Haven Bound

15. Austin

15

Austin

When I left Haven Beach years ago, I was determined to leave it in my past. I never let myself imagine what it would be like to come home. What it would be like to be back in her presence. Or what kind of journey life would have taken her on.

I thought of Chelsea often, almost daily if I’m being honest. It was always in visions of our past. My mind would seek out a place of light and happiness in the dark moments, and her radiant smile was always one of the first things I’d think of.

Those few months before I left were the happiest I can ever remember being. Yet even those memories are shrouded in a cloud of darkness. I knew from the beginning that our relationship would only be temporary, but I couldn’t tell her that.

There shouldn’t have even been a relationship between us, but something about Chelsea has always pulled me to her. She's like a magnetic force that I’m helpless to fight against. I resisted her for as long as I possibly could. She was always a constant ray of light in my life, and now I find myself wondering how much of that sunshine image was just a way for her to hide the darkness she battled.

After sitting there listening to the things that pathetic excuse of a man had done to her, I knew that my time in Haven Beach wasn’t going to be as short of a visit as I’d originally thought. There’s absolutely no fucking way I can leave without first ensuring that she’s safe.

Which is why I find myself standing outside Buttersweet Bakery at seven o’clock in the morning on a weekend, energy drink in hand. Chelsea said that she typically arrives around seven-thirty, but from what I remember, she has a habit of always being early.

Sure enough, my breath is stolen from my chest minutes later when she comes walking around the corner. She looks beautiful with her long golden-copper hair hanging down in loose waves. Her thick thighs and hips are covered in a pair of dark jeans, and she’s got on a light blue t-shirt with her bakery logo across the front. She smiles at me as she approaches, but it’s lacking her signature radiance. The idea that Jason has stolen a small piece of her damn near rips my heart into shreds, and I can’t help but feel partly responsible.

If I had stayed in Haven Beach, I could have protected her. I wouldn't have let a single person cause her harm. As much as I’d like to think that she’d be mine if I had never left, I can’t allow myself to linger in those hopes and dreams for too long. It’ll only make leaving again that much harder.

“Morning, beautiful,” I say as she comes to stand in front of me. Color blooms high on her cheeks as she pulls a key from her purse to unlock the bakery’s front door.

“Good morning,” she murmurs, pushing the door open and holding it for me to follow her inside. “You really don’t need to—”

I know what she’s about to tell me. That I don’t need to be here, that I don’t need to set up a top-of-the-line security system for her. She's so fucking wrong.

“You’re wrong. I do need to do this. I won’t be able to rest until I know that you’re safe, Sunflower.”

She stares at me for a moment, her lips pressed tightly together, before she sighs and leads me toward the back. Off of the commercial kitchen is a small office space that she has set up with a desk and computer. A bulletin board filled with order forms is hanging above the desk. In the corner is a tall filing cabinet, and on top of that rests a security monitor displaying a single view of the bakery storefront.

The video feed displayed on the monitor is fuzzy, lacking in color, and only gives her a view of the main area. My jaw clenches when I see just how unprotected she is here. I realize that we’ve been standing in silence when she sighs again and drops into her office chair. “It’s all I could afford when I opened. Hailey offered to pitch in for a system upgrade a while back, but I didn’t want her to waste the money on me.”

A fire ignites and burns deep in my chest at her words. It takes all of my willpower not to release a growl in response. “No money spent on your safety is a waste,” I say, turning to face her. She sits up a little straighter in the chair but doesn’t tear her gaze away from mine. “I’m going to get the equipment installed before Zack gets here to make sure it’s all online. It’ll take a little while. You should go ahead and get started with whatever you need to do.”

I don’t wait for her to respond. I can't. I refuse to spend another second here with her being so unprotected.

Leaving her in the kitchen to prep for the morning, I head out around back to do a quick scan of the area. There’s an entry door that looks as though it leads from the parking lot behind her building into her kitchen space. Including the storefront entry, there are two points of entry that leave her vulnerable.

After today, I’ll have several cameras up and recording every inch of this place. Anger heats my skin at the thought of her having created this space for herself, only to not feel safe in it. I’m getting the final camera set up inside the main area of the bakery when my phone vibrates in my pocket. Pulling it out, I see a text message from Zack letting me know that he just parked out back.

