Page 32 of Bennett (HC Heroes #15)

Brandi arched a brow, a slow smile spreading across her lips. “So, Harland’s got you too? I knew it would.” The woman pulled her in for a quick hug, then stepped back. “I’m glad.”

Stupid tears sprang to Laurel’s eyes, but she blinked them away quickly. “Me too.”

“When did you make up your mind?”

She laughed. “Just now, officially. Although everything’s been leading to it, as I’m sure you and everyone else already noticed.”

“Perhaps,” Brandi said with a knowing smile. “So, is this decision about opening a bookstore that a little birdie may have mentioned, or does it have something to do with a certain handsome, grumpy, ex-military man?”

Heat flooded her face despite her best efforts. She snorted. “Not sure. Possibly both.”

“I hear ya.” Brandi winked. “My husband was a handsome, broody, grumpy military man when I met him. Last person I wanted to get involved with, but fate knows what she’s doing.”

“Oh, I—I don’t know that Bennett and I are exactly involved,” Laurel stammered. “I’m just…you know…trying to get through one day at a time.”

Brandi regarded her with a knowing look in her eyes. The kind of look women passed between each other when they saw something unfolding before the other person was ready to admit it.

“Sure,” Brandi said lightly, moving back to smoothing a curtain panel. “And I only married my husband because he fixed my mailbox.”

Laurel huffed a laugh. “Okay, that’s not even a believable excuse.”

“Exactly.” Brandi shot her a grin over her shoulder. “Kade is great at rescuing animals. He doesn’t know diddly about mailboxes.”

She laughed again.

“Seriously, though, Laurel.” Brandi turned to face her, setting a hand on her arm. “It never starts big. It starts with small things. Trust. Laughter. The way someone always seems to be right where you need them, when you need them.”

Laurel folded her arms, trying to guard against the smile tugging at her mouth. “You’re not wrong. But this is still new. And complicated.”

“New doesn’t mean fragile. And complicated doesn’t mean bad,” Brandi said gently, then shrugged. “Besides, you’re allowed to want something good, Laurel. Even if it looks nothing like what you expected.”

That stopped her. Laurel’s gaze drifted toward the window where the sun hit just right, lighting the room in gold and warmth. The place did feel like hers now. The future…it didn’t feel so scary.

It felt exciting.

“I think I’m starting to want something good,” she said quietly. “Finally.”

Brandi smiled, her gaze softening. “Then take it. You’ve earned it.”

Laurel glanced around the room at the cozy lamps, the books she’d tucked on a nearby shelf, and could already see how some of the things at her place in Austin would fit in here nicely. Then she let her eyes drift to the hallway that led toward her bedroom.

“Yeah,” she murmured. “Maybe I have.”

Maybe it was time she opened herself up for something good too.

Before Laurel could say anything else, a knock came at the door. Brandi turned first, but Laurel was already heading toward it, wiping her palms on her jeans.

Rylee stood on the other side, a bakery box balanced in one hand and her purse slung over her shoulder. “Hope I’m not interrupting,” she said, stepping inside with her usual calm energy. “Brought bribes, courtesy of Loni.”

Laurel smiled, accepting the box, but she knew the visit wasn’t just about pastries. With Bennett gone, this was the friendliest protection detail imaginable.

“Ooh, sugar. Yum,” Brandi said from behind, making a beeline toward the sweets. “You’re a saint, although I’ve already gained a pound just thinking about Loni’s delicious treats.”

Their laughter mixed, echoing around them.

Rylee narrowed her gaze and studied her for a moment. “You good, Laurel? You look different.”

“Yeah,” Laurel said with a small smile. “Just deciding to stay forever. No big deal.”

Rylee grinned, treating her to a quick one-handed hug not unsimilar to Brandi’s. “Knew you would.”

Laurel waved her in and closed the door. “So what’s the real reason for the visit?”

Rylee’s smile thinned a little. She glanced toward Brandi, who took the box to the kitchen and started sorting cupcakes like it was her job to give them space. Laurel appreciated that about her.

