Chapter 3

THREE

“YOU LOOK GORGEOUS.” Daphne Crawford crossed the parking lot, her brown hair swishing behind her in a ponytail. “And that dress is the perfect color.”

Lahela looked down at the yellow sundress she’d finally selected after an hour of going through everything in her closet. October in Texas was still warm enough for a sundress but also cool enough she needed a jacket, so she’d paired her favorite dress with a denim jacket.

The decision only took fifteen minutes, but the other forty-five minutes she’d sat in said pile of clothing talking herself into coming out tonight, trying not to panic that the person behind the random phone calls haunting her life was back.

“Hello?” Daphne met her halfway in the parking lot of Juana’s. The touch of her hand on her shoulder was enough to bring Lahela’s attention to the present. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” Her cell phone felt like a brick in her purse. After blocking the number, she hadn’t received any more calls. Maybe it was a mistake.

“Lahela, girl, you’re worrying me.” Daphne tipped her head so that she was looking right into Lahela’s eyes. Her expression shifted from concern to amusement. “Wait, you aren’t nervous, are you?”

Briggs .

“When he sees you”—Daphne stepped back, giving her a once-over—“I bet he doesn’t waste a second asking you out.”

“Well, look at these beauties just standing in the parking lot.” The voice and a wolf whistle turned them to find Nash Martin walking toward them. “I appreciate Juana’s new marketing choice to lure customers in.”

Daphne rolled her eyes. “Is flirting in your DNA?”

Nash wrapped an arm around Daphne’s shoulder. “My grandmother doesn’t seem to think so since I’m”—he placed a hand on his chest and looked up into the sky—“woefully single.” He dropped his voice and his gaze to meet theirs. “Her words, not mine.”

“You’re terrible.” Daphne slapped her hand playfully against Nash’s chest. “Happy birthday.”

Lahela studied her two friends and wondered again that if Nash wasn’t Daphne’s brothers’ best friend, their friendship might cross into romantic territory someday.

“Happy birthday, Nash.” Lahela handed him her gift bag. “You don’t look a day over twenty.”

“I’m cursed by good genes.” Nash accepted the gift and gave Lahela a hug. “Though it would be nice to have your naturally tan skin tone so I wouldn’t burn in the summer.”

“Aww.” Daphne pinched Nash’s cheek. “I think lobster red really brings out the gold flecks in your brown eyes.”

“Gold flecks?” Nash sent Lahela a look before turning an impish smile on Daphne. “So, you’re checking out my eyes?”

Daphne recoiled, her face twisting into playful disgust as she shoved Nash. It didn’t even move him an inch, a testament to the time he put in at the gym to stay physically fit for his job in the FBI.

“Ew. No. I mean ... I just ...” Daphne stumbled over her words before relief flashed across her face. “Hey, Briggs!”

And just like that, the world seemed to shift on its axis. Lahela turned and her pulse picked up at the sight of Briggs in his signature jeans, boots, and T-shirt with the Mounted SAR emblem on it. If sexy-casual was a thing, he nailed it.

Add the baseball cap he tugged over brown hair just long enough to brush the tops of his ears and collar, and she’d be lying if she said that the first time they met there wasn’t a tiny moment of appreciation. But it was his easy friendship coupled with the countless ways he’d shown up for her over the last ten months that had her taking Daphne’s words to heart.

Briggs strode toward them in a casual swagger, the setting sun highlighting his form. His gaze snagged on her and held. Her shyness kicked in, pressuring her to break eye contact, but she ignored it. If she hadn’t, she would’ve missed the appreciative glint in his expression as he took her in, the slight uptick of his lips in a smile that seemed only for her.

Heat blossomed everywhere across her body, and she dipped her chin, not wanting anyone to catch the blush warming her cheeks.

“Y’all weren’t waiting on me, were you?”

“No. Daph just admitted she’s been checking out my eyes,” Nash said. “Tell me again how pretty the golden flecks are.”

“You’re so annoying. I have no idea why my brothers like you.”

“For my gold—”

“Stop.” Daphne waved her hands in the air. “I regret so many things,” she mumbled, reaching for Lahela. “Let’s go inside and eat.” Looking at Briggs, she said, “You’re welcome to join us.” And to Nash, “You’re one second away from me taking back my birthday gift.”

“Aw, Daph, your compliment about my glittering eyes is gift enough.”

