“Not going to argue with the man.” Rick took her hand and led the way out of the store, pausing at the doorway to speak to the woman behind the counter. “See you, Darlene.”

She stopped polishing the key that she had just cut and nodded at him. “Okey dokey.”

Outside, Cynthia slipped her sunglasses back on her face. “I just drove in. I parked across the street near the park so I could stretch my legs a little bit.”

He gestured toward a bench in front of the coffee shop, and they sat. “Why didn’t you let me know you were coming?” he asked.

She ran her teeth over her bottom lip. “Honestly, I wasn’t entirely sure I would come.”

“What, you might have driven eight hours and then changed your mind?”

She shrugged and looked at the green paint on the bench. “I might have turned around. I don’t know. What if you got home and everything became clearer?”

“It definitely did.” He took her hand. “In spades.”

She opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say as he ran his hand up and down her arm.

“I can’t believe someone who went into the jungle of Katangela by herself would be afraid to come to Charula, Kentucky.”

She smiled. “Well, I just wanted to give myself an out if I felt like I needed to take it. I haven’t had experience in anything like this. Well, except the . . . I mean—”

“I meant what I said, Cynthia.” His face grew serious. “I am not looking for anything from you for my own gain. You can trust me.”

Desperate to change the subject, she gestured toward the store and asked, “I didn’t take you from anything important, did I?”

He shook his head. “I wasn’t working there today. My father doesn’t usually need my help. I was just chatting with him while he handled some inventory.” He turned and scanned the businesses around them. “Where are your babysitters?”

She glanced around too. “My mom convinced me to let them come, provided I never see them. If I can pick them out of the crowd, I get to send them home.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Are you allowed to have that kind of say?”

She shrugged. “I can deny protection. Besides, I’m incognito here. My friend Dahlia made me a hotel reservation in her name, and I should be good.”

“Clever girl. What hotel?”

“The big one over by the—”

“Over by the river.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s probably too early for you to check in.”

“Yes—three o’clock. I have time to get lunch.”

He gave a broad smile. “Perfect! Let’s go to Betsy’s.”

“Ah yes, the diner you talked about. That sounds like perfection to me.”

Chapter
Twenty-five