Getting all of the cameras put in was easy enough, but Zack is the true security mastermind and the only person I trust to make sure everything is functioning as it should be. As he walks in, Chelsea appears from the kitchen with a large tray of something that smells heavily of pumpkin and cinnamon in her hand.

“Chels, this is Zack Mercer. He’s head of security at Elysian Suites and is going to make sure that everything is up and running properly.”

She slides the tray of what I can now see are scones into one of the display cases before she steps around the counter and comes to shake his hand. “Thank you, Zack. I’m so sorry that you’re having to go through all of this trouble for me.”

He shakes her hand in return but otherwise keeps distance between them. “It’s no trouble, ma’am.” Chelsea scrunches her nose at that, and I can’t help but chuckle. Mercer’s a true gentleman, and even if he wasn’t, I think it’s a part of his law enforcement background that he’s struggling to break free from.

“It’ll just take a little while longer while we get everything up and running,” he tells her. She glances towards the kitchen as the sound of a timer goes off .

“I’ll leave you to it then…” she mumbles as she turns around and heads back into the kitchen.

It takes Zack about thirty minutes to get all of the cameras online and ensure that I have access to every single one via an app on my phone. We’re getting ready to show Chelsea her new system and how it works when a frazzled curvy blonde woman rushes through the storefront door.

“Sorry, sorry, I know I’m late!” the stranger says.

Chelsea laughs and shakes her head as she slides a tray of still-warm chocolate chip cookies into one of the display cases. “Morning Quinn!” she greets her. “I’ve got a few trays of cookies and scones ready to go for the display cases and a batch of cinnamon rolls that will be ready soon.”

Quinn, who I now realize is Chelsea’s employee, throws her hair up into a messy knot on top of her head before she ties an apron in Buttersweet’s signature color around her waist. “Got it, Boss!” She says to Chelsea as she walks back into the kitchen space.

“Sorry about that,” Chelsea says as she pulls her phone from her back pocket and hands it over to Zack, whose entire focus is now locked on the doors that Quinn disappeared through.

For a moment, I’m worried that dragging Zack out today has been too much for him. He rarely puts himself in social situations, mostly sticking to his office at the hotel or his own home. His reclusive personality usually works in my favor though, making him available whenever I need his help with assignments.

“Mercer.” I do my best to keep my voice low but my tone strong, addressing him as a superior would. Not that I see myself as his superior, but given his background, I know it's what will snap him out of whatever daze he has drifted into.

“Shit, sorry…” he mumbles, his face taking on a slight red hue as he turns away from the kitchen doors and takes Chelsea’s phone.

He brings up each different camera view before he begins listing them off. “Okay, so you’ve got a camera now that’ll allow you to see the back parking lot and that entry point. There’s also one in your kitchen, one out here so you can monitor customers, and one just outside of your main entrance so you’ll be able to see anyone passing by.” Zack breezes through all of it as though it’s a normal day for him, which technically this is. “We will be monitoring the various camera feeds until we can be sure that you’re safe,” he says, handing her back her phone.

“Thanks, man. I’ll take it from here,” I tell him, slapping a hand to his shoulder. He gives me a knowing look and then starts to walk away.

“Wait!” Chelsea calls. He turns back around to face her as she fills a small box with a few cookies and a fresh cinnamon roll that smells incredible. “I know it’s not much as far as payment goes…” She gives him a small smile as she hands over the box now filled with treats. He nods a thank you, quickly glancing back in the direction of the doors that Quinn disappeared through before he leaves. It’s just her and I standing here now.

Chelsea is swiping through the different camera views, her breathing a little unsteady as a few tears roll down her cheeks. She quickly wipes them away and slides her phone back into her pocket. “Austin, this is too much. I’m not worth the hassle.”

Without thinking, I pull her into a hug, wrapping my arms around her and holding her against my chest. “You’re worth everything, Sunflower.” She presses her face into my chest, her tears dampening the front of my shirt as she silently cries.

I’d give anything to be able to keep holding her, to keep her with me at all times so that I know she’s safe. This gorgeous woman has been through so much trauma and darkness in her life and I can’t help but want to be the one who guides her back into the light.