The drive to the center took less time than she’d thought. She had over an hour to spare before the workshop began. Tori decided to get another one of those excellent sandwiches and do a little more window-shopping.

As she passed the Jimmy Can-Do Shop, she stopped abruptly. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she spotted something that resembled a double-wide trailer. Chills went up her spine. She was drawn to it and repulsed at the same time. She cautiously moved past large metal palm trees, an assortment of animals, both wild and domestic, vases, sundials, and weather vanes.

She moved closer to the three-foot replica of the trailer-style house. It gave her the spookiest feeling. A major flash from her past. She peered at it intently. Even the details looked familiar. More goose bumps went up her spine and down her arms. She couldn’t get out of there fast enough. If she weren’t pregnant, she would have run to the wine shop and bought a bottle. Instead, she bolted to the Namaste Café for a cup of chamomile tea. A young woman greeted her at the door. “Welcome to the Namaste Café. How can I make your day better?”

Tori was caught off guard. Her first thought was Get that thing out of there! But she knew that her guilt was getting the better of her.

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

The weekend

Luna mapped out her route to Charlotte and entered Gaines’s address into her GPS. She broke up the scone in several pieces so she wouldn’t be messing with it when she was on the highway. The GPS gave her two choices, and she decided would take Interstate 40 to 321 South. Route 74 was more scenic, but she wanted to get there by the most direct route. Today she wasn’t interested in the flora and fauna of the countryside. She was nervous enough. The sooner she got there, the better. If all went well, the trip would take two hours. She picked a playlist of music to listen to on the way. It occurred to her that she didn’t know much about Gaines’s taste in music. She knew he wasn’t into heavy metal or rap, but she wondered what he listened to when he was home. She guessed she would find out soon.

Between verses of “Love Shack” she chewed happily on the sweet dough.

The ride went without a hitch and she was soon pulling into Gaines’s driveway. It was exactly how she pictured it, with large shade trees and a meticulous lawn. The driveway was wide enough for two vehicles, so she parked next to his. As she unlocked the cargo door, Gaines appeared in his doorway. He hurried to the car to help her with her bag. This time there was no debate about a welcome hug. And it was a good one. Luna thought he just might swing her around.