The Stolen Heart (Contemporary Romance)

by Emily Walters

  “Your grandma would have been proud of you today,” Henry told her as he walked around his police car and opened the door for her.

  “No, she would have called me a fool for macing that robber. She always said to pick your battles wisely and I can’t help but feel like that was not a wise choice.” Ashley buckled up as Henry walked around to his own side and got in beside her.

  “Yeah, you should have just played it safe and stayed out of harm’s way, but you had a traumatic experience and you bounced back. You sat in there with that sketch artist for hours and helped him create a drawing for us. You answered questions about what you witnessed for an hour before that. Your grandma might have scolded you for trying to play hero, but she would still be proud of how you helped our case.” Henry turned out of the parking lot and headed to her car that was back in front of her shop.

  “The real hero was Hunter.” Ashley smiled as she said his name. “He saved my life. He’s a stranger, yet he risked his own life to keep that robber from shooting me. That is a true hero.”

  Henry mumbled something under his breath but Ashley ignored it. She was used to him being jealous when it came to her liking any other guy. She had always taken it as him being afraid that someone would come between their friendship. Henry would never actually want to date her, they were like brother and sister; instead she figured he just hated someone else getting all of her attention and time. He had been married once. The woman had graduated high school with Henry and Ashley and was a pretty redhead from the other side of town. They had been married for two years when his wife left him for another man. Since then Henry spent more time with Ashley. Their friendship had really grown and when her grandmother passed away he helped her through every step. She knew that he was a great man and she valued everything about him, even his unnecessary mumbled comments.

  “Look, until we catch these guys I want you to be extra safe. Do you hear me? Lock every single window, keep your outside lights on, and call me if you see anything suspicious. I mean it, anything.” Henry stopped in the street right next to her parked car. “I am going to drive by every so often to keep an eye on you. I only live a few doors down and you know that I can be there in a jiff.”

  “I know, Henry.” Ashley looked at him. “I really don’t think that those guys are around still. They are probably long gone by now.”

  “Maybe, but there is still a strong chance that they aren’t. Just be smart and think safe. I am only a phone call away,” Henry told her.

  Ashley reached out and hugged him. His arms around her were familiar, comforting, and soothing. She was glad to have him as a friend.

  “Thank you,” she said before letting go of her embrace and telling him goodbye.

  Henry watched as she got in her car and started it up. She pulled out of her spot and headed home with him driving right behind her. The streets were dark and empty, it made the ride even more eerie as she passed the same town homes as always that no longer seemed the same. The town felt disturbed now and she had a new fear as she drove the five miles to her house.

  She pulled in her long driveway and saw her charming old house up ahead. Her grandmother had passed away just months ago and left her the house. It was a wonderful home but the years hadn’t been kind to it and it needed some tender loving care. She wanted to begin working on it but she had no idea where to start. The house needed to be painted and the roof leaked. It could use some new shutters and the porch needed some repairs. Her grandmother had the money to fix these things but she had seen the home differently, she had seen the house as it was when she and her husband first bought it, and this kept her from changing anything about it. Ashley didn’t want to erase her grandparents’ past from the home. She only wanted to bring it back to its glory and honor her grandparents with its updating.

  After parking her car close to the house Ashley got out and waited for Henry to walk her to the door.

  “Do you want me to come back after I check in at the station? I could sleep on the couch and make sure that you’re safe.” Henry leaned against the porch railing as Ashley fumbled to unlock her front door.

  “I appreciate the offer but I am fine, really.” Ashley finally got the old lock to open. “I will call you if I need you.”

  “You better call me.” He leaned off the rail and stepped towards her.

  “Goodnight, friend,” Ashley said as she walked through her doorway.

  Henry looked at her oddly for a moment before nodding and waving.

  “Goodnight, Ashley.” He turned and walked back to his car.

  Ashley locked her doors and windows before watching Henry drive away from her house. She went straight upstairs to her bedroom and got into her favorite pink-and-black polka-dot pajamas. Her bed was comfortable and as she pulled her blankets over her body she felt sleep chasing her down. Her eyelids closed as she gave in and only one thing flashed through her mind before she fell asleep, Hunter’s face. Tomorrow she would get to see him once more, and that seemed like a dream come true to her.

  Chapter 3

  The sound of birds outside Ashley’s window woke her. Sunlight burned her eyes as she opened them to see the new day. Her legs were aching as she stretched out in bed. She was still so tired and felt like she could sleep for hours, but there were many things she had to do each morning before she opened her shop to customers. Turning to see the clock beside her bed, she was shocked to find out that she had overslept. It was almost noon and she usually opened her bakery at ten. She had been so exhausted the night before that she had forgotten to set her alarm. Jumping out of bed, she rushed to get dressed and ready for work.

