Love Your Entity(8)

“The sex?” Ronan raised an eyebrow.

Tanya made it sound like Sierra had written the latest Fifty Shades of Grey book. Sierra could tell by the look on Ronan’s face that he was thinking the same thing.

Tanya clapped her hands. “Everybody out.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Ronan said.

“Maybe you should all step out for a bit while Sierra and I have a cup of tea and some cupcakes,” Daniella said.

Sierra couldn’t deny that the cupcakes looked delicious and her stomach was growling. The last food she’d had was … she couldn’t remember. Had it been a burrito from the Quik-Mart place near the Indiana border where she’d filled the car with gas?

“I’ll stay,” Tanya said.

“No you won’t,” Nick said.

One look from Nick stopped Tanya’s protest.

Damon, Nick, and Tanya left but Ronan stayed. Daniella gave him a look, as did Sierra.

“I’ll be in the basement checking the lighting,” Ronan finally said.

“You should go with your friends,” Sierra said.

“I’m not leaving,” he said.

“If you go down there, you’ll need a flashlight,” she reminded him.

“I have excellent night vision,” he said.

“It’s your funeral.” It was a trademark line from her books.

He shrugged. “I’m not into funerals.”

From the kitchen doorway leading to the hall she could see him open the basement door and descend the stairs.

“Okay, then.” Daniella flipped open the cardboard box she still held in her arms. “Do you prefer chocolate, red velvet, or cookies and cream?”

“Chocolate.”

“Ah, a girl after my own heart.”

“I see you’ve got them decorated for Valentine’s Day.”

“It’s only a few days away and it’s one of our busiest times of the year.”

Sierra looked at the cupcake Daniella handed her.

Picking up on Sierra’s uncertainty, Daniella said, “What’s the matter?”

“I’m never sure how to eat one of these in front of someone. I mean, it’s okay if I get frosting on my nose, but not in public. And what about the paper lining? Do I take it off completely or just partially?”

“There is no wrong way to eat a cupcake,” Daniella said.

“I’m sure there must be and I probably do it,” Sierra said.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. Just take a big bite. Go on.” Daniella’s grin urged Sierra on. Sure enough, she got icing on her nose. Instead of feeling self-conscious, she grinned back.

“Good, huh?” Daniella said.

Since she had a mouthful of cupcake, Sierra made no reply other than an mmmm. Then it hit her—here she was standing in the kitchen chowing down without offering her guest a drink or a seat.

Wiping the icing off, Sierra swallowed. “I don’t have any tea, but I do have my Keurig. How about some coffee?”

A few minutes later, Sierra and Daniella were seated at the hefty dining room table. It looked like it weighed a ton, which was probably why it was still in the house. It would take an army to move it out. So it, the sideboard, the living room couch, and the other furniture had stayed.

Staying wasn’t in Sierra’s history. Her thoughts were interrupted by Daniella.

“I’m sure this must all be hard for you,” the cupcake maker said. “Moving to a new place is always a challenge.”

“It’s a bigger challenge when you open the door to find a naked guy standing there,” Sierra said.

Daniella’s jaw dropped. “Did Ronan kick him out?”

“Ronan was the naked guy.”

“Wow, I don’t know what to say.”

“I didn’t either for a split second. Then I told him to leave.” Sierra didn’t bring up the part about talking to Ruby and thinking the ghost was Ronan’s girlfriend.

“I don’t know what I would have done in your place,” Daniella said. “I probably would have turned around and left.”

“I don’t give up easily.” Which was how she’d survived a challenging childhood. Sierra’s father was an alcoholic abuser who’d beaten Sierra’s mom. When Sierra was five, her mom took Sierra with her and left him.

Her mother hadn’t trusted the judicial system to protect her so she hadn’t filed a restraining order. Instead she’d taken off with Sierra in the middle of the night and never looked back. Or to be more accurate, her mother had always looked back over her shoulder to stay one step ahead of her father. Sierra remembered enough of her father’s fury and violence that she never doubted his promise that he’d make them pay. So they’d kept moving.