Beautifully Broken Pieces (Sutter Lake, #1)(73)

A snort escaped me. I’d definitely need lots of alcohol if I was going to talk about Walker for any length of time. “I’m in.” Maybe Liam could show me a way out of the mess I’d gotten myself into. At the very least, the alcohol might numb the pain. I stood. “We need shots.”

Liam’s eyes widened. “Shit, this must be one hell of a story.”

“You have no idea.”





39





Walker





“You aren’t seriously bringing a mug of coffee into my tea shop, are you?” Jensen’s voice rang out over the handful of early-morning customers at The Tea Kettle.

I took a long sip from my travel mug and grinned. I was not a tea drinker. I needed a strong hit of caffeine in the morning. Jensen rounded the counter, leaving Tessa to help the customers in line. She shook her head as she walked towards me. “Some supportive big brother you are.”

I ruffled her hair before she could duck out of my hold. “Hey, now, I buy your baked goods.”

“True,” she admitted. “Is that what you’re here for now? A nice scone?” she asked, arching a brow at me.

I shuffled my feet absentmindedly. “I just wanted to come and check up on my baby sister.” It was a total and complete lie, and she knew it.

Jensen ushered me forward with a wave of her hand. “Come on, I’ll grab us breakfast, and we can eat in my office and catch up.”

I breathed out a sigh of relief. My sister was a good one. She knew I needed her advice about something, and she wasn’t going to make me beg. “Sounds good. I’d take one of those ham and cheddar scones if you got ‘em.” They were the best.

Jensen grinned over her shoulder. “I think I can scrounge something up.”

I headed to the office while Jensen ducked behind the bakery case. Pushing open the door, I crossed to one of the worn, overstuffed chairs in the corner. The office fit the mismatched quality of the rest of The Tea Kettle. Nothing was an identical set, yet somehow it still worked.

Jensen bustled in moments later with a selection of biscuits, cakes, and scones. I rubbed my hands together. “Looks delicious, Little J.”

“Thanks,” she said with a small smile. Jensen had worked so hard to make this place a success, and I was damn proud of her. “So, what has my big brother walking into my tea shop before seven a.m.?”

The mouth-watering bite of scone I had just swallowed suddenly turned to lead in my stomach. “Taylor and I…we’re, uh, having some issues, and I wanted a female perspective.” My face felt hot.

Jensen’s eyes narrowed in some sort of combination of concern and anger. “What did you do?”

“Why are you so sure it was me who did something? You’re my sister, aren’t you supposed to be on my side?”

Jensen let out a little huff. “I’m on both your sides. And I assumed it was you because she’s been doing nothing but taking care of you for the last three and a half weeks. She’s barely left your side.”

“Well she’s left it now,” I said, a hint of anger tinging my tone.

Little lines creased Jensen’s brow. “What do you mean?”

“She wants to go back to LA.”

“What? How is that possible? She loves it here. She loves you.”

I rubbed a hand over my stubbled jaw, feeling the now familiar sensation of pulling where my stitches used to be. “That’s the problem.”

“Would you please stop talking around the issue and tell me what the hell is going on?” Worry filled her eyes, and I knew Jensen’s patience was at an end.

“Me getting shot really messed with Taylor’s head. She’s been trying to keep it together, but she’s freaked.”

“Does she want you to quit your job or something?”

I gave my head a little shake. “No. She wants to end things altogether. She said she just needs some time, but I know her. That’s an excuse for her to retreat and hide. If she goes back to LA, I’ll never see her again.”

Jensen’s jaw tightened, but I pushed on before she could speak. “She’s terrified, J. I’ve never seen someone so fucking scared. I broke through those steel-reinforced walls. Half of her loves that I did it, and I’m pretty sure the other half hates me for it.” I broke my scone into tiny pieces. “I don’t know what to do.”

Jensen’s expression had softened. “You can’t give up. Whatever you do, don’t leave her alone. I know that’s what she’s asking for, but it’s the last thing she needs. You need to show her that no matter what she does, you won’t let her push you away.”

I straightened my shoulders. Jensen was right. If I left Taylor alone, she would only think of all the reasons we shouldn’t be together. All the reasons it was dangerous to love me. I needed to show her that this love, this life was worth the risk. I pushed up from my chair and bent to place a kiss on my sister’s cheek. “Thanks, Little J. I can always count on you.”

“Always,” she said. “Give me two secs, and I’ll wrap up some things for you to take over to Taylor’s.”

My sister knew me so well. She knew I wouldn’t delay in getting to Taylor. “Thanks, sis.”

“If anything will give you a way in, it’ll be her favorite tea and some baked goods.”