Colters' Gift (Colters' Legacy #5)(38)

Liam’s lips twitched and he stuffed a bite of taco in his mouth, probably to stanch his laughter.

Noah opened his mouth, then promptly shut it. Then he nodded. “Deal.”

She smiled. “Okay, I need to get to work now.”

Noah rose, quickly clearing the plates away while Liam headed into the living room. He had his back to her when she came in on his heels, and when he turned, he was putting on a shoulder harness with a pistol. He reached for his leather jacket draped over the back of the armchair and pulled it on to cover the gun.

It was a sharp jolt of reality. She may be immersed in the fantasy of having two hot guys in her bed and in her life, but the reality was that they were here to protect her from a man who had no compunction about hurting her.

It was a sobering thought, and some of her good mood evaporated.

“Don’t look like that, baby,” Liam said. “It’s only here for your protection. So Joel Knight can never touch you again.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “I guess I just want to be able to forget about him for a while, and every time I think I can, I’m reminded in some way of why I’m here and why you’re here.”

He pushed into her space and pulled her into his arms.

“I hate the circumstances that put us together, but baby? I don’t regret the result for one minute. I wish we could have met under other conditions, but I’ll take you however I can get you. And if it means having to keep a close watch over you, I’ll just count that as a bonus.”

She hugged him to her, her mood lightening once more. Liam had a way of reaching in and wiping away the darkness that occupied certain portions of her mind.

“Ready?” Noah asked from the doorway to the kitchen.

Lauren pulled away and turned in his direction. “Ready.”

* * *

IT was a busy morning in the diner. Mondays typically were. It was as if everyone wanted to get out to see what the weekend gossip was. Tuesday mornings were always dead. Definitely her worst tip day of her schedule for sure.

The Colters and even her own brother usually made it in on her shift at least once a week, and they always left ridiculously large tips. After the first couple of times of arguing with them, she finally had saved her breath.

They loved her and they used any opportunity they found to take care of her. It was nice to have that kind of unconditional support.

Liam and Noah had garnered much attention. The townspeople hadn’t even bothered trying to be subtle. They stared while Noah and Liam had a cup of coffee at the start of Lauren’s shift. They stared when the two men left and returned a couple of hours later.

And when Seth ambled in close to eleven for a cup of coffee, two people made a beeline for him to warn him about the big strangers lurking at the diner. Lauren had stifled her laughter as Seth had patiently explained that Noah and Liam were good men and that Seth knew them personally.

“Everything going okay, Lauren?” Seth asked as she set his coffee down at his table.

She smiled. “Just fine. Typical Monday.”

Seth rolled his eyes. “You’re telling me. Your protectors have made quite a stir in town. They’ve been spotted all over Clyde and now the good denizens are convinced that they’re hit men. Believe me when I say, our receptionist has been fielding calls all morning and I’ve been stopped on the street, been flagged down in my patrol car and have even gotten calls on my cell.”

“Oh I’m sorry, Seth,” Lauren said. “This has to be a giant pain in your butt.”

“I’m not complaining, honey. I want you safe. It’s just life in a small town, and it should make you feel better that so many people are concerned about you. It should also make you feel better to know that if some stranger shows his face here, we’ll definitely know about it.”

She gave him a rueful smile. “That’s true. Joel would arrive in his flashy sports car and before he got out, the entire town would know about it.”

Seth laughed. “You’re so right there. There are drawbacks to living in such a small community, but the plusses far outweigh the minuses. We have good people here,” he said seriously. “I’ve known them all my life. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”

“I love it here too,” she said wistfully.

She looked up when the bell over the front door jangled, and then she lit up. “Oh look! Callie and Lily are here!”

Before Seth could respond, Lauren hurried to greet the other two women.

They hugged her as soon as she got close.

“Are you here for lunch?” Lauren asked her friends.

“I see my husband is here,” Lily murmured. “Figures when I make an escape with Callie, he has to be here instead of at work.”

“Don’t look now, but here he comes,” Callie said with a snicker. “He has a frown. You know, one of those concerned husbandly frowns.”

Lily sighed. “Seat us, Lauren. Far, far away from wherever Seth is sitting, please.”

Lauren giggled and pulled the two women in the opposite direction as Seth. She settled the two women in a booth that only accommodated two people and overlooked the street. It was a beautiful, sunny spring day and the sun was shining against a brilliant blue sky.

The town square and Main Street truly were beautiful in the spring. Flowers lined the square and the street, and there was a quaintness that spoke to Lauren’s longing for a place to call home.