  In a record time of ten minutes she had gotten dressed, fixed her hair, thrown on a little makeup, and grabbed a breakfast bar to eat in the car. Her drive to work was uneventful but parking was horrible in town. After searching for a spot for five minutes she finally found one around the corner from her shop. It was quarter after twelve and as she got out of her car she caught her reflection in the window. She looked disheveled with her messy bun and tired eyes, but there was no time to worry about her looks right now, she was in a hurry. In a rush she picked up the pace and walked quickly around the corner. She was not paying attention and ran right smack into a man. When she looked up she saw that it was Hunter.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, his hand still holding onto her arms to keep her from falling.

  “Yes. I am sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going. I am running late to open up my shop,” Ashley explained as she admired the blue shades in his eyes.

  “I know, I was just about to give up on you. I thought you stood me up.” Hunter smiled.

  “Oh, crap! I was supposed to meet you here at noon!” Her morning had been turned upside down and she had forgotten all about inviting Hunter to the shop. “I am so sorry. Please, come in.”

  Ashley took a few steps to her shop and began unlocking the front door.

  “So this is your bakery shop?” he asked as she opened the door and motioned for him to go in.

  “Yep.” She shut the door behind him and flipped the “Closed” sign over to say “Open.” “I am usually here by eight o’clock in the morning to start baking but today I overslept. All that drama overwhelmed me yesterday and I just wanted to sleep.”

  “Do you sell a lot of sweets here?” Hunter looked around the shop like he was really interested in it and his interest made Ashley happy.

  “Honestly, no.” She laughed as she walked behind the counter and turned all the lights on. “I mean I don’t sell a ton of cupcakes and cookies during the days here, but most of my business is from my wedding cakes. People come here and do a taste test and then order for their weddings. That is where I usually make my money. The cupcakes and cookies just give me a little extra cash and a reason to be here all day when potential clients may come in. I have been lucky enough to bring in lots of brides from towns all over.”

  “Do you like it?” he asked. The question surprised Ashley and she had to
take a second to think of an honest answer.

  “This is what I have always wanted to do. This is my dream.” She looked at him not sure what to say.

  “But do you like it?”

  “Yes, I love it.” It was the truth.

  “Well, good. That is what matters.” Hunter stood there, the muscles protruding through his tight shirt, he looked more delicious than anything else in her bakery.

  Ashley shook her head to get her thoughts shaken back together. She pulled out her work calendar and checked the date.

  “Oh no.” She sighed as she read the daily duties.

  “What?” Hunter asked as he walked towards her.

  “I have birthday cupcakes and cookies for two parties to do and they are supposed to pick them up in just a few hours.”

  “I can help,” he offered. “I mean I am no expert but I will do what I can.”

  “You would do that for me?” she asked.

  “If you make me a promise.” He leaned towards her. “You have to let me take you out for dinner tonight.”

  “Done.” Her answer was quick and as she shook his hand to lock the deal in she blushed a little from the warmth of his touch.

  Not wasting any time, Ashley got right to work and began telling Hunter how exactly to help. It was obvious that he hadn’t made many cookies or cupcakes but he was trying hard to keep up and do a good job. He was filling cupcake holders with the cake mix and cutting cookies into fun shapes.

  “What is it that you do?” Ashley asked as she took a cupcake pan out of the oven.

  “Contract work mostly. I remodel houses and do some construction work. I used to have my own crew but, well, I lost a bunch of work. I moved here because I was hired to do some work but after a few weeks the job ended and the contractor disappeared without paying me.” Hunter spilled the cake mix and it went all over the counter where he was attempting to fill cupcake holders.

  “Here, let me help you.” Ashley put down the cookies she was working on and went over to him. “I’ll show you the trick to it.”

  She took his right hand in hers and squeezed the bag of mix gently. The mix poured out into a purple paper cupcake holder. Then she slowly released the tension on his hand to stop the pressure on the bag and keep the mix from coming out more.

  “See, you just have to get the flow of it. Take your time but keep a steady pace.” Ashley was in front of him and his body so close behind her she could feel his breath warm upon her neck.

  “Is this right?” he asked as he squeezed the bag and filled a cupcake holder with cake mix. “Am I doing it right?”

  “That is perfect.” Ashley took the bag of mix from his hand and set it down on the counter.

