The plan made him smile. He parked in a covered lot on the beautiful Plaza and walked to Vera’s office. She was the only one there and she was shoving papers into her dad’s old briefcase. She barely glanced at him.

“Got a meeting?” he asked as he kissed her cheek.

“No. I mean, yes. In Wichita. I have to leave now.”

“But you have—” He cut himself off. He couldn’t say that she was supposed to meet Kelly at the bridal shop. There was no way he could explain how he knew that. “You don’t have any other appointments today?”

“Canceled them all.” She gave a quick glance out the window, then grabbed another paper off her desk.

Adam saw the tail end of a silver truck that he didn’t recognize. A man’s truck was as distinctive as he was. “Getting a ride from someone?”

“Yeah. Carol Miller.”

“She drives a truck like that one?”

“Of course not! Why are you grilling me?”

Adam took a step back. “I came here to surprise you. Thought maybe we could have lunch.”

“Can’t,” she said as she closed the briefcase. “Maybe Sunday we can do something.”

“Sure. Sunday. If you can spare the time.”

Vera closed her eyes for a moment. “I’m sorry that I can’t drop everything and go out with you. If you’d called beforehand, I could have saved you the trip.” She put her hand on his forearm. “On Sunday, let’s go to the cabin. We’ll...” She gave him a look of invitation.

“Great idea.” His voice was cool. “On Sunday, we’ll get it on.”

Vera grimaced. “I can’t stand here and argue. I have to go.” She hurried out the door just as Adam again saw the end of the silver truck go by. There was a deep dent in the back. He wished he’d seen the driver.

He plopped down in Vera’s big desk chair. What was going on with her? He felt like he’d been brushed off as though he were of no consequence. It was like she’d dumped him. Adam’s eyes widened at that thought. “Kelly!” She would get to the bridal shop and no one would be there to meet her. She’d be trying on wedding dresses alone. Even he knew that was no good.

As soon as Kelly saw Adam, she knew something was wrong. Since Vera wasn’t with him, she figured that was part of his problem. But Kelly had had a lifetime of Vera not being where others wanted her to be. Vera could walk into the woods and disappear. Vanish. Poof! Gone. No one, not even their father, had been able to find her.

Kelly got out of her car and stood for a moment looking at Adam. He was wearing his Burke Hatten face.