“I’ll keep that in mind.” Still watching her, Hunter held up three unmatched socks. “Just how does this happen every week?”

Sarah considered the socks a moment, then sat up. “I think there’s a parallel universe in the dryer. On the other side of the door, at this very minute, someone else is holding up three unmatched socks.”

“An interesting theory.” Reaching down, Hunter grabbed her. As Sarah’s laughter bounced off the lofted ceiling, he dropped her, bottom first, into the basket.

Chapter 5

It was like every Western she’d ever seen. With the sun bright in her eyes, Lee could almost see outlaws outrunning posses and Indians hiding in wait behind rocks and buttes. If she let her imagination go, she could almost hear the hoofbeats ring against the rock-hard ground. Because she was alone in the car, she could let her imagination go.

The rich red mountains rose up into a painfully blue sky. There was a vastness that was almost outrageous in scope, with no lushness, with no need for any, with no patience for any. It made her throat dry and her heart thud.

There was green—the silvery-green of sage clinging to the red, rocky soil and the deeper hue of junipers, which would give way to a sudden, seemingly planned sparseness. Yet the sparseness was rich in itself. The space, the overwhelming space, left her stunned and humble and oddly hungry for more. Everywhere there were more rocky ridges, more color, more … Lee shook her head. Just more.

Even when she came closer to town, the houses and buildings couldn’t compete with the openness. Stop signs, streetlights, flower gardens were inconsequential. Her car joined more cars, but five times the number would still have been insignificant. It was a view you drank in, she thought, but its taste was hot and packed a punch.

She liked Sedona immediately. Its tidy Western flavor suited the fabulous backdrop instead of marring it. She hadn’t been sure anything could.

The main street was lined with shops with neat signs and clean plate glass. She noticed lots of wood, lots of bargains and absolutely no sense of urgency. Sedona clung to the aura of town rather than city. It seemed comfortable with itself and with the spectacular spread of sky. Perhaps, Lee mused as she followed the directions to the rental-car drop-off, just perhaps, she’d enjoy the next two weeks after all.

Since she was early for her arranged meeting time with Hunter even after dealing with the paperwork on her rental car, Lee decided she could afford to indulge herself playing tourist. She had nearly an hour to vacation before work began again.

The liquid silver necklaces and turquoise earrings in the shop windows tempted her, but she moved past them. There’d be plenty of opportunities after this little adventure for something frivolous—as a reward for success. For now, she was only passing time.