Nicholas opened the case and deposited the cupcakes inside. He looked over his shoulder. “I want to know why you look like you discovered Santa only left you a lump of coal underneath the Christmas tree.”
“John Timmerman came in a few minutes ago.”
“What? Dr. John?” The gossipmonger leapt to his full height and almost broke his neck scanning the store. “He did? Where is he?”
“He left with Jada.” Donovan grabbed a towel and scrubbed at the counter with all his considerable might. This was some bullshit. Every last bit of it.
Yes, Jada could take care of herself, but he hated seeing her unsettled. And there was no denying she’d been shocked to the soles of her Crocs to see that blast from the past.
What did that ass want? And maybe he wasn’t an ass, but any guy who showed up to his ex’s job, a job where she also happened to work with her current boyfriend, qualified as an ass in his book. And no, it did not matter that technically they weren’t dating. Fuck technicalities. He didn’t like that dude showing up. He smelled like bad news with his overpowering cologne that was only slightly better than Axe. “Whatever he’s up to isn’t good.”
“You sure that’s not just what you want to believe?”
Donovan jumped. Where the hell had August come from?
He scowled. “I’m going to kick your ass one day if you sneak up on me like that ever again.”
“You’ve been saying that since freshman year and you haven’t done it yet, so…” August’s massive shoulders lifted in a shrug.
Donovan rubbed his temples in a futile attempt to hold a headache at bay. His shoulders and stomach were tight. His skin was itchy. He didn’t like that John guy showing up out of the blue. What if Jada wanted to get back together with him? Before he could tell her how he felt? He’d planned to invite her out for drinks when her shift was over. He’d wanted to play it cool, not make things awkward at work. Look where that had gotten him. Fuck.
“You seem awfully bothered by something you say isn’t bothering you.” Nicholas poured himself a cup of coffee, took a sip, and studied Donovan over the rim.
“I’m not bothered. I’m worried about Jada. She’s out there by herself with that dude.”
“Jada has traveled all over the world by herself. Pretty sure she can take care of herself.”
“Of course she can take care of herself, but I have no idea what he’s saying to her. She’s been through a lot. If he’s messing with her head or playing on her vulnerabilities, I will kick his ass. Full stop. Damn it. Where is she?” He looked at the clock on the wall. She’d been gone seventeen minutes. Plenty of time for that dude to say what he wanted to say and get the hell out. He threw the towel on the counter. “I’m going to go find her.”
As he hurried around the counter, the front door bell jingled and Jada stepped back inside Sugar Blitz. Immediately, every conversation in the bakery went mute. None of the nosy customers had left. After a suspended second, more camera clicks filled the air.
Jada took it all in stride, or at least she did her best to give that appearance. Donovan was starting to know her well. She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin, and plastered a smile on her beautiful face. But the smile wasn’t genuine, her gait wasn’t steady, and she gripped her hands together in a tight vise.
Donovan took the three steps needed to get to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, which he was now realizing he’d done when he first spotted John. She sagged into his side. Fuck. She wasn’t okay. He needed to get her out of here.
He walked with her to his office and shut the door on the outside world. Jada collapsed against the wall and closed her eyes. “Jada, are you okay?”
She didn’t respond. Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
“Jada.” He’d done his best to offer her comfort, but now he was panicking. And he never panicked. He analyzed a situation and came up with the most logical solution. But nothing had been logical since the moment she’d shown up at Sugar Blitz. He couldn’t go back to the way things had been. More importantly, he didn’t want to.
“Jada,” he pleaded.
At last, her eyes fluttered open. In one fluid motion, she pushed away from the wall and pressed a quick, hard kiss to his mouth, her soft lips clinging to his for a way-too-brief moment, then collapsed against the door again, her eyes fluttering shut once again, her breaths still coming fast.
What the fuck?
Panic beat at his chest. Was she in shock? He scanned her figure, looking for any signs of distress. Everything looked normal, but he knew not all wounds and scars appeared on the outside. “Are you okay? Did that dickwad do or say something out of pocket to you?”