Rylee lowered her voice slightly. “I wanted to give you a heads-up. There was some suspicious activity reported last night near the old grain mill on the edge of town. One of Duke Carver’s other interests .”

Laurel stiffened. “You think it’s related?”

“We don’t know yet,” Rylee admitted. “But it follows a pattern. Empty building. Unfinished renovation. Security tampering. Same MO we’ve seen here.”

“Did anyone see anything?”

“Hunter’s checking the trail. Gabe’s got a patrol watching the mill now,” she said. “But Mac wanted you and Bennett to know. Apparently, you’re not the only one he’s trying to pressure or scare.”

Laurel’s stomach knotted, but she nodded. “Thanks for telling me.”

“Of course.” Rylee’s expression softened again. “You’re part of this now. And not just because of Bennett.”

Brandi returned, sliding a cupcake toward Laurel. “She means you're one of us.”

Laurel blinked hard, for maybe the fifth time that day.

“Don’t make me cry,” she said. “I’ve already committed to Harland emotionally. I’m not sure I’m ready to be drafted into the League of Women Who See Too Much.”

“You’ll fit right in,” Rylee said with a wink.

Laurel reached for her cupcake but paused. “Actually, speaking of settling in, I got that call from your friend, Jenna, today, Rylee. She and her sister are definitely interested in renting one of the storefronts and the apartment above it.”

Brandi tilted her head. “New to town?”

Rylee perked up. “Jenna’s an old friend of mine. We grew up together in California. She’s smart, funny, and loyal to a fault. She used to be an attorney, but she’s stepping away from that world to open a craft and DIY shop with her younger sister.”

Laurel nodded. “She said she was ready for a change. Wants to build something of her own.”

Boy, could she relate.

“She’s perfect for this place,” Rylee said with a warm smile.

Laurel grinned. “Winslow Crossing is going to be the heart of something good.”

“Winslow Crossing? I love it!” Brandi exclaimed.

“Yes, it’s perfect,” Rylee agreed. “Jenna will help make it feel like a community. I know it.” Still smiling, she shook her head.

“In high school, she once hot-glued glitter and rhinestones to every desk in our homeroom—just because she said the space needed more sparkle. The janitor was furious, the teacher was impressed, and Jenna? She brought in extra glue sticks the next day just in case anyone wanted to bedazzle their notebooks too.”

Laurel laughed, her heart already warming to the idea of this creative force joining the fold. “Definitely sounds like someone who’d fit right in.

“Yes.” Brandi grinned. “She sounds like the kind of woman who could redesign a room with washi tape and determination. I like her already.”

“Me, too. I’m excited to meet her in person,” Laurel said before sobering. “But her call made me realize something. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Brandi raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

“I mean leases, insurance, zoning, business registration…oh, my. I need someone who can walk me through the legalities of turning Winslow Crossing into something official. I don’t want to mess this up.”

Rylee leaned forward. “You don’t have to figure it all out alone.

Jenna might not be licensed to practice in Texas, but I know someone local who’s excellent.

His name’s Mark Espinoza—he’s a real estate attorney out of Rockport.

Good reputation, thorough, and not the kind who tries to bulldoze you with legalese. ”

“Oh, I know Mark.” Brandi nodded. “I’ve worked with him a couple of times on client contracts. He’s solid. Patient, too. You’d like him.”

Laurel let out a long breath, the tight knot in her chest loosening just a little. “That’s great. Can you give me his contact info?”

“Absolutely,” Rylee said. “I’ll text it to you today.”

“Thank you,” Laurel said, meaning it more than she could express. “This place matters to me, and I just want to do it right.”

“You will,” Brandi said confidently.

And for the first time since this all began, Laurel believed that might actually be true. She smiled, nerves still fluttering inside her, but now they were mingled with something steadier. Purpose.

“Thanks—both of you.” She smiled at them. “It’s starting to feel real. Like, maybe I’m not just pretending I can do this.”

Rylee bumped her shoulder gently. “That’s because you can do this.”

“Exactly.” Brandi grinned. “You already are doing it.”

