Her Hidden Falls Bodyguard Billionaire Cowboy - Taylor Hart Page 0,3

interested way he would talk to her about her business or astrology. Or the long, slow, melodic way he had of quoting poetry. It was beautiful.

She sucked in a breath and finished inventory. It had been a piece of cake, and she’d already had over twenty online orders that morning. Online orders had saved her little shop. She’d made a huge presence in the oil-selling market for all kinds of ailments. She loved her work. When she’d opened the store and taken on the guise of an energy worker and healer, she’d never thought that she’d actually like it. It hadn’t been how she’d pictured living her life.

No. Truth be told, she wasn’t sad about being Angela Orion. She liked her life.

She smiled to herself and arranged the new jewelry she’d gotten in last night. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Star walking past her shop. Star stopped, knocked on the window, and signaled for Angela to go to Charlotte’s bookstore for their morning meet up.

Angela nodded her understanding. She breathed deeply in anticipation, which replaced all the doubts and worries she’d suffered earlier in the day.

She was fine. Everything was fine. Plus, she needed to think. She couldn’t act too rashly. There were consequences to rash behavior. Her mind flicked to all those years ago when she’d followed the mysterious man out of the coffee shop. That night had changed her and her brother’s lives forever. She’d thought she was doing the right thing that night by reporting a murder. Instead, she and her brother had been forced into WITSEC.

Nervous energy rushed into her again. She hurried over to the front door, turning the open sign to “be back in ten.” Meeting around ten in the morning at Charlotte’s bookstore was something of a tradition.

Angela hesitated, then went back inside her store, rushing to grab the box of cinnamon rolls she’d made earlier that morning. This was another little tradition of hers: selling baked goods. Who knew she’d actually be good at that, either?

She locked the door behind her and then walked quickly down two shops to Charlotte’s, looking everywhere to see if something was out of place. Nothing. She was fine.

“Hey, Angela!”

Angela paused and then turned toward the shoe shop. She could swear Mrs. Hurst, the owner, always watched for her and her baked goods. “Hello, Mrs. Hurst.” She opened her box and pried out a cinnamon roll.

Mrs. Hurst met her halfway, her hands out to accept it. “Thank you.” A huge smile lit up the older woman’s face.

“You’re welcome.”

Mrs. Hurst leaned in and hugged her.

A surge of warmth filled Angela’s chest, and she blinked rapidly. “I told you, you get a free cinnamon roll anytime I have them.”

Mrs. Hurst’s husband had passed a few months ago and she’d been sad, so Angela had started the tradition of giving her a free cinnamon roll whenever she wanted one.

Mrs. Hurst laughed and pulled back, tearing off a piece of the roll and popping it into her mouth. “Bless you, sweetie.” She turned back for her store.

Angela watched her walk away and smiled. It felt good that she could do a small thing to make someone happy. Nothing felt better than knowing that she was part of a community in Hidden Falls.

She breezed inside Charlotte’s shop and noted that not only were Star, Charlotte, and Charlotte’s baby Maggie there, but Kent’s wife, Jewel, and Kane’s wife, Madison, were also sitting and sipping coffee. They all said hello to her.

“Hello,” she said in return, feeling much better than she’d felt this morning. She headed to the little countertop glass and began unloading the cinnamon rolls.

“Oh, pass one of those to me,” Star called out.

Angela grinned, way too happy that her friends liked her baking.

“And I shouldn’t, but I want half of one,” Charlotte called out.

“And don’t leave me out,” Madison said.

“Or me,” Jewel added.

Angela arranged the cinnamon rolls on plates, added napkins, and took them to her peeps.

Her peeps. It was a good, comforting thought.

A chorus of thank-yous greeted her. Each woman moved back around the counter and poured herself some coffee, adding cream to it.

“You make the best cinnamon rolls,” Star said while Angela bounced into the chair next to her.

“That’s why I haven’t been able to lose my baby weight, because of these darn cinnamon rolls.” Charlotte grinned as she sank her teeth into another bite.

Jewel grinned at them and cleared her throat. “Well, speaking of baby weight, I have an announcement.”

Angela froze, bracing herself to