All I can do to minimize the potential damage that might come from me and Travis having to put on a show in public—where other people in town could witness it, and either find out about him or blow our cover—is stall in getting there. I figure if we go for a very late lunch, during a typical lull, there shouldn’t be too many other customers.

So I’ve made sure to take a meandering path around town on the way to the diner, under the guise of giving a town tour. As if Elise and Grant haven’t been here before. And also, as if they even give a crap about Mayweather.

“Hi, Barbara!” I call out, pausing as we walk by the elderly woman’s pastel green house. Yes, I’m still stalling. But I also genuinely like her.

She’s sitting on her porch in a rocking chair, but she stands (very slowly) to greet me. “Brenden, dear! How are you?”

“I’m great!” Lie. “How are you?”

“Oh, you know,” she says, shrugging one bony shoulder. “Same old, same old. That’s how it is when you get to be my age.”

I wave my hand at her with a smile. “Nonsense. You’ve still got plenty of excitement in your life. Have you finished your cats in outer space puzzle?”

Grant chortles behind me, but I ignore him.

Barbara’s face lights up. “Yes, a few days ago! Thanks for asking! I’m working on one with a bunch of cowboys now.”

“Shirtless cowboys?” I ask, waggling my eyebrows playfully.

“You know it.”

“You’ll have to take a picture for me when you finish it,” I tell her.

“I will,” she says happily. “Thank you for stopping to chat! You’re so sweet.”

As we move on, Elise asks me, “Was that a friend of yours?”

“She’s just someone I like to talk to.”

May squeezes my forearm as she walks beside me. “Dad’s friendly with everyone in town. Everyone loves him.”

“I can see why,” Elise says, and I can’t help but preen a little. Though I’m not sure how sincere she’s being.

When we reach the town square, I do a lap around it, rather than heading straight to Reed’s. Most of the storefronts have flowerboxes outside, which are filled with spring blooms that add pops of color to the street. Several people stop us to say hello, and I introduce them all to May’s grandparents. Elise does seem delighted at how friendly everyone is here, but Grant’s face remains impassive the whole time.