“My pleasure. Next!” Oliver slid over instead of grabbing his order and walking away, and when I looked up, I knew why. “What’ll it be?”

Xander looked down at me with a blinding smile and a twinkle in his blue eyes. “Good morning, Mara.”

“Morning,” I grunted because I liked my job too much to risk it by being rude. To anyone. “Would you like to order something?”

His smile dimmed just a hair. “Yes,” he sighed, his disappointment clear in the set of his shoulders and the way his jaw clenched.

“Well?”

“Oh, right.” He glanced at the specials board and then down at the display case thoughtfully. “I’ll have the, uh-,”

Eva chose that moment to breeze into Bread Box with a determined smile for every person she passed in line. Her gaze was fixed on me, and that made me nervous.

“Mara,” she beamed and turned to Oliver with a loving smile as she laid a really hot kiss on him. “Hey baby.”

“Hey.” Oliver grinned and licked his lips. “What are you doing here.”

“I’m here for Mara,” she said and nodded in my direction before turning those steely grey eyes on me. “Mara. Hi.”

I sighed and shook my head. “Whatever it is, I’m not interested.” I turned to Xander expectantly, hoping his order would be the distraction I needed from Eva’s determination.

Before Xander could speak, Eva hip-checked him and stood right in front of me. “Don’t you go anywhere. Xander will have a tall Americano, and those white chocolate rhubarb cheesecake bites.” She turned to Xander and he nodded his agreement.

“Great.” At least the Americano would give me more time to gather my thoughts before Eva started blabbing about whatever had brought her in today.

“So. Mara.” I could hear the lilt in her voice and I held my breath. “I have someone I think will be perfect for you, but to be absolutely certain I’ll need you to come to the office and-,”

“No. No way, don’t even think about it.” I didn’t bother to face her, just shook my head with as much energy as I could muster after a restless night of sleep.

“And fill out the official questionnaire.”

“No thanks.” I wasn’t in the market for a date, or a boyfriend or anything serious. I wasn’t in the market for romance at all, in fact.