Page 51 of Chasing Shelter (Sparrow Falls #5)

ELLIE

“Here’s your secondary alarm panel. It has a panic button, in addition to the others strategically placed around the house,” Holt Hartley instructed.

“You mean the dozen over-the-top buttons I’ll likely hit by mistake and bring every emergency response team in a sixty-mile radius to my door?” I asked.

His lips twitched. “You have to hold it down for five seconds to activate, so don’t worry about accidentally bumping anything.”

I wasn’t sure what I’d expected when the silent partner of Anchor Security showed up at my house yesterday morning along with a team from their Seattle office.

Maybe a man in a suit and sunglasses with a gun at his hip?

Instead, Holt had arrived in jeans, boots, and a Cedar Ridge Search & Rescue T-shirt, looking like he should be on the cover of some outdoorsy men’s magazine.

Trace’s arm came around me, pulling me to him and squeezing. “It’s not overkill.”

I looked up at him and rolled my eyes. “You put a sensor on a window that only Gremlin could fit through. ”

My dog barked at his name being uttered and danced in a circle.

Holt chuckled. “That dog is something.”

Grem ran over to the security expert, and Holt picked him up, scratching his belly.

Trace scowled. “Why does that dog like everyone but me?”

“Good taste?” Holt suggested.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

The front door to my house opened, and Lolli appeared, carrying what looked like a wrapped piece of art and wearing a tie-dyed workout set covered in countless bedazzled pot leaves. “Oooooh, goody! I didn’t miss the hottie brigade.”

Holt chuckled. “I’d never miss saying hello to you, Miss Lolli.”

I swore Lolli blushed. “You are a sweet-talker, Holt.”

“I speak the truth,” he said.

“I’m gonna tell Wren you were hitting on my grandma,” Trace clipped.

Holt just grinned wider. “She’d understand.”

From the little Anson and Trace had shared, Holt and his wife, Wren, had an epic love story. One that spanned decades and had its share of heartache and strife mixed in. But they’d found their way back to each other, and I doubted anything on this Earth could separate them again.

Lolli giggled and offered me the wrapped piece in her hands. “For you. I’ve been working ‘round the clock to get it finished.”

A smile spread across my face. “Really?”

“I think it’ll go perfect in your living room.”

Trace tensed at my side. “If you made it, it probably needs a triple-X warning.”

“Chief, be nice,” I chastised.

Lolli waved me off. “I’m used to this stick-in-the-mud, but I’m counting on you to loosen him up a little.”

“I’m trying, Lolli. Trust me.” I ripped into the paper, trying to get to the artwork below.

“I can’t wait to see this one,” Holt murmured. “But I’m not sure anything can beat diamond donut dicks. ”

I laughed as the paper fell away, leaving an explosion of color. Across the canvas was a huge rainbow with various flying creatures that mirrored the mural I’d created. But below it was an array of mushrooms in various shapes and sizes, all with a distinctly phallic bent.

“Lolli,” I croaked as laughter caught in my throat.

“You have to admit. Their tips just kind of ask for this sort of treatment,” Lolli said with a grin.

“Magic mushroom dicks,” Holt muttered.

Lolli turned to him. “Have you explored the world of psychedelics much? They can really amp up sexual escapades.”

“Lolli,” Trace warned.

“You can’t haul me away, popo,” Lolli shot back. “You might be part of The Man but I’m well within my legal rights.”

Holt tried to cover his laugh with a cough. “I’m bringing Wren with me next time. I need her to see Lolli in action.”

“For the love of God, let that next time be because you’re on vacation,” Trace muttered.

“Deal,” Holt said.

I lifted the canvas, making it catch the light. “Thank you for my beeeeautiful diamond painting, Lolli. I’m going to hang it over the mantel.”

Trace groaned, but Lolli beamed and leaned in to kiss my cheek. “Have I told you lately that you’re my favorite?”

“I’m telling the sibs,” Trace said, sounding affronted.

“Buzzkill,” she shot back.

I laughed full-out for the first time since I’d found the pictures in my mailbox. And damn, it felt good.

“Marry me.” Walter’s lips twitched as he flung the towel to rest on his shoulder.

“No.” Lolli’s face screwed up in annoyance.

“Marry me,” he said, not deterred in the slightest .

