Kayla White nearly screamed when Tommy appeared in her café, but she took a deep breath and counted to five.

“Tommy Boone, you’re missing school right now. Why don’t I—?”

“Just give me some money, Kayla, and I’ll be on my way.”

This wasn’t the first time she’d been robbed, but it was the first time she’d actually had a gun pointed at her. And a toy gun at that. She could see the orange tab at the back, right where water was supposed to go to fill the interior chamber.

She let out a sigh of relief and resumed her walk around the bar. “I’m calling your momma.”

“Put the gun down,” she heard a man say with authority.

Bryce Fitzpatrick —the self-proclaimed detective who wanted to get in her in pants—stood only a couple of feet away, his gun drawn and his legs apart like a professional.

Tommy’s jaw clenched. “Not aiming at you, man.”

“But you are aiming at someone who’s defenseless.” Bryce’s voice became soothing. “Put the toy away and we can talk about what’s bothering you.”

Tommy titled the gun sideways, like he’d probably seen in a movie. Or on television. “I’ll pop a—”

“The hell you will,” Bryce said, striding up to him. “Put the gun down now.”

Kayla’s gaze bounced between them. Though Tommy had given her the scare of her life, she didn’t want him to get hurt. He was a troubled kid with an even more troubled home life who was attempting to rob her with a toy.

“It’s only a water gun,” she said softly. “Tommy would never hurt me.”

“I know it’s a water gun. This time.”

Hand still shaking, Tommy focused on Bryce. “I wouldn’t hurt Kayla. I just need some money.”

“Better ways to get it,” Bryce pointed out.

“Not fast enough. I need it now.”

“What for?”

Tommy blinked. “S-stuff.”

Kayla watched in disbelief as Bryce holstered his gun and adopted a more laid-back pose. “What stuff?”

Tommy started to glance at her, but Bryce snapped his fingers. “Hey, man. Right here. Stay with me. What stuff?”

“Rent,” Tommy mumbled, his gaze dropping to the floor. “We’re late. About to get kicked out.”

“Oh, Tommy,” she breathed.

Bryce gave her a sharp look. “There are other ways to ask for money.”

Tommy shuffled his feet and held the gun down, using his other hand to pop off the back tab. Water leaked onto her floor with a steady drip.

Better than blood, she thought.

“Call the cops,” Bryce mouthed and took the water pistol from Tommy.

She nodded, but there was nothing she could do now. The sheriff’s office had already been alerted by Joe Stancil, who sat directly in the middle  of her bar. His friends had left right before the action started.

“Why don’t you come sit with me and we’ll have a bite to eat, talk about your situation?”

Although she didn’t think Bryce was asking, Tommy nodded and said, “Yeah, okay, man. Whatever.”

Her shock must have shown because Bryce winked at her. She felt a rush of warmth everywhere. It was good feeling, way better than her initial fear.

Her heart still pounded, but it was slowly settling down. And it looked as though Bryce was telling the truth about being a detective. Though given her track record with men, she wasn’t exactly the best judge of who was a big, fat liar, and who was being honest.

“Kayla, could you bring Tommy some coffee too?”

“Sure,” she said a little shakily as she grabbed the coffee pot. She practically ran to them, pouring a cup for Tommy.

Staring into Bryce’s grey eyes, she felt another frozen piece of fear melt away. “Thank you,” he said.

“Yeah, thanks, Kayla,” Tommy echoed.

Bryce covered his hand with hers and lifted. Confused, she looked down. Tommy’s cup was about to overflow. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears starting to form. She swiped at the corner of her eyes with her free hand.

“It’s okay,” he said with that charming smile of his. If she weren’t so emotional right now, she’d say he was handsome...sexy even with his smooth-talking ways. But she was coming down from being scared and still raw from her ex, so there was no way she’d notice anything about his fine body. Or the thrill of sweet sensations that zoomed inside of her when he touched her hand.

“Tell her it’s okay, Tommy,” he said.

“It’s okay, Kayla.”

“That’s Ms. Kayla to you,” Bryce said, his voice and demeanor just as calm as anything. Maybe he was the juvenile-delinquent whisperer. “Try again.”

“That’s okay, Ms. Kayla.”

She nodded tightly. “What can I get y’all to eat?”

“Chief’s special. Make it two.”

“I ain’t got no money,” Tommy whispered loudly.

Kayla fully expected Bryce to say something along the lines of ‘I’ll take care of it.’

“You can wash dishes and do any other chores around here that Ms. Kayla needs to work it off.”

Her mouth dropped open, but she quickly snapped it shut as Bryce gave her a big smile and added, “If that’s okay with you.”

“Sure. The grease trap needs cleaning.” She took a breath. “I’ll go get that started for you.” Hurrying to the kitchen, she started cooking. Due to only opening for breakfast two days a week as a trial run, she only needed a line cook at lunch, but right now, she wished Lenny were here so she could be nosy and listen to what Bryce and Tommy were talking about.