“So. Many. Regrets.” Daphne groaned.

Lahela laughed as the four of them started for the restaurant entrance and finally felt herself relax. A hostess showed them to a round table, and Briggs pulled out her chair the same as Nash did for Daphne.

“You look great tonight.” His low rumble whispered over her shoulder. “I like the flower too.”

She absently touched the plumeria flower hairpin she’d added above her right ear. Grateful to focus on anything else. “Thank you.”

His fingers brushed against the side of her arm, sending a delicious chill skirting through her. He sat down on her right, bringing with him the woodsy scent of his cologne that swirled around her, tempting her to inhale. No, she would not sniff the man. This wasn’t the first time she’d been around Briggs and his cologne.

So why was she suddenly too shy to meet his gaze? On her left, Daphne wiggled her brows suggestively, like she had read Lahela’s thoughts.

Thankfully, the waitress arrived with a basket of tortilla chips and bowl of salsa she set in the middle of the table before asking if they wanted their usual. Dinner at Juana’s had become a tradition from the first time Daphne invited her to meet Briggs and Nash, whenever he could make it down from Dallas, and there wasn’t a bad thing on the menu.

“Finn sends his apologies for not being here tonight to celebrate your big day,” Daphne said and pulled an envelope from her purse. “And Fish is running late, so this is from all three of us.”

“Aww, Daphne.” Nash reached for the envelope she slid across the table. “You—”

Daphne’s hand slapped down on the envelope. “If you bring up golden flecks one more time, Nash Martin, I’m not kidding, I’ll keep the gift.”

“You’re so sweet to think of me.” Nash picked up the envelope. “Thank you.”

“My gift goes—” Lahela was cut off by her cell phone. Anxi ety slammed back into her like a tidal wave. “S-sorry. Let me just...”

Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her phone just enough to see the screen. Cold dread instantly raced through her. Unknown caller. No. This couldn’t be happening again. Her fingers shook as she hit the ignore button.

“Who was it?”

Lahela met Daphne’s gaze and forced herself to smile, but it must not have been very convincing because her friend’s expression shifted into concern.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.” Lahela licked her lips and dropped her gaze to the table. Daphne was the only person she had confided in when the anonymous calls started coming, and only after nearly a dozen of them interrupted the middle of dinner with Daphne’s family. And that was after a weekend of random calls in the middle of the night. But there was no way to figure out who it was or why it was happening, and it wasn’t worth burdening her friend with something Lahela could easily block and ignore.

“What’s going on?” Briggs said. There was a protective edge in his deep tone that made Lahela want to melt into it. If there was one difference between Briggs and her ex, it was the way Briggs always made her feel safe. Even as just a friend, he watched out for her in ways Trevor never did.

Another shrill ring of her cell phone cut into her thoughts, causing her to jump in her chair. She looked down at the phone ringing and vibrating in her palm. It was another number she didn’t recognize. Don’t answer it . Lahela’s thumb hovered over the screen as her pulse pounded in her ears. Don’t answer it .

“Lahela.”

She jerked when Daphne’s fingers reached for her arm, and both Briggs and Nash were now watching her. The phone gave a half ring and then stopped. Lahela exhaled, but it did nothing to loosen the tight band across her shoulders. She stared at the phone, half expecting it to ring again and praying it wouldn’t.

Her phone chirped with a new text message. Impulse caused her to swipe open the message. Lahela’s breath came out ragged when she saw the photo. It was of her watering her plants on her porch that morning before school.

Another image appeared on the screen, this time a close-up of her arriving at school later that morning. And then another of her at home as she was leaving to come here.

Lahela dropped the phone on the table, and she didn’t even try to stop Daphne from grabbing it. Instead, heart racing, she searched the restaurant around her. Someone was watching her. Maybe watching her now.

“What’s going on?” Briggs said, scooting his chair closer to her side. He looked across the table. “Daphne?”

Knees trembling, Lahela couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was out there, watching her, calling her, and she had no idea who or why they were doing it.

“Lahela.” Daphne’s voice pulled her attention to her friend.

When they’d first met, Lahela was captivated by the color of Daphne’s eyes. They were the same emerald green as the Ko?olau mountainside. And right now, those eyes were brimming with a dark current that was as dangerous as a riptide.

“It’s time to go to the police.”