“But that’s just it—if you leave now, she’ll blame me. She’ll think I got rid of you. And that will stress her. She seems determined to travel today, so can I persuade you to travel with us? For one more day at least?” Or was that the last thing he wanted? “Or maybe you’d rather find a cooler ride than the two of us, especially if you haven’t taken a vacation in so many years. This one is probably special, and I know there’s nothing special about my driving. I’m not that experienced, as you probably guessed, although if we’d picked you up in Chicago you would have had even more reason to be nervous. I’ve improved a lot in a few days. By the time we reach Santa Monica I’m hoping to be competent. And now you’re probably thinking that you’d rather not risk your life. Which is ironic, really, because there was me worried for our safety picking up a stranger, whereas the person who should have been worried was you—” The words died as he covered her lips with his fingers.

“Yesterday I couldn’t get you talking, and today I can’t stop you talking.”

“It would reassure Kathleen to have you there and we are traveling in the same direction.” She took a breath. “Say something.”

“I was waiting for a gap in the flow of words.” The laughter in his eyes made her feel better.

“Will you come with us? For one more day. After that if you’re tired of us, I’ll let you go.”

“May I speak? Because I have a question.”

She folded her arms, nervous. “Go for it.”

“Why did she think I’d be your perfect rebound relationship?”

“You’d have to ask her that. Because you’re male and have good shoulders? Her list of criteria didn’t seem long. Also you were the first man of appropriate age she happened to spot after she’d come up with her thrilling plan. But honestly, you don’t need to worry. She can plot as much as she likes, and frankly if it distracts her from feeling unwell, that’s fine by me. You know the truth now, and in case you’re wondering I should reassure you that you’re safe. I’m not remotely interested in any sort of relationship right now, even a rebound one. I took this job to get away from all that. You have no idea how much I’m loving having no emotional complications.”

He looked thoughtful. “So you don’t know her that well?”

“I have known her for less than a week.” But funnily enough she felt as if she did know her well. In the time they’d been together, Martha had told Kathleen things she’d never told anyone else.

Why was that?