She made the quickest Chief’s special times two in her life and practically ran to their table, setting the plates in front of them.

“My mom lost her job, and my dad hasn’t come back from fishing,” Tommy said quietly. “So, it’s up to me to be the man of the house and help take care of things.”

“I get that. But men don’t point weapons, real or fake, at defenseless women. You have younger siblings?”

“Four—two brothers and two sisters. They’re in school right now.”

Kayla’s heart went out to them. If she had known about the Boones’ situation, then she could have done something. But, not knowing everything about one’s neighbor’s personal business was something Holland Springs prided itself on.

Bryce’s gaze flickered to the door, and his brows creased. “Thought you’d have a few more at breakfast by now.”

“I think the breakfast crowd is running a little late.” Meaning Joe Stancil’s text message to them had been not urgent in the least.

Bryce bit into a piece of bacon, his silver eyes assessing. “Is that a regular thing? Or is that only for days when kids come into your café, waving a gun?”

Kayla glanced at Tommy, who was devouring his food and barely paying attention to anything beyond his plate. She tried not to be offended by Bryce’s assumption, but it did look pretty bad for the cops to be late. Even if she knew the reason why they weren’t in a hurry.

“They’ll be here soon.” She turned to Tommy. “When you’re done, I’ll have a list for you.”

He nodded, his mouth full of biscuit and gravy.

The door opened again, and she cranked her head around. Her shoulders sagged in relief as one of Holland Springs’ deputies walked inside.

“Kayla,” Daniel said, striding their way. “I came as soon as I could. Joe Stancil said that there was no rush.”

“He had a gun,” Bryce said from behind her, and she started. “It was a fake, but still a gun, and he aimed it at Kayla.”

Daniel’s lips thinned. He glanced around her and Bryce. “Tommy Boone. Damn it, son.” He shook his head. “That kid has been in more trouble lately.”

“His family’s hurting—his mom’s laid off and his dad’s still fishing whenever there’s a chance the fish are running,” Bryce explained in a no nonsense voice. “They need money for rent, and he’s under the impression that it’s up to him to get it.”

Daniels’s brows shot up. “He told you that? I can barely get the kid to talk in complete sentences.”

“CIT training,” Bryce said.

Kayla scrunched her nose. What was sit training? But before she could ask, Daniel broke in again. “Impressive. What’s your name?” Daniel moved past her, gesturing for Bryce to follow as he continued his line of questioning.

“Bryce Fitzpatrick.”

“Great to meet you, Bryce.” The men shook hands. “Daniel Hazen. What’s your unit?”

“NYPD.”

Kayla trailed after them. Although she shouldn’t want to know more about the man, she couldn’t help but hang on every word.

“Nice,” Daniel remarked. “Guess you see a lot of action.”

“Some. I’m in homicide.”

“Seriously? Were you are part of the sting on the sex-slave scandal last month? That headlined even down here.”

Bryce’s entire body tightened, and he froze so suddenly in the middle of the restaurant that she almost ran into him. “I was the lead detective for the murder investigation.”

“Must have been hard. I can’t imagine dealing with...yeah,” Daniel said quietly. “Thanks for taking care of this. I owe you a beer.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” Bryce said, his tall, lean body once more in motion.

“Uh, guys?” Kayla piped up. “This is my business. Shouldn’t you be questioning me and not the detective? At least, not at first.” You know, before you get all bromancey and decide to go on a date later.

Both men turned to look at her, and she crossed her arms over her chest. Bryce held her gaze longer than was necessary and then said, “You’re right. I’ll be over there if you need me.”

Daniel gave her an expectant look, pulling out his pen and paper. She quickly relayed what had happened, including the part about Bryce suggesting that Tommy work to pay off his food.

“Really could use someone like Detective Fitzpatrick here. Really, Kayla. Do you know how many kids we could help?” he asked.

“A lot.” While the beach was amazing for tourists and even for locals, the lack of activities for kids in the winter made it hard on them and easy to get in trouble. But the town didn’t have the money or the manpower to fund any programs beyond what they’d already started. And the residents were more concerned about a much-needed hospital being built in the village.

“I’ll go talk with Tommy. Will you press charges?” he asked.

“No.”

“You still want him to work off his breakfast?”

She considered the kid, his large, bony frame and unkempt hair. The way he shoved the food on Bryce’s plate into his mouth. “No,” she said with a sigh. “I’ll comp it instead. Maybe you can find out how much he needs for rent, and I’ll see if I can gather some funds from church.”

“You got it. But...your dad’s going to be pissed when he finds out.”

She made a face. “Can’t you scrub it from your report for the day or something?”

“Yeah, because that’s entirely legal,” Daniel pointed out.

“Fiiine. At least he’s on vacation right now.”

Daniel smiled at her, and her stomach dropped. She knew what was coming next. She hated telling him no because he was such a nice guy, but—

“We’re having couples’ night down at the bowling alley tomorrow evening, and Shea has a friend of a friend’s brother, who would be—in her words—‘perfect for you’. He’s a doctor or DJ.”

