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Chapter Thirty-Six

“ O oof.”

Claire glanced around the small room the shelter was using as a makeshift gym. Veronica “not Ronny” Stiles, one of the new employees Sam hired, had just sent one of the women from the shelter flying to the mat. The resident got up furious and ready to rumble, but Veronica put up her hand.

“The anger is good but has no place in protecting yourself. Be calm. Be smart. Want to try that again?” The woman took a deep breath and nodded. Claire had just spent the past fifteen minutes being thrown to the mat, getting up and doing it again, so she understood the woman’s pain and frustration.

Claire was in awe of the KnightGuard employees who volunteered at the shelter once a week to show the shelter women how to protect themselves and, perhaps, learn to trust men again.

“Hey.” Sam stood in front of her, her brows furrowed. “Are you okay?”

“Why? ”

“You look so pensive and lost in thought. I hope the class doesn’t bring back bad memories.”

“No.” Claire smiled. “I’m more than okay. I was just thinking about how great these classes are. And how much it means to the women and your employees.”

Sam looked around at the activity. “Yeah. It’s empowering for the women, gives them a sense of accomplishment, and hopefully, they feel a little safer.

” She glanced at her watch. “We’re just about done here.

Want to grab a cup of coffee? I have a little time before I have to get back to the office. ”

“Sounds good.”

“Let’s meet at the little coffee shop around the corner from my office so I won’t have far to go.”

Claire nodded, gathered her purse and waved goodbye to the group, Sam not far behind her. It had been a while since the two of them could get together, so she was glad Sam asked.

Ten minutes later, Claire walked into the Roasted Bean.

The little coffee shop was a neighborhood favorite.

The outside was a throwback to the fifties, showcasing an orange and green neon sign of a coffee cup, but inside—wow.

It was modern and sleek with high wooden tables and lots of wrought iron.

Espresso machines hummed. Milk frothers whizzed, and jazz softly played in the background. Perfect.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sweet things assaulted her nose. Her stomach rumbled.

Several people relaxed at the coffee bar.

She spied Sam sitting at a small table by the window.

Claire took a moment to observe her. For sure, Sam knew that she’d arrived even if she wasn’t looking at her.

Nothing missed Sam Knight’s attention. But it looked like Sam had already dismissed her presence—she wasn’t a threat.

Sam’s eyes perused the shop and the door.

She looked so small and innocent sitting there, but Claire knew better.

She also knew that she would want Sam by her side or watching her back in times of danger. The woman was fearless and lethal.

“Hey.” Claire slid into a chair and looked around. “Gosh, I haven’t been here in a while. It looks like they added another machine.”

“They get quite the crowd during the week. They needed it,” Sam said.

A waiter came over to take their order, and Claire leaned back in the chair.

“We haven’t had a chance to be alone and talk in a while.” Sam reached out her hand and took Claire’s hand. “How are you doing? Is everything okay?”

Claire loved having friends who worried about her. It had been a long time since that had happened. Keith never wanted her to have friends or go out for coffee—or anything.

“Everything is going well. I love my house. I love my job, and I’m loving life.”

“Perfect. I’m so happy for you. So, are you loving Joe?” Sam slipped in and grinned. “Sorry. Joe’s a good guy, and I like seeing him smile more.” She smirked. “Or smile at all.”

“I love being with him. He comes off all crotchety at times…”

Sam raised her brows.

Claire grinned. “I know. But then he does something sweet, like play ball with his neighbors’ son and…” Claire shrugged. “I’ve never asked, but how are things going between you and Mark?”

Sam’s face flushed pink. It wasn’t often Claire could turn the conversation back to Sam and surprise her, but apparently, she had.

Sam looked out the window. “Hmmm, things are going fine.”

“Just fine?”

“Well, more than fine.” Sam picked up the coffee the waiter had placed in front of her and took a sip. “We’ve been together a while now.”

“Any plans on getting married?”

A sadness passed over Sam’s eyes that, if Claire hadn’t been looking at her, she would have missed.

“Oh, he wants to get married. He’s asked me a couple of times, but…”

Silence.

“But?” Claire was curious as to why Sam hadn’t said yes. She had watched the two of them together, and they complemented each other. Mark was intense but more laid back. Sam was intense but pretended to be laid back.

Sam gave a heavy sigh. “I don’t know. I love him. I respect him. We’re good together.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. “I don’t know why I haven’t said yes.” She took another sip of coffee. “Enough about me. Tell me about work.”

Well, talk about changing the subject. Claire was curious about what was holding Sam back from marrying Mark.

“Work is busy. We have a new show coming up and…”

The waiter interrupted them and asked if they wanted anything else. Claire ordered a chocolate pastry. Sam shook her head.

“How is Hillary adjusting?” asked Sam.

“Okay. I think. I know she comes off a little rough. She’s having a hard time adjusting here. I can remember when I moved down, everything was new, and I didn’t know anyone except Mark and Joe.”

“I get the sense she doesn’t like working at the gallery.”

“Hmmm, I don’t know about that. She said she worked in a gallery before. She never talks about her past except to say her former boyfriend was a jerk.”

“Some guys are.”

Claire nodded. “I know. Hillary thought they would get married since he had bought a condo for her. He never put it in her name, and she had to move out when the building sold. He also did some other squirrelly things.”

“A condo in New York? Where?”

“It sounded like it was on the Upper East Side.”

“Pricey.”

“I know.” That’s what Claire thought when Hillary told her where. She knew the prices because one of Keith’s buildings was around there. She never bothered to find out what it sold for. All she knew was the agent got an extraordinary amount for it and the shelters were benefiting.

“The guy must have been rich to buy it. She said he paid for everything.” Claire shrugged. “I think she is having a hard time adjusting from the big condo to a studio apartment.”

“Hmmm. Is she still dating Hank? Not that it is any of my business who my employees date.”

“I believe so, although she thinks Hank seems to be pulling away.”

Hank didn’t talk much about his relationship with Hillary, but Hillary had mentioned she just wanted a good time, and while Hank was okay with that at the beginning of their relationship, he wanted more. She went on and on telling Claire how Hank wouldn’t let her pay for anything.

Hearing that, Claire thought Hillary was taking advantage of Hank and maybe her too. Hillary hardly ever paid when they went out. She was sarcastic sometimes. Claire wondered if moving to a new place bothered her more than she let on.

She remembered when she moved to Florida, everything was so new and she wished she had another friend to get together with.

Although if she thought about it, Claire was the only person who bothered with Hillary.

None of the other women in Sam’s group took an interest in her, and Hillary hadn’t made any friends for herself other than Claire.

And if she really thought about it, how could Hillary afford to live in New York City?

Even if her boyfriend paid for the condo and other things, Manhattan was expensive, and gallery jobs didn’t pay that much.

Claire wondered why Hillary moved to Black Pointe in the first place. It was a big city, but there were other cities that artists favored with more galleries. She sighed. Hillary would have to find her way, or maybe Claire should step up and help Hillary more.