Page 51 of Colton On Guard

“Nope,” she replied without even having to check the schedule on the computer. “It’s a slow day.”

“Which means maybe you can I could go to dinner after?”

She froze. “Maybe,” she finally said. “Though, to be honest, I’d rather get takeout and go home and eat.”

The way she referred to his place as home brought a lump to his throat. “That sounds good, too. Let me know what you want and we’ll order ahead.”

In the end, they decided on fried chicken. “I need comfort food,” she told him, her expression serious. “Mashed potatoes and gravy, and those rolls with honey.”

After Spence and his group returned, Genna put them through checkout, which went smoothly. Spence appeared distracted and left as soon as his tour did, which meant Parker never had a chance to tell him about their irate customer.

“We can fill him in tomorrow,” Genna said, correctly reading his mind.

“We’ll definitely have to,” he replied. He could only imagine Spence’s response.

After Genna set her computer up for the morning, they turned out the lights and locked the door. They picked up the meal on the way home. Both dogs immediately perked up at the smell of fried chicken. Their intent fixation on the large paper sack made Genna laugh.

“None of this for you,” she said. “But I promise I’ll feed both of you your kibble as soon as we’re home.”

There it was again.Home. While he figured calling his place “home” wasn’t a big deal to her, he couldn’t help but like it. A lot.

He’d just pulled into the driveway and parked when she made an odd sound low in her throat.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, killing the ignition and pocketing the key fob before turning to face her.

“Look at my car,” she said, fumbling with the door handle so she could get out. “What the heck happened to it?” The urgency in her voice had him jumping out his side.

“Someone slashed my tires.” Expression incredulous, she made a slow circle around her car. “All four of them.”

Following her, Parker cursed. More than just jabbed, someone had repeatedly used a knife to create large gashes in each tire. Not only were they flat, they were in shreds. “Who would do such a thing?” he asked, unbelieving.

“I’m guessing my stalker figured out where I’m staying.” A combination of fear and sadness colored her voice. “Until he’s caught, no place is safe for me.”

Pulling her into his arms, Parker kissed her forehead. “We don’t know that this is the work of your stalker,” he pointed out.

She lifted her head to look at him. “Oh, really? Who else could it be?”

“I’m thinking that irate customer from earlier today. It’s a simple thing to find out where I’m living. Maybe he decided this would be a good way to act out his frustration.”

Her eyes widened. “I didn’t even think of that. I’d pretty much forgotten about him. But honestly, I’d rather it have been him than my stalker. I hate not feeling safe.”

“I get that.” What Parker didn’t tell her was that he planned to pay Miles Franklin a call. No way could he let anyone get away with ruining the property of one of RTA’s employees. She might work there, but she wasn’t responsible for company policies.

“A new set of tires isn’t cheap,” Genna mused. “And as badly as these are slashed up, I’m thinking they’re not repairable.”

Right then and there, Parker determined if Miles Franklin had done this, he’d either be replacing all four of Genna’s tires or they’d be pressing charges.

“Let’s go inside, feed the dogs and have our meal,” he said, arm still around her shoulders. “After that, let me see what I can find out.”

She didn’t comment.

They fed the dogs and then spread out all their fast food on the table. He’d gotten several sides, all comfort food. In addition to the mashed potatoes, he’d ordered macaroni and cheese, baked beans and small salads. Plus, he’d ordered extra rolls, butter and honey.

Despite expressing her eagerness for the food earlier, Genna barely picked at it now. “Having my tires slashed messed with my appetite,” she said. “But, hey, at least we have lots of leftovers. Maybe I’ll feel like eating later.”

He understood. While she packed everything up to put in the refrigerator, he left the room and stepped outside to the back patio. If he intended to pay Miles Franklin a visit, he would need company.

He’d just taken out his phone to dial Spence when Eli called. “I did some digging into Genna’s ex and his new wife, Ann,” Eli began.