“Who are you?” She knew that the way she said it was slightly rude, but she was surprised as sin to see a man who looked so official standing there in the building.
“I’m with the new security company the owner of the building hired. We’ve been watching you on camera pacing the hallway for the last fifteen minutes, so I just want to find out if there’s anything I can help you with.”
“There are security cameras?” Dumbfounded, she looked up at the low ceilings, trying to spot them.
“They’re being installed throughout the building, but this floor has been completed. We’re setting up our station in the front lobby. You should find a notice in your mailbox about the update.”
Kyla hadn’t been aware that any of this activity was going on. Of course, she hadn’t left her apartment the day before — not even once — but still, she should have noticed something, or maybe clued in to the noise that must have been happening in her hallway. No wonder she’d been a victim the other night. She just wasn’t all that observant.
“I…uh…no…I don’t need help,” she finally said, remembering he’d asked.
“Are you sure, ma’am? You’ve been pacing for quite a while,” he said as he looked behind her.
“No,” she said with a sigh, before handing him the plate of warm cookies. “One of the tenants did something really nice for me the other night and I wanted to bring him cookies, but now I realize that was a really stupid idea, and so I’ve been trying to knock on his door, but I just can’t do it, so you take the dang cookies and give them to the other guards. It’s my welcome. I’m so glad you’re here.” What a lot of rambling! She must sound like an utter loon!
He held the cookies away from him as if there might be bugs in them or something, and he eyed her warily.
“I can’t accept gifts,” he said, no smile in either his face or his tone.
“It’s not like it’s a bribe or something. They’re just warm cookies,” she said, instantly irritated with him. She’d spent all morning baking. The least someone — anyone — could do was take the stupid things and eat them. Okay, okay, and tell her they were wonderful, of course.
“I really appreciate it, ma’am, but I can’t accept your cookies,” he said, trying again to hand them back.
“You’re being rude,” she said, stamping her foot. But this was ridiculous. Why in the world was she fighting about cookies?
“Ma’am—”
He was interrupted.
“Just say thank you, Steve, and take the cookies.” Another guard had walked up, a man little shorter than the first one, but with a much more friendly demeanor.
“You know we can’t accept cookies, Wayne,” Steve snapped.
“Ma’am, are your cookies poisoned?” Wayne asked.
Kyla looked at him for a moment without knowing what to say. She’d given away a lot of cookies in her life and had never once been asked that question.
“No,” she finally murmured and looked back and forth between the two men.
“Good enough for me,” Wayne said before pulling the plastic wrap off the plate Steve was still holding and grabbing a cookie. “Delicious.”
Kyla beamed at the man and refused to look at the first guard again. How hard had it been to accept a gift? Granted, the cookies had been intended for Tanner, but she was just glad someone had taken them.
“I’m going back to the front,” Steve said, thrusting the plate at Wayne before spinning on his heel and heading the opposite direction.
“I’m sorry about Steve. He’s a ‘by the books all the way’ kind of guy. My philosophy is to just live a little.” Wayne finished his cookie and grabbed another one.
“I like that philosophy so much better. Life is short. Why not enjoy it?” She knew she was grinning goofily, but she’d just been through several tense moments and now she felt like laughing. It was silly. Maybe she needed a spa day — not that she could afford that.
“What’s your name?”
“Kyla Ridgley,” she answered, extending her hand.
“Wayne Stint,” he replied, accepting her hand and squeezing.
“It was great to meet you, Wayne. I’m going to go back to my baking now,” she said before realizing he was still holding on to her hand.
He reached the same realization at the same time, and his cheeks flushed. He let go quickly and mumbled “Sorry.”
“No problem.” She stood there awkwardly a moment longer before she decided to just turn and walk away.
Making it back to her apartment, Kyla leaned against the door and sighed before she called herself all sorts of names. She should have just taken the cookies to Tanner. She still could. She had a lot more to make.
But she knew she wasn’t going to do it.
Chapter Twelve
Well, look at what we have here!”
Tanner froze. He didn’t need to turn around to recognize that voice. Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! His life was really going to hell.
“Mmm, what a very sexy Santa Claus you make. I heard the good news, but I had to come see it for myself.”
Jokes and guffaws at Tanner’s expense flew thick and fast. With a thunderous expression on his face — sadly obscured by his white beard and bushy eyebrows — he glared at his brother Crew and cousin Lucas.
“Do you guys have a reason for being here?” he snapped as he looked around to see whether any of his other relatives were nearby. He’d really hoped that the visit at his apartment a little over a week ago would be the only such surprise.
“Nope. Just had to come and see how charming you look in your Santa costume,” Crew said.
“What a peach you are, big brother,” Tanner growled, and he began walking away.
“Now, now, don’t be in such a hurry. We thought we’d take you out for a beer. I’m sure you could use it,” Lucas said, easily keeping up.
“Very funny, Lucas. You both know I’m under flipping house arrest. The only place I get to go now is to my wonderfully quaint apartment — that is, if I don’t get mugged on the way there,” he said as he reached the break room and began yanking the Santa suit off.
“Well, then, I guess we’ll just have to drink a couple of beers in your new digs,” Crew said. “I’m looking forward to checking the place out.”
“What if I’d rather not have the company?” Tanner didn’t want to take a chance that he’d run into Kyla while these guys were around. If she came up and spoke to him, they’d get ideas. He didn’t want them getting ideas. As soon as he was done with this sentence, he was out of here and he wouldn’t look back. He shouldn’t need to worry about it, though, as he hadn’t seen her since last Thursday, when she’d been attacked. That was four days ago, and he wasn’t happy about it.