“Wow, Daniel. Your attention to detail is astounding. Doctor or DJ,” she mused. “I can see how those would be hard to tell apart.”

Daniel rolled his eyes and gave her a light slap on the back. “See you for Sunday dinner.”

“Yes, see you then.” She strolled up to Tommy. “Anything else?”

He shook his head and wiped his mouth. “I’m ready for your list.”

She cocked her hip to one side and studied him. “I’m not ready to give you a list. Today’s on me, but I want you to come back tomorrow, after school, and do a few chores. I’ll pay you. Do a good job and we’ll see about you coming in a couple of times a week. And don’t worry about the rent—Deputy Hazen and I will take care of it. ” She was almost a hundred percent sure who their landlord was, but it wouldn’t be too much trouble to verify.

His watery blue eyes widened. “For real?”

“For real. But you have to go to school,” she said firmly. “I won’t have your momma mad at me for keeping you away.”

His face broke out in a big smile. “Yes, ma’am.” He jumped to his feet so quickly that his chair toppled over, but he righted it. “I’ll be back tomorrow.” He ran out of there, like the devil himself was on his heels.

Kayla took a deep breath for the fiftieth time that day and plopped down in the nearest chair, dropping her head into hands. She massaged her temples, eyes closing as she tried to get herself together.

A warm hand covered one of her shoulders and squeezed before letting go. “You okay?”

She lifted her head, giving Bryce a wan smile. “Not exactly the type of excitement I want in life, but all’s well that ends well.”

He hooked his leg around a chair and pulled it to him, flipping it around so that he straddled it. “You handled everything like a real pro. Most people wouldn’t have been so calm.”

“I screamed.”

Bryce shrugged. “He caught you off guard.”

“He did,” she agreed with a little laugh. “Oh God, why am I laughing?”

“Better than hysterics,” he said quietly. “Why don’t I go lock up so you can take the rest of the day off?”

She looked over Bryce’s wide shoulders, watching as Joe Stancil walked outside with Daniel. The café was empty but for her and Bryce.

“That sounds like an excellent plan.”

“Then I can help you bus the tables and whatever else you got,” he offered with another one of his charming smiles.

“My savior,” she murmured.

“And then tonight, you’ll let me take you out to dinner so you can thank me.”

“Yeah—what?” she all but shouted. “Uh, no. You are not tricking me into a date.” Jumping to her feet, she grabbed the dirty dishes from Bryce’s table and strode to the kitchen.

“No trick. I asked you straight out. Just thought I’d help my odds out for a yes, by adding the last part,” he said.

Dumping the plates into the sink of hot, soapy water, she whirled to face him, surprised to find he was so close. She had to lift her chin to look him in the eye. Something she’d always loved to do with a man because it made her think he could lift her up for a kiss or against a wall...

She blinked. None of that now. “You tricked me by associating your request with all the nice things you’re supposedly going to do for me.”

“There’s no supposedly to it.” He gave her a crooked grin. “I already saved your life.”

“From a water gun,” she drawled out. “I mean, what would you have demanded as thanks if he’d had a sling shot—my firstborn?”

Bryce laughed. “Damn, I knew I liked you, but that sassiness—it’s a real turn on.”

“You don’t waste any time, do you?” Although, it was nice being told she turned anything on other than the oven. Or stove. Or fryer...or the flat screen during college basketball season.

“Nope.” He tucked a stray curl behind her ear, making her shiver. “C’mon, Kayla, just one date. It can’t hurt. Besides, I’m only here for thirteen more days, and you won’t ever have to see me again.”

“That’s your best pick-up line?” She shook her head in amazement. “Let’s hook up. Oh, and by the way, I’ll be gone before the sheets cool.”

His gaze turned hot. “Who said anything about sex?”

“Ah...” Her cheeks flushed. “I did? No, wait. You did when you gave me that ridiculous line about me turning you on.”

“Touché.” He bit his bottom lip. “How about this—one date, no sex. See where it goes from there?”

“One date, no sex?” The thought of hot, sweaty sex with Bryce made her thighs clench. Still, she wasn’t about to get involved with anyone, not after her ex shredded her heart. “How can a girl resist a pick-up line like that?”

He smiled confidently. “What’s your address?”

“I was being sarcastic, Detective.”

“I was being serious.” He stroked his jaw. His scruffy, kissable, lickable jaw, and said, “I’ve already made arrangements for the Boone’s rent to paid for the next six months.”

He had?

“You can call Deputy Haven to confirm it.”

Oh, she was weak, so weak. This man had helped a kid in need and taken care of their rent, without demanding anything in return. Well, except a date with her. But he had helped her. And if that gun had been real, then he would have saved her life. The least she could do was go out for dinner. Nothing more, nothing less.

Besides, it beat couples’ night at the bowling alley with a doctor/DJ.

“15 Sand Dune Lane.”

A triumphant grin flashed. “Be there at seven.” Then he bumped her out of the way and started washing dishes. “Go take a load off. I’ll take care of everything.”