Rather than jump to conclusions, though, why not see where she was headed?

“What do you mean?” He swept up a few wayward grains of salt with his finger, keeping his tone nonchalant.

She waited until he gave her his full attention to respond. “There were strange vibes at breakfast today. I asked Becky about them in the ladies’ room. She blew me off—after she teared up.”

His stomach twisted.

The last thing in the world he wanted to do was hurt her.

Nate propped one hand on his hip and raked the other through his hair. “I don’t know what to say.”

Kathleen appraised him. “Is that your subtle way of telling me to mind my own business?”

“No.” He met her gaze. “If I wanted to say that, I’d say it.”

“That’s what I thought.” She leaned back against the sink. Folded her arms. Waited.

Blast.

He’d rather face off against a hardened, armed criminal than get the third degree from Kathleen.

As far as he could see, however, there was no escape unless he wanted to be rude—and hurt more feelings.

Not in his plans on this Sabbath day.

“I told you the truth.” He paced over to the window. Scanned the scene he’d looked at every day until he left for college. The same scene his brother had looked at every day of his entire, too-short life. Sighed. “I honestly don’t know what to say.”

“Did you meet someone else?”

At Kathleen’s quiet question, he swung around. How on God’s green earth had his sister-in-law discerned the core of his dilemma so quickly?

She held up a hand, palm forward. “You don’t have to say anything. The answer is written all over your face.” She picked up her mug of tea and moved to the table. “Let’s sit.”

After a brief hesitation, he topped off his coffee and joined her.

“You want to tell me about her?” Kathleen sipped her tea.

Denying her assumption would be stupid. Besides, he could use a female perspective, and Kathleen wasn’t only the sister he’d never had, she was also blessed with keen insights into human nature.

Nate wrapped his fingers around his mug. “There isn’t much to tell, which is why this is bizarre. I just met her nine days ago. All of our conversations have been about work.” He blew out a breath. “It doesn’t make sense. I don’t know anything about her.”

“Except she revs your engine.”

His brother’s wife had never been one to beat around the bush.

“I don’t know if I’d use that exact expression, but she does trigger a big-time attraction reaction.”

His sister-in-law regarded him. “You’ve been dating Becky for eight months.”

“I know.”

“She thought you had serious intentions.”

“I thought I did too. But when I met this woman, I . . .” He faltered.

She filled in the blanks. “Was bowled over? Blown away? Had your socks knocked off? Pardon the clichés, but they catch the spirit of what I’m suggesting.”