“I told you, you old coot, no . Are you losing your hearing along with your brains?”

Walter shot me a sly smile as I poured a coffee refill into a mug. “I love it when she gets feisty,” he murmured.

“I’d be careful,” Thea said as she restocked baked goods following the breakfast rush. “Lolli’s been taking lessons at Kye’s gym.”

Lolli took up a fighting stance that looked nothing like the things Kye had taught me. “Damn straight. Cross me, and I’ll take you out.” Her hand sliced through the air like some bad kung fu movie.

“You know,” Walter began, “I could be a hell of a sparring partner.”

Lolli straightened, lifting her chin. “You can’t keep up with me. I’m training to take down that Mateo fella.”

I nearly choked as I set the coffee pot back in place. “Mateo the professional fighter?”

She sent a huff in my direction. “I don’t appreciate your skepticism, young lady.”

“Watch out,” Thea warned. “Her young lady is the highest insult.”

I couldn’t help my laugh. “Sorry, Lolli. I believe in you. But having Walter practice with you might not be a bad idea.” I sent him a wink.

Lolli gave him a once-over. “How’s your flexibility?”

Walter made a show of lifting his hands in the air and then reaching down to his toes. “Following you to yoga every week has its benefits.”

I put a hand over my heart as I turned to Thea. “Swoon.”

“I know, right?” she said.

Lolli waved him off. “How about your strength?”

Walter flexed his biceps and held the arm out for her to feel. “What do you think I get from cleaning all the massive pots and pans?”

I tried not to giggle as Lolli felt him up and instead moved to drop the cup of coffee off for Harrison, who’d been seated in a corner for a few hours with what seemed to be casefiles. “Here you go. Is there anything else I can get you? ”

Harrison looked up and smiled. “All good. Thanks for keeping me in caffeine.”

“Happy to. And the entertainment’s free.”

He chuckled as he took in Lolli comparing Walter’s two biceps. “When is she going to cave and head down the aisle with the poor guy?”

“I don’t know, but I can’t wait to see her outfit when she does.”

“I’m not sure any of us are prepared for that,” Harrison muttered.

“You’re probably right.”

His expression shifted then as if he were trying to study me a bit closer. “Are you holding up okay? Trace said you got the new security system in place at your house.”

I shifted as if I could avoid the reminder of what was swirling around me. “I’m good. We’re being careful. Maybe not as careful as Linc and Trace would like, but nothing but a twelve-person security team and drone coverage would make them happy.”

It had been a battle to get them to settle for the back door being locked and chained and a squad car stationed out front. They’d finally given in.

One corner of Harrison’s mouth kicked up, but it quickly dropped again. “You and Trace…”

He let the words hang, and I winced. “It just sort of happened. I wasn’t looking for it, but?—”

“It found you,” Harrison broke in.

“I guess it did. Sometimes, when something’s right, it doesn’t wait around for you to be ready.”

A little hint of sadness filtered into Harrison’s gaze. “You might be right about that.”

I wanted to tell him that he’d find the right girl. The timing might be inconvenient or the pairing unexpected, but it would knock him sideways in the best possible way. I didn’t, though. It felt too much like overstepping or placating. Instead, I just said, “Flag me down if you need another cup.”

I headed back to Lolli and Walter’s playful bickering and restocking with Thea.

Soon, the lunch rush hit, and we waded through orders and tables until that eased.

As it did, I saw Beth standing by Harrison’s table, her iced latte in hand.

They traded some words as he packed up, and then Beth took the table next to the one he’d been sitting at, opening her own files.

Realization dawned.

Rounding the bakery case, I headed straight for her table. Beth looked up as I approached, her eyes widening a fraction at what I was sure was the very annoyed expression on my face.

“H-hey, Ellie.”

“He’s having you guys watch me, isn’t he?”

Beth’s gaze darted to the side. “I, um. Who?”

My eyes narrowed on her. “Keep with the cop work because you do not have a future in acting.”

“Ellie—”

I pulled the apron over my head and tossed it onto the counter. “I’ll be back after I get Trace arrested for stalking or false imprisonment or being impossibly overbearing and whatever else I can throw at him.”

Thea started to laugh. “I’m surprised it took you this long to realize you had a security detail.”

“I hate you all,” I called over my shoulder.