“All set to close, Naomi.”

I blink and return to the present. Paul stares at me with concern. Shit, I’m doing it again. When did I become this person? I’m caught up in a storm of drama when what I should be doing is focusing on my restaurant.

“Thank you, Paul. Is Katie still out front?”

“Yeah, she’s counting her tips, I think.”

“Cool. Go ahead and go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Take care, Naomi,” he says, and his tone is laced with worry.

Great. Now my sous chef is worried about me. I smile at him with an enthusiastic nod.

“I will. I’m going to do some major self-care tonight. Really get back to being me again.”

“That sounds like a good idea. If you need anything, you have my number.”

He really is one of the sweetest men in town. Why hasn’t he ever settled down? Of course, knowing that he doesn’t like to be questioned, I’ve never asked. I bet he and Katie would be a good fit. Can’t say that, though, ha.

“Thank you, Paul. That means a lot. Have a good night.”

“You, too.”

He exits through the back door, and as I watch him go, my mind reels remembering Jordan’s grand entrance this morning. Then my blood boils, because I also remember Ben’s. That no good, mistrustful son of a bastard. I tell myself that I’m done with Ben now, and I bask in that sensation.

Unfortunately, it’s not true.

Even as I watched him walk away this morning, a part of me wanted to unlock the door, run out, and tell him everything that happened. Maybe if I had, we wouldn’t be in this situation. There will always be a part of me that doesn’t trust the police, like he doesn’t trust me.

How can we ever be something if we can’t trust each other for more than twelve hours?

Even if I were to tell him the truth, I barely know anything. It’s not enough to go on, and I doubt anything Jordan has said can help. There’s also the nice added bonus that if I do tell Ben, I could be putting Katie in danger. Jordan’s threat was very real, and I can’t put her life on the line like that.

I turn off the lights to the kitchen and step out into the dining room. Katie is sitting cross-legged in a booth, her back to the wall as she counts out paper bills. I slide in across from her, and she looks up with a grin.

“Not a bad night for a solo waitress. I can afford rent this month!”

My grin broadens. I’m happy to hear that her faith in me is paying off, and she’s reaping the rewards of that trust.

“That’s fantastic news! You got big plans tonight? Maybe a night on the town?”

“Ha. That’s funny. Do you know what a night on the town looks like around here? A round of karaoke in a dingy old bar while old men ogle you and think about making a pass. I’m better off partying with a glass of wine and some sweatpants at home.”

I laugh at her description. It certainly is apt. In a small town like this, when it’s off season, there isn’t a whole heck of a lot to do. “Why don’t you party at my house? I could use some good company tonight.”

She lifts an eyebrow and leans in. “Oh? What did you have in mind?”

“I don’t know. Halloween is on the horizon, and I’ve got a collection of Stephen King movies waiting to be watched. Feel like getting spooky?”

“That depends on the kind of booze you’re pairing it with.”

“Wine?”

“Sold.”

I lean back and feel a rush of relief. I want to keep Katie close, especially now that there’s a threat to her. Should I tell her? No, better not. I don’t want Katie to be freaked out. I can carry the load for both of us and find some way to resolve this on my own. There’s no need to worry her for no reason.

I’ll solve this. I will.

“I can’t go over like this and be comfortable, though. Mind if I pop home for a quick shower and a change before I meet you?”

“Sure, of course. Say, my place in thirty minutes?”

“Perfect. I’m so excited! I haven’t had a movie night in ages!”

“Me either. Go shower as fast as you can, and I’ll meet you at my place.”

“OK!”

Katie springs from the booth and nearly sprints out the front door, her purse bouncing along her hip as she walks. I want to tell her to be careful, to watch herself out in the dark, but I don’t.

I turn out the rest of the lights and lock up before I exit out the back. I can’t be afraid of my own back door, so I make it a point to go through. I still look both ways to see if anyone is lurking in the shadows, and I frown. Is this how I’m going to have to live out the rest of my life, until Jordan or Skippy or whoever finally gets caught?

It’s a less-than-appealing thought.

I shake it off and step inside my apartment. Every time I walk through my front hall, I remember Ben fucking me there, and now I hate that. I don’t want to think about how sexy he is.

I stroll into my bedroom and make quick work of changing into a pair of comfy pants and a tank top. I head to the kitchen and place a bag of popcorn in the microwave. I’m pouring Chardonnay into a pair of wine glasses when my doorbell rings, and I pad down the hall to open it.