  Turning around quickly so that she was facing him, she looked up into his eyes and felt her body warm up with arousal. He was so handsome and she wanted nothing more than to taste his lips. His hand came up and brushed the hair from out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. The touch of his fingers on her face made her long for him to put them elsewhere on her body. She leaned up towards him and was only inches away from his lips when the bell to the front door of the shop rang as someone entered the bakery. Ashley and Hunter separated and she headed out to the front of the shop to see who it was.

  “Where have you been?” Henry stomped towards her, his face red with panic or anger. “I have been calling you for hours! Why haven’t you answered your phone or your text?”

  “I’m sorry, Henry. I woke up late today and rushed here. My phone is at home next to my bed because I was in such a hurry I forgot all about it.” Ashley wiped her hands on her apron.

  “You should have called me or something. I drove by here three times and by your house once but you didn’t answer the door.” Henry looked very upset and she wished she had thought about contacting him before then.

  A noise came from the back of the shop where Hunter was helping her.

  “What was that? Who is back there?” Henry put his hand on his gun that was strapped to his hip.

  “Oh, calm down. It is just Hunter, from the bank. The man that saved my life. He is helping me since I was so late into work today,” Ashley told him. “Hunter, come out here for a minute,” she yelled to the back of her shop.

  “He’s been here, alone with you?” Henry asked before Hunter came walking out.

  “You remember Deputy Henry?” Ashley smiled at both the men as they didn’t speak but only nodded silently to each other. It was awkwardly quiet for a minute before anyone spoke.

  “Okay, well, we have to get back to work, Henry. I will call you later, alright?” she finally broke the ice.

  “Can I speak to you really quick outside, Ashley?” Henry asked.

  “Sure.” She followed him outside and let the door close behind them.

  “Why are you with him alone?” Henry asked.

  “What do you mean?” Ashley had never seen him act so jealous of her spending time with a man.

  “You don’t even know him. You have no idea who that stranger really is.” He looked down at the sidewalk silently like he wanted to say so much more.

  “He saved my life yesterday, Henry. I think that the least I can do is let him in my bakery.” She threw her hands up in the air out of confusion. This was not the friend that she was used to and she certainly didn’t like this side of him.

  “I don’t want you seeing him, at least not alone like this,” Henry told her.

  “Excuse me?” She put her hands on her hips and stared up at her oldest and dearest friend. “I don’t think it is up to you who I spend my time with.”

  “Don’t you think it is a little weird that this stranger happened to be in that bank at that exact time? He didn’t even have an account there, Ashley.” Henry exhaled loudly and then took a deep breath like he was calming himself down. “Look, I am not trying to be mean, you know how much I care about you. Please, just stay away from him until we are finished with this investigation.”

  “Goodbye, Henry.” Ashley turned back to the door of her store.

  “I don’t trust him,” he said.

  “I do.” And with that she left Henry and went back inside.

  “Is everything alright?” Hunter asked as she came walking into the back of the shop.

  He was cutting cookie dough and doing an awful job at being a baker, but his desire to help was sweet and his flour-covered shirt was sexy in an odd way. Ashley smiled as she looked at the man who had saved her life the day before. How could he be anything but wonderful?

  “Everything is great,” she said as she went around the counter and began icing cookies.

  She meant what she had said but a small part of her could not ignore Henry’s words. Her friend was not only looking out for her, but he was also a cop and might know more than what he was saying. People had always told her that it was obvious that he wanted to be more than friends with her but she thought that they were wrong. Was Henry just being a worried friend or a jealous man? Either way, Ashley didn’t care. Hunter and she had just met, but he made her feel ways no man had ever made her feel. She wasn’t willing to give that up just yet.

  Chapter 4

  The afternoon had gone by fast and Hunter was with Ashley the whole time. They were really getting to know each other and he seemed like less of a stranger and more of someone she could imagine a relationship with. They decided to go to have dinner right when they left her bakery for the day. There weren’t many restaurants around town and she was not feeling like going out so instead she invited him to come back to her house. They picked up a pizza nearby and he followed her back to her house in his truck. As they got out of their vehicles in her driveway Hunter looked up at the huge place.

  “This is your house?” Hunter asked as the two of them walked up her front porch.

  “Yes. It was my grandparents’ but my grandma recently passed and left it to me.” Ashley unlocked the front door and walked inside with him right behind her. “It needs some work but I love it here.”

&
nbsp; “This house is fantastic.” He ran his hand down the woodwork on the banister of the stairs. “I bet it was really beautiful in its prime.”

  “Yeah, that is why I want to start getting it back into good shape.” She led him into the large living room where she motioned for him to have a seat on the dark brown leather couch. “I’ll just grab us some plates and drinks.”

  Ashley went into the kitchen to get what they needed. As she reached for the plates her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a text from Henry.

  “What’s up? Are you doing OK?”