Laurel had just finished her decadent chocolate cupcake when the low rumble of a delivery truck rolled past the window, drawing her gaze outside.

It wasn’t unusual. Brandi’s crews were always running errands or picking up new supplies, but something about the slow, lingering pace of this one made her stomach twist.

Rylee noticed. “You okay?”

Laurel blinked, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Just weird déjà vu, I guess.”

Brandi followed her line of sight and frowned slightly. “Not one of ours.”

Great. Not what she wanted to hear.

The truck turned the corner and disappeared down the block, but the unease stayed a moment longer. Then Brandi clapped her hands, as if shaking off the tension, causing Laurel to jump.

“Okay. Enough doom.” The designer smiled. “I’ve got curtains to steam, and you’ve got a future to design.”

Laurel smiled. “Right. And apparently, a legal file to build.”

“I’ll help with that, too,” Rylee said. “I’ve got templates for everything, including lease agreements and tenant intake forms. I’ll email them to you tonight.”

Laurel’s heart lifted again. “You’re the best.”

“Doesn’t Bennett hold that title?” Rylee grinned. “No worries. I’m definitely top five.”

Brandi snorted. “He’s handsome, sure. But can he hang drapes and organize tax folders at the same time?”

“Pretty sure he could intimidate the drapes into hanging themselves,” Laurel deadpanned.

The three of them burst into laughter, the sound echoing warmly through the room.

For the first time in days, Laurel felt like she was standing on solid ground and not reacting to chaos. She was shaping something real.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out to find a text from Bennett.

“Dinner plans? I’m thinking tacos and you in my arms. Thoughts?”

Oh, she had thoughts, all right. Thoughts of his magnificent body with hard muscles and ridges and a sexy birthmark on his well-formed butt. Heat funneled into her cheeks, but she smiled, uncaring if the girls noticed.

Rylee did. “That from the broody Delta?”

Laurel held up the screen. “Tacos and affection.”

“Smart man,” Brandi said approvingly.

Laurel bit her lip, already texting back a reply.

“I’m in. But I get the first taco and at least half the blanket.”

As the women headed toward the kitchen area to review tomorrow’s install schedule for the rest of the building, the sunlight poured in a little warmer.

Winslow Crossing wasn’t just becoming real.

It was becoming hers.

A few hours later, as they wrapped up the building walkthrough, and Brandi and her team packed up for the day, Laurel took a moment to breathe. The space was finally beginning to feel finished. Not just a temporary stop or a project she was helping with, but a life.

A foundation.

She was back home, but the apartment had settled into a hush that wasn’t quite peace.

Rylee was still there, lingering near the front window, her gaze flicking out toward the street.

Laurel dried her hands on a dish towel, then leaned against the counter. “You sure you’re not waiting on a second round of baked goods?”

Rylee turned and smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Just making sure the building clears out clean.” She glanced at her phone, then tucked it into her jacket. “Carter texted me, checking to see if I was still here while Bennett was out.”

The words landed softly, without any judgment, but Laurel felt the shift in the air anyway. Her spine straightened.

“Oh,” she said after a beat. “Is anything wrong?”

“One never knows,” Rylee said, gentle but firm. “But regardless, you’re not alone in this. None of us want you to feel like you have to look over your shoulder without back-up.”

Laurel crossed her arms, her fingers curling tight against her sleeves. “ Should I be looking over my shoulder?”

Rylee didn’t answer right away. Her silence said enough.

Unease rippled down her spine. She glanced out the side window, suddenly too aware of the new glass. The glow of twilight spilled across the sidewalk, long shadows stretching past the edges of Winslow Crossing.

And for the first time since she’d decided to stay, it didn’t feel entirely like home.

Rylee stepped beside her. “You don’t need to be scared, Laurel. Just stay aware. We’ve got eyes on things. And you’ve got people watching your back.”

Laurel nodded slowly, the knot in her chest loosening a fraction.

Still, as her gaze drifted back to the window, she couldn’t shake the chill that ghosted across her skin.