I check the peephole for good measure. Katie’s rounded face looks back at me, and I open the portal. She holds up a bottle of wine in each hand.

“Brought extras, in case! Have I mentioned how much I love living a few houses away from here? No need to worry about drinking and driving.”

The thought of Katie walking home alone drunk in the dark gives me anxiety, but I press it down. I’m trying to relax and enjoy myself. I have to at least try.

“Great! Let me get the DVD in, and we’re good to go.”

“What are we watching first?”

“The Shining?”

“Yes! I love Jack Nicholson! Let’s do it.”

The microwave beeps, but I know my popcorn is done by the buttery smell wafting through the apartment. It’s a warm, cozy feeling, and I’m glad I made these plans. I palm our full wine glasses and hand one to Katie, who has already made herself comfy on my plush loveseat. She’s covered herself with one of my most comfortable blankets, and when I hand her a glass of wine, she accepts it with a smile.

“I have to admit, it’s nice doing something with another person. I’ve been kind of a recluse recently.”

“Speaking of that, you know what I was thinking about earlier? You and Paul.”

She lifts a skeptical eyebrow at me, her perfect fairy face incredulous. “Me and Paul what?”

“You and Paul in love, having babies, and living by the sea together.”

She bursts out laughing and holds her sides as though she’s in stitches over the idea. After a few minutes, her laughter subsides.

“Naomi, I always knew you were funny, but I had no idea you had that good a sense of humor.”

I throw a pillow at her, and she catches it with one hand. I laugh with her, and it warms my heart. I didn’t realize how much I needed this.

“Come on! You two would be so cute together.”

“We are not having this conversation. Put on the movie and stop trying to play matchmaker. It’s not one of your many talents.”

“You don’t know that because you’ve never been set up by me.”

“Movie. Now.”

I heave a dramatic sigh and reach for the remote. I consider pushing the topic further, but it’s clear that Katie has no interest in being set up. What’s her story? The two of them would be perfect for one another, if they gave it a try.

Then again, maybe I’m trying to focus on other people’s love lives so that I can avoid dealing with my own. I turn on the movie, and the opening sequence starts. Katie and I share a love of all things Stephen King, and I’m glad I have someone I can watch and discuss this stuff with.

“The book is so much better,” Katie says. She takes a sip of her wine as we watch the screen while we talk.

“It is. Isn’t that always the case, though?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know. I saw It a while ago at the town theater, and I thought it was awesome.”

“You saw It without me?” I demand, faux insulted.

She shrugs. “My mom was in town and wanted to catch the film. Why, did you see it?”

My responding smile is guilty. “Yeah, I caught it with my mom, too, when I went home for a little bit.”

“Ah ha! The accuser is equally as guilty!”

Her words ring in my ears. I’m a little sensitive to being accused of guilt at the moment, but she’s just trying to be funny. I hold my smile in place and take another sip of wine. It’s cool and crisp with a fruity aftertaste, and my body relaxes into the couch as the alcohol takes effect.

“Yes, well. We should still go see it together. I’m cool with watching the movie over reading that weird kid porn scene in the book.”

Katie nods. “That was a weird scene.”

“Not my favorite.”

“Mine either.”

We sip our wine, and I pass the popcorn bowl over to Katie. Together, we munch on the salty snack and imbibe delicious booze as we relax and watch one of our favorite movies. I find myself finally forgetting the stress of the day, and I snuggle a little deeper into my sofa.

“Do you think the director was as abusive as they say he was?” Katie asks.

I’m about to reply when the front window of my apartment explodes. Glass flies everywhere, and I duck into my couch. Something thuds against my seat, and then the world goes quiet again. I listen for any other noise, then I look up to see Katie hiding under the blanket. In the back of my mind, I register that that’s not a terribly safe hiding space, but I release the thought as soon as it arrives.

Someone has attacked my home.

“Are you all right?” I ask. My voice shakes, and I clear my throat.

Katie pops her head out from under the blanket and nods. “Yeah, but what the hell was that?”

“I don’t know,” I say, and I stand up, careful to avoid broken glass on the floor. I walk around the other side of the sofa until I’m behind it. What the hell was that?

In the background, Jack Nicholson is talking about how all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. I look around the floor, and that’s when I spot it.

A red brick.

Someone has thrown a brick though my window. Christ, no matter how much I want to avoid this situation, it’s not going away. In fact, it’s much worse.

I’m officially being threatened in my own home.