For some reason, a flash of the way it felt to look into Sebastian’s eyes surfaced in Bridget’s mind at that moment. How ridiculous for me to think of that now! she thought. What passed between Sebastian and I was nothing—I was probably the only one who felt that strange attraction, and I have no intention whatsoever of acting on it. He’s an odd duck—like Adrienne said.
Adrienne shook her head. “No, no, he won’t want anything serious with me. You have no idea what it’s like, Bridget, to try to date as a mother. I have, like, fifteen minutes to myself a week. Henry is constant work—it’s all good work, mind you—but work nonetheless. And my finances are a mess. Henry was accepted into the Beechman School—you know, the one for gifted kids? The tuition is so expensive, but his heart’s set on it. If he ends up going, I’m going to be up to my eyeballs in debt. I swear, Jeremiah should stay away from me if he knows what’s good for him.” She looked down at her hands.
“Nonsense!” Bridget said. Internally, some alarm bells were going off. What was this about expensive tuition? If Adrienne was stressed over money, it was possible that she’d resorted to blackmail out of desperation. There’s no telling how far a desperate mother will go to help her son, Bridget thought.
“I’m sorry,” Adrienne said, still looking at her hands. “You wanted to know about that folder, didn’t you? The one your father left here.”
“Yes!” Bridget said. “Did you happen to see it when you opened up on Tuesday morning?”
Adrienne nodded. “When I got in, it was sitting out on the table, just where he left it.”
“Then what happened?” Bridget asked eagerly. Finally, they were making progress.
Adrienne shrugged. “Dunno,” she said. “I didn’t think about it again. I came into the back and started prepping for the day. I unloaded the dishwasher and mixed up iced teas for the backstock in the fridge. I wasn’t out front again until seven rolled around, and then I was so focused on customers that I didn’t even think about the folder again until you came in and started asking about it. You mean, he hasn’t found it yet?”
Her voice wavered a bit, and she wasn’t meeting Bridget’s eye. Was it just because she was still feeling guilty about her stolen kiss, or was she feeling guilty about taking the folder?
Bridget knew she had to proceed carefully. “Not yet,” she said. “But I’m hoping it turns up soon. So, Christine and Sean were out front while you were back here, I take it?”
Adrienne nodded. “Yep,” she said. “I let those two chatterboxes keep each other entertained. I’m happy to work back here because it’s quieter. You know how talkative Christine is.”
Bridget nodded. They all knew how talkative Christine could be—and the speed of her chatter tripled as soon as she had her shift drink, which she usually downed before doors opened to the public.”
“I get it,” Bridget said. “Did you notice either of them come back here and mess with their bags or jackets or anything? Maybe it looked like they were hiding something away?”
Adrienne looked up, her brow furrowed. “What—you think one of them took it?” She asked incredulously. “Bridget, that’s awful! Those two like your dad just as much as I do.”
“People can act strangely when money is involved,” Bridget said. “That folder contained valuable proprietary information.”
“But what would they do with it?” Adrienne asked.
Bridget didn’t want to go into the blackmail scheme. She wanted to hold that particular card close to her chest for the time being. Instead, she just shrugged, and waited for Adrienne to answer her question.
“Huh, don’t think I saw either of them messing with their stuff,” she said. “You know—Sean did come back once to turn on the stereo. I guess he could have hidden away a folder at that point.”
“How about Christine?”
“I don’t think she came back at all. Pretty sure she didn’t. I don’t remember being annoyed by her chatter. To be honest, I don’t really remember. That morning just blends in with all the rest.”
Bridget stood. It seemed she’d gotten all she could from Adrienne. “Thanks,” she said. “What you shared is helpful. Sorry to pull you away from the counter for that. We’d better get you back out there.”
Adrienne moved toward the door. “I hope your dad finds his papers,” she said.
Bridget pulled open the office door and let Adrienne exit first.
“Or maybe Sean moved it,” Adrienne said, as she stepped out, “and then forgot where he put it. He’s been so distracted lately.”
“With what?” Bridget asked. The two started crossing the back room side by side.
“You know—his project. He talks about it all the time.”
“Not with me,” Bridget said.
“Oh, that’s right. That’s because you’re the boss.” Adrienne lowered her voice. “You’d better ask him yourself.” She hesitated, like she wanted to say more, but she bit her lip and stayed quiet.
Bridget wondered what she was holding back. She made a mental note to talk to Sean next.
As she stepped out into the café area, she immediately noticed a knot of disgruntled-looking people by the counter where the orders were usually set. One woman held up her sandwich. “This is cold in the middle!” she said in a loud, annoyed voice.
A bald man who’d just picked up his paper bag of food peeked inside. “I didn’t order cream cheese,” he called out. “I’m Roberto, but this isn’t my order!”
The microwave dinged at the same time that a dark brown hunk of pastry that looked like it may have once been a croissant rolled out of the conveyor-belt style toaster oven.
Sebastian was ignoring the disgruntled customers and shuffling through a handful of empty paper bags that needed to be filled, muttering to himself.
Bridget and Adriene looked at each other, each with raised brows. “Uh oh,” Adrienne said.
“I’ll help him get caught up, if you go handle the angry mob,” Bridget suggested under her breath.
“Can do!” Adrienne promised. She pasted a happy smile on her face and headed for the far counter. “What seems to be the problem, sir?” she asked the bald man.
At the same time, Bridget approached Sebastian. “It’s not rocket science, but it does take some figuring out, doesn’t it?” she said, trying to keep her voice light. “Seems like we threw you to the wolves a little too early. Let me help you out.”
She tossed the toasted croissant into the trash and reached for a fresh one in the case. “These puppies get microwaved, not toasted,” she said, as she set the microwave timer. “What’s up next?”
He was definitely flustered, and it was a nice change from his aloof boredom of earlier. He shuffled through the bags. “Uh... this guy wants an everything bagel with butter. What’s an everything bagel?”
Bridget laughed as she reached around Sebastian for a bagel from the baked goods case. She noticed a subtle energetic charge due to standing so close to him, but she tried to ignore it. “It’s just a bagel loaded with all the good stuff,” she said. “Salt, garlic, poppyseeds. You’ve really never heard of it?”